January 2008 National Response Framework Page i

This National Response Framework (NRF) is a guide to how the Nation conducts all-hazards 

response. It is built upon scalable, flexible, and adaptable coordinating structures to align 

key roles and responsibilities across the Nation, linking all levels of government, 

nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector. It is intended to capture specific 

authorities and best practices for managing incidents that range from the serious but purely 

local, to large-scale terrorist attacks or catastrophic natural disasters. 

This core document, along with the Emergency Support Function Annexes and Support 

Annexes (available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF), supersedes 

the corresponding sections of the National Response Plan (2004, with 2006 revisions). The 

Incident Annexes remain in effect until superseded at a later date. The President has 

approved this National Response Framework. 

Washington, DC

January 2008
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page iii

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1

Overview ......................................................................................................... 1 

Framework Unpacked......................................................................................... 3 

Scope.............................................................................................................. 7 

Response Doctrine............................................................................................. 8 

Part of a Broader Strategy ................................................................................ 12 

CHAPTER I – ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES .......................................................... 15

Local............................................................................................................. 15

The Private Sector and NGOs............................................................................. 18

States, Territories, and Tribal Governments ......................................................... 21

Federal.......................................................................................................... 24

CHAPTER II – RESPONSE ACTIONS ....................................................................... 27

Introduction ................................................................................................... 27 

Prepare ......................................................................................................... 27 

Respond ........................................................................................................ 32 

Recover ......................................................................................................... 45 

CHAPTER III – RESPONSE ORGANIZATION ............................................................ 47

Introduction ................................................................................................... 47 

Key Concepts ................................................................................................ 48

Local Response: Structures and Staffing............................................................. 49

State Response: Structures and Staffing ............................................................ 51 

Federal Response: Structures and Staffing ......................................................... 53 

CHAPTER IV – PLANNING: A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF EFFECTIVE RESPONSE ............... 71

The Framework and Planning............................................................................. 71 

The Value of Planning ...................................................................................... 71 

National Preparedness Architecture .................................................................... 72 

The Federal Planning Structure .......................................................................... 73 

The State, Tribal, and Local Planning Structure..................................................... 74 

Criteria for Successful Planning.......................................................................... 74 

CHAPTER V – ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ................................................................. 77

Supporting Documents and the NRF Resource Center ............................................ 77 

Effective Date and Framework Implementation..................................................... 79

ACRONYMS......................................................................................................... 81
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 1

INTRODUCTION

OVERVIEW

This Nationa l Response Framework (NRF) [or Framework] is a guide to how the 

Nation conducts all-hazards response. It is built upon scalable, flexible, and adaptable 

coordinating structures to align key roles and responsibilities across the Nation. It describes 

specific authorities and best practices for managing incidents that range from the serious 

but purely local, to large-scale terrorist attacks or catastrophic natural disasters. 

This document explains the common discipline and structures that have been exercised and 

matured at the local, tribal, State, and national levels over time. It describes key lessons 

learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, focusing particularly on how the Federal 

Government is organized to support communities and States in catastrophic incidents. Most 

importantly, it builds upon the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which 

provides a consistent template for managing incidents.

The term “response” as used in this Framework includes immediate actions to 

save lives, protect property and the env ironment, and meet basic human needs. 

Response also includes the execution of emergency plans and actions to support short-term 

recovery. The Framework is always in effect, and elements can be implemented as needed 

on a flexible, scalable basis to improve response. 

INTENDED AUDIENCE

The Framework is written especia lly for government executives, private-sector 

and nongovernmenta l organization (NGO) leaders, and emergency management 

practitioners. First, it is addressed to senior elected and appointed leaders, such as 

Federal department or agency heads, State Governors, mayors, tribal leaders, and city or 

county officials – those who have a responsibility to provide for effective response. For the 

Nation to be prepared for any and all hazards, its leaders must have a baseline familiarity 

with the concepts and mechanics of the Framework. 

At the same time, the Framework informs emergency management practitioners, explaining 

the operating structures and tools used routinely by first responders and emergency 

managers at all levels of government. For these readers, the Framework is augmented with 

online access to supporting documents, further training, and an evolving resource for 

exchanging lessons learned.1

 

1 To support users of the Framework, the Department of Homeland Security has created an online NRF Resource 

Center, available at http://www.fema.gov/NRF. This online resource will routinely grow and evolve in support of 

the Framework and those who work with it. The initial postings contain multiple supporting documents, operational 

plans, standard forms, and other tools that are commonly used by the incident management community. The site 

will further explain technical aspects of the Framework, and will routinely post supporting documents as they are 

newly generated or improved. 
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One of the challenges to effective response is the relatively high turnover and 

short tenure among e lected and appointed offic ials responsible for response at all 

levels. Effective response hinges upon well-trained leaders and responders who have 

invested in response preparedness, developed engaged partnerships, and are able to 

achieve shared objectives. The players’ bench is constantly changing, but a concise, 

common playbook is needed by all. 

This Framework is intended to supply that essential playbook. It is rooted in extensive 

consultation among practitioners and policymakers at all levels. Operational planning for 

specific types of incidents has accelerated and improved nationwide since the terrorist 

attacks of September 11, 2001 (or 9/11). Such plans will continue to evolve in alignment 

with the Framework.

EVOLUTION OF THE FRAMEWORK

This document is an outgrowth of previous iterations of Federal planning 

documents. A brief discussion of its history underscores important elements of the 

Framework and highlights improvements to the previous National Response Plan (NRP). 

This Framework was preceded 15 years earlier by a Federal Response Plan (1992) that 

focused largely on Federal roles and responsibilities. 

Following the 9/11 attacks, more urgent efforts were made to understand and implement 

common incident management and response principles and to develop common planning 

frameworks. The 2004 NRP was an early outgrowth of those discussions, replacing the 

Federal Response Plan. It was published one year after creation of the Department of 

Homeland Security (DHS). The NRP broke new ground in integrating all levels of 

government in a common incident management framework. It incorporated incident 

coordination roles for Federal agencies2 as defined by several new laws and Presidential 

directives. Nine months after Katrina’s landfall, a notice of change to the NRP was released, 

incorporating preliminary lessons learned from the 2005 hurricane season. 

Stakeholders suggested changes to the NRP – both structural and substantive. 

Stakeholders have advised that both the initial NRP and its 2006 iteration were bureaucratic 

and internally repetitive. 

Users also suggested the NRP was still insufficiently national in its focus, which is to say that 

it should speak more clearly to the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in 

response. Moreover, it was evident that the NRP and its supporting documents did not 

constitute a true operational plan in the sense understood by emergency managers. Its 

content was inconsistent with the promise of its title.

In the last several years, operational planning on a national basis for specific types of 

incidents has matured. Both public and private sectors are making significant homeland 

security investments to strengthen the Nation’s response capability. 

 

2 Note that within this document, use of the term “agency” when referring to Federal entities is inclusive of 

executive agencies, departments, and Government corporations.
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 3

By adopting the term “framework” within the title, this document is now more 

accurately a ligned with its intended purpose. Effective response to an incident is a 

shared responsibility of governments at all levels, the private sector and NGOs, and 

individual citizens. This Framework commits the Federal Government, in partnership with 

local, tribal, and State governments and the private sector, to complete both strategic and 

operational plans for the incident scenarios specified in the National Preparedness 

Guidelines. 3 These plans will ultimately improve significantly the Incident Annexes to this 

Framework, which have been carried forward from the NRP. 

FRAMEWORK UNPACKED 

The Framework presents the key response principles, participants, roles, and structures that 

guide the Nation’s response operations. The remainder of the Framework is organized as 

follows:

• Chapter I – Roles and Respons ibilities. This chapter sharpens the focus on who

is involved with emergency management activities at the local, tribal, State, and 

Federal levels and with the private sector and NGOs.

• Chapter II – Response Actions. This chapter describes what we as a Nation 

collectively do to respond to incidents. 

• Chapter III – Response Organization. This chapter explains how we as a Nation 

are organized to implement response actions. 

• Chapter IV – Planning: A Critical E lement of Effective Response. This chapter 

emphasizes the importance of planning and summarizes the elements of national 

planning structures.

• Chapter V – Additiona l Resources. This final chapter summarizes the content 

and plan for the online NRF Resource Center, a new, actively managed 

DHS/Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site that will deliver state-of-theart support for the Framework with additional support tools shaped by and addressed 

to the response community. 

HOW THE FRAMEWORK IS ORGANIZED

The National Response Framework is comprised of the core document, the

Emergency Support Function (ESF), Support, and Incident Annexes, and the 

Partner Guides. The core document describes the doctrine that guides our national 

response, roles and responsibilities, response actions, response organizations, and planning 

requirements to achieve an effective national response to any incident that occurs. The 

core document of the National Response Framework is effective 60 days after publication. 

The annexes and Partner Guides will be updated periodically and effective 60 days after 

publication.

 

3 The set of scenarios, while not exhaustive, is representative of a broad range of terrorist attacks and natural 

disasters that would stretch the Nation’s prevention and response capabilities. Collectively, they yield core 

prevention and response requirements that can help direct comprehensive planning efforts. 
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The following documents provide more 

detailed information to assist practitioners 

in implementing the Framework: 

• Emergency Support Function Annexes group

Federal resources and capabilities into functional 

areas that are most frequently needed in a 

national response (e.g., Transportation, 

Firefighting, Mass Care).

• Support Annexes describe essential supporting 

aspects that are common to all incidents (e.g., 

Financial Management, Volunteer and Donations 

Management, Private-Sector Coordination). 

• Incident Annexes address the unique aspects of

how we respond to seven broad incident 

categories (e.g., Biological, Nuclear/Radiological, 

Cyber, Mass Evacuation). 

• Partner Guides provide ready references describing key roles and actions for local, 

tribal, State, Federal, and private-sector response partners.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a companion document that 

provides standard command and management structures that apply to response activities. 

This system provides a consistent, nationwide template to enable Federal, State, tribal, and 

local governments, the private sector, and NGOs to work together to prepare for, prevent, 

respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents regardless of cause, size, 

location, or complexity. This consistency provides the foundation for utilization of the NIMS

for all incidents, ranging from daily occurrences to incidents requiring a coordinated Federal 

response.

These documents are available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF.

RESPONSE: THE WHO 

An effective, unified national response requires layered, mutually supporting 

capabilities. The Framework systematically incorporates public-sector agencies, the 

private sector, and NGOs. It also emphasizes the importance of personal preparedness by 

individuals and households. 

Communities, tribes, States, the Federal Government, NGOs, and the private sector should 

each understand their respective roles and responsibilities, and complement each other in 

achieving shared goals. Each governmental level plays a prominent role in developing 

capabilities needed to respond to incidents. This includes developing plans, conducting 

assessments and exercises, providing and directing resources and capabilities, and 

gathering lessons learned. These activities require that involved organizations understand 

their roles and responsibilities, and how they fit within and are supported by the 

Framework. 

Figure 1. Organization of the Framework
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 5

It is important that each level of government adapt and apply the genera l roles 

outlined in the Framework. To do this, organizations should define key leadership and 

staff functions, adopt capabilities-based planning as the method to build response 

capabilities, and impose the discipline needed to plan and operate effectively. Partner 

Guides that summarize core Framework concepts and are tailored specifically to leaders at 

different levels and types of organizations are provided through the online NRF Resource 

Center. 

Even when a community is overwhelmed by an incident, there is still a core, sovereign 

responsibility to be exercised at this local level, with unique response obligations to 

coordinate with State, Federal, and private-sector support teams. Each organization or 

level of government therefore has an imperative to fund and execute its own core 

emergency management responsibilities. 

Below is a brief summary of emergency management roles at the local, tribal, State, and 

Federal levels, as well as the roles of private-sector organizations. Emergency management 

is the coordination and integration of all activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve 

the capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, or mitigate against 

threatened or actual natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other manmade disasters. 

Local Governments. Resilient communities begin with prepared individuals and 

depend on the leadership and engagement of loca l government, NGOs, and the 

private sector. Individuals, families, and caregivers to those with special needs should 

enhance their awareness of risk and threats, develop household emergency plans that 

include care for pets and service animals, and prepare emergency supply kits.4 Individuals 

can also volunteer in their communities. 

Local police, fire, emergency medical services, public health and medical providers, 

emergency management, public works, environmental response professionals, and others in 

the community are often the first to detect a threat or hazard, or respond to an incident. 

They also are often the last to leave an incident site or otherwise to cope with the effects of 

an incident. The local senior elected or appointed official (the mayor, city manager, or 

county manager) is responsible for ensuring the public safety and welfare of residents. In 

today’s world, senior officials and their emergency managers build the foundation for an 

effective response. They organize and integrate their capabilities and resources with 

neighboring jurisdictions, the State, NGOs, and the private sector. Increasingly, businesses 

are vital partners within communities wherever retail locations, service sites, manufacturing 

facilities, or management offices are located. NGOs and not-for-profit organizations also 

play a key role in strengthening communities’ response efforts through their knowledge of 

hard-to-reach populations, outreach, and services. 

States, Territories, and Tribal Governments. States, territories, and triba l 

governments have respons ibility for the public health and welfare of the people in 

their jurisdiction. State and local governments are closest to those impacted by 

incidents, and have always had the lead in response and recovery. During response, States 

play a key role coordinating resources and capabilities throughout the State and obtaining 

resources and capabilities from other States. States are sovereign entities, and the 

Governor has responsibility for public safety and welfare. While U.S. territories, 

 

4 More information on preparing a household emergency plan is available at http://www.ready.gov. 
INTRODUCTION

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possessions, freely associated states,5 and tribal governments also have sovereign rights, 

there are unique factors involved in working with these entities. Stafford Act assistance is 

available to States and to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which are included in the definition of 

“State” in the Stafford Act.6 

States have significant resources of their own, including State emergency management and 

homeland security agencies, State police, health agencies, transportation agencies, incident 

management teams, specialized teams, and the National Guard. The role of the State 

government in response is to supplement local efforts before, during, and after incidents. If 

a State antic ipates that its resources may be exceeded, the Governor can request 

assistance from the Federa l Government and/or from other States through mutual 

aid and assistance agreements such as the Emergency Management Assistance 

Compact (EMAC).

7 

The Federal Government. The Federal Government maintains a wide array of 

capabilities and resources that can be made available upon request of the 

Governor. When an incident occurs that exceeds or is anticipated to exceed State, tribal,

or local resources, the Federal Government may provide resources and capabilities to 

support the State response. For incidents involving primary Federal jurisdiction or 

authorities (e.g., on a military base or a Federal facility or lands), Federal departments or 

agencies may be the first responders and first line of defense, coordinating activities with 

State, territorial, tribal, and local partners. The Federal Government also maintains working 

relationships with the private sector and NGOs. 

Pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and Homeland Security Presidential 

Directive (HSPD) 5, the Secretary of Homeland Security is the principal Federal official for 

domestic incident management. Incident management refers to how incidents are managed 

across all homeland security activities, including prevention, protection, and response and 

recovery. Other Federal departments and agencies have key responsibilities to support 

national response activities and carry out those responsibilities within the overarching 

coordinating mechanisms of this Framework. DHS coordinates with other agencies to surge 

Federal support at the headquarters, regional, and field levels.

The Private Sector and NGOs. The private sector and NGOs contribute to response 

efforts through engaged partnerships with each level of government. Private-sector 

organizations and NGOs are encouraged to develop contingency plans and to work with 

State and local planners to ensure that their plans are consistent with pertinent plans, the 

NIMS, and this Framework. 

 

5 The Framework is applicable to U.S. possessions and insular areas, as well as the Federated States of Micronesia 

and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The U.S. Government does not provide disaster assistance to the 

Republic of Palau, in accordance with the Compact of Free Association. Insular areas include Guam, the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

6 Often throughout this Framework, discussion of authorities and roles of States is also intended to incorporate 

those of U.S. territories and possessions and tribal nations. 7 A reference paper on EMAC is available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
INTRODUCTION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 7

Private-sector organizations play an essentia l role in protecting critica l 

infrastructure systems and implementing plans for the rapid restoration of normal 

commercia l activities and critical infrastructure operations in the event of 

disruption.8 The protection of critical infrastructure and the ability to rapidly restore 

normal commercial activities can mitigate the impact of an incident, improve the quality of 

life of individuals, and accelerate the pace of recovery for communities and the Nation. 

There are not-for-profit owners/operators of critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) 

facilities, notably in healthcare and power generation.

NGOs also serve a vita l role at the loca l, State, and national levels by performing 

essential service miss ions in times of need. They provide sheltering, emergency food 

supplies, and other vital support services. NGOs bolster and support government efforts at 

all levels. 9 

RESPONSE: THE WHAT AND THE HOW 

The National Response Framework is always in effect, and e lements can be 

implemented at any level at any time. The Framework is capabilities based, which is to 

say that local governments, tribes, States, and the Federal Government all develop 

functional capabilities and identify resources that may be required based on hazard 

identification and risk assessment, threats, and other potential incidents such as those 

represented by the National Planning Scenarios. 

The Framework describes what we do and how we respond. In short, the National 

Response Framework explains how, at all levels, the Nation effectively manages all-hazards 

response consistent with the National Strategy for Homeland Security. The remainder of 

this Introduction explains the Framework’s scope, the response doctrine that animates it, 

and the preparedness strategy of which it is a part. It correlates with an outline of the 

overall document.

SCOPE

The Framework provides structures for implementing nationwide response policy 

and operationa l coordination for a ll types of domestic inc idents. It can be partially 

or fully implemented in the context of a threat, in anticipation of a significant event, or in 

response to an incident. Selective implementation allows for a scaled response, delivery of 

the resources needed, and an appropriate level of coordination. 

In this document, incidents include actual or potential emergencies or all-hazards events 

that range from accidents and natural disasters to actual or potential terrorist attacks. They 

include events wholly contained within a single jurisdiction and others that are catastrophic 

in nature and national in their scope or consequences. 

 

8 Additional information on protection of critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) can be found in the CIKR 

Support Annex available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 9 The American Red Cross is a federally chartered instrumentality of the U.S. Government, but it is not a Federal 

agency under this Framework. 
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It is not a lways obv ious at the outset whether a seemingly m inor event m ight be 

the initia l phase of a larger, rapidly growing threat. The Framework incorporates 

standardized organizational structures that promote on-scene initiative, innovation, and 

sharing of essential resources drawn from all levels of government, NGOs, and the private 

sector. Response must be quickly scalable, flexible, and adaptable. 

The Framework is also intended to accelerate the assessment and response to incidents that 

may require Federal assistance. In practice, many incidents require virtually reflexive 

activation of interagency coordination protocols to forestall the incident from becoming 

worse or to surge more aggressively to contain it. A Federal department or agency acting 

on independent authority may be the initial and the primary Federal responder, but 

incidents that require more systematic Federal response efforts are now actively 

coordinated through the appropriate Framework mechanisms described in this document 

and in its supporting annexes. This initial coordination of Federal incident assessment and 

response efforts is intended to occur seamlessly, without the need for any formal trigger 

mechanism. 

This Framework, therefore, eliminates the Incident of Nationa l Significance 

declaration. No such declaration is required by the Framework and none will be made. 

The authorities of the Secretary of Homeland Security to coordinate large-scale national 

responses are unaltered by this change. Elimination of this declaration will, however, 

support a more nimble, scalable, and coordinated response by the entire national 

emergency management community. 

RESPONSE DOCTRINE 

Response doctrine defines basic roles, 

respons ibilities, and operationa l 

concepts for response across all levels 

of government and with NGOs and the 

private sector. The overarching objective 

of response activities centers upon saving 

lives and protecting property and the 

environment. Five key principles of 

operations define response actions in 

support of the Nation’s response mission. 

Taken together, these five principles of 

operation constitute national response 

doctrine. 

Response doctrine is rooted in America’s Federal system and the Constitution’s 

divis ion of responsibilities between Federa l and State governments. Because this 

doctrine reflects the history of emergency management and the distilled wisdom of 

responders and leaders at all levels, it gives elemental form to the Framework. 

This doctrine “evolves in response to changes in the political and strategic landscape, 

lessons learned from operations, and the introduction of new technologies. Doctrine 

influences the way in which policy and plans are developed, forces are organized and 

Response Doctrine: 

Five Key Principles 

1. Engaged partnership

2. Tiered response

3. Scalable, flexible, and adaptable 

operational capabilities

4. Unity of effort through unified command

5. Readiness to act
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 9

trained, and equipment is procured. It promotes unity of purpose, guides professional 

judgment, and enables responders to best fulfill their responsibilities.”1 0 

Response doctrine evolves s lowly. Response strategy and the Framework merit periodic 

review and revision, while operational plans supporting the Framework must be tested and 

improved through a process of continuous innovation. The last is especially true regarding 

operational plans to counter the threat of a terrorist attack. 

Response doctrine is comprised of five key principles: (1) engaged partnership, (2) 

tiered response, (3) scalable, flexible, and adaptable operational capabilities, (4) unity of 

effort through unified command, and (5) readiness to act. An introductory word about each 

follows. 

ENGAGED PARTNERSHIP

Leaders at all levels must communicate and actively support engaged partnerships by 

developing shared goals and aligning capabilities so that no one is overwhelmed in times of 

crisis. Layered, mutually supporting capabilities at Federal, State, tribal, and local levels 

allow for planning together in times of calm and responding together effectively in times of 

need. Engaged partnership includes ongoing communication of incident activity among all 

partners to the Framework, and shared situational awareness for a more rapid response. In 

particular, the potential for terrorist incidents requires a heightened state of readiness and 

nimble, practiced capabilities baked into the heart of our preparedness and response 

planning. 

Engaged partnerships are essentia l to preparedness. Effective response activities 

begin with a host of preparedness activities conducted well in advance of an incident. 

Preparedness involves a combination of planning, resources, training, exercising, and 

organizing to build, sustain, and improve operational capabilities. Preparedness is the 

process of identifying the personnel, training, and equipment needed for a wide range of 

potential incidents, and developing jurisdiction-specific plans for delivering capabilities when 

needed for an incident. 

Preparedness activities should be coordinated among all involved agencies within the 

jurisdiction, as well as across jurisdictions. Integrated planning, described later in this 

Framework, will assist in identifying gaps in capability and developing strategies to fill those 

gaps. 

Nationwide preparedness is described in the National Preparedness Guidelines and the 

National Exercise Program.

1 1 These documents lay out 15 National Planning Scenarios that 

form the basis of the newly coordinated national exercise schedule and priorities, and 

identify 37 core capabilities that are needed to support response across the Nation. The 

Guidelines identify core local, tribal, community, and State capabilities that will be 

supported by the DHS homeland security grant programs.

 

10 United States Coast Guard: America’s Maritime Guardian, Coast Guard Publication 1 (Washington, DC: January 

2002, second printing), p. 3. The term “doctrine” has clear and rich meaning as a guide to action within the 

military services. See also U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Operations Planning and Execution System, an 

overview of which is available at http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/other_pubs/jopes.pdf.

11 Information on the National Preparedness Guidelines can be found at the NRF Resource Center, 

http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
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TIERED RESPONSE 

Incidents must be managed at the lowest possible jurisdictional level and 

supported by additional capabilities when needed. It is not necessary that each level 

be overwhelmed prior to requesting resources from another level. 

Incidents begin and end locally, and most are wholly 

managed at the local level. Many incidents require 

unified response from local agencies, NGOs, and the 

private sector, and some require additional support from 

neighboring jurisdictions or the State. A small number 

require Federal support. National response protocols 

recognize this and are structured to provide additional, 

tiered levels of support when there is a need for more resources or capabilities to support 

and sustain the response and initial recovery. All levels should be prepared to respond, 

anticipating resources that may be required.

SCALABLE, FLEXIBLE, AND ADAPTABLE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES

As incidents change in size, scope, and complexity, the response must adapt to 

meet requirements. The number, type, and sources of resources must be able to expand 

rapidly to meet needs associated with a given incident. The Framework’s disciplined and 

coordinated process can provide for a rapid surge of resources from all levels of 

government, appropriately scaled to need. Execution must be flexible and adapted to fit 

each individual incident. For the duration of a response, and as needs grow and change, 

responders must remain nimble and adaptable. Equally, the overall response should be 

flexible as it transitions from the response effort to recovery.

This Framework is grounded in doctrine that demands a tested inventory of common 

organizational structures and capabilities that are scalable, flexible, and adaptable for 

diverse operations. Adoption of the Framework across all levels of government and with 

businesses and NGOs will facilitate interoperability and improve operational coordination.

UNITY OF EFFORT THROUGH UNIFIED COMMAND 

Effective unified command is indispensable to response activ ities and requires a 

clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of each participating 

organization. Success requires unity of effort, which respects the chain of command of 

each participating organization while harnessing seamless coordination across jurisdictions 

in support of common objectives.

Use of the Incident Command System (ICS) is an important element across 

multijurisdictional or multiagency incident management activities. It provides a structure to 

enable agencies with different legal, jurisdictional, and functional responsibilities to 

coordinate, plan, and interact effectively on scene. As a team effort, unified command 

allows all agencies with jurisdictional authority and/or functional responsibility for the 

incident to provide joint support through mutually developed incident objectives and 

strategies established at the command level. Each participating agency maintains its own 

authority, responsibility, and accountability. This Framework employs the NIMS 

A basic premise of the 

Framework is that incidents 

are generally handled at the 

lowest jurisdictional level 

possible.
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 11

standardized structures and tools that enable a unified approach to be effective both on 

scene and at the emergency operations centers. 

The Department of Defense (DOD) is a full partner in the Federal response to domestic 

incidents, and its response is fully coordinated through the mechanisms of this 

Framework.

1 2 Concepts of “command” and “unity of command” have distinct legal and 

cultural meanings for military forces and military operations. For Federal military forces, 

command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the Commander of the 

combatant command to the DOD on-scene commander. Military forces will always remain 

under the operational and administrative control of the military chain of command, and 

these forces are subject to redirection or recall at any time. The ICS “unified command” 

concept is distinct from the military chain of command use of this term. And, as such, 

military forces do not operate under the command of the Incident Commander or under the 

unified command structure. 

The NIMS1 3 supports response through the following elements of unified command: (1) 

developing a single set of objectives; (2) using a collective, strategic approach; (3) 

improving information flow and coordination; (4) creating common understanding of joint 

priorities and restrictions; (5) ensuring that no agency’s legal authorities are compromised 

or neglected; and (6) optimizing the combined efforts of all agencies under a single plan.

READINESS TO ACT

Effective response requires readiness to act balanced with an understanding of 

risk. From individuals, households, and communities to local, tribal, State, and Federal 

governments, national response depends on the instinct and ability to act. A forwardleaning posture is imperative for incidents that have the potential to expand rapidly in size, 

scope, or complexity, and for no-notice incidents. 

Once response activities have begun, on-scene actions are based on NIMS

principles. To save lives and protect property and the environment, decisive action on

scene is often required of responders. Although some risk may be unavoidable, first 

responders can effectively anticipate and manage risk through proper training and planning.

Command, single or unified, is responsible for establishing immediate priorities for the 

safety of not only the public , but the responders and other emergency workers involved in 

the response, and for ensuring that adequate health and safety measures are in place. The 

Incident Commander should ensure that each incident has a designated safety officer who 

has been trained and equipped to assess the operation, identify hazardous and unsafe 

situations, and implement effective safety plans. 

Acting swiftly and effectively requires c lear, focused communication and the 

processes to support it. Without effective communication, a bias toward action will be 

ineffectual at best, likely perilous. An effective national response relies on disciplined 

processes, procedures, and systems to communicate timely, accurate, and accessible 

information on the incident's cause, size, and current situation to the public , responders, 

 

12 The Secretary of Defense retains command of DOD military forces providing Defense Support of Civil Authorities. 

National Guard forces under the command and control of a Governor are not DOD military forces. Nothing in this 

Framework impairs or otherwise affects the authority of the Secretary of Defense over the DOD. 13 The National Incident Management System is available at the NRF Resource Center, 

http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
INTRODUCTION

Page 12 National Response Framework January 2008

and others. Well-developed public information, education strategies, and communication 

plans help to ensure that lifesaving measures, evacuation routes, threat and alert systems, 

and other public safety information are coordinated and communicated to numerous diverse 

audiences in a consistent, accessible, and timely manner. 

PART OF A BROADER STRATEGY 

The National Response Framework is required by, and integrates under, a larger National 

Strategy for Homeland Security (Strategy) that serves to guide, organize, and unify our 

Nation's homeland security efforts. The Strategy reflects our increased understanding of 

the threats confronting the United States, incorporates lessons learned from exercises and 

real-world catastrophes, and articulates how we should ensure our long-term success by 

strengthening the homeland security foundation we have built. It provides a common 

framework by which our entire Nation should focus its homeland security efforts on 

achieving the following four goals:

1. Prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks. 

2. Protect the American people and our critical infrastructure and key resources. 

3. Respond to and recover from incidents that do occur. 

4. Continue to strengthen the foundation to ensure our long-term success. 

While the first three goals help to organize our national efforts, the last goal entails creating 

and transforming our homeland security principles, systems, structures, and institutions. 

This includes applying a comprehensive approach to risk management, building a culture of 

preparedness, developing a comprehensive Homeland Security Management System, 

improving incident management, better utilizing science and technology, and leveraging all 

instruments of national power and influence.

The Framework primarily focuses on the third goal: respond to and recover from incidents 

that do occur. The Strategy also provides the context that given the certainty of 

catastrophes on our soil – no matter how unprecedented or extraordinary – it is our 

collective duty to provide the best response possible. It states that, when needed, we will 

bring to bear the Nation's full capabilities and resources to save lives, mitigate suffering, 

and protect property. The Strategy also reminds us that as the Nation responds to an 

incident, we must also begin to lay the foundation not only for a strong recovery over the 

short term but also for the rebuilding and revitalization of affected communities and regions 

over the long term. 

The Strategy calls for a National Response Framework that helps to strengthen the 

foundation for an effective national response, rapidly assess emerging incidents, take initial 

actions, expand operations as needed, and commence recovery actions to stabilize the area. 

It also calls for the Framework to be clearly written, easy to understand, and designed to be 

truly national in scope, meeting the needs of State, local, and tribal governments and the 

private sector and NGOs, as well as the Federal Government. In addition, the Strategy

underscores the need to ensure that those communities devastated or severely affected by 

a catastrophic incident are set on a sustainable path for long-term rebuilding and 

revitalization. The Framework is designed to respond to and support the Strategy and is 

intended to be informed by and tie seamlessly to national, State, tribal, and local 

preparedness activities and investments. 
INTRODUCTION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 13

The Strategy further describes how the other three national goals are supported through 

other strategies, plans, and ongoing efforts. For example, the national goal to prevent and 

disrupt terrorist attacks is further supported by the updated National Strategy for 

Combating Terrorism, released in September 2006, which articulates our Nation’s strategy 

for winning the War on Terror. The sections in both on preventing and disrupting terrorist 

attacks are complementary and mutually reinforcing. In order to prevent and disrupt 

terrorist attacks in the United States, we are working to deny terrorists and terrorist-related 

weapons and materials entry into our country and across all international borders, disrupt 

their ability to operate within our borders, and prevent the emergence of violent Islamic 

radicalization in order to deny terrorists future recruits and defeat homegrown extremism. 

Our National Strategy to Combat Terrorist Travel, National Strategy for Maritime Security, 

and National Strategy for Aviation Security are helping to guide our efforts in this area.

The national goal to protect the American people and our critical inf rastructure and key 

resources is also supported by existing plans. The Strategy sets forth that to protect the 

lives and livelihoods of the American people, we must undertake measures to deter the 

threat of terrorism, mitigate the Nation's vulnerability to acts of terror and the full range of 

manmade and natural catastrophes, and minimize the consequences of an attack or disaster 

should it occur. Safeguarding the American people also includes the preservation of the 

Nation’s CIKR. Guiding our efforts to protect the Nation’s CIKR is the 2006 National 

Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) and its supporting Sector-Specific Plans, which were 

developed pursuant to HSPD-7, issued on December 17, 2003. The NIPP sets forth a 

comprehensive risk management framework and provides a coordinated approach to CIKR

protection roles and responsibilities for Federal, State, local, and private-sector security 

partners. It sets national priorities, goals, and requirements for the effective distribution of 

funding and resources that will help ensure that our government, economy, and public 

services continue to function in the event of a manmade or natural disaster. 

The last national goal is to continue to strengthen the foundation to ensure our long-term 

success. To fulfill these responsibilities over the long term, we will continue to strengthen 

the principles, systems, structures, and institutions that cut across the homeland security 

enterprise and support our activities to secure the homeland. Ultimately, this will help 

ensure the success of our Strategy to secure the Nation. 
INTRODUCTION

Page 14 National Response Framework January 2008

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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 15

CHAPTER I 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This chapter prov ides an overview of the roles and respons ibilities of key partners 

at the loca l, tribal, State, and Federal levels who implement the Framework. This 

includes an important role for the private sector and nongovernmenta l 

organizations (NGOs). This chapter sharpens the focus on who is involved with 

the Framework and what must be done to build and maintain essential response 

capabilities. 

LOCAL

The respons ibility for responding to incidents, both natura l and manmade, begins 

at the loca l level – with individuals and public officia ls in the county, city, or town 

affected by the inc ident. Local leaders and emergency managers prepare their 

communities to manage incidents locally. The Framework’s response doctrine plays a key 

role in helping community leaders to coordinate resources within jurisdictions, among 

adjacent jurisdictions, and with the private sector and NGOs such as the American Red 

Cross. This section describes the roles and responsibilities of key leadership elements 

within communities. 

Chief Elected or Appointed Official. A mayor, c ity manager, or county manager, 

as a jurisdiction’s chief executive officer, is responsible for ensuring the public 

safety and welfare of the people of that jurisdiction. Specifically, this official provides 

strategic guidance and resources during preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. 

Emergency management, including preparation and training for effective response, is a core 

obligation of local leaders.

Chief elected or appointed officials must have a clear understanding of their roles and 

responsibilities for successful emergency management and response. At times, these roles 

may require providing direction and guidance to constituents during an incident, but their 

day-to-day activities do not focus on emergency management and response. On an 

ongoing basis, elected and appointed officials may be called upon to help shape or modify 

laws, policies, and budgets to aid preparedness efforts and to improve emergency 

management and response capabilities. 

Any incident can have a mix of public health, economic , social, environmental, criminal, and 

political implications with potentially serious long-term effects. Significant incidents 

require a coordinated response across agencies and jurisdictions, political 

boundaries, sectors of soc iety, organizations, etc. These incidents will require 

that public ly elected and appointed officia ls, as we ll as bus iness owners and 

community leaders, make difficult decisions for the benefit of the community as a 

whole.
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Page 16 National Response Framework January 2008

Elected and appointed officials help their communities prepare for, respond to, and recover 

from potential incidents. Key responsibilities include:

• Establishing strong working relationships with local jurisdictional leaders and core 

private-sector organizations, voluntary agencies, and community partners. The 

objective is to get to know, coordinate with, and train with local partners in advance 

of an incident and to develop mutual aid and/or assistance agreements for support in 

response to an incident.

• Leading and encouraging local leaders to focus on preparedness by participating in 

planning, training, and exercises. 

• Supporting participation in local mitigation efforts within the jurisdiction and, as 

appropriate, with the private sector.

• Understanding and implementing laws and regulations that support emergency 

management and response. 

• Ensuring that local emergency plans take into account the needs of:

– The jurisdiction, including persons, property, and structures.

– Individuals with special needs, including those with service animals.

– Individuals with household pets.

• Encouraging residents to participate in volunteer organizations and training courses.

Local leaders a lso work close ly with the ir Members of Congress during incidents 

and on an ongoing basis regarding local preparedness capabilities and needs. 

Members of Congress play an important, ongoing role in supporting the ir 

constituents for effective local response and emergency planning. Members often 

help local leaders understand the Federal resources that are available to prepare for 

incidents. Especially during high-consequence events, many citizens traditionally contact 

Members for assistance or information on Federal response policies and assistance. The 

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognizes a special obligation to provide Members 

representing affected areas with timely information about incidents that involve Federal 

response.

Emergency Manager. The local emergency manager has the day-to-day 

authority and respons ibility for oversee ing emergency management programs and 

activities. He or she works with chief elected and appointed officials to ensure that there 

are unified objectives with regard to the jurisdiction’s emergency plans and activities. This 

role entails coordinating all aspects of a jurisdiction’s capabilities. 

The emergency manager coordinates all components of the local emergency management 

program, to include assessing the availability and readiness of local resources most likely 

required during an incident and identifying and correcting any shortfalls. 
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 17

Other duties of the local emergency manager might include the following:

• Coordinating the planning process and working cooperatively with other local 

agencies and private-sector organizations.

• Developing mutual aid and assistance agreements.

• Coordinating damage assessments during an incident.

• Advising and informing local officials about emergency management activities during 

an incident.

• Developing and executing public awareness and education programs.

• Conducting exercises to test plans and systems and obtain lessons learned.

• Involving the private sector and NGOs in planning, training, and exercises.

Department and Agency Heads. The local emergency manager is assisted by, 

and coordinates the efforts of, employees in departments and agencies that 

perform emergency management functions. Department and agency heads collaborate 

with the emergency manager during development of local emergency plans and provide key 

response resources. Participation in the planning process ensures that specific capabilities 

(e.g., firefighting, law enforcement, emergency medical services, public works, 

environmental and natural resources agencies) are integrated into a workable plan to 

safeguard the community. 

These department and agency heads and their staffs develop, plan, and train to internal 

policies and procedures to meet response and recovery needs safely. They should also 

participate in interagency training and exercises to develop and maintain the necessary 

capabilities. 

Individuals and Households. Although not formally a part of emergency management 

operations, individuals and households play an important role in the overall emergency 

management strategy. Community members can contribute by:

• Reducing hazards in and around their homes. By taking simple actions, such as 

raising utilities above flood level or taking in unanchored objects during high winds, 

people can reduce the amount of damage caused by an incident.

• Preparing an emergency supply kit and household emergency plan. By 

developing a household emergency plan and assembling disaster supplies in advance 

of an event, people can take care of themselves until assistance arrives. This 

includes supplies for household pets and service animals. See the recommended 

disaster supplies list at http://www.ready.gov. 

• Monitoring emergency communications carefully. Throughout an emergency, 

critical information and direction will be released to the public via various media. By 

carefully following the directions provided, residents can reduce their risk of injury, 

keep emergency routes open to response personnel, and reduce demands on 

landline and cellular communication.
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Page 18 National Response Framework January 2008

• Volunteering with an established organization. Organizations and agencies 

with a role in response and recovery are always seeking hardworking, dedicated 

volunteers. By volunteering with an established voluntary agency, individuals and 

households become part of the emergency management system and ensure that 

their efforts are directed where they are needed most.

• Enrolling in emergency response training courses. Emergency response 

training, whether basic first aid through the American Red Cross or a more complex 

course through a local college, will enable residents to take initial response actions 

required to take care of themselves and their households, thus allowing first 

responders to focus on higher priority tasks that affect the entire community. 

Citizen Corps brings together local leaders from government and civic leaders from NGOs 

and the private sector to prepare for and respond to incidents. Citizen Corps Councils are 

typically sponsored by elected or appointed officials and/or emergency managers. These 

Councils provide leadership and support for programs that educate, train, and engage 

community volunteers to support emergency management and responders. 

THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND NGOS 

Government agencies are responsible for protecting the lives and property of their citizens 

and promoting their well-being. However, the government does not, and cannot, work 

alone. In many facets of an incident, the government works with private-sector 

groups as partners in emergency management. 

Private Sector. Private sector organizations play a key role before, during, and after an 

incident. First, they must provide for the welfare and protection of their employees in the 

workplace. In addition, emergency managers must work seamlessly with businesses that 

provide water, power, communication networks, transportation, medical care, security, and 

numerous other services upon which both response and recovery are particularly 

dependent. 

Participation of the private sector varies based on the nature of the organization and the 

nature of the incident. The five distinct roles that private-sector organizations play are 

summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. Private-Sector Response Role

Category Role in This Category

Impacted 

Organization or 

Infrastructure

Private-sector organizations may be impacted by direct or indirect 

consequences of the incident. These include privately owned critical 

infrastructure, key resources, and other private-sector entities that are 

significant to local, regional, and national economic recovery from the 

incident. Examples of privately owned infrastructure include transportation, 

telecommunications, private utilities, financial institutions, and hospitals. 

Critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) are grouped into 17 sectors 

that together provide essential functions and services supporting various 

aspects of the American government, economy, and society.
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 19

Category Role in This Category

Regulated and/or 

Responsible Party

Owners/operators of certain regulated facilities or hazardous operations may 

be legally responsible for preparing for and preventing incidents from 

occurring and responding to an incident once it occurs. For example, Federal 

regulations require owners/operators of nuclear power plants to maintain 

emergency plans and facilities and to perform assessments, prompt 

notifications, and training for a response to an incident.

Response Resource Private-sector entities provide response resources (donated or compensated) 

during an incident – including specialized teams, essential service providers, 

equipment, and advanced technologies – through local public-private 

emergency plans or mutual aid and assistance agreements, or in response to 

requests from government and nongovernmental-volunteer initiatives.

Partner With 

State/Local 

Emergency 

Organizations

Private-sector entities may serve as partners in local and State emergency 

preparedness and response organizations and activities.

Components of the 

Nation’s Economy

As the key element of the national economy, private-sector resilience and 

continuity of operations planning, as well as recovery and restoration from an 

actual incident, represent essential homeland security activities.

Many private-sector organizations are responsible for operating and maintaining 

portions of the Nation’s critica l infrastructure. Critical inf rastructures include those 

assets, systems, networks, and functions – physical or virtual – so vital to the United States 

that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating impact on security, national 

economic security, public health or safety, or any combination of those matters. Key 

resources are publicly or privately controlled resources essential to minimal operation of the 

economy and the government.1 4 DHS has developed a comprehensive National 

Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) that is synchronized with this Framework.

1 5 The CIKR 

Support Annex discusses necessary support by and for CIKR during an incident and 

mechanisms in place to implement that support.

During an inc ident, key private-sector partners should be involved in the local 

cris is dec isionmaking process or at least have a direct link to key local emergency 

managers. Communities cannot effectively respond to, or recover from, incidents without 

strong cooperative relations with the private sector. 

Essential private-sector responsibilities include:

• Planning for the protection of employees, inf rastructure, and facilities. 

• Planning for the protection of information and the continuity of business operations.

• Planning for responding to and recovering from incidents that impact their own 

infrastructure and facilities.

 

14 National Infrastructure Protection Plan, 2006, Glossary of Key Terms, is the source for the definitions of critical 

infrastructure and key resources. These definitions are derived from the provisions of the Homeland Security Act 

of 2002 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 7.

15 The goal of the NIPP is to build a safer, more secure, and more resilient America by enhancing protection of the 

Nation’s critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR). See http://www.dhs.gov/nipp for additional information. 

The CIKR Support Annex and Private-Sector Coordination Support Annex provide detailed guidance regarding 

implementation of the NIPP, including roles and responsibilities, concept of operations, and incident-related actions. 
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Page 20 National Response Framework January 2008

• Collaborating with emergency management personnel before an incident occurs to 

ascertain what assistance may be necessary and how they can help. 

• Developing and exercising emergency plans before an incident occurs.

• Where appropriate, establishing mutual aid and assistance agreements to provide 

specific response capabilities.

• Providing assistance (including volunteers) to support local emergency management 

and public awareness during response and throughout the recovery process.

Nongovernmental Organizations. NGOs play enormously important roles 

before, during, and after an incident. For example, NGOs provide sheltering, 

emergency food supplies, counseling services, and other vital support services to support 

response and promote the recovery of disaster victims. These groups often provide 

specialized services that help individuals with special needs, including those with disabilities. 

A key feature of NGOs is their inherent independence and commitment to specific sets of 

interests and values. These interests and values drive the groups’ operational priorities and 

shape the resources they provide. Such NGOs bolster and support government efforts at all 

levels – for response operations and planning. However, NGOs may also need government 

assistance, and when planning the allocation of local community emergency management 

resources and structures, some government organizations provide direct assistance to 

NGOs. NGOs collaborate with responders, governments at all levels, and other agencies 

and organizations. 

Examples of NGO and voluntary organization contributions include:

• Training and managing volunteer resources.

• Identifying shelter locations and needed supplies.

• Providing critical emergency services to those in need, such as cleaning supplies, 

clothing, food and shelter, or assistance with post-emergency cleanup.

• Identifying those whose needs have not been met and helping coordinate the 

provision of assistance.

Some NGOs are officia lly designated as support elements to national response 

capabilities. 

• The American Red Cross. The American Red Cross is a supporting agency to the 

mass care functions of Emergency Support Function (ESF) #6. While it does not 

direct other NGOs, the American Red Cross takes the lead in integrating the efforts 

of the national NGOs that provide mass care services during response operations. 

• Nationa l Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD). 

National VOAD1 6

 

16 Additional information is available at http://www.nvoad.org.

is the forum where organizations share knowledge and resources 

throughout the disaster cycle – preparation, response, and recovery – to help 

disaster survivors and their communities. National VOAD is a consortium of 
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 21

approximately 50 national organizations and 55 State and territory equivalents. 

During major incidents, National VOAD typically sends representatives to the 

DHS/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s National Response 

Coordination Center to represent the voluntary organizations and assist in response 

coordination.

Volunteers and Donations. Responding to incidents frequently exceeds the resources 

of government organizations. Volunteers and donors can support response efforts in many 

ways, and it is essential that governments at all levels plan ahead to effectively incorporate 

volunteers and donated goods into their response activities.

The Volunteer and Donations Management Support Annex provides detailed guidance from a 

national standpoint. State, tribal, and local planners should include similar volunteer and 

donations management provisions in their emergency plans.

For ma jor incidents in which foreign governments, individuals, or organizations wish to 

make donations, the U.S. Department of State is responsible for managing such donations. 

Detailed guidance regarding the process for managing international donations is provided in 

the International Coordination Support Annex. 1 7

STATES, TERRITORIES, AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS

A primary role of State government is to supplement and facilitate local efforts 

before, during, and after inc idents. The State provides direct and routine assistance to 

its local jurisdictions through emergency management program development and by 

routinely coordinating in these efforts with Federal officials. States must be prepared to 

maintain or accelerate the provision of commodities and services to local governments when 

local capabilities fall short of demands. 

Under the Framework, the term “State” and discussion of the roles and responsibilities of 

States typically also include similar responsibilities that apply to U.S. territories and 

possessions and tribal governments. Under the Stafford Act, States are also responsible for 

requesting Federal emergency assistance for communities and tribal governments within 

their jurisdiction. In response to an incident, the State helps coordinate and integrate 

resources and applies them to local needs. 

Governor. Public safety and we lfare of a State’s c itizens are fundamental 

respons ibilities of every Governor. For the purposes of the Framework, any reference 

to a State Governor also references the chief executive of a U.S. territory. The Governor:

• Is responsible for coordinating State resources and providing the strategic guidance 

needed to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from incidents of 

all types. 

• In accordance with State law, may be able to make, amend, or suspend certain 

orders or regulations associated with response.

 

17 The Framework’s Support Annexes are available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Page 22 National Response Framework January 2008

• Communicates to the public and helps people, businesses, and organizations cope 

with the consequences of any type of incident.

• Commands the State military forces (National Guard personnel not in Federal service 

and State militias). 

• Coordinates assistance from other States through interstate mutual aid and 

assistance compacts, such as the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. 

• Requests Federal assistance including, if appropriate, a Stafford Act Presidential 

declaration of an emergency or major disaster, when it becomes clear that State 

capabilities will be insufficient or have been exceeded. 

• Coordinates with impacted tribal governments within the State and initiates requests 

for a Stafford Act Presidential declaration of an emergency or ma jor disaster on

behalf of an impacted tribe when appropriate. 

As noted in A Governor’s Guide to Homeland Security,1 8 before being sworn in, each new 

Governor should:

• Avoid vacancies in key homeland security positions such as the State homeland 

security director or the State emergency manager. A newly elected Governor should 

work with his or her transition team to identify these key personnel early to minimize 

vacancies and encourage overlap with the outgoing administration. As soon as a 

new Governor selects people for these positions, the department or agency they are 

about to lead should be informed. 

• Ensure that a staff able to manage a disaster response operation is in place on their 

inauguration day. 

• Task their incoming gubernatorial staff, particularly the legal counsel, with reviewing 

the procedures necessary for them to declare a State emergency and use their 

emergency powers. 

State Homeland Security Advisor. The State Homeland Security Advisor serves as 

counsel to the Governor on homeland security issues and may serve as a liaison 

between the Governor’s office, the State home land security structure, DHS, and 

other organizations both inside and outside of the State. The advisor often chairs a 

committee comprised of representatives of relevant State agencies, including public safety, 

the National Guard, emergency management, public health, and others charged with 

developing prevention, protection, response, and recovery strategies. This also includes 

preparedness activities associated with these strategies. 

Director, State Emergency Management Agency. All States have laws mandating 

establishment of a State emergency management agency and the emergency plans 

coordinated by that agency. The Director of the State emergency management 

agency ensures that the State is prepared to deal with large-scale emergenc ies 

and is responsible for coordinating the State response in any incident. 

 

18 National Governors Association, A Governor’s Guide to Homeland Security, 2007, p. 11. Available at 

http://www.nga.org. 
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 23

This includes supporting local governments as needed or requested and coordinating 

assistance with other States and/or the Federal Government.

If local resources are not adequate, authorities can seek additional assistance from the 

county emergency manager or the State Director of Emergency Management. The State 

emergency management agency may dispatch personnel to the scene to assist in the 

response and recovery effort. If a jurisdiction requires resources beyond those available 

within the State, local agencies may request certain types of Federal assistance directly in 

non-Stafford Act situations. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency or U.S. 

Coast Guard may assess or mitigate oil or chemical spills without wa iting for requests 

from State, triba l, or loca l offic ials. However, only the Governor can request a 

Presidential declaration under the Stafford Act. 

Other State Departments and Agencies. State department and agency heads and 

their staffs develop, plan, and train to internal policies and procedures to meet response 

and recovery needs safely. They should also participate in interagency training and 

exercises to develop and maintain the necessary capabilities. They are vital to the State’s 

overall emergency management and homeland security programs, as they bring expertise 

spanning the ESFs and serve as core members of the State emergency operations center.

Indian Tribes. The United States has a trust relationship with Indian tribes and 

recognizes their right to self-government. As such, tribal governments are responsible for 

coordinating resources to address actual or potential incidents. When local resources are 

not adequate, tribal leaders seek assistance from States or the Federal Government.

For certain types of Federal assistance, tribal governments work with the State, but as 

sovereign entities they can elect to deal directly with the Federal Government for other 

types of assistance. In order to obtain Federal assistance via the Stafford Act, a State 

Governor must request a Presidentia l declaration on beha lf of a tribe. 

Tribal Leader. The tribal leader is respons ible for the public safety and welfare of 

the people of that tribe. As authorized by tribal government, the tribal leader:

• Is responsible for coordinating tribal resources needed to prevent, protect against, 

respond to, and recover from incidents of all types. This also includes preparedness 

and mitigation activities.

• May have powers to amend or suspend certain tribal laws or ordinances associated 

with response. 

• Communicates with the tribal community, and helps people, businesses, and 

organizations cope with the consequences of any type of incident. 

• Negotiates mutual aid and assistance agreements with other tribes or jurisdictions. 

• Can request Federal assistance under the Stafford Act through the Governor of the 

State when it becomes clear that the tribe’s capabilities will be insufficient or have 

been exceeded.

• Can elect to deal directly with the Federal Government. Although a State Governor 

must request a Presidential declaration on behalf of a tribe under the Stafford Act, 

Federal departments or agencies can work directly with the tribe within existing 

authorities and resources.
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Page 24 National Response Framework January 2008

FEDERAL

When an incident occurs that exceeds or is anticipated to exceed local or State resources – 

or when an incident is managed by Federal departments or agencies acting under their own 

authorities – the Federal Government uses the Framework to involve all necessary 

department and agency capabilities, organize the Federal response, and ensure coordination 

with response partners. 

The Federal Government’s response structures are scalable and flexible – adaptable 

specifically to the nature and scope of a given incident. The Federal Government has 

strengthened its capabilities to act in emergencies, and to do so more quickly and 

comprehensively, based on lessons learned.

The principles of unified command are applied at the headquarters, regional, and field 

levels to enable diverse departments and agencies to work together effectively. Using 

unified command principles, participants share common goals and synchronize their 

activities to achieve those goals. The Federal Government also works to establish engaged 

partnerships with States, as well as the private sector. Our national response is more 

effective when all levels and branches of government work together well before an incident 

to develop effective plans and achieve a heightened state of preparedness. 

Coordination of Federal Responsibilities. The President leads the Federa l 

Government response effort to ensure that the necessary coordinating structures, 

leadership, and resources are applied quickly and efficiently to large-scale and catastrophic 

incidents. The President’s Homeland Security Council and Nationa l Security Counc il, 

which bring together Cabinet officers and other department or agency heads as necessary, 

provide national strategic and policy advice to the President during large-scale incidents that 

affect the Nation.

Federal disaster assistance is often thought of as synonymous with Presidential declarations 

and the Stafford Act. The fact is that Federal assistance can be provided to State, tribal, 

and local jurisdictions, and to other Federal departments and agencies, in a number of 

different ways through various mechanisms and authorities. Often, Federal assistance does 

not require coordination by DHS and can be provided without a Presidential ma jor disaster 

or emergency declaration. Examples of these types of Federal assistance include that 

described in the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, the

Mass Migration Emergency Plan, the National Search and Rescue Plan, and the National 

Maritime Security Plan. These and other supplemental agency or interagency plans, 

compacts, and agreements may be implemented concurrently with the Framework, but are 

subordinated to its overarching coordinating structures, processes, and protocols. 

When the overall coordination of Federa l response activities is required, it is 

implemented through the Secretary of Home land Security consistent with 

Homeland Security Presidentia l Directive (HSPD) 5. Other Federal departments and 

agencies carry out their response authorities and responsibilities within this overarching 

construct. Nothing in this Framework alters or impedes the ability of Federa l, 

State, triba l, or loca l departments and agenc ies to carry out their specific

authorities or perform the ir respons ibilities under all applicable laws, Executive 

orders, and directives. Additionally, nothing in this Framework is intended to impact or 

impede the ability of any Federal department or agency to take an issue of concern directly 

to the President or any member of the President’s staff.
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 25

Presidential directives1 9 outline the following six primary lanes of responsibility that guide 

Federal support at national, regional, and field levels. 

Incident Management. The Secretary of Homeland Security is the principal Federal 

official for domestic incident management. By Presidential directive and statute, the 

Secretary is responsible for coordination of Federal resources utilized in the prevention of, 

preparation for, response to, or recovery from terrorist attacks, ma jor disasters, or other 

emergencies. The role of the Secretary of Homeland Security is to provide the President 

with an overall architecture for domestic incident management and to coordinate the 

Federal response, when required, while relying upon the support of other Federal partners. 

Depending upon the incident, the Secretary also contributes elements of the response 

consistent with DHS’s mission, capabilities, and authorities. 

The FEMA Adm inistrator, as the principal advisor to the President, the Secretary, and the 

Homeland Security Council on all matters regarding emergency management,2 0 helps the 

Secretary in meeting these HSPD-5 responsibilities. 

Federal assistance for incidents that do not require DHS coordination may be led by other 

Federal departments and agencies consistent with their authorities. The Secretary of 

Homeland Security may monitor such incidents and may activate specific Framework 

mechanisms to provide support to departments and agencies without assuming overall 

leadership for the Federal response to the incident.

The following four HSPD-5 criteria define situations for which DHS shall assume overall 

Federal incident management coordination responsibilities within the Framework and 

implement the Framework’s coordinating mechanisms: (1) a Federal department or agency 

acting under its own authority has requested DHS assistance, (2) the resources of State and 

local authorities are overwhelmed and Federal assistance has been requested, (3) more

than one Federal department or agency has become substantially involved in responding to 

the incident, or (4) the Secretary has been directed by the President to assume incident 

management responsibilities.

Law Enforcement. The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the 

United States. Generally acting through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Attorney 

General has the lead responsibility for criminal investigations of terrorist acts or terrorist 

threats by individuals or groups inside the United States or directed at U.S. citizens or 

institutions abroad, as well as for coordinating activities of the other members of the law 

enforcement community to detect, prevent, and disrupt terrorist attacks against the United 

States. This includes actions that are based on specific intelligence or law enforcement 

information. In addition, the Attorney General approves requests submitted by State 

Governors pursuant to the Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Act for 

personnel and other Federal law enforcement support during incidents. The Attorney 

General also enforces Federal civil rights laws and will provide expertise to ensure that 

these laws are appropriately addressed.

 

19 The core Presidential directive in this regard is HSPD-5, “Management of Domestic Incidents,” which is available 

at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 20 See the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act, enacted as part of the FY 2007 DHS Appropriations Act, 

P.L. 109-295.
CHAPTER I: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Page 26 National Response Framework January 2008

National Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities. The primary 

mission of the Department of Defense (DOD) and its components is national defense. 

Because of this critical role, resources are committed after approval by the Secretary of 

Defense or at the direction of the President. Many DOD components and agencies are 

authorized to respond to save lives, protect property and the environment, and mitigate 

human suffering under imminently serious conditions, as well as to provide support under 

their separate established authorities, as appropriate. The provision of defense support is 

evaluated by its legality, lethality, risk, cost, appropriateness, and impact on readiness. 

When Federal military and civilian personnel and resources are authorized to support civil 

authorities, command of those forces will remain with the Secretary of Defense. DOD 

elements in the incident area of operations and National Guard forces under the command 

of a Governor will coordinate closely with response organizations at all levels. 2 1

International Coordination. The Secretary of State is responsible for managing 

international preparedness, response, and recovery activities relating to domestic incidents 

and the protection of U.S. citizens and U.S. interests overseas.

Intelligence. The Director of National Inte lligence leads the Intelligence Community, 

serves as the President's principal intelligence advisor, and oversees and directs the 

implementation of the National Intelligence Program.

Other Federal Departments and Agencies. Under the Framework, various 

Federal departments or agenc ies may play primary, coordinating, and/or support 

roles based on the ir authorities and resources and the nature of the threat or 

incident. 2 2 

In situations where a Federal department or agency has responsibility for directing or 

managing a major aspect of a response being coordinated by DHS, that organization is part 

of the national leadership for the incident and is represented in the field at the Joint Field 

Office in the Unified Coordination Group, and at headquarters through the National 

Operations Center and the National Response Coordination Center, which is part of the 

National Operations Center.2 3 

In addition, several Federal departments and agencies have their own authorities to declare 

disasters or emergencies. For example, the Secretary of Health and Human Services can 

declare a public health emergency. These declarations may be made independently or as 

part of a coordinated Federal response. Where those declarations are part of an incident 

requiring a coordinated Federal response, those Federal departments or agencies act within 

the overall coordination structure of the Framework. 

 

21 Additional information on DOD support is available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF.

22 Additional information about the roles of Federal departments and agencies can be found in the annexes 

available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 

23 Additional information on these entities can be found in Chapter III, Response Organization.
January 2008 National Response Framework Page 27

Figure 2. The Preparedness Cycle

CHAPTER II

RESPONSE ACTIONS 

This chapter describes what we as a Nation collectively do to respond to inc idents. 

INTRODUCTION

The Framework is intended to strengthen, organize, and coordinate response actions

across all levels. The doctrine of tiered response emphasizes that response to incidents 

should be handled at the lowest jurisdictional level capable of handling the work. The vast 

ma jority of incidents are, in fact, managed locally. 

The Framework is focused on incidents of all types, including acts of terrorism, major 

disasters, and other emergencies. For the purpose of this document, the term “incident” 

refers to an actual or potential occurrence or event.

Responders and emergency managers are both doers and planners, which is to say that to 

lead response and recovery efforts effectively, they must also prepare effectively (i.e., 

plan, organize, equip, train, exercise, and continuously evaluate actual performance).

This chapter describes and outlines key tasks related to the three phases of effective 

response : prepare, respond, and recover. 

Each member of our society – including our leaders, professional emergency managers, 

private-sector representatives, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) – has a role to 

play in strengthening the Nation’s response capabilities. The discussion below provides an 

overview of the key tasks associated with preparedness, response, and recovery. In each 

case, the general discussion is augmented by examples of how the key tasks are tailored to 

align with the needs of responders and emergency managers at all levels. 

Mastery of these key tasks supports unity of effort, and thus improves our ability 

to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs. 

PREPARE 

Preparedness is essential for effective 

response. This section discusses the six 

essential activities for responding to an 

incident: plan, organize, train, equip, exercise, 

and evaluate and improve. 

Figure 2 illustrates the preparedness cycle.
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Page 28 National Response Framework January 2008

1. PLAN 

Planning makes it poss ible to manage the entire life cycle of a potential crisis, 

determine capability requirements, and help stakeholders learn their roles. It 

includes the collection and analysis of intelligence and information, as well as the 

development of policies, plans, procedures, mutual aid and assistance agreements, 

strategies, and other arrangements to perform missions and tasks. Planning also improves 

effectiveness by clearly defining required capabilities, shortening the time required to gain 

control of an incident, and facilitating the rapid exchange of information about a situation. 

Governments at a ll levels have a respons ibility to develop deta iled, robust, allhazards response plans. These plans should have clearly defined leadership roles and 

responsibilities, and they should clearly articulate the decisions that need to be made, who 

will make them, and when. These plans should include both hazard-specific as well as 

comprehensive all-hazards plans that are tailored to each respective jurisdiction. They 

should be integrated, operational, and incorporate key private-sector and NGO elements 

and persons with disabilities. 

Among the many contingencies that response plans must address, planning for evacuations 

presents particular challenges. In this area, plans must include:

• The lead time required for various scenarios, including no-notice and forewarned 

events.

• Weather contingencies.

• Transportation.

• Interdependencies between shelter locations and transportation.

• Provisions for special needs populations and those with household pets.

Specific procedures and protocols should augment these plans to guide rapid 

implementation.

Virtually every Federal department and agency possesses personnel and resources that may 

be needed in response to an incident. Some Federal departments and agencies have 

primary responsibility for certain aspects of response, such as hazardous materials removal. 

Others may have supporting roles in providing different types of resources, such as 

communications personnel and equipment. Regardless of their roles, all Federal 

departments and agencies must develop policies, plans, and procedures governing how they 

will effectively locate resources and provide them as part of a coordinated response.

The Integrated Planning System is the national planning system used to develop 

interagency and intergovernmental plans based upon the National Planning Scenarios. 

Local, tribal, State, regional, and Federal plans are mutually supportive. See Chapter IV for 

significant additional detail regarding planning.
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 29

2. ORGANIZE 

Organiz ing to execute response activities includes developing an overa ll 

organizationa l structure, strengthening leadership at each level, and assembling 

well-qua lified teams of pa id and volunteer staff for essential response and 

recovery tasks. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) provides standard 

command and management structures that apply to response. This common system 

enables responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines to work together to respond 

to incidents. 

Governments at a ll levels should organize to support effective response. The leader 

of each government organization should vest the official responsible for response activities 

with sufficient authority to meet the organization’s responsibilities under the Framework. 

Government agencies at all levels are encouraged to conduct a thorough, systematic 

inventory of their response resources and to conform to NIMS organizational and 

management principles as noted above. Government agencies should also ensure they 

have a cadre of personnel (which can include full-time employees, temporary or surge 

personnel, and contractors) who are trained in incident management and response 

principles and organized into teams. Personnel and equipment can be organized to provide 

a particular function or mission capability.

Governments at a ll levels should use the NIMS resource management princ iples 

described below to enhance response capabilities.

• Individual Resources. Resources are organized by category, kind, size, capacity, 

skill, and other characteristics. This organization makes resource management more 

efficient and ensures that similar resources from different agencies are organized 

according to standard principles.

• Emergency Support Functions. The Federal Government and many State 

governments organize much of their resources and capabilities – as well as those of 

certain private-sector and nongovernmental organizations – under 15 Emergency 

Support Functions (ESFs). ESFs align categories of resources and provide strategic 

objectives for their use. ESFs utilize standardized resource management concepts 

such as typing, inventorying, and tracking to facilitate the dispatch, deployment, and 

recovery of resources before, during, and after an incident. ESF coordinators and 

primary agencies are identified on the basis of authorities and resources. Support 

agencies are assigned based on the availability of resources in a given functional 

area. ESFs provide the greatest possible access to Federal department and agency 

resources regardless of which organization has those resources. See Chapter III for 

significant additional detail regarding ESFs.2 4

• Pre-Scripted Mission Ass ignments. The Federal Government and many State 

governments use pre-scripted mission assignments to assist in planning and to 

reduce the time it takes to deploy response resources. Pre-scripted mission 

assignments identify resources or capabilities of government organizations that are 

commonly called upon during response to an incident. Pre-scripted mission 

assignments allow primary and supporting ESF agencies to organize resources that 

can be tailored to develop, train, and exercise rosters of deployable response 

 

24 ESF Annexes are available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

Page 30 National Response Framework January 2008

personnel. All local, tribal, and State governments are encouraged to use prescripted mission assignments to expedite the delivery of services and commodities in 

response to an incident.

• Advanced Readiness Contracting. While the Federal Government and many State 

governments have tremendous resources on hand to support local governments, 

certain resources are more efficiently deployed when procured from the private 

sector. Advanced readiness contracting ensures that contracts are in place before an 

incident for commonly needed commodities and services such as ice, water, plastic 

sheeting, temporary power, and debris removal. This type of contracting improves 

the ability to secure supplies and services by streamlining the process of ordering, 

acquiring, and distributing resources when needed.

• Pre-Positioned Resources. Since virtually all incidents are local in nature, 

resources should be positioned close to those localities most at risk for particular 

types of events. For example, the Federal Government pre-positions resource 

stockpiles to leverage the geographic distribution of Federal regional, district, and 

field offices across the country. Additionally, federally administered response 

networks such as the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System and the 

National Disaster Medical System utilize locally sponsored resources to enhance 

Federal response efforts, reduce response times, and strengthen preparedness in 

their communities. 

3. EQUIP 

Local, tribal, State, and Federa l jurisdictions need to establish a common 

understanding of the capabilities of distinct types of response equipment. This 

facilitates planning before an incident, as well as rapid scaling and flexibility in meeting the 

needs of an incident. A critical component of preparedness is the acquisition of equipment 

that will perform to established standards, including the capability to be interoperable with 

equipment used by other jurisdictions and/or participating organizations. 

Effective preparedness requires jurisdictions to identify and have strategies to obtain and 

deploy major equipment, supplies, facilities, and systems in sufficient quantities to perform 

assigned missions and tasks. The mobilization, tracking, use, sustaining, and 

demobilization of physical and human resources require an effective logistics system. That 

system must support both the residents in need and the teams that are responding to the 

incident. Resource typing provides a uniform method of sharing commonly understood 

resources when needed in a major incident.

Governments at all levels should ensure that their personnel have the necessary resources 

to perform assigned response missions and tasks. This includes obtaining equipment 

needed to conduct specific response missions and maintaining core capabilities to 

communicate effectively among Federal, State, tribal, and local responders using the 

incident management and response structures described in the Framework. 

Government organizations responsible for providing equipment for response activities 

should bundle that equipment into standardized equipment caches and be prepared to 

provide for its safe transportation. They must also routinely service and maintain such 

equipment and support the resources needed to maintain, repair, and operate it in the field.
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 31

4. TRAIN 

Building essential response capabilities nationwide requires a systematic program 

to train individua l teams and organizations – to inc lude governmental, 

nongovernmental, private-sector, and voluntary organizations – to meet a 

common baseline of performance and certification standards. Professionalism and 

experience are the foundation upon which successful response is built. Rigorous, ongoing 

training is thus imperative.2 5 

Individuals and teams, whether paid or volunteer, should meet relevant local, tribal, State, 

Federal, or professional qualifications, certifications, or performance standards. Content 

and methods of training must comply with applicable standards and produce required skills 

and measurable proficiency. FEMA and other organizations offer response and incident 

management training in online and classroom formats. 

5. EXERCISE 

Exercises prov ide opportunities to test plans and improve proficiency in a risk-free 

environment. Exercises assess and validate proficiency levels. They also clarify and 

familiarize personnel with roles and responsibilities. Well-designed exercises improve 

interagency coordination and communications, highlight capability gaps, and identify 

opportunities for improvement. Exercises should:

• Include multidisciplinary, multijurisdictional incidents.

• Include participation of private-sector and nongovernmental organizations. 

• Cover aspects of preparedness plans, particularly the processes and procedures for 

activating local, intrastate, or interstate mutual aid and assistance agreements.

• Contain a mechanism for incorporating corrective actions.

Local, tribal, State, and Federa l jurisdictions should exercise their own response 

capabilities and evaluate their abilities to perform expected responsibilities and 

tasks. This is a basic responsibility of all entities and is distinct from participation in other 

interagency exercise programs. 

In addition, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) coordinates the National Exercise 

Program,2 6 which requires Federal departments and agencies to participate in an exercise 

program based upon the National Planning Scenarios contained in the National 

Preparedness Guidelines. This program coordinates and, where appropriate, integrates a 

5-year homeland security exercise schedule across Federal agencies and incorporates 

exercises at the State and local levels. 

 

25 Links to training resources are available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 26 The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) provides a standardized policy, methodology, 

and language for designing, developing, conducting, and evaluating all exercises. Information on HSEEP and the 

National Exercise Program is available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF.
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

Page 32 National Response Framework January 2008

6. EVALUATE AND IMPROVE

Evaluation and continual process improvement are cornerstones of effective preparedness. 

Upon concluding an exercise, jurisdictions should evaluate performance against relevant 

capability objectives, identify deficits, and institute corrective action plans. Improvement 

planning should develop specific recommendations for changes in practice, timelines for 

implementation, and assignments for completion.

All local, triba l, State, and Federa l entities should institute a corrective action 

program to evaluate exercise participation and response, capture lessons learned, 

and make improvements in the ir response capabilities. An active corrective action 

program will provide a method and define roles and responsibilities for identification, 

prioritization, assignment, monitoring, and reporting of corrective actions arising from 

exercises and real-world events. The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program 

(HSEEP) Toolkit is a Web-based system that enables implementation of the corrective action 

program process. In this way, the continuous cycle of preparedness yields enhancements 

to national preparedness.

RESPOND 

Once an inc ident occurs, priorities shift – from 

building capabilities to employing resources to 

save lives, protect property and the env ironment, 

and preserve the socia l, economic, and political 

structure of the jurisdiction. Depending on the size, 

scope, and magnitude of an incident, communities, 

States, and, in some cases, the Federal Government will 

be called to action. 

Four key actions typically occur in support of a response: 

(1) gain and maintain situational awareness; (2) activate 

and deploy key resources and capabilities; (3) effectively 

coordinate response actions; then, as the situation 

permits, (4) demobilize. These response actions are 

illustrated in Figure 3, and their core elements are 

described below.

1. GAIN AND MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS 

Baseline Priorities. Situational awareness requires continuous monitoring of 

relevant sources of information regarding actual and developing incidents. The 

scope and type of monitoring vary based on the type of incidents being evaluated and 

needed reporting thresholds. Critical information is passed through established reporting 

channels according to established security protocols. Priorities include:

• Providing the right information at the right time. For an effective national 

response, jurisdictions must continuously refine their ability to assess the situation 

as an incident unfolds and rapidly provide accurate and accessible information to 

decisionmakers in a user-friendly manner. It is essential that all levels of 

government, the private sector (in particular, owners/operators of critical 

Figure 3. The Response Process

 

 

 

 

 
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 33

infrastructure and key resources (CIKR)), and NGOs share information to develop a 

common operating picture and synchronize their response operations and resources.

• Improving and integrating national reporting. Situational awareness must start 

at the incident scene and be effectively communicated to local, tribal, State, and 

Federal governments and the private sector, to include CIKR. Jurisdictions must 

integrate existing reporting systems to develop an information and knowledge 

management system that fulfills national information requirements.

• Linking operations centers and tapping subject-matter experts. Local 

governments, tribes, States, and the Federal Government have a wide range of 

operations centers that monitor events and provide situational awareness. Based on 

their roles and responsibilities, operations centers should identify information 

requirements, establish reporting thresholds, and be familiar with the expectations of 

decisionmakers and partners. Situational awareness is greatly improved when 

experienced technical specialists identify critical elements of information and use 

them to form a common operating picture. 

Reporting and documentation procedures should be standardized to enhance situational 

awareness and provide emergency management and response personnel with ready access 

to critical information. Situation reports should contain verified information and explicit 

details (who, what, where, when, and how) related to the incident. Status reports, which 

may be contained in situation reports, relay specific information about resources. Based on 

an analysis of the threats, jurisdictions issue accessible warnings to the public and provide 

emergency public information.

Local, Tribal, and State Actions. Local, tribal, and State governments can address 

the inherent challenges in establishing successful information-sharing networks by: 

• Creating fusion centers that bring together into one central location law enforcement, 

intelligence, emergency management, public health, and other agencies, as well as 

private-sector and nongovernmental organizations when appropriate, and that have 

the capabilities to evaluate and act appropriately on all available information. 

• Implementing the National Information Sharing Guidelines to share intelligence and 

information and improve the ability of systems to exchange data. 

• Establishing information requirements and reporting protocols to enable effective and 

timely decisionmaking during response to incidents. Terrorist threats and actual 

incidents with a potential or actual terrorist link should be reported immediately to a 

local or regional Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Federal Actions. The National Operations Center (NOC) serves as the national fusion 

center, collecting and synthesizing all-source information, including information from State 

fusion centers, across all-threats and all-hazards information covering the spectrum of 

homeland security partners. Federal departments and agencies should report information 

regarding actual or potential incidents requiring a coordinated Federal response to the NOC. 
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Page 34 National Response Framework January 2008

Such information may include:

• Implementation of a Federal department or agency emergency plan.

• Actions to prevent or respond to an incident requiring a coordinated Federal response 

for which a Federal department or agency has responsibility under law or directive.

• Submission of requests for coordinated Federal assistance to, or receipt of a request 

from, another Federal department or agency.

• Requests for coordinated Federal assistance from State, tribal, or local governments, 

the private sector, and NGOs.

• Suspicious activities or threats, which are closely coordinated among the Department 

of Justice/Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Strategic Information and Operations 

Center (SIOC), the NOC, and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).

The primary reporting method for information flow is the Homeland Security Information

Network (HSIN). Additionally, there are threat reporting mechanisms in place through the 

FBI where information is assessed for credibility and possible criminal investigation. Each 

Federal department and agency must work with DHS to ensure that its response personnel 

have access to and are trained to use the HSIN common operating picture for incident 

reporting. 2 7 

Alerts. When notified of a threat or an incident that potentially requires a coordinated 

Federal response, the NOC evaluates the information and notifies appropriate senior 

Federal offic ials and Federa l operations centers: the National Response Coordination 

Center (NRCC), the FBI SIOC, the NCTC, and the National Military Command Center. The 

NOC serves as the primary coordinating center for these and other operations centers.

The NOC alerts department and agency leadership to critical information to inform 

decisionmaking. Based on that information, the Secretary of Homeland Security coordinates 

with other appropriate departments and agencies to activate plans and applicable 

coordination structures of the Framework as required. Officials should be prepared to 

participate, either in person or by secure video teleconference, with departments or 

agencies involved in responding to the incident. The NOC maintains the common operating 

picture that provides overall situational awareness for incident information. Each Federal 

department and agency must ensure that its response personnel are trained to utilize these 

tools. 

Operations Centers. Federal operations centers maintain active situational awareness 

and communications within and among Federal department and agency regional, district, 

and sector offices across the country. These operations centers are often connected with 

their State, tribal, and local counterparts, and can exchange information and draw and 

direct resources in the event of an incident.

 

27 Additional information concerning HSIN and Federal reporting requirements is found in the HSIN Concept of 

Operations, available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 35

2. ACTIVATE AND DEPLOY RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES

Baseline Priorities. When an inc ident or potential incident occurs, responders 

assess the situation, identify and prioritize requirements, and activate available 

resources and capabilities to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet 

basic human needs. In most cases, this includes development of incident objectives based 

on incident priorities, development of an Incident Action Plan by the Incident Command 

in the field, and development of support plans by the appropriate local, tribal, State, and/or 

Federal Government entities. Key activities include:

• Activating people, resources, and capabilities. Across all levels, initial actions 

may include activation of people and teams and establishment of incident 

management and response structures to organize and coordinate an effective 

response. The resources and capabilities deployed and the activation of supporting 

incident management structures should be directly related to the size, scope, nature, 

and complexity of the incident. All responders should maintain and regularly 

exercise notification systems and protocols.

• Requesting additiona l resources and capabilities. Responders and capabilities 

may be requested through mutual aid and assistance agreements, the State, or the 

Federal Government. For all incidents, especially large-scale incidents, it is essential 

to prioritize and clearly communicate incident requirements so that resources can be 

efficiently matched, typed, and mobilized to support operations. 

• Identifying needs and pre-positioning resources. When planning for 

heightened threats or in anticipation of large-scale incidents, local or tribal 

jurisdictions, States, or the Federal Government should anticipate resources and 

capabilities that may be needed. Based on asset availability, resources should be 

pre-positioned and response teams and other support resources may be placed on 

alert or deployed to a staging area. As noted above, mobilization and deployment 

will be most effective when supported by planning that includes pre-scripted mission 

assignments, advance readiness contracting, and staged resources.

Local, Tribal, and State Actions. In the event of, or in anticipation of, an incident 

requiring a coordinated response, local, tribal, and State jurisdictions should: 

• Identify staff for deployment to the emergency operations center (EOC), which 

should have standard procedures and call-down lists to notify department and 

agency points of contact. 

• Work with emergency management officials to take the necessary steps to provide 

for continuity of operations.

• Activate Incident Management Teams (IMTs) as required. IMTs are incident 

command organizations made up of the command and general staff members and 

appropriate functional units of an Incident Command System organization. The level 

of training and experience of the IMT members, coupled with the identified formal 

response requirements and responsibilities of the IMT, are factors in determining the 

“type,” or level, of the IMT.

• Activate specialized response teams as required. Jurisdictions may have 

specialized teams including search and rescue teams, crime scene investigators, 
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Page 36 National Response Framework January 2008

public works teams, hazardous materials response teams, public health specialists, 

or veterinarians/animal response teams.

• Activate mutual aid and assistance agreements as required.

Federal Actions. In the event of, or in anticipation of, an incident requiring a 

coordinated Federal response, the National Operations Center, in many cases acting through 

the National Response Coordination Center, notifies other Federal departments and agencies 

of the situation and specifies the level of activation required. After being notified, 

departments and agencies should: 

• Identify and mobilize staff to fulfill their department’s or agency’s responsibilities, 

including identifying appropriate subject-matter experts and other staff to support 

department operations centers. 

• Identify staff for deployment to the NOC, the NRCC, FEMA Regional Response 

Coordination Centers (RRCCs), or other operations centers as needed, such as the 

FBI’s Joint Operations Center. These organizations have standard procedures and 

call-down lists, and will notify department or agency points of contact if deployment 

is necessary. 

• Identify staff that can be dispatched to the Joint Field Office (JFO), including Federal 

officials representing those departments and agencies with specific authorities, lead 

personnel for the JFO Sections (Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Administration 

and Finance) and the ESFs.

• Begin activating and staging Federal teams and other resources in support of the 

Federal response as requested by DHS or in accordance with department or agency 

authorities.

• Execute pre-scripted mission assignments and readiness contracts, as directed by 

DHS.

Some Federal departments or agencies may deploy to an incident under their own 

authorities. In these instances, Federal departments or agencies will notify the appropriate 

entities such as the NOC, JFO, State EOCs, and the local Incident Command.

3. COORDINATE RESPONSE ACTIONS 

Baseline Priorities. Coordination of response activities occurs through response 

structures based on assigned roles, responsibilities, and reporting protocols. Critical 

information is provided through established reporting mechanisms. The efficiency and 

effectiveness of response operations are enhanced by full application of the NIMS with its 

common principles, structures, and coordinating processes. Specific priorities include:

• Managing emergency functions. Local, tribal, and State governments are 

responsible for the management of their emergency functions. Such management

includes mobilizing the National Guard, pre-positioning assets, and supporting 

communities. Local, tribal, and State governments, in conjunction with their 

voluntary organization partners, are also responsible for implementing plans to 
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 37

ensure the effective management of the flow of volunteers and goods in the affected 

area. 

• Coordinating initia l actions. Initial actions are coordinated through the on-scene 

Incident Command and may include: immediate law enforcement, rescue, 

firefighting, and emergency medical services; emergency flood fighting; evacuations; 

transportation detours; and emergency information for the public . As the incident 

unfolds, the on-scene Incident Command develops and updates an Incident Action 

Plan, revising courses of action based on changing circumstances.

• Coordinating requests for additional support. If additional resources are 

required, the on-scene Incident Command requests the needed support. Additional 

incident management and response structures and personnel are activated to 

support the response. It is critical that personnel understand roles, structures, 

protocols, and concepts to ensure clear, coordinated actions. Resources are 

activated through established procedures and integrated into a standardized 

organizational structure at the appropriate levels. 

• Identifying and integrating resources and capabilities. Resources and 

capabilities must be deployed, received, staged, and efficiently integrated into 

ongoing operations. For large, complex incidents, this may include working with a 

diverse array of organizations, including multiple private-sector entities and NGOs 

through prearranged agreements and contracts. Large-scale events may also 

require sophisticated coordination and time-phased deployment of resources through 

an integrated logistics system. Systems and venues must be established to receive, 

stage, track, and integrate resources into ongoing operations. Incident Command 

should continually assess operations and scale and adapt existing plans to meet 

evolving circumstances.

• Coordinating information. Effective public information strategies are essential 

following an incident. Incident Command may elect to establish a Joint Information 

Center (JIC), a physical location where the coordination and dissemination of 

information for the public and media concerning the incident are managed. JICs may 

be established locally, regionally, or nationally depending on the size and magnitude 

of an incident. In the event of incidents requiring a coordinated Federal response, 

JICs are established to coordinate Federal, State, tribal, local, and private-sector 

incident communications with the public . By developing media lists, contact 

information for relevant stakeholders, and coordinated news releases, the JIC staff 

facilitates dissemination of accurate, consistent, accessible, and timely public 

information to numerous audiences. 

Specific response actions will vary depending upon the scope and nature of the 

incident. Response actions are based on the objectives established by the Incident 

Command and Unified Coordination Group. Response actions include, but are not limited 

to:

• Warning the public and providing accessible emergency public information. 

• Implementing evacuation and sheltering plans that include provisions for special 

needs populations and household pets.
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Page 38 National Response Framework January 2008

• Sheltering evacuees in preidentified, physically accessible shelters and providing 

food, water, and other necessities to meet the needs of all people, including persons 

with disabilities and other special needs.

• Performing search and rescue.

• Treating the injured.

• Providing law enforcement and investigation.

• Controlling hazards (extinguishing fires, containing hazardous materials spills, etc .).

• Ensuring responder safety and health.

Local, Tribal, and State Actions. Within communities, NIMS principles are applied to 

integrate response plans and resources across jurisdictions and departments and with the 

private sector and NGOs. Neighboring communities play a key role in providing 

support through a framework of mutua l a id and assistance agreements. These 

agreements are formal documents that identify the resources that communities are willing 

to share during an incident. Such agreements should include:

• Definitions of key terms used in the agreement.

• Roles and responsibilities of individual parties.

• Procedures for requesting and providing assistance.

• Procedures, authorities, and rules for allocation and reimbursement of costs.

• Notification procedures.

• Protocols for interoperable communications.

• Relationships with other agreements among jurisdictions.

• Treatment of workers’ compensation, liability, and immunity.

• Recognition of qualifications and certifications.

While States typically act as the conduit between the Federal and local governments when 

Federal assistance is supporting a local jurisdiction, there are certain instances in which 

Federal partners may play an active role in a unified command. For example, wildfires on 

Federal land or oil spills are activities for which certain Federal departments or agencies 

may have authority to respond under their own statutes and jurisdictions.

States provide the majority of the externa l ass istance to communities. The State is 

the gateway to several government programs that help communities prepare. When an 

incident grows beyond the capability of a local jurisdiction, and responders cannot meet the 

needs with mutual aid and assistance resources, the local emergency manager contacts the 

State. Upon receiving a request for assistance from a local government, immediate State 

response activities may include:
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 39

• Coordinating warnings and public information through the activation of the State’s 

public communications strategy and the establishment of a JIC.

• Distributing supplies stockpiled to meet the emergency.

• Providing needed technical assistance and support to meet the response and 

recovery needs of individuals and households.

• The Governor suspending existing statutes, rules, ordinances, and orders for the 

duration of the emergency, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure timely 

performance of response functions.

• Implementing State donations management plans and coordinating with NGOs and 

the private sector.

• Ordering the evacuation of persons from any portions of the State threatened by the 

incident, giving consideration to the requirements of special needs populations and 

those with household pets or service animals.

• Mobilizing resources to meet the requirements of people with special needs, in 

accordance with the State’s preexisting plan and in compliance with Federal civil 

rights laws.

In addition to these actions, the Governor may activate elements of the National Guard. 

The National Guard is a crucial State resource, with expertise in communications, logistics, 

search and rescue, and decontamination. Nationa l Guard forces employed under State 

Active Duty or Title 32 status are under the command and control of the Governor 

of their State and are not part of Federa l m ilitary response efforts.

Title 32 Full-Time National Guard Duty refers to Federal training or other duty, other than 

inactive duty, performed by a member of the National Guard. Title 32 is not subject to 

posse comitatus restrictions2 8 and allows the Governor, with the approval of the President or 

the Secretary of Defense, to order a Guard member to duty to:

• Perform training and other operational activities.

• Conduct homeland defense activities for the military protection of the territory or 

domestic population of the United States, or of the infrastructure or other assets of 

the United States determined by the Secretary of Defense to be critical to national 

security, from a threat or aggression against the United States.

In rare circumstances, the President can federalize National Guard forces for domestic 

duties under Title 10 (e.g., in cases of invasion by a foreign nation, rebellion against the 

authority of the United States, or where the President is unable to execute the laws of the 

United States with regular forces (10 U.S.C. 12406)). When mobilized under Title 10 of the 

U.S. Code, the forces are no longer under the command of the Governor. Instead, the 

Department of Defense assumes full responsibility for all aspects of the deployment, 

including command and control over National Guard forces.

 

28 For more information on posse comitatus, see the Authorities and References section of the NRF Resource 

Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF.
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Page 40 National Response Framework January 2008

State-to-State Assistance. If additional resources are required, the State 

should request ass istance from other States by us ing interstate mutua l a id and 

assistance agreements such as the Emergency Management Ass istance Compact 

(EMAC). Administered by the National Emergency Management Association, EMAC is a 

congressionally ratified organization that provides form and structure to the interstate 

mutual aid and assistance process. Through EMAC or other mutual aid or assistance 

agreements, a State can request and receive assistance from other member States.2 9 Such 

State-to-State assistance may include:

• Invoking and administering a Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement, as well as 

coordinating the allocation of resources under that agreement.

• Invoking and administering EMAC and/or other compacts and agreements, and 

coordinating the allocation of resources that are made available to and from other 

States. 

Requesting Federal Assistance. When an incident overwhelms or is anticipated to 

overwhelm State resources, the Governor may request Federal assistance.3 0 In such cases, 

the affected local jurisdiction, tribe, State, and the Federal Government will collaborate to 

provide the necessary assistance. The Federal Government may provide assistance in the 

form of funding, resources, and critical services. Federal departments and agencies 

respect the sovere ignty and responsibilities of local, triba l, and State governments 

while rendering assistance. The intention of the Federal Government in these situations 

is not to command the response, but rather to support the affected local, tribal, and/or 

State governments. 

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. When it is 

clear that State capabilities will be exceeded, the Governor can request Federal assistance, 

including assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re lief and Emergency 

Assistance Act (Stafford Act).3 1

The Stafford Act is triggered by a Presidential declaration of a major disaster or emergency, 

when an event causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant Federal 

disaster assistance to supplement the efforts and available resources of States, local 

governments, and the disaster relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, 

or suffering.

 The Stafford Act authorizes the President to provide 

financial and other assistance to State and local governments, certain private nonprofit 

organizations, and individuals to support response, recovery, and mitigation efforts 

following Presidential emergency or major disaster declarations. 

 

29 For more detail about EMAC, see http://www.emacweb.org/. 30 Additional guidance on requesting Federal support can be found in the Overview document at the NRF Resource 

Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 31 Details regarding Federal involvement under the Stafford Act are available at the NRF Resource Center,

http://www/fema.gov/NRF. Additional information about the Stafford Act’s disaster process and disaster aid 

programs is available at http://www.fema.gov/hazard/dproc.shtm. 
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 41

The forms of public assistance typically flow either from a ma jor disaster declaration or an 

emergency declaration.3 2 A major disaster could result from any natural or manmade 

event that the President determines warrants supplemental Federal aid. The event must be 

clearly more than State or local governments can handle alone. 

If declared, funding comes from the President's Disaster Relief Fund, which is managed by 

FEMA, and the disaster aid programs of other participating Federal departments and 

agencies. A Presidentia l ma jor disaster declaration triggers long-term Federal recovery 

programs, some of which are matched by State programs, and designed to help disaster 

victims, businesses, and public entities. An emergency declaration is more limited in 

scope and without the long-term Federal recovery programs of a ma jor disaster declaration. 

Generally, Federal assistance and funding are provided to meet a specific emergency need 

or to help prevent a ma jor disaster from occurring.

Requesting a Presidentia l Dec laration. Most incidents are not of sufficient magnitude to 

warrant a Presidential declaration. However, if State and local resources are insufficient, a 

Governor may ask the President to make such a declaration. Before making a 

declaration request, the Governor must activate the State’s emergency plan and ensure that 

all appropriate State and local actions have been taken or initiated, including:

• Surveying the affected areas to determine the extent of private and public damage.

• Conducting joint preliminary damage assessments with FEMA officials to estimate the 

types and extent of Federal disaster assistance required.

• Consulting with the FEMA Regional Administrator on Federal disaster assistance 

eligibility, and advising the FEMA regional office if a Presidential declaration will be 

requested.

Ordinarily, only a Governor can initiate a request for a Presidential emergency or ma jor 

disaster declaration. In extraordinary circumstances, the President may unilaterally declare 

a major disaster or emergency.3 3 This request is made through the FEMA Regional 

Administrator and based on a finding that the disaster is of such severity and magnitude 

that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local 

governments, and that Federal assistance is necessary. The request must include:

• Information on the extent and nature of State resources that have been or will be 

used to address the consequences of the disaster.

• A certification by the Governor that State and local governments will assume all 

applicable non-Federal costs required by the Stafford Act.

• An estimate of the types and amounts of supplementary Federal assistance required.

 

32 The Stafford Act defines an emergency as “any occasion or instance for which, in the determination of the 

President, Federal assistance is needed to supplement State and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to 

protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the 

United States.” A major disaster is defined as “any natural catastrophe (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, 

high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, 

or drought), or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion in any part of the United States, which in the 

determination of the President causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster 

assistance under this Act to supplement the efforts and available resources of States, local governments, and 

disaster relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby.”

33 Per section 501(b) of the Stafford Act.
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Page 42 National Response Framework January 2008

• Designation of a State Coordinating Officer.

The completed request, addressed to the President, is submitted through the FEMA Regional 

Administrator, who evaluates the damage and requirements for Federal assistance and 

makes a recommendation to the FEMA Administrator. The FEMA Administrator, acting 

through the Secretary of Homeland Security, may then recommend a course of action to the 

President. The Governor, appropriate Members of Congress, and Federal departments and 

agencies are immediately notified of a Presidential declaration. 

Proactive Response to Catastrophic 

Incidents. Prior to and during catastrophic 

incidents, especially those that occur with little or 

no notice, the State and Federal governments may 

take proactive measures to mobilize and deploy 

assets in anticipation of a formal request from the 

State for Federal assistance.3 4 Such deployments of 

significant Federal assets would likely occur for 

catastrophic events involving chemical, biological, 

radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive 

weapons of mass destruction, large-magnitude earthquakes, or other catastrophic incidents 

affecting heavily populated areas. The proactive responses are utilized to ensure that 

resources reach the scene in a timely manner to assist in restoring any disruption of normal 

function of State or local governments. Proactive notification and deployment of Federal 

resources in anticipation of or in response to catastrophic events will be done in 

coordination and collaboration with State, tribal, and local governments and private-sector 

entities when possible.

Federal Assistance Available Without a Presidential Declaration. In many 

cases, assistance may be obtained from the Federal Government without a Presidential 

declaration. For example, FEMA places liaisons in State EOCs and moves commodities near 

incident sites that may require Federal assistance prior to a Presidential declaration. 

Additionally, some types of assistance, such as Fire Management Assistance Grants – which 

provide support to States experiencing severe wildfires – are performed by Federal 

departments or agencies under their own authorities and do not require Presidential 

approval. Finally, Federal departments and agencies may provide immediate lifesaving 

assistance to States under their own statutory authorities without a formal Presidential 

declaration.

Other Federal or Federally Facilitated Assistance. The Framework covers the full 

range of complex and constantly changing requirements in anticipation of, or in response to, 

threats or actual incidents, including terrorism and major disasters. In addition to Stafford 

Act support, the Framework may be applied to provide other forms of support to Federal 

partners. Federal departments and agencies must remain flexible and adaptable in order to 

provide the support that is required for a particular incident.

 

34 Additional information on proactive response can be found in the Catastrophic Incident Annex, available at the 

NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF.

A catastrophic incident is defined as 

any natural or manmade incident, 

including terrorism, that results in 

extraordinary levels of mass 

casualties, damage, or disruption 

severely affecting the population, 

infrastructure, environment, 

economy, national morale, and/or 

government functions.
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 43

Federal-to-Federal Support. Federal departments and agencies execute interagency or 

intra-agency reimbursable agreements, in accordance with the Economy Act or other 

applicable authorities. The Framework’s Financial Management Support Annex3 5 contains 

additional information on this process. Additionally, a Federal department or agency 

responding to an incident under its own jurisdictional authorities may request DHS 

coordination to obtain additional Federal assistance. 

In such cases, DHS may activate one or more Emergency Support Functions to coordinate 

required support. Federal departments and agencies must plan for Federal-to-Federal 

support missions, identify additional issues that may arise when providing assistance to 

other Federal departments and agencies, and address those issues in the planning process. 

When providing Federal-to-Federal support, DHS may designate a Federal Resource 

Coordinator to perform the resource coordination function.

Internationa l Ass istance. A domestic incident may have international and diplomatic 

implications that call for coordination and consultations with foreign governments and 

international organizations. An incident may also require direct bilateral and multilateral 

actions on foreign affairs issues related to the incident. The Department of State has 

responsibility for coordinating bilateral and multilateral actions, and for coordinating 

international assistance. International coordination within the context of a domestic 

incident requires close cooperative efforts with foreign counterparts, multilateral/ 

international organizations, and the private sector. Federal departments and agencies 

should consider in advance what resources or other assistance they may require or be asked 

to accept from foreign sources and address issues that may arise in receiving such 

resources. Detailed information on coordination with international partners is further 

defined in the International Coordination Support Annex.3 6 

Response Activities. Specific response actions will vary depending upon the scope and 

nature of an incident. Response actions are based on the objectives established by the 

Incident Command and Joint Field Office (JFO)’s Unified Coordination Group. Detailed 

information about the full range of potential response capabilities is contained in the 

Emergency Support Function Annexes, Incident Annexes, and Support Annexes. See 

Chapter V for additional detail about these items.

Department and Agency Activ ities. Federal departments and agencies, upon receiving 

notification or activation requests, implement their specific emergency plans to activate 

resources and organize their response actions. Department and agency plans should 

incorporate procedures for:

• Designation of department or agency representatives for interagency coordination, 

and identification of State, tribal, and local points of contact.

• Activation of coordination groups managed by the department or agency in 

accordance with roles and responsibilities.

• Activation, mobilization, deployment, and ongoing status reporting for resourcetyped teams with responsibilities for providing capabilities under the Framework. 

 

35 Available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 36 Available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

Page 44 National Response Framework January 2008

• Readiness to execute mission assignments in response to requests for assistance 

(including pre-scripted mission assignments), and to support all levels of department 

or agency participation in the response, at both the field and national levels.

• Ensuring that department or agency resources (e.g., personnel, teams, or 

equipment) fit into the interagency structures and processes set out in the

Framework. 

Regional Response Activities. The FEMA Regional Administrator deploys a liaison to the 

State EOC to provide technical assistance and also activates the Regional Response 

Coordination Center (RRCC). Federal department and agency personnel, including ESF 

primary and support agency personnel, staff the RRCC as required. The RRCCs:

• Coordinate initial regional and field activities. 

• In coordination with State, tribal, and local officials, deploy regional teams to assess 

the impact of the event, gauge immediate State needs, and make preliminary 

arrangements to set up operational field facilities. 

• Coordinate Federal support until a JFO is established. 

• Establish a JIC to provide a central point for coordinating emergency public 

information activities.

Incident Management Ass istance Team (IMAT). In coordination with the RRCC and 

the State, FEMA may deploy an IMAT. IMATs are interagency teams composed of subjectmatter experts and incident management professionals. IMAT personnel may be drawn 

from national or regional Federal department and agency staff according to established 

protocols. IMAT teams make preliminary arrangements to set up Federal field facilities and 

initiate establishment of the JFO. 

Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). The NRCC or RRCC may also activate specific 

ESFs by directing appropriate departments and agencies to initiate the initial actions 

delineated in the ESF Annexes.3 7 

4. DEMOBILIZE

Demobilization is the orderly, safe, and efficient return of a resource to its original location 

and status. Demobilization should begin as soon as possible to facilitate accountability of 

the resources and be fully coordinated with other incident management and response 

structures. 

Local, Tribal, and State Actions. At the local, tribal, and State levels, demobilization 

planning and activities should include:

• Provisions to address and validate the safe return of resources to their original 

locations.

• Processes for tracking resources and ensuring applicable reimbursement.

 

37 Available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 45

• Accountability for compliance with mutual aid and assistance provisions.

Federal Actions. The Unified Coordination Group oversees the development of an exit 

strategy and demobilization plan. As the need for full-time interagency response 

coordination at the JFO wanes, the Unified Coordination Group plans for selective release of 

Federal resources, demobilization, transfer of responsibilities, and closeout. The JFO, 

however, continues to operate as needed into the recovery phase to coordinate those 

resources that are still active. ESF representatives assist in demobilizing resources and 

organizing their orderly return to regular operations, warehouses, or other locations. 

RECOVER 

Once immediate lifesaving activities are complete, the focus shifts to ass isting 

individuals, households, critica l infrastructure, and businesses in meeting basic 

needs and returning to se lf-sufficiency. Even as the immediate imperatives for 

response to an incident are being addressed, the need to begin recovery operations 

emerges. The emphasis upon response will gradually give way to recovery operations. 

Within recovery, actions are taken to help individuals, communities, and the Nation return 

to normal. Depending on the complexity of this phase, recovery and cleanup efforts involve 

significant contributions from all sectors of our society. 

• Short-term recovery is immediate and overlaps with response. It includes actions 

such as providing essential public health and safety services, restoring interrupted 

utility and other essential services, reestablishing transportation routes, and 

providing food and shelter for those displaced by the incident. Although called “short 

term,” some of these activities may last for weeks.

• Long-term recovery, which is outside the scope of the Framework, may involve 

some of the same actions but may continue for a number of months or years, 

depending on the severity and extent of the damage sustained. For example, longterm recovery may include the complete redevelopment of damaged areas. 3 8

Recovery from an incident is unique to each community and depends on the 

amount and kind of damage caused by the incident and the resources that the 

jurisdiction has ready or can quickly obta in. In the short term, recovery is an 

extension of the response phase in which basic services and functions are restored. In the 

long term, recovery is a restoration of both the personal lives of individuals and the 

livelihood of the community. Recovery can include the development, coordination, and 

execution of service- and site-restoration plans; reconstitution of government operations 

and services; programs to provide housing and promote restoration; long-term care and 

treatment of affected persons; and additional measures for social, political, environmental, 

and economic restoration. Recovery programs:

• Identify needs and resources.

• Provide accessible housing and promote restoration.

 

38 Additional information on long-term recovery can be found in the ESF #14 Annex at the NRF Resource Center, 

http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER II: RESPONSE ACTIONS

Page 46 National Response Framework January 2008

• Address care and treatment of affected persons.

• Inform residents and prevent unrealistic expectations.

• Implement additional measures for community restoration.

• Incorporate mitigation measures and techniques, as feasible.

Recovery Coordination. The JFO remains the centra l coordination point among 

local, tribal, State, and Federa l governments, as well as private-sector and 

nongovernmental entities that are providing recovery ass istance. Examples of 

Federal and State recovery actions include:

• Coordinating assistance programs to help individuals, households, and 

businesses meet basic needs and return to se lf-sufficiency. Such programs 

include housing assistance, other needs assistance, crisis counseling services, 

disaster legal services, and unemployment or reemployment programs. Other 

activities include coordinating with local and tribal governments the need for and 

locations of Disaster Recovery Centers. 

• Establishing Disaster Recovery Centers. Federal, State, tribal, local, voluntary, 

and nongovernmental organizations determine the need for and location of Disaster 

Recovery Centers. Staff provide recovery and mitigation program information, 

advice, counseling, and related technical assistance.

• Coordinating with private-sector and nongovernmenta l organizations 

involved in donations management and other recovery activities. 

• Coordinating public assistance grant programs authorized by the Stafford 

Act. These programs aid local, tribal, and State governments and eligible private

nonprofit organizations with the cost of emergency protective services, debris 

removal, and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged public facilities and 

associated environmental restoration.

• Coordinating with the private sector on restoration and recovery of C IKR. 

Activities include working with owners/operators to ensure the restoration of critical 

services, including water, power, natural gas and petroleum, emergency 

communications, and healthcare. 

• Coordinating m itigation grant programs to he lp communities reduce the 

potential impacts of future disasters. Activities include developing strategies to 

rebuild resilient communities.

After the JFO closes, ongoing activities transition to individual agencies with primary 

recovery responsibilities. Federal partners then work directly with their regional or 

headquarters offices to administer and monitor recovery programs, support, and technical 

services. 
January 2008 National Response Framework Page 47

CHAPTER III

RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

This chapter explains how we as a Nation are organized to implement response 

actions. It describes the organizational structures that have been developed, 

tested, and refined over time and how these structures are applied at all levels to 

support an effective response. The key staff positions needed to operate this system are 

explained and their relationships and dependencies outlined. The Framework’s response 

structures are based on the National Incident Management System (NIMS), particularly on 

its Incident Command System (ICS).

INTRODUCTION

Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 5 called for a single, comprehensive 

system to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents. NIMS

provides a consistent nationwide template to enable all levels of government, the private 

sector, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to work together during an incident.3 9

Integrating these NIMS principles into all phases of an incident and throughout all levels of 

government ensures that all stakeholders have a common set of principles from which to 

operate during an incident. 

Scope of the Framework. The Framework provides structures for implementing 

national-level policy and operational coordination for domestic response. It can be 

partially or fully implemented in the context of a threat, in anticipation of a significant 

event, or in response to an incident. Selective implementation allows for a scaled response, 

delivery of the exact resources needed, and a level of coordination appropriate to each 

event. 

The Framework incorporates organizational structures that promote on-scene initiative, 

innovation, and sharing of essential resources drawn from all levels of government and the 

private sector. It is not always obvious whether a seemingly minor incident might be the 

initial phase of a larger, rapidly growing threat. Response must be quickly scalable, flexible, 

and adaptable.

 

39 The NIMS is available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

Page 48 National Response Framework January 2008

KEY CONCEPTS

NIMS provides a core set of common concepts, principles, terminology, and technologies in 

the following areas:

• Incident Command System (IC S). Much of NIMS is built upon ICS, which was 

developed by the Federal, State, and local wildland fire agencies during the 1970s. 

ICS is normally structured to facilitate activities in five ma jor functional areas: 

command, operations, planning, logistics, and finance/administration. In some 

circumstances, intelligence and investigations may be added as a sixth functional 

area.

• Multiagency Coordination System (MAC S). The primary function of MACS is to 

coordinate activities above the field level and to prioritize the incident demands for 

critical or competing resources, thereby assisting the coordination of the operations 

in the field. MACS consists of a combination of elements: personnel, procedures, 

protocols, business practices, and communications integrated into a common 

system. For the purpose of coordinating resources and support between multiple 

jurisdictions, MACS can be implemented from a fixed facility or by other 

arrangements outlined within the system. Examples of multiagency coordination 

include a State or county emergency operations center, a State intelligence fusion 

center, the National Operations Center, the Department of Homeland 

Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Response 

Coordination Center, the Department of Justice/Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 

Strategic Information and Operations Center, the FBI Joint Operations Center, and 

the National Counterterrorism Center. 

• Unified Command. Unified command is an important element in multijurisdictional 

or multiagency incident management. It provides guidelines to enable agencies with 

different legal, geographic , and functional responsibilities to coordinate, plan, and 

interact effectively. As a team effort, unified command allows all agencies with 

jurisdictional authority or functional responsibility for the incident to jointly provide 

management direction to an incident through a common set of incident objectives 

and strategies and a single Incident Action Plan. Each participating agency maintains 

its authority, responsibility, and accountability.

• Training. Leaders and staff require initial training on response principles, as well as 

ongoing training to provide updates on current concepts and procedures.

• Identification and Management of Resources. Classifying types of resources is 

essential to ensure that multiple agencies can effectively communicate and provide 

resources during a crisis, including implementing a plan to inventory, mobilize, and 

track resources prior to, during, and after an incident. 

• Mutual Aid and Ass istance. Executing mutual aid and other agreements 

established prior to an incident with appropriate entities at the local, tribal, State, 

and Federal levels is an important element of preparedness, along with the readiness 

to develop/implement new agreements during the life cycle of an incident.

• Situational Awareness. Situational awareness is the ability to identify, process, 

and comprehend the critical information about an incident. More simply, it is 

knowing what is going on around you. Situational awareness requires continuous 
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 49

monitoring of relevant sources of information regarding actual incidents and 

developing hazards.

• Qualifications and Certification. Competent staff is a requirement for any leader 

managing an incident. During a crisis there will not be time to determine staff 

qualifications, if such information has not yet been compiled and available for review 

by leaders. To identify the appropriate staff to support a leader during a crisis, 

qualifications based on training and expertise of staff should be identified and 

evidenced by certification, if appropriate.

• Collection, Tracking, and Reporting of Incident Information. Information 

today is transmitted instantly via the Internet and the 24/7 news channels. While 

timely information is valuable, it also can be overwhelming. For an effective 

response, expertise and experience must be leveraged to support decisionmaking 

and to summarize and prioritize information rapidly. Information must be gathered 

accurately at the scene and effectively communicated to those who need it. To be 

successful, clear lines of information flow and a common operating picture are 

essential. 

• Crisis Action Planning. Deliberative planning during nonincident periods should 

quickly transition to crisis action planning when an incident occurs. Crisis action 

planning is the process for rapidly adapting existing deliberative plans and 

procedures during an incident based on the actual circumstances of an event. Crisis 

action planning should also include the provision of decision tools for senior leaders 

to guide their decisionmaking.

• Exercises. Consistent with the National Exercise Program, all stakeholders should 

regularly exercise their incident management and response capabilities and 

procedures to ensure that they are fully capable of executing their response 

responsibilities. 

LOCAL RESPONSE: STRUCTURES AND STAFFING

Field Level: Incident 

Command. Local responders 

use ICS to manage response 

operations. ICS is a 

management system designed to 

enable effective incident 

management by integrating a 

combination of facilities, 

equipment, personnel, procedures 

and communications operating 

within a common organizational

structure. 

A basic strength of ICS is that it is 

already widely adopted. It is used 

to organize both near-term and 

long-term field-level operations 

for a broad spectrum of incidents. 

Figure 4. Inc ident Command Structure
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

Page 50 National Response Framework January 2008

ICS is used by all levels of government – Federal, State, tribal, and local – as well as by 

many private-sector and nongovernmental organizations. Typically, the incident command 

is structured to facilitate activities in five ma jor functional areas: command, operations, 

planning, logistics, and finance/administration. 

ICS defines certain key roles for managing an ICS incident, as follows:

• The Incident Commander is the individual responsible for all response activities, 

including the development of strategies and tactics and the ordering and release of 

resources. The Incident Commander has overall authority and responsibility for 

conducting incident operations and is responsible for the management of all incident 

operations at the incident site. When multiple command authorities are involved, the 

incident may be led by a unified command comprised of officia ls who have 

jurisdictional authority or functional respons ibility for the inc ident under an 

appropriate law, ordinance, or agreement. The unified command provides 

direct, on-scene control of tactical operations. 

• The Command Staff consists of a Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Liaison 

Officer, and other positions. The Command Staff reports directly to the Incident 

Commander. The General Staff normally consists of an Operations Section Chief, 

Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, and Finance/Administration Section 

Chief. An Intelligence/Investigations Section may be established, if required, to 

meet response needs. 

At the tactical level, on-scene incident command and management organization are located 

at an Incident Command Post, which is typically comprised of local and mutual aid 

responders. 

Field Level: Area Command. If 

necessary, an Area Command may be 

established to assist the agency 

administrator/executive in providing oversight 

for the management of multiple incidents being 

handled by separate Incident Command Posts or 

to oversee management of a complex incident 

dispersed over a larger area and broker critical 

resources. The Area Command does not have 

operational responsibilities and is activated only 

if necessary, depending on the complexity of the 

incident and incident management span-ofcontrol considerations. The Area Command or Incident Command Post provides information 

to, and may request assistance from, the local emergency operations center. 

Local Emergency Operations Center (EOC). If the Incident Commander 

determines that additional resources or capabilities are needed, he or she will contact the 

local EOC and relay requirements to the local emergency manager.

Local EOCs are the physical locations where multiagency coordination occurs. EOCs help 

form a common operating picture of the incident, relieve on-scene command of the 

burden of external coordination, and secure additional resources. The core functions of an

EOC include coordination, communications, resource allocation and tracking, and 

information collection, analysis, and dissemination. 

Figure 5. Area Command Structure
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 51

EOCs may be permanent organizations and facilities that are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days 

a week, or they may be established to meet short-term needs. Standing EOCs (or those 

activated to support larger, more complex incidents) are typically established in a central or 

permanently established facility. Such permanent facilities in larger communities are 

typically directed by a full-time emergency manager. EOCs may be organized by major 

discipline (fire, law enforcement, medical services, etc .), by jurisdiction (city, county, 

region, etc .), by Emergency Support Function (communications, public works, engineering, 

transportation, resource support, etc .) or, more likely, by some combination thereof.

During an incident, the local emergency manager ensures the EOC is staffed to support the 

incident command and arranges needed resources. The chief elected or appointed 

officia l provides policy direction and supports the Incident Commander and emergency 

manager, as needed.

EOCs at all levels of government often encourage and accommodate private-sector 

participation. The private sector, in turn, can maintain parallel structures to respond to the 

needs of the EOC. This representation should complement, not replace, presence in the 

EOC granted currently to public utilities.

STATE RESPONSE: STRUCTURES AND STAFFING

State Emergency Operations Center (EOC). State EOCs are the physical location 

where multiagency coordination occurs. Every State maintains an EOC configured to 

expand as necessary to manage events requiring State-level assistance.

The local incident command structure directs onscene emergency management activities and 

maintains command and control of on-scene incident 

operations. State EOCs are activated as necessary 

to support local EOCs. Therefore, the State EOC is 

the central location from which off-scene activities 

supported by the State are coordinated. Chief 

elected and appointed officials are located at the 

State EOC, as well as personnel supporting core 

functions. The key function of State EOC personnel 

is to ensure that those who are located at the scene 

have the resources (e.g., personnel, tools, and

equipment) they need for the response.

State and tribal officials typically take the lead to 

communicate public information regarding incidents 

occurring in their jurisdictions. It is essential that 

immediately following the onset of an incident, the 

State or tribal government, in collaboration with local 

officials, ensures that:

• Communication lines with the press are open, questions receive prompt responses, 

and false rumors are refuted before they spread.

• Information about where to receive help is communicated directly to victims and 

victims’ families.

Figure 6. State and Emergency 

Operations Center
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Page 52 National Response Framework January 2008

In order to coordinate the release of emergency information and other public affairs 

functions, a Joint Information Center (JIC ) may be established. The JIC serves as a 

focal point for coordinated and timely release of incident-related information to the public 

and the media. Information about where to receive assistance is communicated directly to 

victims and their families in an accessible format and in appropriate languages for those 

with limited English proficiency.

Requesting and Managing Federal Assistance. The Governor is responsible for 

requesting Federal assistance for incidents within his or her State. Overall, Federal incident 

support to the State is generally coordinated through a Joint Field Office (JFO). The JFO 

provides the means to integrate diverse Federal resources and engage directly with the 

State. Using unified command principles, a Unified Coordination Group comprised of 

senior officials from the State and key Federal departments and agencies is established at 

the JFO. This group of senior officials provides the breadth of national support to achieve 

shared objectives. 

Details of the structures and staffing models associated with a JFO, the FEMA Regional 

Response Coordination Centers (RRCCs), and other organizations that support State 

response are described below, in the section regarding Federal response structures. By way 

of introduction, the Framework recognizes two senior leaders appointed by the Governor to 

work in coordination with the Federal JFO team. 

State Coordinating Officer (SCO). The SCO plays a critica l role in managing the 

State response and recovery operations following Stafford Act declarations. The 

Governor of the affected State appoints the SCO, and lines of authority flow from the 

Governor to the SCO, following the State’s policies and laws. For certain anticipated events 

in which a Stafford Act declaration is expected, such as an approaching hurricane, the 

Secretary of Homeland Security or the FEMA Administrator may pre-designate one or more 

Federal officials to coordinate with the SCO to determine resources and actions that will 

likely be required, and begin deployment of assets. The specific roles and responsibilities of 

the SCO include:

• Serving as the primary representative of the Governor for the affected State or 

locality with the RRCC or within the JFO once it is established.

• Working with the Federal Coordinating Officer to formulate State requirements, 

including those that are beyond State capability, and set priorities for employment of 

Federal resources provided to the State.

• Ensuring coordination of resources provided to the State via mutual aid and 

assistance compacts.

• Providing a linkage to local government.

• Serving in the Unified Coordination Group in the JFO.

Governor’s Authorized Representative. As the complexity of the response dictates, 

the Framework recognizes that the Governor may empower a Governor’s Authorized 

Representative to:

• Execute all necessary documents for disaster assistance on behalf of the State, 

including certification of applications for public assistance. 
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 53

• Represent the Governor of the impacted State in the Unified Coordination Group, 

when required.

• Coordinate and supervise the State disaster assistance program to include serving as 

its grant administrator.

• Identify, in coordination with the SCO, the State’s critical information needs for 

incorporation into a list of Essential Elements of Information (critical items of specific 

information required to plan and execute an operation and to support timely, logical 

decisions).

U.S. Territories. Within the Framework, U.S. territories use the same incident 

management and response structures and mechanisms as State governments for requesting 

and receiving Federal assistance. Territories pose special response challenges. Working in 

partnership with territorial governments, the Framework is adapted to meet these 

geographic challenges through preparedness plans and pre-staging of assets. 

Territorial governments may receive federally coordinated response within the U.S. 

possessions, including the insular areas, and within the Federated States of Micronesia and 

the Republic of the Marshall Islands.4 0 Stafford Act assistance is available to Puerto Rico, 

the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands, which are included in the definition of "State" in the Stafford Act. Stafford 

Act assistance also is available to the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the

Marshall Islands under the Compact of Free Association.

FEDERAL RESPONSE: STRUCTURES AND STAFFING

POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS COORDINATION

Policy Development. The President leads the Nation in responding effectively and 

ensuring the necessary coordinating structure, leadership, and resources are applied quickly 

and efficiently to large-scale incidents. The Homeland Security Council (HSC) and National 

Security Council (NSC) advise the President on national strategic and policy during largescale incidents. The HSC and NSC ensure coordination for all homeland and national 

security-related activities among executive departments and agencies and promote effective 

development and implementation of related policy. The HSC and NSC ensure unified 

leadership across the Federal Government. 

The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and the 

Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs coordinate interagency policy for 

domestic and international incident management, respectively, and convene interagency 

meetings to coordinate policy issues. Both Councils use well-established policy development 

structures to identify issues that require interagency coordination. 

To support domestic interagency policy coordination on a routine basis, HSC and NSC 

deputies and principals convene to resolve significant policy issues. They are supported by 

the following two Policy Coordination Committees at the assistant secretary level: 

 

40 Refer to footnote 5 for more information on U.S. possessions and freely associated states.
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

Page 54 National Response Framework January 2008

• Domestic Readiness Group (DRG). The DRG is an interagency body convened on 

a regular basis to develop and coordinate preparedness, response, and incident 

management policy. This group evaluates various policy issues of interagency 

importance regarding domestic preparedness and incident management and makes 

recommendations to senior levels of the policymaking structure for decision. During 

an incident, the DRG may be convened by DHS to evaluate relevant interagency 

policy issues regarding response and develop recommendations as may be required.

• Counterterrorism Security Group (C SG). The CSG is an interagency body 

convened on a regular basis to develop terrorism prevention policy and to coordinate 

threat response and law enforcement investigations associated with terrorism. This 

group evaluates various policy issues of interagency importance regarding 

counterterrorism and makes recommendations to senior levels of the policymaking 

structure for decision. 

Within the structure described above, Federa l departments and agenc ies support 

policy development based on respons ibilities assigned by statute, by HSPD-5, and 

in specific detail in Chapter I of this document.

Operations Coordination. The Secretary of Homeland Security is the principal 

Federal official responsible for domestic incident management. This includes coordinating 

Federal operations and resource deployments within the United States to prepare for, 

respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, or other emergencies.

4 1

All Federal departments and agencies may play significant roles in incident management 

and response activities, depending on the nature and size of an event. The policies, 

operational structures, and capabilities to support an integrated Federal response have 

grown swiftly since the 9/11 attacks, and continue to evolve. Many of these arrangements 

are defined in the Emergency Support Functions, coordinated through pre-scripted mission 

assignments, and formalized in interagency agreements.

Communications among Federa l departments and agenc ies, particularly in an era 

when the Nation is at war with terrorists, requires a highly integrated capacity to 

share information effic iently and effectively. By doing so, responders can effectively 

manage incidents that start small but may have large consequences, such as a deliberate 

attack on the food supply that might initially appear localized or even commonplace. At the 

same time, these Framework mechanisms do not interfere with the established operations 

of local, tribal, State, and Federal agencies. 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in 2003 in part to serve 

as the planning integrator for the President of a more robust Federa l inc ident 

management capability and to coordinate Federa l inc ident management activities 

in support of our State and loca l partners. DHS is responsible for the overall 

architecture of how these capabilities are executed and sustained. The Department has 

considerable responsibilities and resources for emergency response, and also relies on the 

statutory authorities, subject-matter expertise, and range of assets and operational 

capabilities of other Federal departments and agencies. 

 

41 Per HSPD-5, paragraph 8, the Secretary of Homeland Security's operational coordination role excludes law 

enforcement coordination activities assigned to the Attorney General and generally delegated to the Director of the 

FBI.
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 55

The FEMA Adm inistrator is the principal advisor to the President, the Secretary of 

Homeland Security, and the Homeland Security Council regarding emergency management. 

The FEMA Administrator’s duties include operation of the National Response Coordination 

Center, the effective support of all Emergency Support Functions, and, more generally, 

preparation for, protection against, response to, and recovery from all-hazards incidents. 

Reporting to the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Administrator also is responsible for 

management of the core DHS grant programs supporting homeland security.4 2 

Other DHS agency heads have a lead response role or an otherwise significant role, 

depending upon the type and severity of the event. For example, the U.S. Coast Guard 

Commandant has statutory lead authority for certain mass migration management scenarios 

and significant oil/hazardous substance spill incidents in the maritime environment. 

The DHS Director of Operations Coordination is the Secretary’s principal advisor for the 

overall departmental level of integration of incident management operations and oversees 

the National Operations Center. Run by the Director, the National Operations Center is 

intended to provide a one-stop information source for incident information sharing with the 

White House and other Federal departments and agencies at the headquarters level. 

The role of DHS in coordinating Federal response operations must be highly 

collaborative. There must be excellent, mutual transparency among DHS and its Federal 

partners into each other’s response capabilities. The same is true with regard to States. 

This requires extraordinarily close, daily operationa l connectivity among States, DHS, 

and other departments and agencies at senior levels and at operational levels.

HEADQUARTERS-LEVEL SUPPORT STRUCTURES

National Operations Center (NOC). The NOC is the primary nationa l hub for 

situationa l awareness and operations coordination across the Federal Government 

for incident management. It provides the Secretary of Homeland Security and other 

principals with information necessary to make critical national-level incident management 

decisions. 

The NOC is a continuously operating multiagency operations center. The NOC’s staff 

monitors many sources of threat and hazard information from across the United States and 

abroad. It is supported by a 24/7 watch officer contingent, including: (1) NOC managers; 

(2) selected Federal interagency, State, and local law enforcement representatives; (3) 

intelligence community liaison officers provided by the DHS Chief Intelligence Officer; (4) 

analysts from the Operations Division’s interagency planning element; and (5) watch 

standers representing dozens of organizations and disciplines from the Federal Government 

and others from the private sector.

The NOC facilitates homeland security information sharing and operations coordination with 

other Federal, State, tribal, local, and nongovernmental partners. During a response to a 

significant incident, the NOC meets its information-fusion and information-sharing 

responsibilities by providing spot reports, situation reports, and other information-sharing 

tools, all supported by and distributed through its common operating picture. The 

continued development and rapid integration at the Federal, State, tribal, and local levels of 

 

42 See the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act, enacted as part of the FY 2007 DHS Appropriations Act, 

P.L. 109-295.
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

Page 56 National Response Framework January 2008

electronic reporting and information-sharing tools supporting the NOC’s common operating 

picture is a very high priority of the Framework. 

NOC Operational Components. The following components of the NOC provide 

integrated mission support: 

• Nationa l Response Coordination Center (NRCC). The NRCC is FEMA’s 

primary operations management center, as we ll as the focal point for 

national resource coordination. As a 24/7 operations center, the NRCC monitors 

potential or developing incidents and supports the efforts of regional and field 

components. 

The NRCC also has the capacity to increase staffing immediately in anticipation of or 

in response to an incident by activating the full range of ESFs and other personnel as 

needed to provide resources and policy guidance to a JFO or other local incident 

management structures. The NRCC provides overall emergency management 

coordination, conducts operational planning, deploys national-level entities, and 

collects and disseminates incident information as it builds and maintains a common 

operating picture. Representatives of nonprofit organizations within the private 

sector may participate in the NRCC to enhance information exchange and 

cooperation between these entities and the Federal Government.

• Nationa l Infrastructure Coordinating Center (NICC). The NICC monitors the 

Nation’s critical inf rastructure and key resources on an ongoing basis. During an 

incident, the NICC provides a coordinating forum to share information across 

infrastructure and key resources sectors through appropriate information-sharing 

entities such as the Information Sharing and Analysis Centers and the Sector 

Coordinating Councils.4 3

Supporting Federal Operations Centers. The Federal Government has a wide range 

of headquarters-level operations centers that maintain situational awareness within their 

functional areas and provide relevant information to the NOC. Most Cabinet departments 

and agencies have at least one such facility. Below are examples of other Federal 

operations centers that have key roles in providing situational awareness and interagency 

coordination during incidents. 

• Nationa l Military Command Center (NMCC). The NMCC is the Nation’s focal 

point for continuous monitoring and coordination of worldwide military operations. It 

directly supports combatant commanders, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 

the Secretary of Defense, and the President in the command of U.S. Armed Forces in 

peacetime contingencies and war. Structured to support the President and Secretary 

of Defense effectively and efficiently, the Center participates in a wide variety of 

activities, ranging from missile warning and attack assessment to management of 

peacetime contingencies such as Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) 

activities. In conjunction with monitoring the current worldwide situation, the Center 

alerts the Joint Staff and other national agencies to developing crises and will initially 

coordinate any military response required.

 

43 See http://www.fema.gov/NRF for additional information.
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 57

• Nationa l Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). The NCTC serves as the primary 

Federal organization for integrating and analyzing all intelligence pertaining to 

terrorism and counterterrorism and for conducting strategic operational planning by 

integrating all instruments of national power.

• Strategic Information and Operations Center (SIOC). The FBI SIOC is the focal 

point and operational control center for all Federal intelligence, law enforcement, and 

investigative law enforcement activities related to domestic terrorist incidents or 

credible threats, including leading attribution investigations. The SIOC serves as an 

information clearinghouse to help collect, process, vet, and disseminate information 

relevant to law enforcement and criminal investigation efforts in a timely manner. 

The SIOC maintains direct connectivity with the NOC. The SIOC, located at FBI 

Headquarters, supports the FBI’s mission in leading efforts of the law enforcement 

community to detect, prevent, preempt, and disrupt terrorist attacks against the 

United States.

The SIOC maintains liaison with the National Joint Terrorism Task Force (NJTTF). 

The mission of the NJTTF is to enhance communications, coordination, and 

cooperation among Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies representing the 

intelligence, law enforcement, defense, diplomatic , public safety, and homeland 

security communities by providing a point of fusion for terrorism intelligence and by 

supporting Joint Terrorism Task Forces throughout the United States.

• Other DHS Operations Centers. Depending upon the type of incident (e.g., 

National Special Security Events), the operations centers of other DHS operating 

Components may serve as the primary operations management center in support of 

the Secretary. These are the U.S. Coast Guard, Transportation Security 

Administration, U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

operations centers. 

Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). FEMA coordinates response support 

from across the Federa l Government and certain NGOs by calling up, as needed, 

one or more of the 15 ESFs. The ESFs are coordinated by FEMA through its NRCC. 

During a response, ESFs are a critical mechanism to coordinate functional capabilities and 

resources provided by Federal departments and agencies, along with certain private-sector 

and nongovernmental organizations. They represent an effective way to bundle and funnel 

resources and capabilities to local, tribal, State, and other responders. These functions are 

coordinated by a single agency but may rely on several agencies that provide resources for 

each functional area. The mission of the ESFs is to provide the greatest possible access to 

capabilities of the Federal Government regardless of which agency has those capabilities.

The ESFs serve as the primary operational-level mechanism to provide assistance in 

functional areas such as transportation, communications, public works and engineering, 

firefighting, mass care, housing, human services, public health and medical services, search 

and rescue, agriculture and natural resources, and energy. A list of the 15 ESFs and a 

description of the scope of each is found in Table 2. 
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Page 58 National Response Framework January 2008

Table 2. Emergency Support Functions and ESF Coordinators

ESF #1 – Transportation

ESF Coordinator: Department of Transportation

• Aviation/airspace management and control

• Transportation safety

• Restoration and recovery of transportation infrastructure

• Movement restrictions

• Damage and impact assessment

ESF #2 – Communications

ESF Coordinator: DHS (National Communications System)

• Coordination with telecommunications and information technology industries

• Restoration and repair of telecommunications infrastructure

• Protection, restoration, and sustainment of national cyber and information 

technology resources 

• Oversight of communications within the Federal incident management and 

response structures

ESF #3 – Public Works and Engineering

ESF Coordinator: Department of Defense (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

• Infrastructure protection and emergency repair

• Infrastructure restoration

• Engineering services and construction management

• Emergency contracting support for life-saving and life-sustaining services

ESF #4 – Firefighting

ESF Coordinator: Department of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service)

• Coordination of Federal firefighting activities 

• Support to wildland, rural, and urban firefighting operations

ESF #5 – Emergency Management

ESF Coordinator: DHS (FEMA)

• Coordination of incident management and response efforts

• Issuance of mission assignments

• Resource and human capital

• Incident action planning

• Financial management

ESF #6 – Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services

ESF Coordinator: DHS (FEMA)

• Mass care

• Emergency assistance

• Disaster housing

• Human services

ESF #7 – Logistics Management and Resource Support

ESF Coordinator: General Services Administration and DHS (FEMA)

• Comprehensive, national incident logistics planning, management, and 

sustainment capability

• Resource support (facility space, office equipment and supplies, contracting 

services, etc.)
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 59

ESF #8 – Public Health and Medical Services

ESF Coordinator: Department of Health and Human Services

• Public health

• Medical

• Mental health services

• Mass fatality management

ESF #9 – Search and Rescue

ESF Coordinator: DHS (FEMA)

• Life-saving assistance

• Search and rescue operations

ESF #10 – Oil and Hazardous Materials Response

ESF Coordinator: Environmental Protection Agency

• Oil and hazardous materials (chemical, biological, radiological, etc.) response

• Environmental short- and long-term cleanup

ESF #11 – Agriculture and Natural Resources

ESF Coordinator: Department of Agriculture

• Nutrition assistance

• Animal and plant disease and pest response

• Food safety and security

• Natural and cultural resources and historic properties protection 

• Safety and well-being of household pets 

ESF #12 – Energy

ESF Coordinator: Department of Energy

• Energy infrastructure assessment, repair, and restoration

• Energy industry utilities coordination

• Energy forecast

ESF #13 – Public Safety and Security

ESF Coordinator: Department of Justice

• Facility and resource security

• Security planning and technical resource assistance

• Public safety and security support

• Support to access, traffic, and crowd control

ESF #14 – Long-Term Community Recovery

ESF Coordinator: DHS (FEMA)

• Social and economic community impact assessment

• Long-term community recovery assistance to States, tribes, local governments, 

and the private sector

• Analysis and review of mitigation program implementation

ESF #15 – External Affairs

ESF Coordinator: DHS

• Emergency public information and protective action guidance

• Media and community relations

• Congressional and international affairs

• Tribal and insular affairs
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

Page 60 National Response Framework January 2008

Each ESF is comprised of a coordinator and primary and support agencies. The Framework

identifies primary agencies on the basis of authorities, resources, and capabilities. Support 

agencies are assigned based on resources and capabilities in a given functional area. The 

resources provided by the ESFs are consistent with resource-typing categories identified in 

the NIMS. 

ESFs may be selectively activated for both Stafford Act and non-Stafford Act incidents under 

circumstances as defined in HSPD-5. Not all incidents requiring Federal support result in 

the activation of ESFs. FEMA can deploy assets and capabilities through ESFs into an area 

in anticipation of an approaching storm or event that is expected to cause a significant 

impact and result. This coordination through ESFs allows FEMA to position Federal support 

for a quick response, though actual assistance cannot normally be provided until the 

Governor requests and receives a Presidential ma jor disaster or emergency declaration. 

Many States have also organized an ESF structure along this approach.

When ESFs are activated, they may have a headquarters, regional, and field 

presence. At FEMA headquarters, the ESFs support decisionmaking and coordination of 

field operations within the NRCC. The ESFs deliver a broad range of technical support and 

other services at the regional level in the Regional Response Coordination Centers, and in 

the Joint Field Office and Incident Command Posts, as required by the incident. At all 

levels, FEMA issues mission assignments to obtain resources and capabilities from across 

the ESFs in support of the State.4 4 

The ESFs plan and support response activities. At the headquarters, regional, and field 

levels, ESFs provide staff to support the incident command sections for operations, 

planning, logistics, and finance/administration, as requested. The incident command 

structure enables the ESFs to work collaboratively. For example, if a State requests 

assistance with a mass evacuation, the JFO would request personnel from ESF #1 

(Transportation), ESF #6 (Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human 

Services), and ESF #8 (Public Health and Medical Services). These would then be 

integrated into a single branch or group within the Operations Section to ensure effective 

coordination of evacuation services. The same structures are used to organize ESF 

response at the field, regional, and headquarters levels. 

To support an effective response, all ESFs are required to have both strategic and moredetailed operational plans that include all participating organizations and engage the private 

sector and NGOs as appropriate. The ongoing support, coordination, and integration of 

ESFs and their work are core responsibilities of FEMA in its response leadership role for 

DHS.

 

44 Additional information on the mission assignment process is contained in the Financial Management Support 

Annex, which is available via the NRF Resource Center at http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 61

Support and Incident Annexes. Other mechanisms by which support is 

harnessed among Federal, private-sector, and NGO partners are the Support and 

Incident Annexes. By serving as coordinating or cooperating agencies for various Support 

or Incident Annexes, Federal departments and agencies conduct a variety of activities to 

include managing specific functions and missions or providing overarching Federal support 

within their functional areas. Specifics on these positions are provided in the Introductions 

to the Support and Incident Annexes at the NRF Resource Center. 

REGIONAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE

FEMA Regional Offices. FEMA has 10 regional offices, each headed by a Regional 

Administrator. The regional field structures are FEMA’s permanent presence for 

communities and States across the Nation. The staff at these offices support development 

of all-hazards operational plans and generally help States and communities become better 

prepared. These regional offices mobilize Federal assets and evaluation teams to work with 

State and local agencies. Many of FEMA’s most experienced response personnel are 

employed at regional offices.

Each of FEMA’s regional offices 

maintains a Regional Response 

Coordination Center (RRCC). The 

RRCCs are 24/7 coordination centers 

that expand to become an interagency 

facility staffed by ESFs in anticipation of 

a serious incident in the region or 

immediately following an incident. 

Operating under the direction of the 

FEMA Regional Administrator, the 

RRCCs coordinate Federal regional 

response efforts, and maintain 

connectivity with State EOCs, State 

fusion centers, Federal Executive 

Boards, and other Federal and State 

operations and coordination centers 

that have potential to contribute to development of situational awareness. Ongoing RRCC 

operations transition to a JFO once it is established, so that the RRCC can remain ready to 

deal with new incidents.

Other Federal departments and agencies have regional or field offices that may participate 

with State, tribal, and local governments in planning for incidents under their jurisdiction 

and provide initial response assets to the incident.

FIELD SUPPORT STRUCTURE

Initial Response. Depending upon the type and scope of incident, in coordination 

with State and local agenc ies, Federa l assets may be dispatched during the first 

hours following an inc ident. Of course, in some cases, the proximity of Federal response 

employees already working in a community may be able to deliver Federal support that 

ranges from experienced and professional emergency management teams to other 

temporary and ad hoc assistance.

Figure 7. FEMA Regions
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Page 62 National Response Framework January 2008

Following a Presidential disaster declaration, a wide array of Federal assets can be deployed 

as needed. For example, FEMA may deploy Incident Management Assistance Teams 

(IMATs), which are interagency, regionally based response teams that provide a forward 

Federal presence to improve response to serious incidents. 

The IMATs support efforts to meet the emergent needs of State and local jurisdictions, 

possess the capability to provide initial situational awareness for Federal decisionmakers, 

and support the establishment of Federal coordination efforts with the State. 

Other initial response and coordination tools deployed by FEMA in conjunction with declared

emergencies and disasters include:

• Hurricane Lia ison Team (HLT). The HLT is a small team designed to enhance 

hurricane disaster response by facilitating information exchange between the 

National Hurricane Center in Miami and other National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration components, as well as Federal, State, tribal, and local government 

officials.

• Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Forces. The National US&R Response 

System is a framework for structuring local emergency services personnel into 

integrated response task forces. The 28 National US&R Task Forces, complete with 

the necessary tools, equipment, skills, and techniques, can be deployed by FEMA to 

assist State, tribal, and local governments in rescuing victims of structural collapse 

incidents or to assist in other search and rescue missions. Each task force must 

have all its personnel and equipment at the embarkation point within 6 hours of 

activation. The task force can be dispatched and en route to its destination within a 

matter of hours.

• Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS). The primary function of MERS is 

to provide mobile telecommunications capabilities and life, logistics, operational, and 

power-generation support required for the on-site management of response 

activities. MERS support falls into three broad categories: (1) operational support 

elements, (2) communications equipment and operators, and (3) logistics support. 

MERS supports Federal, State, tribal, and local responders in their efforts to save 

lives, protect property, and coordinate response operations. Staged in six strategic 

locations, one with offshore capabilities, the MERS detachments can concurrently 

support multiple field operating sites within an incident area.

Joint Field Office (JFO). The JFO is the primary Federal incident management 

fie ld structure. The JFO is a temporary Federal facility that provides a central location for 

the coordination of Federal, State, tribal, and local governments and private-sector and 

nongovernmental organizations with primary responsibility for response and recovery. The 

JFO structure is organized, staffed, and managed in a manner consistent with NIMS

principles and is led by the Unified Coordination Group. Although the JFO uses an ICS 

structure, the JFO does not manage on-scene operations. Instead, the JFO focuses on 

providing support to on-scene efforts and conducting broader support operations that may 

extend beyond the incident site.

Personne l from Federal and State departments and agenc ies, other jurisdictiona l

entities, the private sector, and NGOs may be requested to staff various levels of 

the JFO, depending on the requirements of the incident. When incidents impact the 

entire Nation or multiple States or localities, multiple JFOs may be established. In these 
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 63

situations, coordination will occur following the principles of Unified Area Command. The 

physical location of such a coordination entity depends on the situation. 

As the primary field structure, the JFO provides the organizing structure to integrate diverse 

Federal authorities and capabilities and coordinate Federal response and recovery 

operations. For additional information on staffing and procedures, see the JFO Standard 

Operating Procedure.4 5 The JFO is internally organized and operated using the concepts and 

principles of the NIMS. 

The figure below represents an overview of the JFO and its key components.

Figure 8. Joint Field Office 

 

45 This and other Standard Operating Procedures are available at the NRF Resource Center, 

http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

Page 64 National Response Framework January 2008

Unified Coordination Group. The JFO is led by the Unified Coordination Group, 

which is comprised of specified senior leaders representing State and Federa l 

interests, and in certain circumstances tribal governments, local jurisdictions, the private 

sector, or NGOs. The Unified Coordination Group typically consists of the Principal Federal 

Official (if designated), Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO), State Coordinating Officer, and 

senior officials from other entities with primary statutory or jurisdictional responsibility and 

significant operational responsibility for an aspect of an incident (e.g., the Senior Health 

Official, Department of Defense representative, or Senior Federal Law Enforcement Official if 

assigned). Within the Unified Coordination Group, the FCO is the primary Federal official 

responsible for coordinating, integrating, and synchronizing Federal response activities. 

The composition of the Unified Coordination Group will vary, depending upon the 

scope and nature of the inc ident and the assets deployed in support of the affected 

jurisdiction. 

The JFO structure normally includes a Unified Coordination Staff. The Unified Coordination 

Group determines the extent of staffing based on the type and magnitude of the incident. 

See the JFO Standard Operating Procedure for further details on these and other Federal 

staff positions supporting the field operation.

Infrastructure Liaison. The Inf rastructure Liaison is assigned by the DHS Office of 

Infrastructure Protection and advises the Unified Coordination Group on regionally or 

nationally significant CIKR issues.4 6 

Safety Officer. The JFO Safety Officer is the senior advisor on all occupational safety and

health concerns affecting and arising f rom the incident. 

The JFO is organized into four sections based on the ICS standard organization as follows:

• Operations Section. The Operations Section coordinates operational support with 

on-scene incident management efforts. Branches, divisions, and groups may be 

added or deleted as required, depending on the nature of the incident. The 

Operations Section is also responsible for coordinating with other Federal facilities 

that may be established to support incident management activities. 

• Planning Section. The Planning Section’s functions include the collection, 

evaluation, dissemination, and use of information regarding the threat or incident 

and the status of Federal resources. The Planning Section prepares and documents 

Federal support actions and develops unified action, contingency, long-term, and 

other plans. 

• Logistics Section. The Logistics Section coordinates logistics support that includes: 

control of and accountability for Federal supplies and equipment; resource ordering; 

delivery of equipment, supplies, and services to the JFO and other field locations; 

facility location, setup, space management, building services, and general facility 

operations; transportation coordination and fleet management services; information 

and technology systems services; administrative services such as mail management 

and reproduction; and customer assistance. 

 

46 For more information see the CIKR Support Annex, available at the NRF Resource Center, 

http://www.fema.gov/NRF. 
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 65

• Finance and Administration Section. The Finance and Administration Section is 

responsible for the financial management, monitoring, and tracking of all Federal 

costs relating to the incident and the functioning of the JFO while adhering to all 

Federal laws and regulations.

All or portions of this organizational structure may be activated based on the nature and 

magnitude of the threat or incident.

Depending on the scope and nature of the incident, the Unified Coordination Group identifies 

what Federal capabilities are needed and requests Federal staff from these areas to support 

the JFO structure. 

The JFO is the primary, but not the only, Federal field structure. Presidential 

directives4 7 and other authorities outline the primary areas of responsibility that guide 

Federal support at national, regional, and field levels. The field structures are designed to 

implement these lanes of responsibility and provide coordination to ensure an effective 

response. In addition to the JFO, these include:

• Joint Operations Center (JOC). The JOC is an interagency command post 

established by the FBI to manage terrorist threats or incidents and investigative and 

intelligence activities. The JOC coordinates the necessary local, State, and Federal 

assets required to support the investigation, and to prepare for, respond to, and 

resolve the threat or incident.4 8

• Joint Information Center (JIC). The JIC is responsible for the coordination and 

dissemination of information for the public and media concerning an incident. JICs 

may be established locally, regionally, or nationally depending on the size and 

magnitude of the incident. 

 

The JIC is established at or virtually connected to the JFO, through the ESF #15 – 

External Affairs staff. JICs may be established at multiple locations if the nature and 

magnitude of the incident require. Co-location of the Federal, State, tribal, and local 

JICs is encouraged.

There may be additional field structures. These facilities should be co-located to the extent 

possible, or otherwise established in close proximity. While these structures may not be 

physically co-located, they will, when and if established, maintain connectivity to share 

information and remain aligned in purpose and intent. Each coordination center will 

normally assign liaisons to each of the other coordination centers to ensure alignment.

FIELD SUPPORT ROLES 

The Federal team that assembles to provide unified coordination is composed of multiple 

senior leaders performing supporting roles tailored to the specific event. Not all of these will 

be deployed at every incident that involves a Federal response. 

 

47 HSPD-5, “Management of Domestic Incidents” 48 For detail on the relationship between the JOC and the JFO, see the Terrorism Incident Law Enforcement Annex, 

available at the NRF Resource Center, http://www.fema.gov/NRF.
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Page 66 National Response Framework January 2008

Obviously, not all Federal response efforts come with Stafford Act funding and the full array 

of Stafford Act staffing. However, a Stafford Act incident, such as a large hurricane or 

earthquake, will generate a very disciplined and scripted deployment. An equally disciplined 

yet different array of Federal personnel and alternative leadership positions may be 

deployed for other non-Stafford Act incidents. All necessary staffing options are provided 

for by the Framework and anticipated with its various incident scenario plans. 

For example, a mass migration event in the Gulf of Mexico would entail a U.S. Coast Guard 

response lead. An oil spill for which the Coast Guard has cleanup responsibility under the 

Oil Pollution Act of 1990 does not result in establishment of a JFO, but it employs similar 

organizational structures under the leadership of the Coast Guard’s On-Scene Coordinator.4 9 

Alternatively, the criminal investigation following a car bomb attack on an airport will be 

directed by the Attorney General, and would closely involve the Transportation Security 

Administration from the moment of an explosion to institute appropriate airport security 

measures, yet may not generate a Stafford Act declaration. 

Key senior Federal officials that typically may be deployed with a Federal incident 

management team include those discussed below.

Principal Federal Official (PFO). By law and by Presidential directive, the Secretary 

of Homeland Security is the principal Federal official responsible for coordination of all 

domestic incidents requiring multiagency Federal response. The Secretary may elect to 

designate a s ingle individual to serve as his or her primary representative to ensure 

consistency of Federal support as well as the overall effectiveness of the Federal incident 

management. When appointed, such an individual serves in the field as the PFO for the 

incident. 

Congress has provided that, notwithstanding the general prohibition on appointing a PFO for 

Stafford Act incidents, “there may be instances in which FEMA should not be the lead 

agency in charge of the response, such as a pandemic outbreak or an Olympic event.” In 

such cases, the Secretary may assign a PFO. Congress also recognized that there may be 

“ma jor non-Stafford Act responses that may include a Stafford Act component.” In such 

cases, also, the Secretary may assign a PFO. 

The Secretary will only appoint a PFO for catastrophic or unusually complex incidents that 

require extraordinary coordination. When appointed, the PFO interfaces with Federal, State, 

tribal, and local jurisdictional officials regarding the overall Federal incident management 

strategy and acts as the primary Federal spokesperson for coordinated media and public 

communications. The PFO serves as a member of the Unified Coordination Group and 

provides a primary point of contact and situational awareness locally for the Secretary of 

Homeland Security. 

A PFO is a senior Federa l offic ial with proven management experience and strong 

leadership capabilities. The PFO deploys with a sma ll, highly tra ined mobile 

support staff. Both the PFO and support staff undergo specific training prior to 

appointment to their respective positions. Once formally designated for an ongoing 

incident, a PFO relinquishes the conduct of all previous duties to focus exclusively on his or 

her incident management responsibilities. 

 

49 See U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Manual, available at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nmc/pubs/msm. 
CHAPTER III: RESPONSE ORGANIZATION

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 67

The same indiv idua l will not serve as the Princ ipa l Federa l Officia l and the Federal 

Coordinating Officer (see below) at the same time for the same incident. When 

both positions are assigned, the FCO will have responsibility for administering Stafford Act 

authorities, as described below. The Secretary is not restricted to DHS officials when 

selecting a PFO. 

The PFO does not direct or replace the inc ident command structure established at 

the incident. Nor does the PFO have directive authority over a Federal Coordinating 

Officer, a Senior Federal Law Enforcement Official, a DOD Joint Task Force Commander, or 

any other Federal or State official. Other Federal incident management officials retain their 

authorities as defined in existing statutes and directives. Rather, the PFO promotes 

collaboration and, as possible, resolves any Federal interagency conflict that may arise. The 

PFO identifies and presents to the Secretary of Homeland Security any policy issues that 

require resolution. 

Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO). For Stafford Act incidents (i.e., emergencies or 

ma jor disasters), upon the recommendation of the FEMA Administrator and the Secretary of 

Homeland Security, the President appoints an FCO. The FCO is a senior FEMA officia l 

trained, certified, and we ll experienced in emergency management, and 

specifically appointed to coordinate Federal support in the response to and 

recovery from emergenc ies and ma jor disasters. The FCO executes Stafford Act 

authorities, including commitment of FEMA resources and the mission assignment of other 

Federal departments or agencies. If a ma jor disaster or emergency declaration covers a 

geographic area that spans all or parts of more than one State, the President may decide to 

appoint a single FCO for the entire incident, with other individuals as needed serving as 

Deputy FCOs. 

In a ll cases, the FCO represents the FEMA Adm inistrator in the field to discharge 

all FEMA respons ibilities for the response and recovery efforts underway. For 

Stafford Act events, the FCO is the primary Federal representative with whom the SCO and 

other State, tribal, and local response officials interface to determine the most urgent needs 

and set objectives for an effective response in collaboration with the Unified Coordination 

Group. 

In Stafford Act incidents, the FCO is the focal point of coordination within the Unified 

Coordination Group, ensuring overall integration of Federal emergency management, 

resource allocation, and seamless integration of Federal activities in support of, and in 

coordination with, State, tribal, and local requirements. 

Some FCOs are given additional, specialized training regarding unusually complex incidents. 

For example, one may be further trained for catastrophic earthquake response, whereas 

another might cultivate unique skills for response related to weapons of mass destruction or 

pandemic influenza.

Pre-Designated PFOs and FCOs. In certa in scenarios, the Secretary of 

Homeland Security may pre-designate a PFO and/or FCO. Such pre-designation can 

focus on specified geographic areas or be based on specific potential threats – or a 

combination of both. For example, beginning in 2007, the Secretary pre-designated a 

national PFO and five regional PFOs together with a national FCO and regional FCOs, who 

will serve in the event of a nationwide outbreak of pandemic influenza or other similar 

nationwide biological event. 
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Page 68 National Response Framework January 2008

Pre-designation of these leadership teams is allowing for sustained advance planning 

conducted with State, tribal, and local leaders.

Federal Resource Coordinator (FRC). In non-Stafford Act situations, when a Federal 

department or agency acting under its own authority has requested the assistance of the 

Secretary of Homeland Security to obtain support from other Federal departments and 

agencies, DHS may designate an FRC. In these situations, the FRC coordinates support 

through interagency agreements and memorandums of understanding. Relying on the 

same skill set, DHS may select the FRC from the FCO cadre or other personnel with 

equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities. The FRC is responsible for coordinating timely 

delivery of resources to the requesting agency. 

Defense Coordinating Officer (DCO). DOD has appointed 10 DCOs and assigned 

one to each FEMA region. If requested and approved, the DCO serves as DOD's single point 

of contact at the JFO for requesting assistance from DOD. With few exceptions, requests for 

Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) originating at the JFO are coordinated with and 

processed through the DCO. The DCO may have a Defense Coordinating Element consisting 

of a staff and military liaison officers to facilitate coordination and support to activated ESFs.

Specific responsibilities of the DCO (subject to modification based on the situation) include 

processing requirements for military support, forwarding mission assignments to the 

appropriate military organizations through DOD-designated channels, and assigning military 

liaisons, as appropriate, to activated ESFs.

Senior Federal Law Enforcement Official (SFLEO). The SFLEO is an official 

appointed by the Attorney General during an incident requiring a coordinated Federal 

response to coordinate all law enforcement, public safety, and security operations with 

intelligence or investigative law enforcement operations directly related to the incident. The 

SFLEO is a member of the Unified Coordination Group and, as such, is responsible to ensure 

that allocation of law enforcement requirements and resource allocations are coordinated as 

appropriate with all other members of the Group. In the event of a terrorist incident, the 

SFLEO will normally be a senior FBI official who has coordinating authority over all law 

enforcement activities related to the incident, both those falling within the Attorney 

General’s explicit authority as recognized in HSPD-5 and those otherwise directly related to 

the incident itself. 

Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander. Based on the complexity and type of incident, 

and the anticipated level of DOD resource involvement, DOD may elect to designate a JTF to 

command Federal (Title 10) military activities in support of the incident objectives. If a JTF 

is established, consistent with operational requirements, its command and control element 

will be co-located with the senior on-scene leadership at the JFO to ensure coordination and 

unity of effort. The co-location of the JTF command and control element does not replace 

the requirement for a DCO/Defense Coordinating Element as part of the JFO Unified 

Coordination Staff. The DCO remains the DOD single point of contact in the JFO for 

requesting assistance from DOD.
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 69

The JTF Commander exercises operational control of Federal military personnel and most 

defense resources in a Federal response. Some DOD entities, such as the U.S. Army Corps 

of Engineers, may respond under separate established authorities and do not provide 

support under the operational control of a JTF Commander. Unless federalized, National 

Guard forces remain under the control of a State Governor. Close coordination between 

Federal military, other DOD entities, and National Guard forces in a response is critical.

Other Senior Officials. Based on the scope and nature of an incident, senior officials 

from other Federal departments and agencies, State, tribal, or local governments, and the 

private sector or NGOs may participate in a Unified Coordination Group. Usually, the larger 

and more complex the incident, the greater the number of entities represented.
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 71

CHAPTER IV 

PLANNING: A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF 

EFFECTIVE RESPONSE

This chapter emphas izes the importance of planning as the cornerstone of national 

preparedness and briefly summarizes planning structures that are relevant to the 

Framework. 

Federal, State, tribal, and local government planning is mutually supportive. Planning for 

low-probability, high-consequence scenarios is a Federal focus and complements a State, 

tribal, and local focus on more likely and frequently experienced smaller-scale events.

THE FRAMEWORK AND PLANNING 

Planning across the full range of homeland security operations is an inherent responsibility 

of every level of government. This Framework fosters unity of effort for emergency 

operations planning by providing common doctrine and purpose. 

A plan is a continuous, evolving instrument of anticipated actions that maximize 

opportunities and guide response operations. Since planning is an ongoing process, a plan 

is an interim product based on information and understanding at the moment, and is 

subject to revision. That is why plans are best described as “living” documents.

THE VALUE OF PLANNING 

Planning provides three principal benefits: (1) it allows jurisdictions to influence the course 

of events in an emergency by determining in advance the actions, policies, and processes 

that will be followed; (2) it guides other preparedness activities; and (3) it contributes to 

unity of effort by providing a common blueprint for activity in the event of an emergency. 

Planning is a foundational element of both preparedness and response and thus is an 

essential homeland security activity. Emergency planning is a national priority, as reflected 

in the National Preparedness Guidelines. 5 0 

 

50 HSPD-8, “National Preparedness,” required the development of the National Preparedness Goal, since renamed 

the National Preparedness Guidelines. 
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Page 72 National Response Framework January 2008

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS ARCHITECTURE

A great deal has been accomplished in developing a rigorous national preparedness 

architecture that enables all levels of government to successfully plan for response 

operations. These efforts have yielded the National Preparedness Guidelines; the National 

Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) and 17 sector-specific plans to protect critical 

infrastructure; the National Incident Management System (NIMS); National Continuity 

policies and directives; a coordinated National Exercise Schedule; and support through an 

extensive portfolio of grant programs. 

A national focus on preparedness is imperative to develop the capabilities that 

empower the Framework and response planning. The National Preparedness 

Guidelines and the NIPP focus on preparedness activ ities conducted in the absence of a 

specific threat or hazard. The Framework uses these programs and investments to build the 

capacity to respond to all manner and magnitude of threats and hazards.

The National Preparedness Guidelines are comprised of four critical elements:

• The National Preparedness Vision provides a concise statement of the core 

preparedness goal for the Nation.

• The National Planning Scenarios are planning tools that represent a minimum 

number of credible scenarios depicting the range of potential terrorist attacks and 

natural disasters and related impacts facing our Nation. They form a basis for 

coordinated Federal planning, training, and exercises.

• The Universa l Task List is a menu of unique tasks that link strategies to 

prevention, protection, response, and recovery tasks for the major events 

represented by the National Planning Scenarios. It provides a common vocabulary of 

critical tasks that support development of essential capabilities among organizations 

at all levels. The List was used to assist in creating the Target Capabilities List.

• The Target Capabilities List defines specific capabilities that all levels of 

government should possess in order to respond effectively to incidents.

The NIPP and its 17 sector-specific plans create a system for protection of critical 

infrastructure and key resources that inc ludes both the public and private sectors. 

It establishes protection standards and objectives developed in partnership with each of the 

17 sectors, and creates consultative mechanisms, including those for sharing key threat 

information, with the private sector which owns or operates most of the Nation’s critical

infrastructure.

Publication of these strategic documents – supported by others developed at the Federal, 

State, tribal, and local levels – defines the essential architecture of our national 

preparedness system and marks a significant milestone in post-9/11 preparedness. 
CHAPTER IV: PLANNING: A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF EFFECTIVE RESPONSE

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 73

THE FEDERAL PLANNING STRUCTURE

The Federal planning structure supports the Framework and the State, tribal, and local 

planning structure through the National Preparedness Guidelines, including the National 

Planning Scenarios and core capabilities; the NIMS; the NIPP and sector-specific plans; 

Federal strategic and concept plans for each set of National Planning Scenarios, supported 

by department and agency operations plans; National Continuity policies and directives; and 

a National Exercise Schedule that incorporates Federal, State, tribal, and local exercises. 

The National Planning Scenarios are the focus of Federa l planning efforts. They 

represent examples of the gravest dangers facing the United States and have been 

accorded the highest priority for Federa l planning. Using a shared set of scenarios 

provides a common yardstick for determining how to achieve expected planning results. 

Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8, “National Preparedness,” Annex I (National 

Planning), describes use of the National Planning Scenarios. The 15 scenarios have been 

grouped into 8 key scenario sets that reflect common characteristics in order to integrate 

planning for like events, and to conduct cross-cutting capability development. The 

scenarios will be updated and amended on a biennial basis using risk-based analysis to 

ascertain the most likely or most dangerous threats to the homeland. 

Building on the principles described within the Framework, the Federal planning structure

calls for three levels of Federal plans for each National Planning Scenario: 

• A Strategic Guidance Statement and Strategic Plan that together define the 

broad national strategic objectives; delineate authorities, roles, and responsibilities; 

determine required capabilities; and develop performance and effectiveness 

measures essential to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from 

domestic incidents. 

• A Nationa l-Level Interagency Concept Plan (CONPLAN) that describes the 

concept of operations for integrating and synchronizing Federal capabilities to 

accomplish critical tasks, and describes how Federal capabilities will be integrated 

into and support regional, State, and local plans to meet the objectives described in 

the Strategic Plan. 

• Federal Department and Agency Operations Plans (OPLANs) developed by and 

for each Federal department or agency describing detailed resource, personnel, and 

asset allocations necessary to support the concept of operations detailed in the 

CONPLAN. 

The Framework and planning structure leverage existing plans and planning activities. For 

example, pandemic influenza is one of the scenarios in the Guidelines. A National Strategy 

for Pandemic Influenza was published in November 2005 for this scenario. 5 1

 

51 See http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/pandemic-influenza.html. 

 It included 

extensive public comment and collaboration with public health and emergency management 

professionals at all levels. That document is available at the NRF Resource Center in 

support of the Framework. A detailed concept of operations consistent with the Framework

has been drafted, and each department and agency has drafted individual operational plans 

that describe how they will employ specific resources, personnel, and assets. 
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Page 74 National Response Framework January 2008

THE STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL PLANNING STRUCTURE

State, tribal, and local governments have responsibility to develop detailed, robust allhazards plans and hazard- or incident-specific annexes with supporting procedures and 

protocols to address their locally identified hazards and risks. They use hazard identification 

and risk assessment (HIRA) to identify hazards and associated risk to persons, property, 

and structures and to improve protection from natural- and human-caused hazards. HIRA 

serves as a foundation for planning, resource management, capability development, public 

education, and training and exercises. 

The State, tribal, and local planning structure is supported by Federal preparedness 

assistance. This structure in turn supports the Framework and the Federal planning 

structure by building capabilities that contribute to national response capacity. The key 

scenario sets represent hazards of nationwide concern. They should be included in State, 

tribal, and local governments’ HIRA processes in order to ensure plans are tested against all 

manner and magnitude of threats and hazards, and that national planning is fully integrated 

and mutually supportive. 

In most instances, Federal plans are implemented when a State's resources are not 

sufficient to cope with an incident and the Governor has requested Federal assistance. The 

intersection of the Federal and State, tribal, and local plans and planning is described in the 

new Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, “Producing Emergency Plans: A Guide 

for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning for State, Territorial, Local and Tribal 

Governments,” which replaces State and Local Guide (SLG) 101, “Guide for All-Hazards 

Emergency Operations Planning.”

CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFUL PLANNING

The Framework employs common criteria to measure key aspects of response planning:

• Acceptability. A plan is acceptable if it can meet the requirements of anticipated 

scenarios, can be implemented within the costs and timeframes that senior officials 

and the public can support, and is consistent with applicable laws. 

• Adequacy. A plan is adequate if it complies with applicable planning guidance, 

planning assumpt ions are valid and relevant, and the concept of operations identifies 

and addresses critical tasks specific to the plan’s objectives. 

• Completeness. A plan is complete if it incorporates ma jor actions, objectives, and 

tasks to be accomplished. The complete plan addresses the personnel and resources 

required and sound concepts for how those will be deployed, employed, sustained, 

and demobilized. It also addresses timelines and criteria for measuring success in 

achieving objectives, and the desired end state. Completeness of a plan can be 

greatly enhanced by including in the planning process all those who could be 

affected.

• Consistency and Standardization of Products. Standardized planning processes 

and products foster consistency, interoperability, and collaboration. 
CHAPTER IV: PLANNING: A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF EFFECTIVE RESPONSE

January 2008 National Response Framework Page 75

• Feasibility. A plan is considered feasible if the critical tasks can be accomplished 

with the resources available internally or through mutual aid, immediate need for 

additional resources from other sources (in the case of a local plan, from State or 

Federal partners) are identified in detail and coordinated in advance, and procedures 

are in place to integrate and employ resources effectively from all potential 

providers. 

• Flexibility. Flexibility and adaptability are promoted by decentralized 

decisionmaking and by accommodating all hazards ranging from smaller-scale 

incidents to wider national contingencies. 

• Interoperability and Collaboration. A plan is interoperable and collaborative if it 

identifies other plan holders with similar and complementary plans and objectives, 

and supports regular collaboration focused on integrating with those plans to 

optimize achievement of individual and collective goals and objectives in an incident. 

Table 3 shows the relationship of the scenario sets to the National Planning Scenarios.

Table 3. Re lationship of Scenario Sets to Planning Scenarios

Key Scenario Sets National Planning Scenarios

1. Explosives Attack – Bombing Using 

Improvised Explosive Device

• Scenario 12: Explosives Attack – Bombing Using 

Improvised Explosive Device

2. Nuclear Attack • Scenario 1: Nuclear Detonation – Improvised 

Nuclear Device

3. Radiological Attack – Radiological 

Dispersal Device

• Scenario 11: Radiological Attack – Radiological 

Dispersal Device

4. Biological Attack – With annexes for 

different pathogens

• Scenario 2: Biological Attack – Aerosol Anthrax

• Scenario 4: Biological Attack – Plague

• Scenario 13: Biological Attack – Food 

Contamination

• Scenario 14: Biological Attack – Foreign Animal 

Disease 

5. Chemical Attack – With annexes for 

different agents

• Scenario 5: Chemical Attack – Blister Agent

• Scenario 6: Chemical Attack – Toxic Industrial 

Chemicals

• Scenario 7: Chemical Attack – Nerve Agent

• Scenario 8: Chemical Attack – Chlorine Tank 

Explosion

6. Natural Disaster – With annexes for 

different disasters

• Scenario 9: Natural Disaster – Major Earthquake

• Scenario 10: Natural Disaster – Major Hurricane

7. Cyber Attack • Scenario 15: Cyber Attack

8. Pandemic Influenza • Scenario 3: Biological Disease Outbreak – 

Pandemic Influenza
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 77

CHAPTER V 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

As indicated earlier, the Nationa l Response Framework is comprised of the core 

document, the Emergency Support F unction (ESF), Support, and Incident Annexes, 

and the Partner Guides. The Framework is supported by an online tool designed 

especially for emergency management practitioners, the NRF Resource Center

(http://www.fema.gov/NRF). This online resource will grow and routinely evolve in support 

of the Framework and those who work with it. The core Framework should require 

significant change only inf requently. However, the operational planning and detailed work 

of developing stronger emergency management plans and capabilities will require a 

continued rapid pace of change in the months and years ahead. 

The NRF Resource Center is intended to supply a nimble, state-of-the-art forum for 

sharing and encouraging such improvement. This chapter describes how additiona l 

resources and operationa l information will be made available, espec ially to 

emergency management practitioners, in support of the Framework. 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND THE NRF RESOURCE CENTER

To assist readers in implementing the Framework, the Resource Center is an 

online repository of supporting documents, resources, and educational materia ls.

It is intended especially to assist emergency management practitioners. This repository 

provides a single, Web-based portal for documents, information, training materials, and 

other tools needed for response partners to understand and execute their roles under the 

Framework. 

Formally cleared annexes, resources, and other reference material associated with the 

Framework are posted on this portal. In addition, the Resource Center portal will be 

dynamic , providing links to additional preparedness resources and updating the 

Framework’s formal supporting documents as necessary. 

The online Resource Center’s home page may be found at http://www.fema.gov/NRF. As all 

Resource Center postings will be routinely evaluated, updated, and augmented, the 

remainder of this chapter contains a roadmap of what initially conveys from the National 

Response Plan (NRP) and an outline of work to come. 

The Resource Center contains multiple supporting documents, including ESF, Support, and 

Incident Annexes and several informational documents, such as an overview of the main 

Stafford Act provisions, a guide to authorities and references, and an acronym list. As 

noted in Chapter IV, ongoing planning activities will result in the development of additional 

strategic guidance and plans, which will be added to the Resource Center upon approval and 

as necessary.

As mentioned earlier, the Emergency Support Function Annexes group Federal resources 

and capabilities into functional areas that are most frequently needed in a national 

response. The revised ESF Annexes reflect real-world experience. For example, at a Joint 
CHAPTER V: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Page 78 National Response Framework January 2008

Field Office, instead of working in separate ESF structures, the Operations Section Chief 

might establish a mass evacuation branch or group to examine cross-cutting issues and 

request representatives from Transportation (ESF #1), Public Health and Medical Services

(ESF #8) and Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services (ESF #6). 

This approach retains the functional expertise of ESFs but leverages cross-cutting teams to 

ensure an effective and integrated response. 

The Support Annexes describe how Federal departments and agencies, the private sector, 

volunteer organizations, and NGOs coordinate and execute the common support processes 

and administrative tasks required during an incident. The actions described in the Support 

Annexes are not limited to particular types of events, but are overarching in nature and 

applicable to nearly every type of incident. In addition, they may support several ESFs. 

The Support Annexes provide a starting point to understand support needed under the 

Framework. Further assessment is required to evaluate essential local, tribal, State, 

Federal, and private-sector resources needed to execute the capabilities specified by the

National Preparedness Guidelines. We will then build repeatedly on these annexes to 

develop support tools tailored to meet the Nation’s response requirements. 

The Incident Annexes describe the concept of operations to address specific contingency or 

hazard situations or an element of an incident requiring specialized application of the 

Framework. The overarching nature of functions described in these annexes frequently 

involves either support to or cooperation of all Federal departments and agencies involved 

in incident management efforts to ensure seamless integration of and transitions between 

preparedness, prevention, response, recovery, and mitigation activities. 

Initial NRF Resource Center Documentation. Initial postings to the Web page 

supporting the Framework include the following:

1. Emergency Support Function Annexes

• ESF #1 - Transportation

• ESF #2 - Communications

• ESF #3 - Public Works and Engineering

• ESF #4 - Firefighting

• ESF #5 - Emergency Management

• ESF #6 - Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services

• ESF #7 - Logistics Management and Resource Support

• ESF #8 - Public Health and Medical Services

• ESF #9 - Search and Rescue

• ESF #10 - Oil and Hazardous Materials Response

• ESF #11 - Agriculture and Natural Resources

• ESF #12 - Energy

• ESF #13 - Public Safety and Security

• ESF #14 - Long-Term Community Recovery 

• ESF #15 - External Affairs

2. Support Annexes

• Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources

• Financial Management

• International Coordination

• Private-Sector Coordination
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January 2008 National Response Framework Page 79

• Public Affairs

• Tribal Relations

• Volunteer and Donations Management

• Worker Safety and Health

3. Incident Annexes

• Biological Incident 

• Catastrophic Incident

• Cyber Incident

• Food and Agriculture Incident

• Mass Evacuation Incident

• Nuclear/Radiological Incident

• Terrorism Incident Law Enforcement and Investigation

4. Partner Guides

• Local Government Response Partner Guide

• State Response Partner Guide

• Private-Sector and Nongovernmental Response Partner Guide

• Federal Response Partner Guide

5. References

• Glossary of Key Terms

• List of Acronyms

• Authorities and References

• Overview of Stafford Act

• Key resource references: The National Incident Management System; National 

Infrastructure Protection Plan; sector-specific plans, etc. 

6. Learning Center

The Framework will incorporate a learning center that includes job aids, educational 

tools, links to the broader range of preparedness reports and documentation, and access 

to Web-based training courses. It will contain material that is routinely evaluated and 

updated for accuracy and currency.

EFFECTIVE DATE AND FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTATION

The National Response Framework builds upon and supersedes the National Response Plan

(December 2004, as amended May 2006). The changes reflected in this document are not 

substantively dramatic , and in no regard does this Framework alter the basic NIMS-based 

structures adopted for field-based incident management structures and activities. 

Because the Framework builds on capabilities developed under the NRP, its implementation 

will be streamlined and requirements for new training will be minimal. 

The effective date for implementation will be 60 days after final publication. 
CHAPTER V: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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ACRONYMS

CIKR: Critical Infrastructure and Key 

Resources 

CONPLAN: [National-Level Interagency] 

Concept Plan

CPG: Comprehensive Preparedness Guide

CSG: Counterterrorism Security Group

DCO: Defense Coordinating Officer

DHS: Department of Homeland Security 

DOD: Department of Defense

DRG: Domestic Readiness Group

DSCA: Defense Support of Civil 

Authorities

EMAC: Emergency Management 

Assistance Compact

EOC: Emergency Operations Center

ESF: Emergency Support Function

FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation 

FCO: Federal Coordinating Officer 

FEMA: Federal Emergency Management 

Agency 

FRC: Federal Resource Coordinator

HIRA: Hazard Identification and Risk 

Assessment

HLT: Hurricane Liaison Team

HSC: Homeland Security Council

HSEEP: Homeland Security Exercise and 

Evaluation Program

HSIN: Homeland Security Information 

Network

HSPD: Homeland Security Presidential 

Directive

ICS: Incident Command System

IMAT: Incident Management Assistance 

Team

IMT: Incident Management Team

JFO: Joint Field Office

JIC: Joint Information Center

JOC: Joint Operations Center

JTF : Joint Task Force

MACS: Multiagency Coordination System

MERS: Mobile Emergency Response 

Support

NCTC: National Counterterrorism Center

NGO: Nongovernmental Organization

NICC: National Inf rastructure 

Coordinating Center

NIMS: National Incident Management 

System 

NIPP: National Infrastructure Protection 

Plan

NJTTF: National Joint Terrorism Task 

Force

NMCC: National Military Command 

Center

NOC: National Operations Center

NRCC: National Response Coordination 

Center

NRF : National Response Framework

NRP: National Response Plan

NSC: National Security Council

OPLAN: Operations Plan

P.L.: Public Law

PFO: Principal Federal Official

RRCC: Regional Response Coordination 

Center

SCO: State Coordinating Officer

SIOC: Strategic Information and 

Operations Center

SLG: State and Local Guide

SFLEO: Senior Federal Law Enforcement 

Official

U.S.C.: U.S. Code

US&R: Urban Search and Rescue

[National] VOAD: Voluntary 

Organizations Active in Disaster
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