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# Busch hosts FEMA deputy chief to kick off National Preparedness Month

By Dianne Ryder

Preparedness is a year-round activity, but September is National Preparedness Month. On Sept. 1, Defense Logistics Agency Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Andy Busch hosted Joseph Nimmich, deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, at a kickoff event in the McNamara Headquarters Complex.

Busch made the connection between resiliency and preparedness — how both affect employees’ personal and professional lives.

“Resiliency is a major area of interest for me,” Busch said. “It’s embedded in our Strategic Plan, it’s embedded in the goals and it’s embedded in everything that I do when I reviewa the operating plans with our senior leaders.”

Busch said all employees should be aware of local hazards. He told the audience he plans to retire in Utah, where wildfires are a known hazard, but a lesser known threat is earthquakes.

“But if you don’t know about the local hazards, you won’t know what to respond to,” he said. “There are a lot of resources out there that this month is designed to make you more aware of, so you can plan.”

Busch talked about the importance of establishing a family plan in case a disaster strikes near home.

“You need to think about these things,” he said. “[My family] always said, ‘Grab the family pictures, grab the family silver, forget the cat, grab the kids and head out the door.’” 

Doing drills, compiling emergency kits and having a communication plan in advance of an adverse event is important, Busch said. 

“That’s the message we would like to you to have to focus on as you think about your personal resiliency and National Preparedness Month.”  

Before introducing Nimmich, Busch addressed the crucial relationship between DLA and FEMA, particularly when preparing for natural events such as hurricanes.

“FEMA is hugely important to us, and I believe we are hugely important to FEMA,” Busch said.

Nimmich echoed Busch’s comments and said before Hurricane Katrina, the agencies had no relationship at all.

“Eleven years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina stormed into Louisiana, and we know the aftermath of what occurred there,” Nimmich said. 

At that time, FEMA’s actions showed that the federal government was not well-coordinated or sufficiently equipped to respond well to the disaster, he said.

“It was clear after that there had to be a better way of doing business,” Nimmich said. “Through legislation and other means, we started talking to each other.”

When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, Nimmich said FEMA relied heavily on DLA, but primarily after the event, requesting fuel to replenish shortages. At that time, FEMA established an interagency agreement with DLA, but days passed before they were able to start moving resources.

Nimmich said FEMA doesn’t use interagency agreements anymore but collaborates with DLA via pre-scripted assignments.

“We know what we need, you know what you can provide and we turn to you and say we’re going to do a pre-scripted mission assignment,” he said. “The one thing in a disaster that you can’t get back and the one thing that makes us more resilient is the better utilization of time.”  

Nimmich said the Hawaiian Islands also pose a logistical challenge as far as response time in adverse weather conditions. 

“You have given us a complete picture of all the resources that are in that region. You know what DoD has, where they have it and what’s available to us,” he said. “That’s a powerful time saver.”

Both Busch and Nimmich addressed the importance of agency employees staying resilient to better perform their jobs.

“It is important for you to take care of your family, because you have critical jobs that make this nation more resilient,” Nimmich said. “If you’re not taking care of your family, you’re not going to be able to take care of the nation — and we at FEMA rely on you.”

Nimmich referred the audience to ready.gov and recommended a free FEMA mobile application that provides tools and tips on emergency kits, planning documents and weather-related information. 

“Think about your communication plan, think about the hazards you face and that you’re taking action to prepare,” Nimmich said.

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preparednessStrategic EngagementFEMAwhole of governmentemergencydisasterResiliency