ERT:SS  Module 5

ERT:SS  Module 5

Emergency Response to Terrorism:  Self-Study

 

 

Module 5: 

 

Notification and Coordination

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

Objectives   After completing this module, you will be able to:   identify responsibilities stated in an emergency operations plan (EOP), and differentiate between the roles defined in a local and State EOP; identify functions included in a Federal Response Plan (FRP); differentiate between crisis management and consequence management presented in Presidential Decision Directive 39 (PDD-39); and identify correct procedures to be completed under the Robert T. Stafford Act.

 
 

Activating Resources 

The first responder at the local level plays a critical role in the communication link.  It is vitally important that you are able to realize the need for additional resources, and make the appropriate notifications to your communication center.  Your locality should have an emergency operations plan (EOP) in place to deal with incidents of such magnitude.  In jurisdictions that use a functional planning approach, hazard-specific appendices can be developed to describe the unique provisions and procedures associated with performing response functions (e.g., direction and control; communications; alert, notification, and warning; emergency public information; evacuation and movement; mass care; health and medical; and resource management, among others) in a situation involving terrorism. 

Occasionally, a natural or manmade disaster occurs which overwhelms resources and capabilities at the local level.  When such a disaster occurs, it becomes the State's responsibility to provide assistance to the affected jurisdiction(s).  If the State's resources and capabilities are not adequate to mitigate the incident, Federal assistance would be requested through the governor.  The first step in explaining this process involves your understanding of local, county, State, and Federal planning. 
 

What is an EOP?

 

An EOP is a document that: 

• assigns responsibility to organizations and individuals for carrying out specific actions at projected times and places in an emergency that exceeds the capability or routine responsibility of any one agency, e.g., the fire department; 
  
• sets forth lines of authority and organizational relationships, and shows how all actions will be coordinated;
• describes how people and property will be protected in emergencies and disasters;
• identifies personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies, and other resources available—within the jurisdiction or by agreement with other jurisdictions—for use during response and recovery operations; and
• identifies steps to address mitigation concerns during response and recovery activities.

 

Local EOPs

 

In our country's system of emergency management, local government must act first to attend to the public's emergency needs.  (Realistically, first responders act on behalf of the local government at incident scenes.)  Depending on the nature and size of the emergency, State and Federal assistance may be provided to the local jurisdiction.  The local EOP focuses on essential measures for protecting the public.  These include warning, emergency public information, evacuation, and shelter.  Included in your local EOP should be a mechanism for emergency responders and managers to notify and activate State resources.

 

State EOPs

 

States play three roles:  (1)  they assist local jurisdictions whose capabilities are overwhelmed by an emergency; (2)  they

 

themselves respond first to certain emergencies; and (3)  they work with the Federal government when Federal assistance is necessary.  The State EOP is the framework within which local EOPs are created and through which the Federal government becomes involved.  As such, the State EOP ensures that all levels of government are able to mobilize as a unified emergency organization to safeguard the well-being of the State's citizens.

 
 

Thinking About My Situation…   State whether you agree or disagree with the following statement, and why.   As a first responder trained to the awareness level, it is unlikely I would be involved in a major emergency operation requiring State resources.  However, as a member of the local emergency management community, there still is some value in my being familiar with the State Emergency Operations Plan.

 

 

Linking Federal and State Response

 

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended, authorizes the Federal government to respond to disasters and emergencies in order to help State and local governments save lives, and to protect public health, safety, and property.  The Federal Response Plan (FRP) was developed to help expedite Federal support to disasters.  Generally, the FRP is implemented when the State's resources

 

are not sufficient to cope with a disaster, and the governor has requested Federal assistance.

 

The FRP details what the Federal government will do to provide emergency assistance to a State and its local governments affected by a large-scale disaster.  It also describes an organizational structure for providing this assistance.  It is built on the principle of functionality, in that 12 emergency support functions (ESFs) are arranged with a lead Federal agency to coordinate operations within each area.  This is shown below.

 
 

ESF	Function	Lead Agency
1	Transportation	U.S. Department Of Transportation
2	Communications	National Communication System
3	Public works and engineering	U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers
4	Firefighting	U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
5	Information and planning	Federal Emergency Management Agency
6	Mass care	American Red Cross
7	Resource support	General Services Administration
ESF	Function	Lead Agency
8	Health and medical services	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service
9	Urban search and rescue	Federal Emergency Management Agency
10	Hazardous materials	Environmental Protection Agency
11	Food	U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service
12	Energy	U.S. Department of Energy

 
 

Presidential Decision Directive 39 (PDD-39)

 

In June 1995, the White House issued Presidential Decision Directive 39 (PDD-39), United States Policy on Counterterrorism.  PDD-39 directed a number of measures to reduce the Nation's vulnerability to terrorism, to deter and respond to terrorist acts, and to strengthen capabilities to prevent and manage the consequences of terrorist use of nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons, including weapons of mass destruction (WMD).  PDD-39 discusses crisis management and consequence management.

 

Crisis management is the law-enforcement response, and focuses on the criminal aspects of the incident.  Specific components of crisis management include activities to anticipate, prevent, and/or resolve a threat or incident; identify, locate, and apprehend the perpetrators; and

 

investigate and gather evidence to support prosecution.  Crisis management involves local, State, and Federal law-enforcement agencies, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) having the lead role.

 

Consequence management is the response to the disaster, and focuses on alleviating damage, loss, hardship, or suffering.  Specific components of consequence management include activities to protect public health and safety; restore essential government services; and provide emergency assistance to affected governments, businesses, and individuals.  Consequence management includes Federal, State, and local volunteer and private agencies.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the lead role in consequence management.  The laws of the United States assign primary authority to the States to respond to the consequences

of terrorism; the Federal government provides assistance as required.

 
 

Thinking About My Situation…   Contrast the roles you would play as a first responder in crisis management and consequence management.  In which area do you think you would have a bigger role as a first responder?

 
 

 

Federal Response Plan:  Terrorism Incident Annex

 

In the event that Federal assistance is needed at a terrorist incident, FEMA would use the newly developed Terrorism Incident Annex of the Federal Response Plan.  This describes the Federal concept of operations to implement PDD-39 when necessary to respond to terrorist incidents within the U.S.  Included in the Appendix are copies of an unclassified abstract of PDD-39 and the FRP:  Terrorism Incident Annex.

 

Chain of Events

 

If a terrorist incident that exceeded available resources and capabilities were to occur within your locality, your jurisdiction would notify your appropriate State emergency management agency.  In the event that State resources and capabilities were exceeded, the governor would place the call to FEMA for Federal assistance.  Under the Robert T. Stafford Act, once a Presidential Declaration of Disaster is made, the following actions would be taken, many concurrently, in response to a terrorist incident: 

• FEMA would use its emergency authorities to notify the Federal agencies, activate the FRP, begin coordinating the delivery of Federal assistance, and establish liaison operations with the FBI. 
  
 

• The FEMA Director would consult with the governor of the affected State to determine the scope and extent of the incident.

• An emergency response team, made up of representatives from each of the primary Federal agencies, would be assembled and deployed to the field to establish a Disaster Field Office and initiate operations. 
  

 
 

Summary

 

The first responder must understand what happens when an incident, natural or manmade, overwhelms local and State capabilities and becomes a Federal response.  Your role in the notification process is the first link in the communications chain.  As soon as possible after you suspect criminal activity or a potential act of terrorism, you should notify the appropriate authorities.  For most of you, however, this does not extend beyond your dispatch or communications center.  This will assist in activating available response resources, and increase the likelihood of success. 

 

Given the likely increase in terrorism-related incidents in the U.S., your familiarity with local, State, and Federal plans will enable you and your agency to respond more effectively in the event that terrorism strikes in your jurisdiction.

 
 

What I Will Do As Followup To This Module…

Refer to your local and State EOPs.  List resources identified in the plan that could help you in a B-NICE incident.

 

Learning Check   Multiple Choice:  Circle your answer.   An EOP covers specific actions occurring at projected times and places during an emergency.  It does not assign responsibilities to organizations and individuals for implementing these actions.  designates responsibility for setting lines of authority and organizational relationships to any first responder assigned to an incident. describes alternative approaches for apprehending and convicting would-be terrorists. identifies personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies, and other resources available for use during response and recovery operations. Crisis management includes activities to  protect public health and safety.  restore essential government services. provide emergency assistance to affected governments, businesses, and individuals. anticipate, prevent, and/or resolve a threat or incident. Consequence management  includes activities to identify, locate, and apprehend the perpetrators.  includes Federal, state, and local volunteer and private agencies. involves local, state, and Federal law enforcement agencies. focuses on criminal aspects of the incident. When a Presidential Declaration of Disaster is announced, which of the following occurs?  FEMA suspends FRP activities.  An emergency response team is deployed to establish a Disaster Field Office and initiate operations. The President confers directly with first responders to determine the scope and extent of the incident. FEMA assumes command of the incident scene.   5. The   authorizes the Federal Government to respond to disasters and emergencies in order to provide State and local governments with assistance. Federal Response Plan  Robert T. Stafford Act State EOP SARA Title III

 

True or False:  Circle either T or F.   6. T F The first responder plays a critical role in the communications link. T F In our country’s system of emergency management, local government (first responders) must act first to attend to the public’s emergency needs.  T F According to PDD-39, FEMA is given the lead role in crisis management.  T F As soon as you suspect criminal activity as a potential act of terrorism, you should notify the appropriate authorities.  T F A first responder does not need to be familiar with local emergency operations plans.                                                                           Answers are provided at the end of this Guide on page 105.