FEMA vs. DHS responsibilities in assisting local and state

[rumpel]

The following are the responsibilities and disaster responses, as announced on their respective web sites.
There is plenty more detail there.


What is FEMA?
http://www.fema.gov/library/fff02.shtm

FEMA stands for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA, previously an independent, executive branch agency, became part of the Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003. FEMA is headed by an Under Secretary, who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. This Under Secretary reports to the DHS Secretary. FEMA was created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. Its mission continues to be to: reduce loss of life and property and protect the nation's critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk-based, emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

Some specific things FEMA does:

Send in Preliminary Damage Assessment teams and Emergency Response Teams to work with state and local officials in determining the scope of the disaster and essential needs of the impacted area.

Create and staff federal/state Disaster Field Offices and help coordinate other federal agencies that are involved under the Federal Response Plan

Make disaster aid available and manage the process of loan and grant application, approval and disbursement. Disaster aid is provided to both individuals (called individual assistance) and to cities/states (called public assistance). See more about disaster assistance below.

Distribute The Recovery Times to provide information to disaster victims; may also broadcast emergency information through the Recovery Channel and Recovery Radio network

Identify ways and fund grants so that communities can mitigate to reduce their risk of future disasters

Provide "buy out" funding to relocate homes and businesses away from high risk areas

Create risk assessment maps to help local planners

Fund emergency planning in all 50 states

Sponsor emergency preparedness exercises and coordinate emergency plans for nuclear power plants

Help states design and equip emergency operations centers

Bring in mobile communications systems that open emergency lines when commercial phone systems are down

Work to educate families about how to prepare for disasters

Train firefighters and sets firefighting standards through the U.S. Fire Administration

Administer the National Flood Insurance Program

Play a role in preparing for and planning against domestic terrorism activities

Maintain standards and credentialling and fund grants to create urban search and rescue team

Some things FEMA DOES NOT do:

Physically rescue people or serve as "first-responders" in a disaster – that is the responsibility of local and state police, fire and emergency personnel.

Building dams or levees or activating sand-bagging activities – generally the responsibility of local/state officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Taking "charge" of recovery effort -- FEMA works jointly with state and local officials.

Running temporary shelters or disaster feeding stations – generally the responsibility of such organizations at the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army.

Making weather predictions, fly into hurricanes or predict when rivers will surpass flood stage – generally the responsibility of the National Weather Service.

Ordering evacuations of communities due to natural disaster – generally the responsibility of state and local officials.

Setting building standards or setting zoning regulations – generally the responsibility of local and state official, with suggestions from FEMA.

Calling out the National Guard – generally a state responsibility.

and

DHS
Emergencies & Disasters
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/editorial/editorial_0566.xml

National Response Plan


"One team, one goal...a safer, more secure America"


The National Response Plan establishes a comprehensive all-hazards approach to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents. The plan incorporates best practices and procedures from incident management disciplines—homeland security, emergency management, law enforcement, firefighting, public works, public health, responder and recovery worker health and safety, emergency medical services, and the private sector—and integrates them into a unified structure. It forms the basis of how the federal government coordinates with state, local, and tribal governments and the private sector during incidents. It establishes protocols to help

Save lives and protect the health and safety of the public, responders, and recovery workers;
Ensure security of the homeland;
Prevent an imminent incident, including acts of terrorism, from occurring;
Protect and restore critical infrastructure and key resources;
Conduct law enforcement investigations to resolve the incident, apprehend the perpetrators, and collect and preserve evidence for prosecution and/or attribution;
Protect property and mitigate damages and impacts to individuals, communities, and the environment; and
Facilitate recovery of individuals, families, businesses, governments, and the environment.

Emphasis on Local Response

All incidents are handled at the lowest possible organizational and jurisdictional level. Police, fire, public health and medical, emergency management, and other personnel are responsible for incident management at the local level. For those events that rise to the level of an Incident of National Significance, the Department of Homeland Security provides operational and/or resource coordination for Federal support to on-scene incident command structures.

Proactive Federal Response to Catastrophic Events

The National Response Plan provides mechanisms for expedited and proactive Federal support to ensure critical life-saving assistance and incident containment capabilities are in place to respond quickly and efficiently to catastrophic incidents. These are high-impact, low-probability incidents, including natural disasters and terrorist attacks that result in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale, and/or government functions.

Multi-Agency Coordination Structures

The National Response Plan establishes multi-agency coordinating structures at the field, regional and headquarters levels. These structures:

Enable the execution of the responsibilities of the President through the appropriate Federal department and agencies;
Integrate Federal, State, local, tribal, nongovernmental Organization, and private-sector efforts; and
Provide a national capability that addresses both site-specific incident management activities and broader regional or national issues, such as impacts to the rest of the country, immediate regional or national actions required to avert or prepare for potential subsequent events, and the management of multiple incidents.
New Coordinating Mechanisms Include

Homeland Security Operations Center (HSOC)

The HSOC serves as the primary national-level multi-agency situational awareness and operational coordination center. The HSOC includes elements of the Department of Homeland Security and other Federal departments and agencies.

National Response Coordination Center (NRCC)

The NRCC, a functional component of the HSOC, is a multi-agency center that provides overall Federal response coordination.
Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC)

At the regional level, the RRCC coordinates regional response efforts and implements local Federal program support until a Joint Field Office is established.
Interagency Incident Management Group (IIMG)

A tailored group of senior level Federal interagency representatives who provide strategic advice to the Secretary of Homeland Security during an actual or potential Incident of National Significance.

Joint Field Office (JFO)

A temporary Federal facility established locally to provide a central point for Federal, State, local, and tribal representatives with responsibility for incident support and coordination.

Principal Federal Official (PFO)

A PFO may be designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security during a potential or actual Incident of National Significance. While individual Federal officials retain their authorities pertaining to specific aspects of incident management, the PFO works in conjunction with these officials to coordinate overall Federal incident management efforts.