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About Local, State, Tribal, Federal Preparedness Task Force

Background

The Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2010, Pub. L. 111-83, (PDF, 164 pages - 260 KB) directed that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) establish and oversee a "Local, State, Tribal, and Federal preparedness task force" to take stock of the numerous efforts that have shaped preparedness policy, guidance, and investments since 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina and find ways to ensure that the performance of similar efforts in the future is efficient, streamlined and measurable.

Mission

The Task Force was specifically charged by Congress with "making recommendations for all levels of government regarding: disaster and emergency guidance and policy; federal grants; and federal requirements, including measuring efforts" and to "especially evaluate: which policies and guidance need updating, and the most appropriate process by which to update them; which grant programs work the most effectively and where programs can be improved, and the most appropriate way to collectively assess our capabilities and capability gaps."

Membership

Congress called for Task Force membership to include, but not be limited to, "firefighters, law enforcement, emergency management, health care, public works, development organizations, mitigation, and information technology; elected officials; and the private sector" from across the nation including urban, suburban and rural communities.

The Task Force is comprised of members representing local, state, tribal and territorial governments who were recommended as leading homeland security decision-makers and practitioners from a variety of disciplines, as well as ex officio members representing federal departments and agencies. The members reflect a cross-section of all homeland security and emergency management missions and disciplines with experience in all-hazard risks to the homeland, along with expertise in preparedness concepts including policy, doctrine, planning, organizing and equipping, training, exercising, evaluation and improvement.

See Task Force Members.

Task Force Process

FEMA, in cooperation with the DHS Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, administers and supports the activities of the Task Force, but the development of its findings and recommendations was self-guided by members and was based on consensus. Members have met periodically in person and use online collaboration tools and subject-specific working groups to execute their mission between meetings. Member efforts have been augmented by the non-member contributions achieved through "town hall" outreach meetings and the interactive, online dialogue on preparedness, culminating in the delivery of a report of findings and recommendations to Congress.

Last Modified: Friday, 15-Oct-2010 11:08:04 EDT