FEMA Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2008 – 2013 The Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency FEMA P-422 / January 2008 Message from the Administrator I am pleased to present the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Strategic Plan. This is a historically significant time of transformation for FEMA, and one of our most important challenges is to ensure that the course we have set will lead to a FEMA increasingly recognized by those we serve as the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency. FEMA and its partners successfully responded to more than 1,300 major disasters and emergencies across the Nation since its inception in 1979. This decade has seen a number of pivotal events that presented new challenges for the Nation’s all-hazard emergency management system, including the September 11 terrorist attacks, a rapid succession of strong hurricanes in 2004 that impacted Florida, and an unprecedented 2005 hurricane season that resulted in devastating Gulf Coast impacts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The future will likely present our Nation with equally challenging events, including technological incidents, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or extreme weather events spawned by global warming. FEMA and our partners will lead the effort to ensure that our Nation is better prepared and more capable to respond and recover effectively when such events occur. In October 2006, Congress passed the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, which redefined a stronger FEMA that included a more robust preparedness mission. It was clear that a new strategic plan would be needed to help develop the core competencies required to address the all-hazard threats of the future and the expanded mission. Thus, in late 2006 and again in the summer of 2007, our leadership team met to craft the implementation of a new vision for the agency that would forge an innovative and dynamic FEMA—a New FEMA—that would regain the trust and confidence of the American people. Discussions with our partners and stakeholders led us to identify solid building blocks to achieve this vision: strengthening the agency’s core competencies, building strong regions, enhancing current partnerships and creating new ones, investing in FEMA employees, developing a business approach to achieving desired results, and professionalizing the national emergency management system. Drawing strength from the tremendous challenges and scrutiny in recent years, FEMA is stronger, better organized, and more capable of meeting its critical mission. But, we have more to do. This Strategic Plan will guide our agency as we continue to demonstrate resilience, innovation, and outstanding service to the American public while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. Join with me and every member of FEMA as we continue to build the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency. R. David Paulison Administrator i . FEMA Strategic Plan ii . FEMA Strategic Plan Summary of Major Plan Elements Vision The Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency Mission Reduce the loss of life and property and protect the Nation from all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, by leading and supporting the Nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation. Strategic Plan Goals 1. Lead an integrated approach that strengthens the Nation’s ability to address disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events 2. Deliver easily accessible and coordinated assistance for all programs 3. Provide reliable information at the right time for all users 4. FEMA invests in people and people invest in FEMA to ensure mission success 5. Build public trust and confidence through performance and stewardship Overarching Themes • Clear and well-communicated doctrine • Customer-focused, field-based, and results-oriented mission delivery • Compassionate program and service delivery to all populations • Strong leadership, teamwork, and accountability at all levels • Professional workforce of motivated employees who are empowered and equipped to act • Strong partnerships that leverage capabilities and capitalize on public-private efficiencies • Business approach to achieving desired results with a strong foundation in technology iii . FEMA Strategic Plan iv . FEMA Strategic Plan Table of Contents Message from the Administrator .................................... i Summary of Major Plan Elements ................................... iii Introduction ................................................... 1 Turning Vision into Reality........................................ 3 Overarching Themes ........................................ 4 Cross-Cutting Goals and Objectives.............................. 6 Goal 1: Integrated Approach to National Capabilities..................... 8 Goal 2: Assistance............................................... 18 Goal 3: Information and Communication ............................. 22 Goal 4: Workforce .............................................. 26 Goal 5: Organizational Culture ..................................... 30 Strategic Planning Approach and Development ......................... 35 Major Influences ............................................ 35 Leadership Guidance and Staff Input ............................. 36 Plan Implementation............................................. 37 FEMA Component Strategic Plans ............................... 37 Planning and Budget Cycle .................................... 37 Measuring Results........................................... 39 Road to the New FEMA........................................... 41 Appendix A: Goals and Objectives .................................. 42 Appendix B: FEMA Regional Offices ................................. 44 Appendix C: FEMA Vision and Strategic Plan Integration.................. 47 Appendix D: Glossary ............................................ 48 v . FEMA Strategic Plan vi . FEMA Strategic Plan Introduction The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the federal agency responsible for leading the Nation’s efforts to prepare for, protect and mitigate against, respond to, and recover from the impacts of natural disasters and man-made incidents or terrorist events. FEMA’s formation in 1979 by a Presidential executive order directed the combination of federal programs that addressed emergency management for all types of incidents into a single agency. As part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FEMA works closely with many partners to prevent or limit the impacts of major disasters and emergencies on the Nation, now responding to an average of approximately 60 disasters per year. For example, FEMA has led successful responses to large disasters and incidents such as the Midwest floods of 1993 and 1997, the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the successive 2004 Florida hurricanes. However, the unprecedented 2005 hurricane season, which included hurricanes Katrina and Rita, demonstrated the need for nationwide changes for all of those involved with emergency management. Furthermore, the October 2006 passage of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA), part of the Fiscal Year 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-295), redefined FEMA, strengthened its roles, and included the integration of a robust national preparedness mission. As a result of these events FEMA’s leadership began to chart a new vision and direction for the agency. FEMA closely reviewed the lessons learned from the 2005 hurricane season and evaluated the agency’s core missions, organizational structure, and internal systems and procedures. In October 2006 and August 2007, the Administrator held agency-wide conferences with the entire senior leadership to look forward and develop a new vision and the core competencies to support it. FEMA’s vision is to transform the agency into the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency—the New FEMA. FEMA will rely on the following key building blocks to achieve this vision: • Strengthening core competencies • Building strong regions • Enhancing current partnerships and creating new ones • Investing in its people • Developing a business approach to achieving desired results • Professionalizing the national emergency management system. 1 . FEMA Strategic Plan As the agency strives to become the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency, FEMA will work with all of its partners, federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, local governments, first responders, business and industry, and individuals to build a Nation that is most prepared, and one that is more capable, to respond and recover when disaster strikes. This Strategic Plan provides the framework for FEMA’s implementation of the vision and serves as a strategic tool for FEMA to achieve its mission. The Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency Though created as the federal agency that leads and manages emergency management on behalf of the Nation, there are many organizations engaged in all phases of emergency management at the federal, state, and local levels. FEMA, in its leadership role, must set the standard for emergency management across the Nation and help build strong relationships among its partners. As a first step, we will foster a culture of preparedness by building combined and comprehensive national capabilities that better protect us all from the extraordinary natural and man-made threats that face our Nation. The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, passed by Congress and signed by the President in October 2006, sets forth a new expanded mission for FEMA. Our mandate is to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the Nation from all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, by leading and supporting the Nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation. Our challenge—and commitment—is to achieve our vision and fully execute this mission to create a safer and more secure America. 2 . FEMA Strategic Plan Turning Vision into Reality “The American people don’t care about acronyms or organizational charts. They want to know who was supposed to do what, when, and whether the job got done. And if it didn’t get done, they want to know we are going to make sure it does the next time.” ~ Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation and Response to Hurricane Katrina, U.S. House of Representatives, February 15, 2006 “This government will learn the lessons of Hurricane Katrina. We are going to review every action and make necessary changes so that we are better prepared for any challenge of nature, or act of evil men, that could threaten our people.” ~ President George W. Bush, September 15, 2005 A pivotal outcome of the first FEMA Leadership Conference, held in the fall of 2006, was the identification of the following nine core competencies and two supporting strategies, which were then shared with employees throughout the agency. With keen focus and discipline, FEMA is strengthening these operational core competencies—they shape the agency’s priorities, budget requests, and resource allocation. The FEMA Strategic Plan provides the bridge between the vision and the annual planning and budget process that support these core competencies. Core Competencies • Service to Disaster Victims • Operational Planning • Incident Management • Disaster Logistics • Hazard Mitigation • Emergency Communications • Public Disaster Communications • Integrated Preparedness • Continuity Programs 3 . FEMA Strategic Plan Supporting Strategies • Business Approach to Achieving Desired Results • Shape the Workforce The core competencies represent key operational areas in which FEMA must excel to accomplish its mission; while the supporting strategies provide the foundation that underpins operational success. The cross-cutting goals and objectives in this Strategic Plan show how all components of FEMA must work together to strengthen core competencies, and the organization as a whole, to achieve the vision. Appendix C aligns the strategic goals and objectives with the core competencies and supporting strategies and clearly demonstrates how the agency can work toward common outcomes. In keeping with the theme of “Taking New FEMA to the Regions” each Regional Administrator briefed the participants at the August 2007 Leadership Conference on their actions to implement New FEMA. Source: FEMA Photo Library The second Leadership Conference, held in August 2007, focused on “Taking New FEMA to the Regions,” and emphasized the critical role that FEMA regions fulfill in strengthening and integrating preparedness and operational capabilities with partners throughout the Nation. The broader preparedness mission charged to FEMA, and the heightened expectation for federal leadership and support based on the extraordinary terrorist incidents and natural disasters in this decade, require active engagement by the regions in program implementation and coordination with a broad spectrum of partners and stakeholders. FEMA began to strengthen its workforce with congressional approval of new permanent full-time positions in Fiscal Year 2007. A significant number of these new positions were allocated to the regions. With an increase in resources, new and stronger partnerships, and a sharper sense of vision, FEMA will work to professionalize the national emergency management system. With its partners, FEMA will develop a nationwide system of trained and certified experts and planners, skilled in all-hazards emergency management, thus increasing its readiness to meet the range of challenges posed by any disaster. The FEMA Strategic Plan supports FEMA’s vision and provides the roadmap to the future by focusing on cross-cutting goals and objectives that allow FEMA to demonstrate how everyone at FEMA can work together—regardless of program area or geographic location—toward judicious allocation of resources and common strategic outcomes. Overarching Themes In developing the strategic goals and objectives, several consistent overarching themes emerged that are central to FEMA’s success as an agency and that define what the organization values. These themes drive how the people in FEMA conduct relations with each other, their customers, and their partners, as FEMA works to become the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency. Clear and well-communicated doctrine FEMA’s actions will be guided by clear doctrine that is communicated to internal and external partners and stakeholders on a regular basis to ensure a common direction in implementing FEMA programs and policies and consistent adherence with applicable laws and regulations. 4 . FEMA Strategic Plan Customer-focused, field-based, and results-oriented mission delivery FEMA will deliver its programs in a manner that is focused on the customer, using the regions to continually communicate with federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, and local governments in coordinating the agency’s programs and ensuring mission success based on measured results, while at the same time minimizing opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse. Compassionate program and service delivery to all populations FEMA will provide compassionate and timely disaster assistance to hasten the recovery of individuals and communities, including a reinvigorated focus on addressing the needs of special segments of the population that are more vulnerable to the impacts of disaster, such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, children, and separated families. Strong leadership, teamwork, and accountability at all levels FEMA will be valued across all organizations— federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, and local governments—as an engaged, agile, responsive team player and trusted partner, demonstrating strong leadership, management, and accountability for all FEMA actions. Leadership is the catalyst for improving agency performance and building trust and confidence among internal and external stakeholders. Agency leadership will reflect a wide range of experience and perspectives essential to fulfilling FEMA’s mission and building core competencies. Professional workforce of motivated employees who are empowered and equipped to act FEMA must support, sustain, and empower a talented, diverse, and professional workforce that has the skills and competencies needed to achieve the agency’s mission. FEMA will institutionalize improved workforce planning to ensure that the workforce is shaped to strike the right balance of permanent, reservist, and temporary personnel. The agency will supply the information, support, and resources that FEMA employees need to do an outstanding job, and they, in turn, will be accountable for their actions. Strong partnerships that leverage capabilities and capitalize on public-private efficiencies As the coordinator of federal disaster/incident preparedness, response, and recovery, FEMA relies on strong partnerships to ensure success in carrying out its mission. Thus, strong coordination is essential among FEMA programs, DHS components, and agencies, departments, and organizations and businesses external to DHS. FEMA also will work closely with partners in other federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, local governments, first responders, voluntary organizations, business, industry, and individuals to leverage national capabilities. Among these key partners are those who are on the receiving end of the impacts of disasters, such as hospitals, public health entities, and other healthcare delivery organizations. Building stronger partnerships necessitates a new focus on better engaging the capabilities and strengths of the private sector and the law enforcement, health/medical, and public works communities. 5 . FEMA Strategic Plan Vision Core Competencies and Building Blocks Office and Directorate Strategic Plans Mission Strategic Plan Strategic Goals, Objectives, and Strategies Five Year Planning and Budget Cycle Business approach to achieving desired results with a strong foundation in technology FEMA will adopt a business approach to achieve the desired results, using financial, budget, human resource, and information systems that enable wise business decisions based on sound information and analysis. This effort will require a strong technological foundation that relies on the development of integrated data systems, established program analysis and project management processes, an efficient acquisition process, and reforms of FEMA’s major management and administrative processes. FEMA will institutionalize a results-oriented, return-on-investment culture to successfully manage the business of the agency. Cross-Cutting Goals and Objectives The FEMA Strategic Plan builds on the vision and a comprehensive and integrated mission statement to provide the agency with a clear and well-defined pathway for the future. This Plan differs from previous FEMA Strategic Plans in that it moves away from the focus on individual component missions and toward a much broader and integrated goal structure. This change is intended to break down the organizational “stove-pipes” inherent in the former goal structure and to send a message that FEMA components must combine their efforts and efficiently use resources toward a common strategic direction and integrated outcomes under the New FEMA. The overarching themes apply to each goal and objective within the Strategic Plan. These themes are key to FEMA’s future success and highlight what the agency values, both from an individual and organizational standpoint, in building the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency. The following pages lay out the specific strategic goals, objectives, and strategies that will allow the agency to implement its vision and build the New FEMA. 6 . FEMA Strategic Plan Goals 1 through 3 The first three goals address how FEMA implements its mission of preparing for, protecting and mitigating against, responding to, and recovering from the impacts of natural disasters and terrorist or man-made incidents. Integrated Approach to National Capabilities: Goal 1 represents an intentional approach to integrate efforts of all partners, public and private, in a holistic approach that will strengthen the national emergency management system and improve the Nation’s preparedness to respond and recover when confronted by disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events. Assistance: Goal 2 focuses on providing assistance, both before and after events, in an easily accessible and coordinated manner using simple and effective delivery mechanisms, while also minimizing waste, fraud, and abuse. Information and Communication: Goal 3 addresses the need for FEMA to provide timely and accurate information, whether related to ongoing programs or to situational awareness for an event. Goals 4 and 5 Goals 4 and 5 focus on FEMA’s people, processes, procedures, systems, and organizational change. Workforce: Goal 4 stresses FEMA’s commitment to invest in its people to develop a capable and motivated workforce who will ensure mission success, and who in turn will invest in FEMA. Organizational Culture: Goal 5 focuses on building public trust and confidence through a culture that rewards performance, personal stewardship, innovation, and accountability. Essential Elements to Achieving FEMA’s Mission and Vision As described throughout this Strategic Plan, there are many elements that work together to frame FEMA’s strategic direction and to implement its strategic objectives. FEMA’s mission sets forth the broad scope of the agency’s responsibilities to the Nation. FEMA’s vision—and the core competencies and building blocks that support it—set the standard for what FEMA will achieve as an organization. The FEMA Strategic Plan establishes the cross-cutting goals that FEMA’s people and programs can work toward collectively to achieve FEMA’s mission and vision. This Strategic Plan also provides the framework for the more detailed strategic plans of the components, which will outline the specific steps to be taken for implementation, and that in turn, will frame the annual planning and budget process that secures the resources needed to implement these plans. Overall, our Overarching Themes define not only how FEMA will operate as an organization, but also how its people will treat each other, their customers, and their partners as they work together to make FEMA the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency. 7 . FEMA Strategic Plan Goal 1 Lead an integrated approach that strengthens the Nation’s ability to address disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events. FEMA will actively engage all partners, public and private, in building an all-hazard, risk-based national emergency management system that strengthens the Nation’s ability to protect its citizens and prepare for, protect and mitigate against, respond to, and recover from disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events. FEMA will work with these partners to develop relationships, programs, processes, and agreements that build and better leverage existing resources in preparing the public and local entities to care for themselves. In recognition that all incidents begin locally, the agency must particularly work to strengthen the all-hazards response, planning, preparedness, mitigation and prevention capabilities at the local level. The local fire, law enforcement, and emergency services personnel are the first on scene to respond to an incident, and often, the first to identify an emerging event. Similarly, local governments bear the primary responsibility for guiding the planning and development decisions that effect the extent to which people and property are in harm’s way. FEMA’s efforts with all its partners will result in a Nation that is comprehensively prepared to reduce the loss of life and property that results from natural disasters and man-made incidents. 8 . FEMA Strategic Plan Culture of Preparedness Objective 1.1 Build a culture of preparedness across the Nation for all hazards. FEMA will strengthen national preparedness by engaging and supporting other DHS components, federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, local governments, first responders, private sector, and non-governmental organizations in building national capabilities to address all-hazard events. Through grants that provide financial assistance, the provision of technical expertise, or through enhanced partnerships and cooperative agreements with the public and private sector, FEMA will work closely with its partners to build a nationwide culture of preparedness that builds and sustains national capabilities. This effort will include public education and outreach that strives to instill broad awareness of the importance of personal and community responsibility for the Nation’s overall preparedness. A. Strategy Provide guidance, technical assistance, planning, training, exercises, federal resources, and other forms of assistance to states, territories, tribal nations, local governments, and first responders across the Nation to build and sustain the capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made events or incidents. B. Strategy Lead the Nation’s efforts for greater personal and community responsibility for preparedness through public education and awareness, and community engagement and planning, including outreach to vulnerable populations. C. Strategy Lead efforts to engage private industry in building capabilities and in developing partnerships with government entities. D. Strategy Partner with the private sector in effectively leveraging resources to promote personal and community responsibility for preparedness. E. Strategy Engage international partners in building mutual preparedness. FEMA’s National Emergency Training Center is the site for dozens of classes, including sessions that train Community Emergency Response Team leaders from across the country. Source: FEMA Photo Library 9 . FEMA Strategic Plan Risk and Capability Analysis Objective 1.2 Conduct, promote, and communicate the identification and analysis of risk and capabilities as the basis for action. FEMA will create safer communities by proactively working with public and private sector partners to identify and disseminate all-hazard risk information and by promoting sound risk management decisions that build capabilities to reduce the risks of identified hazards. For example, FEMA will help expedite the recovery of individuals and communities from floods and other disasters through effective risk analysis and pre- and post-disaster hazard mitigation planning. A. Strategy Leverage existing resources within all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to identify risks associated with all-hazard threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences and to measure the capabilities necessary to minimize the identified risks. B. Strategy Convey consistent and timely all-hazard risk information to all users. C. Strategy Create safer communities by proactively partnering with federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, local governments, first responders, business and industry, and individuals to make good management decisions based on risks and capabilities. This graphic illustrates seismic risks in the Nation and the importance of risk analysis and taking action to reduce impacts from those risks. Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Directorate Aerial photo shows the only surviving home in an area in Mississippi that was completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Foundations are all that remain of most of the neighboring homes. Surviving home was built using many mitigation standards. Source: FEMA Photo Library 10 . FEMA Strategic Plan Loss Reduction Objective 1.3 Promote physical and economic loss reduction measures. Actions to reduce exposure to risk represent proactive and proven methods for reducing the physical, financial, and emotional losses from the impacts of natural disasters and man-made incidents or terrorist events. FEMA will promote measures that reduce disaster losses, such as the development and adoption of national building or fire codes and standards, effective land use planning, the increased use of disaster insurance, such as flood insurance, and the provision of technical expertise on building techniques that minimize future losses. Additionally, in support of the National Preparedness Goal, FEMA will partner with all levels of government and the private sector in the development and maintenance of the capabilities to identify, prioritize, and protect critical infrastructure and key resources as described in the National Infrastructure Protection Plan. The intent is to promote actions that reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to people and property from the effects of all hazards. A. Strategy Promote development of national, consensus-based building, life safety, and fire codes and standards, and encourage their adoption by governmental entities. B. Strategy Reduce the financial impact of disasters on the Nation by promoting the use of insurance as a mechanism by which public and private property owners can reduce their risk of economic loss and through strengthening the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). C. Strategy Provide technical assistance and public education on building techniques and financial resources to disaster victims in the rebuilding and recovery process to reduce the potential for future loss of life and property. D. Strategy Promote the protection of critical infrastructure from terrorism or any other incidents that would cause major disruption to commerce or significant loss of life through preparedness grant program guidance, technical assistance, mitigation of damaged infrastructure, and other relevant plans and programs. E. Strategy Partner with the private sector to develop business continuity plans that help limit the physical, financial, and emotional losses from disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events. Flood Map Modernization uses state-of-the-art technology to increase the quality, reliability, and availability of flood hazard maps and data. Source: FEMA Mitigation PowerPoint Presentation 11 . FEMA Strategic Plan Doctrine and Policy Objective 1.4 Engage stakeholders in developing and communicating clear national doctrine and policy, both internally and externally. To help ensure that FEMA is using a truly integrated approach to implement its programs and activities, the agency will initiate and sustain ongoing development, review, and revision of national emergency management policy and doctrine. This will involve an active effort to clearly and effectively communicate consistent doctrine and policy internally to the agency and externally, working closely with public and private sector partners. FEMA Region X Public Affairs Officer gives Emergency Support Function-15 Standard Operating Procedures training to FEMA External Affairs employees. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Ensure that consistent doctrine and policy is developed, coordinated, and infused within DHS/FEMA and are clearly communicated to employees. B. Strategy Engage stakeholders early and often in the process of developing national doctrine. C. Strategy Provide doctrinal and programmatic guidance to all levels of government and all external partners, public and private. 12 . FEMA Strategic Plan Planning Objective 1.5 Ensure the Nation’s jurisdictions have adequate plans and programs to effectively address all hazards and minimize loss of life and property. FEMA will work with public and private sector partners to develop plans and programs that integrate national efforts to effectively address all-hazard events. This unified effort will establish plans and programs that integrate and leverage resources from the public and private sectors, use incentives in existing grant programs, and promote regional and state mutual aid planning. FEMA’s strengthened regional offices, with newly assigned Federal Preparedness Coordinators and operational planners, will be integral to this effort as they work closely with the agency’s partners to provide frameworks and guidance. This will lead to enhanced planning capabilities at the federal, state, and local levels and across jurisdictions, resulting in coordinated and integrated plans and programs. Identification of interdependencies is a key component of this planning because catastrophic risks are shared and transcend jurisdictional boundaries. The completed plans will include hazard mitigation plans, evacuation plans, mutual aid plans, catastrophic event plans, and continuity of operations plans, among others. These jointly developed plans will form the basis for conducting joint federal-state training and exercises that lead to an improved national capability to quickly respond to notice or no-notice events. Louisiana state and local officials along with FEMA representatives conduct an Evacuation Planning meeting to address concerns and procedures for future hurricane evacuations. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Coordinate planning efforts and systems within FEMA and collaborate closely with external partners, federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, local governments, first responders, business and industry, and individuals to develop unified plans that provide for an integrated national response to all hazards. B. Strategy Enhance the integration of resources from all government and non-governmental sectors in recovery efforts through pre-disaster planning and by mitigating against potential future losses, which includes providing incentives in grant programs to strengthen state, tribal, and local capabilities. 13 . FEMA Strategic Plan C. Strategy Provide leadership and coordination of public and private sector efforts in catastrophic planning, including the provision of technical assistance and the promotion of international, regional, and state mutual-aid planning. D. Strategy Ensure that federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, local governments, and first responders are prepared to continue operations and perform essential governmental functions in response to all hazards. E. Strategy Ensure that operational planning with other federal agencies, states, territories, tribal nations, and local governments is linked to incentives, and that it incorporates national policies, such as the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the National Response Framework (NRF), the National Preparedness Guidelines, and the requirements of FEMA grant programs, training, exercises, and technical assistance. F. Strategy Improve the linkages between preparedness, mitigation, and operational planning so that prevention, protection, response, and recovery capabilities for all hazards are strengthened and based soundly on a joint analysis of risk and need across the public and private sectors. G. Strategy Collaboratively develop and implement plans that focus on the unique requirements posed by special needs populations. Law enforcement officials map out traffic patterns to help facilitate distribution of ice and water to residents affected by Hurricane Frances at the South Florida Fairgrounds distribution center. Source: FEMA Photo Library 14 . FEMA Strategic Plan Professional National Emergency Management System Objective 1.6 Professionalize the national emergency management system and the training that supports it. FEMA’s ability to marshal an effective response to disasters must be based on a professional national network of emergency managers skilled in incident management. At all levels of government, emergency management personnel should be trained and certified experts who operate using common emergency management standards, practices, and procedures—such as those under the National Response Framework (NRF) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS)—across the full spectrum of emergency management planning and operations. FEMA will work with its partners to further develop opportunities for obtaining professional emergency management certification, education, training, and career development. FEMA also will support other initiatives to professionalize the national emergency management system, including the development of nationwide typing of emergency management resources and enhancement of mutual aid agreements so that they better leverage existing resources. The National Fire Academy holds a table-top emergency preparedness exercise with firefighters from across the country simulating a structure fire and other emergency situations in a mock city. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Collaboratively establish and implement common emergency management standards and practices under the National Incident Management System (NIMS). B. Strategy Support development of national consensus standards wherever needed. C. Strategy Support state and local credentialing systems of emergency management staff and emergency response personnel standards and develop nationwide typing of emergency management resources. D. Strategy Promote standardized academic education and competency-based professional development. E. Strategy Enhance interstate and intrastate agreements that leverage existing national emergency management resources. F. Strategy Establish national and regional advisory committees to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of emergency management activities with partners across the country. 15 . FEMA Strategic Plan Exercises, Training, and Evaluation Objective 1.7 Strengthen and validate national capabilities through education, exercises, training, and evaluation. FEMA supports the homeland security community through education, training, and a National Exercise System that strengthens and evaluates existing national capabilities. FEMA will work to ensure that these efforts are streamlined, integrated, and aligned with national doctrine, and targeted to comprehensively address identified critical gaps in national capabilities. A. Strategy Align grant programs, education, training, and exercises with national doctrine, including the National Planning Scenarios, National Preparedness Guidelines, Universal Task List, and Target Capabilities List. B. Strategy Ensure the timely delivery of a relevant education, training, and exercise program that targets resources to address gaps in national capabilities. C. Strategy Integrate and streamline the education, training, and exercise services provided to FEMA staff and partners. D. Strategy Ensure that the integrated education, exercise, and training program tests the capabilities of FEMA. FEMA and other federal responders work with their state counterparts in Louisiana at a mock hurricane exercise. The state emergency operations center was activated to test preparedness and response before the start of the 2007 hurricane season. Source: FEMA Photo Library 16 . FEMA Strategic Plan FEMA Readiness Objective 1.8 Maintain a high level of FEMA readiness to respond to disasters and emergencies. FEMA’s readiness to respond to the impacts of natural disasters and man-made incidents or terrorist events must be maintained at a high level to ensure efficient and effective federal support of the initial state and local emergency responses. As a result, FEMA is working to better leverage public and private sector partnerships while also examining and incorporating industry best practices to improve overall logistics and response operations. The agency is also improving readiness through efforts such as staffing federal emergency response teams on a permanent basis, strengthening its regional offices, and enhancing communications capabilities to ensure reliable, interoperable, and redundant communications. FEMA disaster aid is coordinated with a live video conference. A sophisticated communications system allows federal and state relief agencies to join a multi-governmental agency video conference in Washington, DC. This essential coordination includes FEMA, the US military, Department of State, Public Health Service and other agencies to allocate resources and resolve issues in “real time”, even from the most remote disaster locations. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Transform logistics management by leveraging public sector partnerships and incorporating industries’ best practices in support of domestic emergencies. B. Strategy Field emergency response teams capable of responding to rapidly changing requirements and supporting local and state efforts. C. Strategy Increase communications capabilities to provide reliable, interoperable, secure, and redundant platforms to enable information sharing at all levels of government. D. Strategy Enhance incident and information management and coordination through a professional dedicated 24/7 National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) and the Regional Response Coordination Centers (RRCC). 17 . FEMA Strategic Plan Goal 2 Deliver easily accessible and coordinated assistance for all programs. FEMA provides a range of financial and technical assistance that strengthens communities’ capabilities to prevent incidents of terrorism and minimize suffering, loss of life, damage, and disruption that occur from disasters—regardless of the cause. In fact, the actions taken before an event happens largely influence the resiliency of individuals, businesses, and communities after a disaster. FEMA’s many grant programs vary in specificity, from enhancing capabilities that focus on counterterrorism and catastrophic events, to specific first responder disciplines, to strengthened capabilities for hazards of all types. The grants serve as important tools to shape behavior and build integrated and comprehensive capabilities so that the larger strategic objectives of reducing loss of life and property are achieved, thereby speeding the road to a smart recovery. When disasters do strike, FEMA will work closely with its public and private sector partners to improve the delivery of timely and appropriate assistance for all FEMA programs. The agency will examine and implement simple and effective delivery mechanisms, establish clear and measurable results, focus on improving customer service, and minimize opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse. FEMA’s enhanced efforts to work closely with its public and private sector partners to improve the delivery of timely and appropriate assistance for all FEMA programs will help enhance integrated and comprehensive capability building across the Nation. These efforts also will improve communities’ abilities to minimize the suffering, loss of life, damage, and disruption associated with disasters or terrorist incidents. One critical aspect of this effort will be public reliance on the federal provision of credible and timely emergency management information before, during, and after national incidents and emergencies. 18 . FEMA Strategic Plan Capability Building Programs Objective 2.1 Formulate and administer financial assistance programs that are aligned with strategic objectives and delivered through a simple and coordinated process. FEMA administers a broad portfolio of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant programs that helps build and strengthen integrated and comprehensive capabilities to address disasters or terrorist events anywhere in the Nation. FEMA will coordinate with partners in the public and private sectors to develop guidance for the grant programs that is consistent and unified across the programs and linked closely with the agency’s strategic objectives. In addition, FEMA will develop and implement a strategy for simplifying the provision of assistance from grant programs by exploring the use of electronic government applications. A. Strategy Engage partners in the public and private sectors to develop consistent and unified programmatic guidance for FEMA’s broad portfolio of grant programs. B. Strategy Enforce an overarching policy for developing consistent and unified programmatic guidance and procedures for FEMA’s broad portfolio of grant programs. C. Strategy Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for simplifying the delivery of assistance provided through FEMA’s grant programs. Administrator Paulison visits with the Texas National Processing Services Center and discusses the people and technology used to manage incoming calls to the national disaster call centers where individuals apply for disaster assistance. Source: FEMA Photo Library 1 119 99 . .. F FFE EEM MMA S A SA St ttr rra aat tte eeg ggi iic P c Pc Pl lla aan nn Disaster Assistance Objective 2.2 Improve the delivery of disaster assistance while minimizing opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse. FEMA will work with public and private partners to enhance the delivery of disaster assistance and improve overall customer service. Initiatives will include efforts to simplify and consolidate application processes for disaster assistance and to expedite payment of disaster claims, and will explore the potential use of electronic government applications. A reliable backbone of information management systems will be developed to support these efforts and to help minimize potential opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse through improved safeguards. FEMA employee monitors telephone traffic at the enterprise-wide call traffic monitoring center at the FEMA National Processing Service Center. This call center handled up to 44,000 calls per day during the Florida hurricanes of 2004. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Work with governmental and non-governmental partners to implement a single registration system that simplifies application processes for multiple disaster assistance programs. B. Strategy Develop and use a well-trained and equipped workforce and well-managed contract support to provide timely assistance and improved customer service. C. Strategy Provide timely and appropriate payment of flood insurance claims. D. Strategy Develop reliable information management systems and processes to support the collection, analysis, and sharing of disaster response and assistance information. E. Strategy Collaboratively adopt and communicate strong policies and practices that successfully safeguard against waste, fraud, and abuse. 20 . FEMA Strategic Plan The Recovery Process Objective 2.3 Effectively lay the foundation to meet the immediate needs of disaster victims and begin community recovery. FEMA will work with public and private sector partners to coordinate recovery efforts after major disasters or terrorist events by developing strategies that integrate and maximize available assistance. Existing public and private sector partnerships will be strengthened and new partnerships will be developed to help ensure that the most efficient and cost-effective programs are used to meet the recovery needs of impacted communities. FEMA will also promote use of the most appropriate and cost-effective building materials and construction standards (based on the hazards present in an area) to help encourage the future construction of disaster-resistant buildings. A. Strategy Continue to develop guidance and implement strategies for optimum coordination and technical assistance to support community recovery and to reduce risks from future events. B. Strategy Develop new and strengthen existing public and private partnerships to address transitional assistance and recovery needs. C. Strategy Ensure the integration of sound building designs, construction standards, and up-to-date risk information into the recovery process to mitigate against future disaster losses. Sharing disaster recovery information is critical to helping a community quickly and efficiently return life back to normal. North central Ohio is in the recovery phase from the summer floods. Source: FEMA Photo Library Community Relations representatives take the FEMA message directly to the affected residents in a disaster. Source: FEMA Photo Library 21 . FEMA Strategic Plan Goal 3 Provide reliable information at the right time for all users. The demand for timely, appropriate, and reliable emergency management information in this era of instant information access is constant, whether from the standpoint of daily programmatic information or incident situational awareness. As a result, FEMA will serve as a primary source of the Nation’s emergency management information before, during, and after disasters and emergencies, ensuring that the federal government speaks to the public with a single, coordinated voice both during non-disaster periods and during national emergencies. This effort will require collaboration with public and private sector partners using mechanisms that include public information campaigns, fusion centers, emergency operation centers, and joint terrorism task forces. To accomplish this, and in support of the President’s Management Agenda e-government initiative, FEMA will unify information sharing portals and ensure information transparency for stakeholders and customers. Sharing information on a regular basis will require a talented, dedicated, well-trained, and supported FEMA workforce that works closely with the agency’s partners and stakeholders. A robust technical infrastructure will serve as the backbone for this effort. 22 . FEMA Strategic Plan Consistent Information Sharing Objective 3.1 Collect and share information on FEMA’s policies, programs, and activities with employees, partners, and stakeholders on a consistent basis. FEMA will consistently provide information to employees, partners, and stakeholders on the agency’s policies, programs, and activities. This effort will include an internal and external communications and education strategy that informs and educates FEMA employees, partners, and stakeholders. FEMA will develop and maintain well-defined processes and effective systems to promote the sharing of timely and accurate information for use in supporting agency management decisions and assessments of business practices. Region IV shares information at the Regional Interagency Steering Committee meeting in Atlanta. These meetings are held to facilitate the sharing of information between the Emergency Management Agencies of each state in the region and the regional staff. Source: FEMA Photo A. Strategy Develop and implement an internal communications strategy that provides employees with timely, consistent, and accurate information and that promotes information sharing across the agency. B. Strategy Develop and maintain more robust and integrated information systems and processes that support FEMA staff and programs to ensure overall mission success. C. Strategy Collect more reliable information that allows continual assessment of programmatic and business practices, and that enables the agency to make decisions that are driven by consistent and high-quality data. D. Strategy Develop and implement a strengthened comprehensive emergency management information strategy and standard operating procedures to provide timely, consistent, and reliable information to FEMA partners and stakeholders. E. Strategy Develop and implement an enhanced comprehensive emergency management education strategy that educates FEMA’s partners and stakeholders about FEMA’s policies, programs, and activities. F. Strategy Protect individuals’ privacy rights by instituting appropriate procedures, programs, and processes. 23 . FEMA Strategic Plan Event-Driven Information Objective 3.2 Build a robust disaster communications program that provides “real time” reliable information before and during events. FEMA will develop the capability to provide emergency communications services before, during, and immediately after an event. This will ensure that critical real-time data that provide consistent situational awareness and a common operating picture reach first responders and other important decision makers. The agency will engage public and private sector partners in establishing and facilitating consistent disaster emergency communications standards and capabilities that ensure operability and interoperability. FEMA also will engage these partners in developing an external communications strategy that guides the sharing of information among partners. A robust information technology backbone will be developed to ensure that critical information and communications systems are supported. FEMA personnel work inside the Mobile Emergency Response Support vehicle. These vehicles are equipped with satellite communications systems to enable FEMA to stay connected in all emergency situations. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Ensure information sharing capabilities that provide decision makers and responders with real-time data, thus increasing the effectiveness of response operations at all levels of government. B. Strategy Develop an external communications strategy and standard operating procedures that provide reliable information sharing with partners at all levels of government, ensuring that all partners have consistent situational awareness and a common operating picture. C. Strategy Enhance the ability to communicate with the public and the media before, during, and after an event occurs, including the capability to notify specific populations threatened by an impending event. D. Strategy Develop a robust information technology backbone that supports FEMA information and communication systems. 24 . FEMA Strategic Plan “We’ve improved FEMA’s logistics management, strengthened its operations planning, augmented disaster assistance programs and provided the agency with additional personnel and resources. And we have seen outstanding results as a result of these efforts.” ~ President George W. Bush, Commemorating the DHS Five-year Anniversary 25 . FEMA Strategic Plan Goal 4 FEMA invests in people and people invest in FEMA to ensure mission success. FEMA’s people represent the front line of mission success—both today and in the future. FEMA is committed to investing the resources necessary to retain, train, and motivate its existing workforce, while also working to attract, hire, and develop the future workforce needed for mission success. Workforce planning serves a fundamental role in ensuring that agency resources are directed to mission-critical occupations and that FEMA retains a talented and diverse workforce. These investments bring returns through a dedicated, motivated, resolute, and professional workforce that is fully prepared and capable of accomplishing FEMA’s mission. Employees will in turn invest in FEMA by contributing to a results-oriented business culture that enhances public trust and confidence and increases accountability and performance. 26 . FEMA Strategic Plan A Talented and Diverse Workforce Objective 4.1 Hire, train, and retain a talented and diverse workforce. FEMA is actively working to maintain a talented and diverse workforce, using creative communication and marketing strategies to attract and integrate new talent, while also recognizing the importance of retaining the institutional knowledge and experience base of current staff. To become an employer of choice, FEMA must attract and retain talented, committed, and diverse employees through proactive internal communications, enhanced training, opportunities for professional development, clear and meaningful job assignments, and a creative performance-based rewards and recognition system. FEMA also understands that an organization that provides employees with options to balance their work and family life will realize benefits in recruitment, retention, job performance, employee morale, and overall job satisfaction. FEMA is committed to advancing workforce diversity with special emphasis on increasing minority representation within the agency, including representation in supervisory and managerial positions. FEMA is committed to the professional development of employees, sponsoring programs such as a FEMA Career Intern Mentoring Program. The Program provides mentees with access to organizational knowledge, perspectives and insights from experienced FEMA staff that serve as mentors. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Develop communication and marketing strategies that improve hiring and retention of employees and ensure a diverse workforce. B. Strategy Provide fair and competitive compensation and innovative employee benefits. C. Strategy Establish opportunities for professional development that emphasize jointness and cross-training and that provide career-advancement paths for all employees while ensuring that career ladders address mission-critical occupations. D. Strategy Emphasize the value and importance of individual employees’ roles through clear and meaningful job assignments and individualized performance plans. E. Strategy Reward employees by recognizing outstanding performance using a creative and timely awards program. F. Strategy Develop and provide resources for a telework program that enhances FEMA’s operational capability and organizational effectiveness, helps ensure continuity of operations, and capitalizes on advances in workplace technology. G. Strategy Strengthen the Disaster Reserve Workforce Program to ensure a competent, reliable, and nimble reserve workforce capacity that can deliver the right skill sets to the right place at the right time. 27 . FEMA Strategic Plan Employee Support and Resources Objective 4.2 Supply the information, support, and resources that FEMA employees need to do an outstanding job. FEMA is committed to building a dynamic work environment that supports FEMA employees through open, constant, and accurate communication; that furnishes workplace tools, supplies, and support services; and that provides modern, safe, and secure facilities. The intent is to engage and empower all FEMA employees by ensuring robust and timely support that fully enables success in achieving the agency’s mission. FEMA conducts on-site training in a Joint Field Office. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Ensure that employees receive accurate information on a consistent and timely basis. B. Strategy Provide all employees with sufficient tools, supplies, and support services, including reliable and up-todate computers, software, copiers, other equipment, and timely help desk assistance. C. Strategy Provide a dynamic work environment with modern, safe, and secure facilities. D. Strategy Ensure the health and well-being of employees during times of high operating stress. E. Strategy Ensure that employees’ suggestions and concerns are heard and that they receive timely consideration and action. F. Strategy Ensure that all employees learn and practice good conflict-resolution skills for dealing with colleagues, subordinates, supervisors, internal and external customers, and FEMA’s state, federal, and community partners. G. Strategy Use FEMA’s Labor Management Partnership Council to provide a collaborative perspective from labor and management on agency-wide employee-related issues and policies. 28 . FEMA Strategic Plan Workforce Planning Objective 4.3 Track key workforce data and institutionalize workforce planning. FEMA will institutionalize workforce planning, ensuring that it is an integrated, iterative, long-term, and continuous business management practice within FEMA. The intent of workforce planning is to produce a seamless alignment of mission, goals, budget, employees, and results. The agency will develop and implement systems to track key workforce data and develop a process that examines workforce trends. Information about trends will help FEMA develop workforce plans that identify and address gaps between the current workforce and the needs of the agency’s future workforce. FEMA also will develop a process to evaluate the effects of workforce planning. A. Strategy Design and implement a tracking and delivery system that provides decision makers with better insight into key workforce parameters such as diversity, longevity, turnover, education, training, and development. B. Strategy Develop a process that identifies new or emerging organizational workforce trends in hiring, retention, professional development, and other key indicators of morale and competency. C. Strategy Develop workforce plans, including succession plans, that promote diversity and help link hiring and career advancement to ensure that FEMA’s future workforce needs are met and that diversity is maintained. D. Strategy Establish an assessment and evaluation process for examining the effects of workforce planning. 29 . FEMA Strategic Plan Goal 5 Build public trust and confidence through performance and stewardship. FEMA will earn the trust and confidence of the American people by invigorating a business culture of heightened personal stewardship, accountability, and professionalism. FEMA’s employees will carry out the agency’s mission in a culture that strongly supports and rewards integrity, innovation, cost-efficiency, and accountability. Successful and sustained transformation into a “New FEMA” will require strong leadership and management to serve as a catalyst for cultural change. This will help ensure that FEMA will be a results-oriented organization whose focus is on performance, strong financial management, and continuous improvement of its business processes, thereby enhancing the trust, respect, and confidence of FEMA’s partners and customers. 30 . FEMA Strategic Plan Strong Leadership and Employee Engagement Objective 5.1 Transform FEMA into a respected and professional organization through strong leadership and actively engaging employees in building and strengthening public trust. FEMA is facing an unprecedented time of transformation as it builds a “New FEMA” that is innovative, proactive, and dynamic in meeting future challenges. The transformation will entail significant cultural change for the agency and an integrated approach across FEMA programs to ensure mission success. Strong leadership across all levels of the organization will be needed to effectively initiate and institutionalize the changes necessary to complete the transformation. Thus, FEMA will establish an enhanced leadership development program to help identify, train, and sustain a diverse and experienced group of leaders throughout the organization. FEMA’s leadership will clearly communicate the agency’s vision throughout the organization, actively engaging employee commitment to transform FEMA into the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency. Linkages that run through the FEMA Strategic Plan, component plans, and individual performance plans will be highlighted to help ensure that employees understand their individual roles in achieving the FEMA vision. Managers will be held accountable for instituting good management practices in their programs and for engaging and empowering their employees. A. Strategy Institute a leadership development program to identify, prepare, and sustain the next generation of leadership. B. Strategy Ensure that diversity is valued within FEMA leadership and management and that they collectively reflect a wide-range of experience and perspectives essential to FEMA’s mission and core competencies. C. Strategy Provide the time, training, and performance feedback needed to enable managers to actively oversee their programs and people and increase accountability for results. D. Strategy Create understanding and enthusiasm for FEMA’s vision in all employees. E. Strategy Develop and communicate the doctrine, policies, and procedures that empower employees to act. Deputy Administrator Harvey Johnson welcomes new FEMA employees with FEMA hats at a new employee orientation. Source: FEMA Photo Library 31 . FEMA Strategic Plan A Business Approach Objective 5.2 Develop a results-oriented business approach that enhances FEMA’s mission success. FEMA will continue to examine its current business processes and will develop improved processes that drive timely, cost-efficient, and quality results agency-wide. FEMA will reform accounting processes using integrated financial management methods. FEMA also will develop a more efficient acquisition process, improve contract management, and migrate to web-based applications when possible. The agency will establish a transparent and understandable budget process that is clearly linked to the agency’s vision, mission, and strategic plan, ensuring that resources are invested wisely across agency programs. FEMA will enhance implementation of its Capital Planning and Investment Program to improve management of the agency’s capital investments. A worker in the FEMA Distribution Center warehouse takes inventory with a barcode scanner, which enhances tracking of supplies. Source: FEMA Photo Library A. Strategy Establish standardized business processes that produce on time and high quality results. B. Strategy Develop a clear, comprehensive, and executable budget process that engages all stakeholders by developing performance metrics that instill top-level accountability. C. Strategy Ensure a clear link between FEMA’s vision, mission, and Strategic Plan and FEMA’s programmatic and budgetary decisions, ensuring prudent investments of resources. D. Strategy Implement a Capital Planning and Investment Program that manages project costs, performance, and schedule of the agency’s capital investments. E. Strategy Consistently use standardized methods to capture and share internal knowledge and lessons learned to improve agency operations and implement best practices. 32 . FEMA Strategic Plan Customer Care Objective 5.3 Instill a culture that is focused both internally and externally on customer care. FEMA will build an agency culture that is more focused on reliable and responsive customer service, emphasizing quality care for all customers, whether internal or external to the agency. FEMA will increase emphasis on customer care for special needs populations and actively seek customer feedback, focusing on taking the actions necessary to address the concerns raised. A. Strategy Focus service provision on increased quality of care for all customers—internal and external—that emphasizes reliability, responsiveness, customer value, empathy, and competency. B. Strategy Ensure special needs populations receive a high level of customer care. C. Strategy Seek out customer feedback using a variety of mechanisms such as questionnaires and surveys, and take corrective actions to address any problems identified. FEMA Disaster Assistance Employees help translate FEMA information to the Vietnamese community in Biloxi, Mississippi, after Hurricane Katrina. Source: FEMA Photo Library 33 . FEMA Strategic Plan Internal Controls Objective 5.4 Develop, implement, and maintain proper internal management controls and training programs to provide results-oriented management of FEMA resources and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. FEMA will strengthen its commitment to B. Strategy stewardship and accountability to reduce waste, Promote Contracting Officer and Contracting fraud, and abuse within agency programs by Officer’s Technical Representative certification and building internal management controls and training ethics training to ensure proper oversight and programs that stress improved oversight and contract administration. management. The agency will assess and report on the status of internal controls in FEMA programs C. Strategy and operations through reviews, audits, and Assess the adequacy of internal controls in FEMA inventories, and take corrective action to address programs and operations, including efforts to secure identified weaknesses. agency assets, such as facilities, information technology hardware and software, and other equipment, by A. Strategy conducting periodic audits and inventories. Manage agency resources and programs, including benefits and subsidies, by creating a climate of D. Strategy stewardship and accountability. Take corrective actions on identified internal control weaknesses and develop regular reports on the status of FEMA’s internal controls. “FEMA will demonstrate mission effectiveness and efficiency, in proper balance, to regain the trust, faith and confidence of the American public. Organizationally, no asset should be more prized, or more dear when lost, than the confidence of the public we serve. We will work with our many partners to build an Agency the Nation can once again look to with pride.” ~ R. David Paulison, Administrator, before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security 34 . FEMA Strategic Plan Strategic Planning Approach and Development Major Influences A number of external and internal drivers influenced FEMA’s new direction and transformation into the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency and helped shape the elements of this Strategic Plan. These major drivers include the following: • Presidential Executive Orders, Homeland Security Presidential Directives, National Strategy for Homeland Security, National Preparedness Guidelines, and related implementation plans • Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s goals and priorities • Vision and core competencies for the New FEMA • Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act and transition of preparedness into FEMA • Implementation of post-Katrina lessons learned and addressing the concerns of FEMA partners and customers • DHS/FEMA 5-year Future Years Homeland Security Program • FEMA Administrator’s intent to create and convey a clear and coordinated strategic direction for the New FEMA. The Strategic Plan helps integrate these drivers, frames the Administrator’s priorities for implementing the FEMA vision, and ensures that the significant resources flowing into FEMA, both funding and staff, are coordinated toward common strategic outcomes. As part of the process of assessing the performance and challenges for FEMA’s programs and functions in the post-Katrina operating environment, FEMA reviewed reports issued by the White House, the Government Accountability Office, the DHS Office of Inspector General, congressional committee reports, and other reports and studies from institutions and think tanks. These studies and reports contributed to the development of FEMA’s vision and associated core competencies that serve as the foundation for FEMA’s transformation into the New FEMA, as well as the strategic goals and objectives stated in this Strategic Plan. The elements of the Strategic Plan also closely align with and support the President’s Management Agenda. Upon coming into office, the President established a vision for government reform that was guided by the principles that government should be citizen-centered and results-oriented. FEMA strategic goals and objectives support these principles and the specific elements of the President’s Management Agenda that cover strategic management of human capital, improved financial performance, expanded electronic government, and budget and performance integration. 35 . FEMA Strategic Plan Leadership Guidance and Staff Input The Strategic Plan was strongly guided by FEMA’s vision and the outcomes of the 2006 and 2007 Senior Leadership Conferences. Following the 2006 Leadership Conference and issuance of the vision and attendant core competencies, FEMA began to turn its attention to strategic planning. This led to the June 2007 formation of a cross-sectional Strategic Planning Team that included representatives from FEMA’s major mission and support programs as well as from each region. The team worked collaboratively to integrate the senior level guidance and strategic thinking into a plan for FEMA’s future. It deliberately developed cross-cutting goals and objectives to better reflect the agency-wide need to coordinate and integrate missions across the organization toward common, customer-focused outcomes. An initial framework of the Strategic Plan was provided to participants of the August 2007 Senior Leadership Conference, who then shared the draft within their organizations. In late 2007, the Administrator transmitted the draft Strategic Plan via the FEMA intranet to all employees for review and comment. This resulted in significant feedback that was evaluated and incorporated to strengthen the Strategic Plan. 36 . FEMA Strategic Plan Plan Implementation FEMA Component Strategic Plans This agency-wide Strategic Plan provides the framework for the FEMA program and regional strategic plans, which contain more specific goals, objectives, and strategies needed to achieve the vision. The value of this strategic framework is two-fold. First, it establishes a common long-term and strategic direction. Second, as individual FEMA component strategic plans are aligned with the agency’s Strategic Plan, each component can begin to see how its individual efforts contribute to, and must be coordinated to achieve, common strategic outcomes. In addition, this makes it possible for the agency to see where gaps or duplication exist, thereby leading to more cogent planning and more effective use of resources. The cross-cutting nature of the strategic goals is particularly helpful in this regard. Planning and Budget Cycle DHS provides a central focus for the formulation of department-wide, long-range planning and strategic goals to safeguard the homeland. Although every activity is important to the DHS mission, the components should direct their resources to the programs most directly aligned to and supporting the Integrated Planning Guidance (IPG) that the Secretary issues each year to begin development of the Future Years Homeland Security Program (FYHSP). The FYHSP is the official document summarizing the DHS programs and associated resources (i.e., investments, human capital, information technology, and other support and funding) needed to achieve DHS’s strategic goals, objectives, and planning priorities. Using the accepted practice that planning drives budgets, DHS and FEMA follow the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process. Planning establishes the strategic goals; programs develop multi-year plans to achieve them; budgets are developed to support the execution of the multi-year plans; and execution is monitored to ensure a link between expenditures and the expected level of performance. This planning and budget cycle, as well as the Secretary’s and the FEMA Administrator’s priorities, set the stage for FEMA’s annual planning under FYHSP. Every year, each organization in FEMA contributes to the rolling 5-year FYHSP process by updating its own strategic plan, milestones, and performance metrics, and by identifying the resources it needs to accomplish that targeted level of performance. When evaluated and combined, the individual plans form the agency’s annual planning and budget request. FEMA’s process, which mirrors DHS’s budget and planning cycle, enables FEMA to properly allocate resources to its top priorities. The strategic priorities for developing FEMA’s multi-year budget are derived from the Administrator’s intent, FEMA’s vision, and the FEMA Strategic Plan. The overarching goal is to institutionalize a robust and repeatable process that produces an annual budget that is aligned with DHS strategic goals and the Secretary’s IPG. FEMA produces a Resource Allocation Plan (RAP) that provides an overview of FEMA’s resources and contains proposed levels of funding for each FEMA appropriation for the budget year and 4 out-years. FEMA and DHS discuss the performance that is expected to be achieved with these resources. DHS 37 . FEMA Strategic Plan AFRAPRIPGRAPsRADsFYHSPAPPQPRAnnual Reviews Program Office and Support Strategic Plans Quarterly Reviews FEMA Planning and Budget Cycle AFRAPRIPGRAPsRADsFYHSPAPPQPRAnnual Reviews Program Office and Support Strategic Plans Quarterly Reviews FEMA Planning and Budget Cycle AFRAPRIPGRAPs Annual Financial Report RADs Resource Allocation FYHSP Future Years Homeland Annual Performance Report Decisions Security Program ... ......................................S ... ............................................. ... ......................................S ... ..................................................N . ..................S ......................................................................S ... ................................D ................................S Integrated Planning Guidance ... ....................E APPQPR Annual Performance Plan ... ..........................................S ... ....................................................S ... ..................................................................N ... ..........................................T ... ................................... Resource Allocation Plans . ........................S Quarterly Performance Report ... ........................S ... ..............................S ... ................................................. ... ......................................S ... ..................S ... ........................................S . ..................3 ... ..........................................................L ... ............S ... ....................................3 ... ........................................................A ... ..................................................S then provides its final Resource Allocation Decision summarizing the activities that will be accomplished (RAD) on levels of funding requested for each FEMA in each fiscal year. The activities in the spend plans appropriation, ultimately setting the direction on support the execution of the strategies in the FEMA how FEMA programs are funded. The above graphic Strategic Plan. Consequently, the FEMA Strategic Plan provides an overview of the DHS and FEMA provides the bridge between budget processes, planning and budget cycles. The agency’s Strategic programmatic strategic plans, spend plans, 5-year Plan and the components’ strategic plans are integral planning, and FEMA’s vision. to a thoughtful, well-designed, integrated, and defensible budget submission. To realize FEMA’s vision of being the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency, FEMA must An important part of linking resources to results is ensure that its resources are targeted to the highest identifying, in the early phase of the budget priority needs for the agency as a whole in accordance planning process, activities that directly relate to and with its strategic planning documents. A prerequisite ultimately support FEMA’s mission, vision, goals, to accomplishing this important goal is to provide a and objectives. FEMA program offices prepare forum in which programmatic resource discussions spending plans that include a detailed accounting of can take place. The Investment Working Group (IWG), the spending priorities for each program office, which includes representatives from every program 38 . FEMA Strategic Plan and support office in FEMA as well as representatives from the regions, was established to provide this forum. The IWG makes recommendations about the prioritization of FEMA resources and programmatic initiatives, thereby helping to achieve the vision of the New FEMA. The IWG plays a significant advisory and oversight role in all stages of the budget process, from resource allocation planning to budget justification and, finally, to execution of the budget. Measuring Results Results matter. To further support the Strategic Plan and to justify FEMA funding to all of its stakeholders— including taxpayers—there must be a focus on identifying outcomes and measuring performance. FEMA’s ability to analyze and evaluate the results of its plans, programs, and organizational initiatives is key to managing its strategic and long-range organizational goals. As FEMA moves forward, the focus will be to implement a system that effectively links planning, budgeting, and performance to measure program success or failure. This will require ongoing monitoring of measures, assessments of the programs, and recalibration of the measures to continue to develop stretch goals and metrics to ensure program effectiveness. The goal is to integrate the budget with organizational metrics for inclusion in the FYHSP so that FEMA can justify and obtain the resources it needs to fulfill its vision. Articulating how FEMA defines success, and measuring the extent to which it achieves that success, is essential for FEMA to be a results-oriented organization. There are many current performance metrics in FEMA that could be aligned with the elements of the Strategic Plan. Performance metrics are annually refined and adjusted to reflect priorities and budget realities, particularly during this time of transformation within FEMA. These measures are included in a number of sources: FEMA’s submission to the DHS FYHSP; the President’s Management Agenda; the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) evaluations of specific FEMA programs; and specific FEMA program and regional strategic plans. In addition, all senior executives and all managers and supervisors must link their annual performance plan goals and metrics to the DHS and FEMA strategic plans, thereby ensuring their personal investment in implementation of FEMA’s strategic objectives. With better identified outcome metrics these plans and reports become the feedback mechanisms for senior leadership to redirect resources and to convey FEMA’s overall effectiveness to its constituents. Because of the large number of performance metrics among the different FEMA programs and because the evolution and refinement of these metrics is ongoing, the Strategic Plan does not include performance metrics. Instead, an annual addendum will be published that identifies FEMA’s most important performance metrics and aligns them with the appropriate strategic goal. As part of this process, metrics will be analyzed to identify possible gaps, overlaps, or inconsistencies to ensure that all FEMA components are working collaboratively and efficiently toward common outcomes. Once a baseline of sound and significant program-specific performance metrics is established, more strategic and cross-cutting metrics will be developed. 39 . FEMA Strategic Plan 40 . FEMA Strategic Plan Road to the New FEMA The FEMA Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2008–2013 outlines a clear road to building a stronger, dynamic, and innovative New FEMA that fulfills its vision of becoming the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency. The Plan outlines strategic goals, objectives, and strategies, providing a solid framework that enables everyone in FEMA to envision how their individual contributions can help implement FEMA’s vision and mission. FEMA has already begun to address the challenges involved in transforming the agency, as evidenced by more proactive federal responses to disasters across the Nation. FEMA’s partners and stakeholders recognize that FEMA is now stronger, better organized, and more capable of performing its critical mission. FEMA will continue to work closely with its partners, both public and private, to ensure that the Nation is better prepared and more able to respond with federal assistance whenever and wherever it is needed, and to effect rapid and efficient recovery. FEMA will continue to demonstrate that it is an organization in touch with America and valued across all jurisdictions as an engaged, agile, responsive, and trusted leader and partner. The New FEMA will reflect a strong, adaptable national emergency management system that better leverages existing national capabilities. It will also increase emphasis on the responsibility for individual preparedness and enhanced public and private sector partnerships. This system will be more nimble and more flexible, and will more efficiently use national resources. Future success for FEMA will require sustained effort in this historically significant time of transformation for the agency. Strong leadership and engaged employees across the organization are essential to effectively initiate and institutionalize the changes needed to complete the transformation. Ultimately, everyone in FEMA must continue to demonstrate the combined fortitude and commitment required to actively build a reinvigorated and stronger agency that strengthens public trust. The end result will be the New FEMA, an agency that clearly demonstrates resilience and innovation in providing outstanding service to the American public. “FEMA’s mission demands that we be ready at all times, give of ourselves, and provide clear and decisive leadership along with the accountability that accompanies it.” ~ R. David Paulison, Administrator 41 . FEMA Strategic Plan Appendix A: Goals and Objectives Goal 1 Lead an integrated approach that strengthens the Nation’s ability to address disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events. Objective 1.1 Build a culture of preparedness across the Nation for all hazards. Objective 1.2 Conduct, promote, and communicate the identification and analysis of risk and capabilities as the basis for action. Objective 1.3 Promote physical and economic loss reduction measures. Objective 1.4 Engage stakeholders in developing and communicating clear national doctrine and policy, both internally and externally. Objective 1.5 Ensure the Nation’s jurisdictions have adequate plans and programs to effectively address all hazards and minimize loss of life and property. Objective 1.6 Professionalize the national emergency management system and the training that supports it. Objective 1.7 Strengthen and validate national capabilities through education, exercises, training, and evaluation. Objective 1.8 Maintain a high level of FEMA readiness to respond to disasters and emergencies. Goal 2 Deliver easily accessible and coordinated assistance for all programs. Objective 2.1 Formulate and administer financial assistance programs that are aligned with strategic objectives and delivered through a simple and coordinated process. Objective 2.2 Improve the delivery of disaster assistance while minimizing opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse. Objective 2.3 Effectively lay the foundation to meet the immediate needs of disaster victims and begin community recovery. 42 . FEMA Strategic Plan Goal 3 Provide reliable information at the right time for all users. Objective 3.1 Collect and share information on FEMA’s policies, programs, and activities with employees, partners and stakeholders on a consistent basis. Objective 3.2 Build a robust disaster communications program that provides “real time” reliable information before and during events. Goal 4 FEMA invests in people and people invest in FEMA to ensure mission success. Objective 4.1 Hire, train, and retain a talented and diverse workforce. Objective 4.2 Supply the information, support, and resources that FEMA employees need to do an outstanding job. Objective 4.3 Track key workforce data and institutionalize workforce planning. Goal 5 Build public trust and confidence through performance and stewardship. Objective 5.1 Transform FEMA into a respected and professional organization through strong leadership and actively engaging employees in building and strengthening public trust. Objective 5.2 Develop a results-oriented business approach that enhances FEMA’s mission success. Objective 5.3 Instill a culture that is focused both internally and externally on customer care. Objective 5.4 Develop, implement, and maintain proper internal management controls and training programs to provide results-oriented management of FEMA resources and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. 43 . FEMA Strategic Plan Appendix B: FEMA Regional Offices IIIVVIVIIVIIIXIXIVIIIKansas City Denver Denton Oakland Bothell Atlanta Chicago Philadelphia New York Boston Regions States Region I (Boston) Federal Emergency Management Agency Connecticut 99 High Street, 6th Floor Maine Boston, MA 02110 Massachusetts 617-956-7506 Telephone New Hampshire 617-956-7519 Fax Rhode Island 978-461-5501 Communication Center Vermont Region II (New York) New Jersey Federal Emergency Management Agency New York 26 Federal Plaza, Room 1307 Puerto Rico New York, NY 10278-0002 U.S. Virgin Islands 212-680-3609 Telephone 212-680-3681 Fax 212-680-3609 Communications Center 44 . FEMA Strategic Plan Regions States Region III (Philadelphia) Federal Emergency Management Agency Delaware One Independence Mall, 6th Floor District of Columbia 615 Chestnut Street Maryland Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404 Pennsylvania 215-931-5608 Telephone Virginia 215-931-5621 Fax West Virginia 215-931-5757 Communications Center Region IV (Atlanta) Federal Emergency Management Agency Alabama 3003 Chamblee-Tucker Road Florida Atlanta, GA 30341 Georgia 770-220-5200 Telephone Kentucky 770-220-5230 Fax Mississippi 229-225-4534 Communications Center North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Region V (Chicago) Federal Emergency Management Agency Illinois 536 S. Clark Street Indiana Chicago, IL 60605 Michigan 312-408-5500 Telephone Minnesota 312-408-5234 Fax Ohio 312-408-5500 Communications Center Wisconsin Region VI (Denton) Federal Emergency Management Agency Arkansas Federal Regional Center Louisiana 800 N. Loop 288 New Mexico Denton, TX 76209-3698 Oklahoma 940-898-5104 Telephone Texas 940-898-5325 Fax 940-898-5433 Communications Center 45 . FEMA Strategic Plan Regions States Region VII (Kansas City) Federal Emergency Management Agency Iowa 9221 Ward Parkway, Suite 300 Kansas Kansas City, MO 64114-3372 Missouri 816-283-7061 Telephone Nebraska 816-283-7582 Fax 816-283-7600 Communications Center Region VIII (Denver) Federal Emergency Management Agency Colorado Denver Federal Center Montana Building 710, Box 25267 North Dakota Denver, CO 80225-0267 South Dakota 303-235-4812 Telephone Utah 303-235-4976 Fax Wyoming 303-235-4357 Communications Center Region IX (Oakland) Federal Emergency Management Agency American Samoa 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200 Arizona Oakland, CA 94607-4052 California 510-627-7100 Telephone Hawaii 510-627-7112 Fax Guam 510-627-7150 Communications Center Nevada Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Federated States of Micronesia * Republic of the Marshall Islands * Region X (Bothell) Federal Emergency Management Agency Alaska Federal Regional Center Idaho 130 228th Street, S.W. Oregon Bothell, WA 98021-9796 Washington 425-487-4604 Telephone 425-487-4622 Fax 425-487-4706 Communications Center * Under the Compact of Free Association, the primary federal agency responsible for the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands will transition from FEMA to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during FY 2008. 46 . FEMA Strategic Plan Appendix C: FEMA Vision and Strategic Plan Integration FEMA Vision Core Competencies and Supporting Strategies Strategic Goals and Objectives Incident ManagementOperational PlanningDisaster LogisticsEmergency CommunicationsService to Disaster VictimsContinuity ProgramsPublic Disaster CommunicationsIntegratedPreparednessHazard MitigationShape the WorkforceBusiness Approach Goal 1 Lead an integrated approach that strengthens the Nation s ability to address disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events Objectives ......... ...... ... ........... ......... ......... ......... ....... Goal 2 Deliver easily accessible and coordinated assistance for all programs Objectives ......... ..... .... Goal 3 Provide reliable information at the right time for all users Objectives ........... ......... Goal 4 FEMA invests in people and people invest in FEMA to ensure mission success Objectives . . . Goal 5 Build public trust and confidence through performance and stewardshipObjectives .. .. .. .. 1.1 Culture of Preparedness 1.2 Risk and Capability Analysis 1.3 Loss Reduction 1.4 Doctrine and Policy 1.5 Planning 1.6 Professional National Emergency Management System 1.7 Exercises, Training, and Evaluation 1.8 FEMA Readiness 2.1 Capability Building Programs 2.2 Disaster Assistance 2.3 The Recovery Process 3.1 Consistent Information Sharing 3.2 Event-Driven Information 4.1 A Talented and Diverse Workforce 4.2 Employee Support and Resources 4.3 Workforce Planning 5.1 Strong Leadership and Employee Engagement 5.2 A Business Approach 5.3 Customer Care 5.4 Internal Controls 47 . FEMA Strategic Plan Appendix D: Glossary All-Hazards | Describes an incident, natural or man-made, that warrants action to protect life, property, environment, and public health or safety, and to minimize disruptions of government, social, or economic activities. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) Annual Performance Plans | Identifies performance goals and indicators for the fiscal year describing how an agency expects to achieve its goals and identifies the various resources, skills, technologies, and processes that will be needed, including the means the agency will use to verify and validate the measured performance values. (Source: OMB Circular A-11 2002) Capability | The ability to accomplish a mission or function resulting from the performance of one or more critical tasks under specified conditions. A capability may be delivered with any combination of properly planned, organized, equipped, trained, and exercised personnel that achieves the desired outcome. (Source: National Preparedness Guidelines, September 2007) Continuity of Government (COG) | Activities that address the continuance of constitutional governance. COG planning aims to preserve and/or reconstitute the institution of government and ensure that a department or agency’s constitutional, legislative, and/or administrative responsibilities are maintained. This is accomplished through succession of leadership, pre-delegation of emergency authority, and active command and control during response and recovery operations. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plans | Procedures to ensure the continued performance of core capabilities and/or critical government operations during any potential incident. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) Doctrine | An authoritative statement of one or more guiding principles. Doctrine encompasses the fundamental principles that guide an organization and “shapes the effort.” Policy includes the process implemented through plans and procedures toward realization of doctrine and “guides the effort.” Strategy is the course of action to achieve policy goals and “accomplishes the effort.” (Source: Department of Homeland Security Lexicon) 48 . FEMA Strategic Plan Emergency | Any incident, natural or man-made, that requires responsive action to protect life or property. Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, an emergency means 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. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) First Responder | Local and non-governmental police, fire, and other emergency personnel who, in the early stages of an incident, are responsible for the protection and preservation of life, property, evidence, and the environment. This includes emergency response providers as defined in Section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as well as emergency management, public health, clinical care, public works, and other skilled support personnel (such as equipment operators) who provide immediate support services during prevention, response, and recovery operations. First responders may include personnel from federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, or non-governmental organizations. (Source: National Preparedness Guidelines, September 2007) Fusion Center | Center established by state and local governments designed to coordinate the gathering, analysis, and dissemination of law enforcement, public safety, and terrorism information. (Source: Fusion Center Guidelines: Developing and Sharing Information and Intelligence in a New Era, Information Sharing Environment Implementation Plan, November 2006) Future Years Homeland Security Program (FYHSP) | Official DHS document summarizing DHS programs and associated resources (e.g., investments, construction, human capital, information technology, and other support and operating expenses) for the budget year plus 4 years in support of strategic goals, objectives, and planning priorities. The Secretary of Homeland Security approves the FYHSP. (Source: Department of Homeland Security Management Directives System MD Number: 1330; Issue Date: 02/14/2005; Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution) Integrated Planning Guidance (IPG) | The final output of the planning phase, which serves as an authoritative statement directing homeland security policy, strategy, and operational and resource planning. The IPG provides guidance, direction, and prioritization for both long-term resource and near-term operational planning. The IPG consists of the following elements: near- and long-term risk assessment; policy and strategy guidance and program priorities; operational planning guidance; long-term resource planning and fiscal guidance; and unresolved issues requiring further study. The IPG is published annually in November. (Source: Department of Homeland Security Management Directives System MD Number: 1330; Issue Date: 02/14/2005; Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution) Investment Working Group (IWG) | FEMA body that provides FEMA senior management with recommendations about the prioritization of programmatic initiatives by facilitating the timely dissemination and discussions of budgetary issues, ensuring transparency, and collaboration across all elements of the organization. (Source: FEMA) 49 . FEMA Strategic Plan Local Government | Any county, city, village, town, district, or other political subdivision of any state, any Native American tribe or authorized tribal organization, or Alaska native village or organization, and includes any rural community or unincorporated town or village or any other public entity for which an application for assistance is made by a state or political subdivision thereof. (Source: Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5122) Major Disaster | Defined under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122) 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. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) Mitigation | Provides a critical foundation in the effort to reduce the loss of life and property from natural and/or man-made disasters by avoiding or lessening the impact of a disaster and providing value to the public by creating safer communities. Mitigation seeks to fix the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. These activities or actions, in most cases, will have a long-term sustained effect. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) National Incident Management System (NIMS) | Provides a systematic, proactive approach guiding government levels, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations to work seamlessly to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against the effects of major incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, to reduce the loss of life or property and harm to the environment. NIMS codified emergency management discipline in six areas, including incident command and management structures, core preparedness activities, resource management, communications, supporting technologies, and the maintenance for these systems over time. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) National Planning Scenarios | Depict a diverse set of high-consequence threat scenarios of both potential terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Collectively, the 15 scenarios are designed to focus contingency planning for homeland security preparedness work at all levels of government and with the private sector. The scenarios form the basis for coordinated federal planning, training, exercises, and grant investments needed to prepare for emergencies of all types. (Source: National Preparedness Guidelines, September 2007) 50 . FEMA Strategic Plan National Preparedness Guidelines | Guidance for federal departments and agencies; state, tribal, territorial, and local officials, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and the public to facilitate determining how to most effectively and efficiently strengthen preparedness for terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. This document lays out 15 national planning scenarios that form the basis of the newly coordinated national exercise schedule and priorities, and it identifies 37 core capabilities that are needed to support incident management across the Nation. These guidelines identify core community and state capabilities that will be supported by the DHS homeland security grant programs. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) National Response Framework (NRF) | Guide to how the Nation conducts all-hazards incident management. It is built on flexible, scalable, and adaptable coordinating structures to align key roles and responsibilities across the Nation. The NRF is intended to capture specific authorities and best practices gained from managing incidents that range from the serious but purely local to large-scale terrorist attacks or catastrophic natural disasters. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) | Process to determine program priorities and allocate resources. The PPBE cyclical process consisting of four distinct but interrelated phases: planning, programming, budgeting, and execution. (Source: Department of Homeland Security Management Directives System MD Number: 1330; Issue Date: 02/14/2005; Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution) Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 | October 4, 2006, the President signed into law the Post-Katrina Management Reform Act, amending the Homeland Security Act and the Stafford Act, establishing new leadership positions within the DHS, transferring certain preparedness functions into FEMA, and creating and reallocating functions to other components within DHS. (Source: Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, October 2006, part of the Fiscal Year 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, P.L. 109-295) Preparedness | Continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating, and improving in an effort to ensure effective coordination during incident response. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) Prevention | Actions to avoid an incident or to intervene to stop an incident from occurring. Prevention involves actions taken to protect lives and property. It involves applying intelligence and other information to a range of activities that may include such countermeasures as deterrence operations; heightened inspections; improved surveillance and security operations; investigations to determine the full nature and source of a threat; public health and agricultural surveillance and testing processes; immunizations, isolation, or quarantine; and, as appropriate, specific law enforcement operations aimed at deterring, preempting, interdicting, or disrupting illegal activity and apprehending potential perpetrators and bringing them to justice. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) 51 . FEMA Strategic Plan President’s Management Agenda | The President’s management reform priorities for Federal agencies. They include the following government-wide priorities: Strategic Management of Human Capital; Expanded Electronic Government; Competitive Sourcing; Improved Financial Performance; and Budget and Performance Integration. (Source: Office of Management and Budget web site) Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) | Tool developed to assess and improve program performance so that the federal government can achieve better results by identifying a program’s strengths and weaknesses to inform funding and management decisions. (Source: Office of Management and Budget web site) Protection | Per the FY 2006 Homeland Security Grant Program the definition of protect is: Actions to reduce the vulnerability of critical infrastructure or key resources in order to deter, mitigate, or neutralize terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies (Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7, December 2003). Protection also includes: continuity of government and operations planning; evacuation planning, awareness elevation and understanding of threats and vulnerabilities to related critical facilities, systems, and functions; promotion of effective sector-specific protection practices and methodologies; and expansion of voluntary security-related information sharing between government and private entities. (The National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets, February 2003) Recovery | The development, coordination, and execution of service and site restoration plans; the reconstitution of government operations and services; individual, private-sector, non-governmental, and public assistance programs to provide housing and promote restoration; long-term care and treatment of affected persons; additional measures for social, political, environmental, and economic restoration; evaluation of the incident to identify lessons learned; post-incident reporting; and development of initiatives to mitigate the effects of future incidents. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) Response | Activities that address the short-term, direct effects of an incident. Response includes immediate actions to save lives, protect property, and meet basic human needs. Response also includes the execution of emergency operations plans and of mitigation activities designed to limit the loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and other unfavorable outcomes. As indicated by the situation, response activities include applying intelligence and other information to lessen the effects or consequences of an incident; increased security operations; continuing investigations into the nature and source of the threat; ongoing public health and agricultural surveillance and testing processes; immunizations, isolation, or quarantine; and specific law enforcement operations aimed at preempting, interdicting, or disrupting illegal activity, and apprehending actual perpetrators and bringing them to justice. (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms Draft) 52 . FEMA Strategic Plan Resource Allocation Decisions (RAD) | The Secretary’s formal approval of Directorates/Organizational Elements’ Resource Allocation Plans (RAP). The RAD is issued after the Budget Review Board (BRB) deliberates on the RAP. RADs set resource allocation targets for Directorates/Organizational Elements for the FYHSP and become the basis for the budget. (Source: Department of Homeland Security Management Directives System MD Number: 1330; Issue Date: 02/14/2005; Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution) Resource Allocation Plan (RAP) | Plan that reflects systematic allocation of resources required to achieve missions, objectives, and priorities, and potential alternative methods for accomplishing them. Resource requirements reflected in RAPs are translated into time-phased funding requirements. RAPs must account for long-term requirements and resources, including human capital, construction and investments, operating and maintenance, potential disposal or termination costs, and program performance goals. (Source: Department of Homeland Security Management Directives System MD Number: 1330; Issue Date: 02/14/2005; Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution) State | Means “any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, or the trust territory of the Pacific Islands.” (Source: National Strategy for Homeland Security) Target Capabilities List (TCL) | Defines 37 specific capabilities that communities, the private sector, and all levels of government should collectively possess to respond effectively to disasters. (Source: National Preparedness Guidelines, September 2007) Terrorism | Under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, terrorism is defined as activity that involves an act dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any state or other subdivision of the United States in which it occurs; and is intended to intimidate or coerce the civilian population, or influence or affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping. See Section 2 (15), Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 (2002). (Source: National Response Framework Resource Center Glossary/Acronyms) Universal Task List (UTL) | Menu of some 1,600 unique tasks that can facilitate efforts to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from the major events that are represented by the National Planning Scenarios. The UTL presents a common vocabulary and identifies key tasks that support development of essential capabilities among organizations at all levels. No entity will perform every task. (Source: National Preparedness Guidelines, September 2007) 53 . FEMA Strategic Plan 54 . FEMA Strategic Plan Federal Emergency Management Agency 500 C St. S.W. Washington, DC 20472 www.fema.gov Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or economic status. Anyone who believes he/she has been discriminated against should contact FEMA at 1 800 621 3362. Persons with speech or hearing impairments should call 1 800 462 7585.