Mission
The mission of the Region III Response Division is to build, sustain, and improve the coordination and delivery of support to citizens and state, local, tribal and territorial governments to save lives, reduce suffering, protect property and recover from all hazards.
Kelly Wolslayer, Response Division Director
Kelly Wolslayer joined the FEMA in September 2015 to serve as the Response Division Director in Region III. As the Response Division Director, Kelly leads a team of dedicated emergency managers that provide the coordinated Federal response capabilities needed to save and sustain lives, minimize suffering, and protect property in a timely and effective manner in communities that have been impacted by disasters. This coordination ensures efficient and effective delivery of immediate emergency assistance to individuals and communities impacted and overwhelmed by these disasters, emergencies, or acts of terrorism.
Prior to FEMA, Ms. Wolslayer served for five years at Department of Homeland Security overseeing the Department’s Continuity of Operations programs and nine years as Director, Treasury Emergency Programs. Before joining Treasury headquarters, Ms. Wolslayer served as the Deputy Director, Access Controls in the Security Evaluation and Oversight Office at the Internal Revenue Service. Ms. Wolslayer started her professional career in July 1989 as an Information Systems Analyst in the US General Accounting Office.
Ms. Wolslayer graduated from the Pennsylvania State University, earning a BS in Math/Systems Analysis. She also has a Master’s Certificate in Management Information Systems from George Washington University and a Master Of Arts in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense) from the Naval Post Graduate School. She most recently completed the Key Executive Leadership Certificate Program at American University.
Jim Belzer, Deputy Division Director
As Deputy Director for Response, Jim helps to coordinate and deliver support to citizens and State, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) governments to save lives, reduce suffering and protect property. Along with the Response Division Director, Jim guides a team of staff to ready the region for catastrophic disaster in Planning & Operations, Logistics, Regional Watch and IMAT branches. In his previous roles on the Budget & Policy Team in Region III, Jim established the Region’s Disaster Spend Plan process as well as assisted in guiding the office through the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution process. Additionally, he deployed in support of Joint Field Offices across Region III as well as Incident Support Bases during Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Michael in Florida. In this position, Jim is looking forward to coordinating with our Federal Partners to help our SLTT partners both prepare for and respond when disaster strikes.
Components
The following are the components of the Response Division:
Incident Management Assistance Team Branch
The Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) is a rapidly deployable team of federal emergency management personnel that provides incident management assistance to state, local, and tribal governments before, during, or after a disaster. The 13-person team is led by a Team Leader, who has a dedicated staff from External Affairs, Field Support, Operations, Planning, and Logistics team members. Region III has one full-time Type II IMAT and three collateral duty Type III IMATs.
Regional Watch Center
The Regional Watch Center (RWC) maintains 24-hour/seven days a week regional situational awareness to collect information and conduct analysis, determine possible impacts, identify potential and occurring incidents within FEMA Region III area of responsibility. The RWC links the Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC), State Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs), Regional DHS components, Regional Emergency Support Functions (ESFs), State Fusion Centers, Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs), and other key state and local operations centers.
Logistics Branch
The Logistics Branch plans, manages, and sustains regional logistics response and recovery operations in support of disaster operations and special events. The Logistics Branch synchronizes with FEMA’s Logistics Management Directorate to determine the appropriate level of federal support before and during a federally declared disaster. The branch actively works with state emergency management stakeholders in developing and strengthening state resource management and logistics programs.
Planning & Operations Branch
The Planning and Operations Branch develops and implements deliberate and hazard specific plans to prepare and respond to notice or no-notice hazards affecting FEMA Region III. Operations coordinates with regional stakeholders to create a shared approach to the training, technical assistance and execution of response operations. Incorporated within the Planning and Operations Branch are three critical programs vital to successful response operations. Disaster Emergency Communications (DEC), Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and the Hurricane Program.
Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC)
The mission of the FEMA Region III RISC is to coordinate interagency and intergovernmental planning related to emergency management and homeland security. Members discuss, develop, review and document collaborative solutions that focus on preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating against all hazards. These initiatives will provide a common understanding among FEMA Region III RISC members of emergency management and homeland security activities in the Region. The RISC provides a mechanism to discuss and develop collaborative regional approaches to emergency management that involve all levels of government and the private and nonprofit sectors.
Regional Emergency Crisis Communications Working Group (RECCWG)
The Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group (RECCWG) is comprised of federal, state, local and tribal representatives and advises the FEMA Region III Regional Administrator on all aspects of emergency communications to support preparedness, protection, response, recovery and mitigation. Working group members have the primary responsibility for advising the Regional Administrator on planning, implementing and/or administering emergency communications systems and/or programs and shall coordinate its activities with the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) and the Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC).