PART III
ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES
In order to maximize the potential benefits associated with using an Emergency
Support Function structure it is necessary to identify lead and support
agencies for each of the subfunctional groups within
the ESF's themselves. As described earlier, the lead
agency has a vital role with respect to the overall planning and operational
development in that the lead agency is responsible for coordinating the
development of response and coordination capabilities within that ESF, and is
expected to manage or coordinate the role of that ESF during an emergency. To
give you some ideas of what kinds of agencies may be utilized in these roles,
the following suggestions are provided.
ESF 1 -
TRANSPORTATION
Lead Agency
The lead agency for ESF 1 should be the county roads department or public works
department (if Public Works is responsible for road maintenance).
Support Agencies
Support agencies should include any agency whose primary functions are
associated with traffic control, reporting or inspection of damaged roadways or
bridges, any agency that can supply road signage, barricades, etc., or any
agency that provides information to tourists or transient populations (such as
local tourist information centers) and agencies responsible for traffic signal
maintenance.
DO NOT include such organizations as fire departments,
ESF 2 - COMMUNICATIONS
Subfunction 1: Communications Systems
Lead Agency
The lead agency for the Communications Systems subfunction
will depend upon the exact structure of the local jurisdiction. If there is a
single agency at the local level responsible for the operation of all or most
radio systems, the community's (i.e., government) telephone system, and the
local data network (if one exists at the local level), then this would be
obvious choice. If, however, these systems are operated and/or maintained
independently, then another alternative must be found.
If the community is served by a county-wide dispatching center this may be a
viable option, with maintenance and telephone/data system operators identified
as support agencies. If the local EMA is responsible for coordinating all
communications systems during an emergency the best alternative would be to
designate that agency as lead with all other agencies being support players.
Support Agencies
If, as is the case in most communities, emergency response organizations
operate their own communications systems independently of one another, each
should be identified as a support agency. This would include agencies not
necessarily involved in a typical emergency response that have communications
assets (i.e., radios) that could be utilized during such events.
There are several agencies at the local level that you do not want to overlook.
The local Emergency Communications Board (9-1-1 Board) often has a valuable
role to play in some communities. The regional
There are some agencies which should not be tasked in the local plan. This
includes all state (except TEMA) and federal agencies, as well as local
telephone service providers (such as South Central Bell). The restoration of
the telephone systems of South Central Bell, AT&T, MCI, and U.S. Sprint are
coordinated from the State EOC during major emergencies. Specific protocols established
at the state and federal levels are followed when restoring telephone systems.
Subfunction 2: Warning
Lead Agency
In most cases, the Warning Lead Agency will be the local EMA, although the
local 24-hour warning point may be used, especially if they are responsible for
activating the community's warning system(s) (regardless of what that consists
of).
Support Agencies
Any agency in the local community that may be responsible for issuing or
conveying a warning concerning some type of impending emergency should be
included here. This includes local fire and law enforcement agencies, local
utility providers, etc. Additionally, any group or organization who has the responsibility for relaying or communicating
warnings should be included. An example of this would be the local RACES group.
Don't forget to include agencies such as local media, cable outlets (especially
if there is a cable-override feature in the community), etc.
You may task state agencies to the extent that they provide you with warning
information. For example, TEMA routinely notifies the 24-hour warning point of
severe weather watches and warnings, as does THP over the Intercity Radio
Network. This section is the only exception to the tasking of federal agencies
in the local plan. If you have some sort of arrangement with any federal agency
(i.e., the NWS, Coast Guard, Department of Energy, TVA, etc.) that has that
agency notifying the local community directly (via radio, telephone, siren,
etc.) in the event of an emergency, you may task that specific agency to the
extent of your agreement.
ESF 3 -
INFRASTRUCTURE
Subfunction 1: Building Inspection and Condemnation
Lead Agency
Generally, there is a single agency at the local level
primarily responsible for the inspection of buildings to insure their
soundness. The local Code Enforcement office or even the Office of Planning and
Development may serve in this role.
Support Agencies
Any agency that maintains a significant number of buildings in the local
community should have a facilities engineer or similar individual who can
perform cursory inspections of facilities in an attempt to determine whether or
not they will need detailed inspections. This is typically true of school
systems, hospitals, etc. These agencies should be identified here, as should
any that can supply structural or civil engineers following a significant
disaster. Additionally, local associations of building contractors are
excellent sources for assistance following an event that has the potential for
damaging large numbers of buildings (i.e., earthquakes). Any local organization
that has heavy equipment may be tasked to assist with actual demolition
activities. This includes public works, road departments, construction crews,
etc. Local Offices of Planning and Development may be tasked if their approval
is required to tear down an existing structure. In addition to building codes
per se, consideration needs to be given to fire codes, occupancy codes,
workplace environment, hazardous materials storage, etc.
Do not task any organization outside the local jurisdiction, including private
organizations. The state Code Enforcement office is responsible for routing
assistance to local communities following a disaster. They have a list of
contractors that can be used during such events, and these organizations may be
the ones you expect to task for assistance. The state office request must
receive priority to insure that there are adequate resources all across the
state following a major disaster.
Subfunction 2: Route Clearance and Bridge Inspection
Lead Agency
The best choice for the lead agency in this subfunction
would be the jurisdiction's Road Department or Public Works Department (or
other agency responsible for road/bridge maintenance).
Support Agencies
As the subfunction name implies, this group is
responsible for clearing routes for use by emergency services personnel to gain
access to any area where people need assistance. This includes not only
improved roads but also hiking trails, bike trails, and other similar paths, in
addition to creating pathways that did not previously exist. Therefore, any
agency that has the capability of clearing debris, brush, snow, wreckage, power
lines, or other impediments should be tasked in this subfunction.
Parks and Recreation Departments, Utility Systems and Public Works Departments
are good examples. This subfunction also restores
bridges and airstrips to a useable condition.
You may task the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) garage in your
county, but you must realize that TDOT operations will be coordinated through
the State EOC in a significant event. The taskings
they receive from the State EOC will, of course, take priority over any taskings issued at the local level. The same is true for
the state Division of Forestry and the Division of State Parks.
Subfunction 3: Debris Removal
Lead Agency
The local Sanitation Department (public or private)
should be the lead agency for this subfunction.
If there is more than one, some sort of arrangement must be developed to insure
that all areas are covered and that suitable coordination efforts will take
place following a disaster.
Support Agencies
Support agencies for this subfunction must include
agencies responsible for the containment of hazardous materials, environmental
monitoring (i.e., health departments), evaluation of the effects of debris
accumulation upon the civilian population, etc., as well as those responsible
for operating local landfills.
The state will provide technical assistance in this area with respect to
environmental regulation compliance. This group's operation must be closely
coordinated with the state and federal environmental officials to insure that
the appropriate regulations and procedures are followed. Failure to do so
could jeopardize the health and safety of everyone and could result in the
local jurisdiction having to relocate any debris improperly disposed of. There
is no need for you to task any state agency in this subfunction--they
will become involved anyway.
Subfunction 4: Water and Wastewater Systems
Lead Agency
The lead agency should be the local water service provider. In most cases, this
is also the agency that maintains the septic and/or storm sewer system(s). If
not, the water system provider should be the lead agency with the wastewater
system provider(s) listed as support agencies.
Support Agencies
Any agency responsible for the operation or oversight of the jurisdiction's
potable water systems and its septic and storm sewer
systems should be included here. This includes those agencies responsible for
monitoring environmental compliance (if that is accomplished by someone other
than the operator), as well as the local health department.
Another important player in this subfunction is a
group that has the facilities/capabilities of delivering potable water, either
in gallon jugs or in tankers. If there is no suitable organization capable of
that task in your jurisdiction the Tennessee National guard may be used if
requested through the State EOC (and approved by the Adjutant General). DO NOT
task the National Guard in the local plan.
ESF 4 -
FIREFIGHTING
Lead Agency
The obvious choice for this would be the local fire department. The problem
will arise when there are several fire departments in the community. Generally
speaking, the largest fire department should be the lead agency (in municipal
areas). Another aspect has the county fire department as the lead, with the
municipal departments as support (in rural areas). The selection of a lead
organization will depend largely upon the local political situation. If there
is an organization that is responsible for coordinating all of the departments in a county (or other geographical area)
this would be an excellent selection.
Support Agencies
Any department not specified above should be included,
as should any organization that provides fire detection, suppression, or public
education assistance to those departments or the community as a whole. In some
cases, local jail populations can be used to assist suppression efforts
(especially in wildland fires) and therefore the
local Sheriff's Office might be listed.
The state Division of Forestry may be tasked in the local plan, realizing of
course that any tasking they receive from the State EOC will have precedence. Local
fire buff organizations may be tasked if such arrangements are acceptable.
ESF 5 -
PLANNING AND INFORMATION
Subfunction 1: Disaster Intelligence
Lead Agency
The lead agency for this function should almost universally be the local
Emergency Management Agency (EMA). The local EMA is responsible for collecting
intelligence concerning the disaster and forwarding that information to the
State EOC.
Support Agencies
Almost every agency in a community can be tasked in this section since it
either locates and reports information or maintains/operates a system that
generates some form of intelligence utilized during disaster operations.
If the jurisdiction has airborne assets available to it these can be tasked as
support agencies specifically to provide aerial assessments of those items the
local government deems critical. This includes police/sheriff's
departments and local flying clubs. The jurisdiction's attorney (i.e., the City
or
Subfunction 2: Public Information
Lead Agency
Again, the lead agency for this subfunction should be
the local EMA. If the EMA does not have a dedicated public information officer
(PIO), a local media representative can be used. The important issue here is
that all information released concerning the emergency should come from a
single source to minimize the chance of erroneous information reaching the
public.
Support Agencies
Local media organizations may be listed here (including cable
outlets).
Subfunction 3: Damage Assessment
Lead Agency
Again, the local EMA should be designated as the lead agency for this subfunction. The local EMA is responsible for assisting state
and federal damage assessment teams with conducting preliminary damage
assessments when the possibility exists that a disaster is of sufficient
magnitude as to justify a request for a state or federal disaster declaration.
Support Agencies
Support agencies generally fall into two categories: 1) those agencies owning
assets that have been damaged in a disaster and are potentially eligible for
some form of state or federal assistance, and 2) those agencies who provide damage assessment assistance to the public or
private sector following a disaster.
The first category includes divisions of local government that could qualify
for public assistance funds under PL 99-288, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief Act. This includes public school systems, fire departments,
road/public works departments, and most other government agencies. Each
of these should be specified as a support agency under this subfunction,
although you can use the term "Local Fire Departments" and other,
similar phrases instead of listing each
department. Please note that volunteer, non-profit fire departments generally
qualify for public assistance funds if their equipment and/or buildings are
damaged.
The second category includes those agencies at the local level that assist
private citizens or the government with damage assessment activities. An
excellent example of this would be the local tax assessor's office. This office
has detailed records of the value for the vast majority of structures in the
county. Additionally, the office responsible for managing the local
jurisdiction's real estate should be included. Any other organization that
maintains records that could be used for such purposes can be tasked in this
section. With respect to assistance to private citizens, the local chapter of
the American Red Cross may be able to provide damage assessment
assistance. Check with your local chapter. The same is true of the state
Department of Human Services. Check with your
ESF 6 - HUMAN
SERVICES
Subfunction 1: Shelter and Mass Care
Lead Agency
Most counties have either an American Red Cross
chapter or an office of the state Department of Human Services that performs
the functions associated with this subfunction. If
such an arrangement does not exist, any other agency that can be responsible
for manning and operating temporary emergency shelters should be assigned as
lead agency under this subfunction.
Support Agencies
Any agency/organization that can supply structures for use as shelters should
be designated here. This includes school systems, associations of churches (it
would not be advisable to list individual shelters), local parks department (or
agency that operates community centers), and any other organization that will allow
its facilities to be used as temporary housing for dislocated populations. The
local RACES organization should be listed if they provide communications
support to local shelter operations.
Aside from the Department of Human Services, no state agency should be tasked
in this subfunction, including the National Guard.
Although National Guard armories have been used as shelters, a request for such
authorization must go through TEMA to be acted upon--the local commander has
limited authority to use the armory in such a manner without authorization from
the Adjutant General's Office.
Subfunction 2: Disaster Victim Services
Lead Agency
The lead agency for this subfunction is almost
universally the American Red Cross, although if you have another agency that
provides primary disaster assistance to victims then that agency may be
assigned the lead with the American Red Cross listed as a support agency
Support Agencies
Other agencies that provide some form of victim services should be listed in
this section, including the RACES organization, which uses amateur radio
systems to relay messages to relatives in situations where local telephones are
out of service. Additionally, mental health and counseling units should be
specified to the extent that they offer assistance to victims.
ESF 7 -
RESOURCE SUPPORT
Subfunction 1: Logistics
Lead Agency
The lead agency for this subfunction will vary
depending upon the size and structure of the local jurisdiction. In most
metropolitan areas a Department of General Services or similar agency provides
the capability of moving sizable quantities of goods, vehicles, and other items
to where they are needed on a daily basis. If no such division exists you will
have to find someone else who has the capability of moving (or coordinating the
moving) needed resources into areas where they are to be used. If a local
warehouse has this capability they may be used in a support role. Do not
task a private, non-governmental organization as the lead organization for an
ESF. If you use private vendors for these services, establish the local EMA (or
other agency) as the lead with the vendors listed as support organizations.
Support Agencies
Aside from those agencies listed above, any department of government that has
the capability of moving large quantities of goods can be tasked to support
this subfunction. No state agencies may be tasked in
this subfunction.
Subfunction 2: Resource Management
Lead Agency
The Department of General Services, Purchasing Department, or similar division
of local government should be assigned as lead for this subfunction--whichever
is responsible for the actual allocation of the jurisdictions resources in an
emergency. In some smaller counties, the local budget director can serve in
this role. A good quality for the lead agency in this role is working knowledge
of all of the vendors that the jurisdiction does business with and the types of services/goods they offer that might be of value
during an emergency.
Support Agencies
Any agency that has unique assets that may be of value to an emergency response
should be identified. Although each department of local government is expected
to utilize any resources it has at its disposal during an emergency, there may
be situations that require a specialized asset that can only be found in one
department. An example of this includes local mass transit or school systems
and their busses. Busses are often used to transport evacuees and the
appropriate distribution of those assets may be critical to an overall response
effort. Communications assets, temporary office space, and persons with
specialized skills are other examples. The local personnel office can be a good
source of local government employees with certain skills or to serve as
temporary employees at DFOs, EOCs,
etc.
Subfunction 3: Staging Areas
Lead Agency
The lead agency for this subfunction will vary
tremendously from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may possibly vary within a
given jurisdiction depending upon the type of emergency being dealt with. There
are basically two ways of handling this situation.
The first involves using single, multi-purpose staging areas and designating a
specific agency/group that will be responsible for operating the staging areas.
The second involves using staging areas dedicated to a single functional group
such as fire, police,
local EOC advised as to its status.
Support Agencies
Agencies that provide land or other facilities suitable for use as staging
areas should be listed here, as should those agencies responsible for the
actual management of staging areas during emergencies. Local parks make
excellent staging areas, as do schools, community centers, and other similar
facilities (assuming they are not going to be used for other purposes). You
cannot use state or federal facilities as staging areas without the consent of
both agency involved and TEMA. TEMA is responsible for designating staging
areas utilized by the state during emergencies and will therefore be
knowledgeable of what role a specific state facility will play in any given
situation. Additionally, many state agencies have
designated their own staging areas throughout the state and the use of
these facilities is at the discretion of the state agencies involved.
Other agencies that should be listed here are those that supply some form of
assistance to the operations of staging areas. For example, if the local public
works department will supply fuel to vehicles parked at the staging areas they
should be listed.
ESF 8 -
HEALTH AND MEDICAL SERVICES
Subfunction 1: Emergency Medical Services
Lead Agency
The obvious choice for the lead agency in this subfunction
would be the local Emergency Medical Services provider or ambulance service. As
is the case with fire departments, the political climate must be considered
when designating a lead agency if there is more than one such entity in the
jurisdiction.
Support Agencies
Local hospital associations, medical associations, and similar organizations
should be listed as support organizations within this subfunction.
Any organization that provide first responder, EMT, EMT-I, EMT-D, or EMT-P
services should be tasked as well, including fire departments, rescue squads,
etc. Since the disposal of deceased persons is handled within this subfunction, the local funeral directors association should
be listed as well. Allied with this, if the local sheriff's office or police
department has fingerprint identification capabilities they should also be
listed. Within the TEMP, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (as well as the
FBI) are tasked to provide support to local
jurisdictions with the identification of deceased bodies.
Regional
Subfunction 2: Public Health
Lead Agency
The lead agency for this subfunction should be the
local health department.
Support Agencies
Any agency that provides some sort of service related to the monitoring or
treatment of health-related situations should be tasked in this section. An
example would be a local water system that carries out monitoring of its water
system for contaminants. The local agricultural extension service may be of
assistance with the monitoring of health effects associated with agricultural
commodities and the like. Local veterinary associations can assist with
domestic animals and livestock problems.
Since all local health departments are funded by the state, the state
Department of Health will become involved if a situation exceeds the
capabilities of the local health department. There is no need to task them in
your plan. The same is true for the state Department of Agriculture.
Subfunction 3: Crisis Intervention Support
Lead Agency
If your jurisdiction has an organization or group that
responsible for conducting crisis intervention support for local emergency
response personnel then that agency should be identified as the lead for this subfunction. If not, and you cannot locate such an
organization, contact the state Department of Mental Health and Mental
Retardation (MHMR) for assistance in locating such a group. The MHMR has
facilities/offices throughout the state, and most of these maintain some sort
of CIS team that can assist local jurisdictions in the aftermath of a disaster.
Support Agencies
The phrase "All Tasked Emergency Response Agencies" should be used in
this section. Every local emergency response organization is responsible for
identifying those personnel that do not seem to be dealing with the situation
and directing them to the appropriate counseling resource. By the same
token, no one should be forced to go to such sessions if they do not wish to,
however. The above phrase is used to denote the fact that all organizations
should have access to and make use of the CIS teams following a disaster.
ESF 9 -
SEARCH AND RESCUE
Lead Agency
The local rescue squad should be the lead agency in this subfunction.
A similar approach to that which is used in assigning lead organizations in the
fire and
Support Agencies
Any agency that provides some form of rescue service should be included here.
In addition to bona fide rescue squads, many fire departments maintain rescue
capabilities, as do local K-9 groups, police agencies (especially helicopters
and other aerial support), and other organizations. Since medical support
is often a critical part of rescue efforts you may wish to include those units
as well. State agencies may be tasked (including TEMA) with the realization
that in a major disaster, their taskings will have to
come through the State EOC. The Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads is
tasked in the TEMP to coordinate rescue efforts in a regional or statewide emergency. Contact that office for further
assistance.
ESF 10 -
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE
Subfunction 1: Hazardous Materials
Lead Agency
If the jurisdiction has a hazardous materials response team, this would be the
obvious choice. If no such team exists within the immediate jurisdiction,
consider using a fire department, local EMA, or other organization that has
some form of training in hazardous materials
response.
Support Agencies
If the jurisdiction has a mutual aid agreement with a
hazmat team in an adjoining community or county they should be listed here, as
should any local fire departments with hazmat training. If the local community
has a unit or agency responsible for the enforcement of hazmat regulations
(i.e., storage, transportation, etc.) they too should be indicated here.
An important organization that should not be overlooked is the Local Emergency
Planning Committee (LEPC). The LEPC should be playing a vital role in your
county with respect to those responsibilities assigned to it under the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986. Other organizations
to include would be the local health department (if they have an environmental
section that can provide technical assistance, especially concerning
recommendations for evacuations), any local association of hazmat
manufacturers/users, and any local clean-up company or association of
companies.
Subfunction 2: Radiological Materials
Lead Agency
Unless the local jurisdiction has a specific unit dedicated to radiological
situations the lead agency would probably be the same as the previous subfunction since most hazmat teams are also trained to
some extent to deal with radiological incidents.
Support Agencies
The same agencies should be specified in this section as in the previous subfunction to the extent applicable. For those counties
that include or are near a nuclear power facility, there may be additional
agencies/organizations listed as well.
The state Division of Radiological Health (Department of Environment and
Conservation) is responsible for providing technical assistance to local
responders, but they should not be tasked in the local plan. The TEMP has
provided the mechanism through which they will provide assistance to local
communities.
ESF 11 -
FOOD
Lead Agency
Most communities do not have a department of agriculture or its equivalent and
may, therefore, have a problem identifying an organization to play the lead
role in this ESF. Perhaps a good suggestion would be to use an agency whose
primary tasks include feeding sheltered populations, whether that be the American Red Cross or whomever.
Support Agencies
Support agencies include the jurisdiction's Department of General Services or
other agency responsible for procurement of food items for the local response
effort. School Boards can be used since they procure significant amounts of
food on a daily basis. Local health departments that perform restaurant/food
warehouse inspections should be included since they can be used to insure that
food procured for a major response effort remains safe for human consumption.
ESF 12 -
ENERGY
Lead Agency
If the community has a single, unified utility system
(i.e., gas and electricity) the choice is obvious. If there are several
utility systems, the selection for the lead agency will be more complex and may
need to be addressed as the fire/EMS/rescue lead assignments were. It is
acceptable to designate a lead electrical utility and a separate lead natural
gas utility. If the community has an association of utility providers that can
coordinate the overall response effort, then that would be an excellent choice.
Support Agencies
All other utility systems not identified as lead in
this ESF should be included here. If a particular branch of the local
government has generators that can be used in the event of power failures they
might be indicated here as well.
ESF 13 -
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Subfunction 1: Traffic Control
Lead Agency
In most counties, the lead agency for all law enforcement functions should be
the county sheriff's office. In some of the larger counties (i.e., those with
large cities), again, you may have to base your decision on the local political
climate as it relates to law enforcement in your community.
Support Agencies
Any law enforcement organization not specifically identified as a lead agency
should be included here, as should the local public works department (or other
organizations that can provide traffic control devices such as cones,
barricades, etc.) and the local road department. If the community has a
local parks department with personnel (rangers) that patrol the parks, they
should be included also. Local automobile clubs may be used to provide
assistance with the removal of broken down vehicles, providing maintenance
services, etc.
Any state agency that has a facility in your community (TWRA, State Parks,
etc.) can be tasked to provide traffic control assistance for those incidents
that affect their respective areas. The Tennessee Highway Patrol can be tasked
to the extent that they perform traffic control duties in your community on a
routine basis (i.e., on state highways).
Subfunction 2: Security and Crime Control
Lead Agency
The designation for this subfunction would generally
be the same as the Traffic Control subfunction.
Support Agencies
Any law enforcement agency that is not identified as a lead should be
identified here. Any other agency that has law enforcement authority can be
used as well. The jurisdiction's attorney should be included, as should any
local regulatory agency (i.e., Beer Boards, etc.).
Subfunction 3: Institutions and Jails
Lead Agency
Most jurisdictions have one agency that is primarily
responsible for operating and maintaining a local jail, usually the county
sheriff's department. This organizations should be
identified as the lead agency for this subfunction.
Support Agencies
Any other group that operates a local jail (including private corporations)
should be included as a support agency. If the jurisdiction has a separate
juvenile detention facility they too should be included, as should any other
locally-operated facility that is used to intern people because of a criminal
situation, mental retardation, or other reason (exclusive of hospitals and
nursing homes).
You should not task the state Department of Correction (TDOC). The TDOC
operates the state prison system and is tasked in the TEMP with the management of
this subfunction at the state level. The same is true
for the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and the Department
of Youth Development. Their assistance to local jurisdictions is provided for
in the TEMP. You may task the Tennessee Highway Patrol or other state law
enforcement agency to the extent that they render assistance on a everyday basis.
Subfunction 4: Evacuation
Lead Agency
Under Tennessee state law, several local officials have the authority to issue
evacuation orders for any number of reasons. The best choice for the lead
agency in this subfunction would be the local EMA or
other organization that is responsible for coordinating evacuation efforts.
Support Agencies
Any agency that can provide some form of assistance in an evacuation should be
included here. An example would be the local
Any agency that operates a facility where specific evacuation plans have been
developed may be included. A good example of this would be a major dam
(including those that are federally-operated). Chemical production facilities
may be included but it may be wiser to utilize the LEPC in this role since many
communities have several such facilities. If the jurisdiction has a nuclear
power plant or other federal facility (i.e., arsenal) that poses a significant
risk to the community, a representative from that organizations should be
included as well.
ESF 14 -
DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS
Subfunction 1: Donations
Lead Agency
The lead for this subfunction should be assigned to a
local agency that has the capability of receiving, storing, and distributing
goods donated to the community following a disaster. This may be the local
Department of General Services, a quasi-public organization (American Red
Cross, Salvation Army), or a coordinating agency such as the local EMA.
Support Agencies
Any local public agency that can provide storage and/or distribution of donated
goods can be tasked here. Local associations of warehousers
or logistics concerns would be acceptable. A local agency that can be
responsible for disposing of unused or damaged goods (i.e.,
Sanitation Department) should be identified, as should some agency
responsible for the security of high-value goods. Any organization that can provide
information to the outside world concerning the routing of goods, the type of
goods needed or not needed, and the procedures for moving those goods to the
community should be used as well (i.e., local tourist development offices).
The local community should participate in the National Donations Management
System, which, at the state level, is operated through TEMA. Since TEMA has a
state donations management plan that allows for the more efficient distribution
and utilization of donated goods following a major disaster, no state agency
may be tasked in this section of your plan.
Subfunction 2: Volunteers
Lead Agency
Very few emergencies occur that do not generate at least some volunteer spirit
among the community, and most of these situations can be handled by the local
scene commander. In a major emergency, however, you may receive offers of
volunteer assistance from all over the world. If your jurisdiction has a
personnel office this may be your best bet. This office usually has the
wherewithal to classify skills and quickly identify anyone with a specific,
needed ability. If no such office exists, the individual or office
responsible for hiring workers for the local government (or perhaps a school
system) can be used.
Support Agencies
Any agency that can assist with the coordination of volunteer workers (i.e.,
temporary housing, motel/hotel associations) should be identified here.
ESF 15 -
RECOVERY
Lead Agency
In almost all cases the local EMA is responsible for coordination of local
recovery efforts and should therefore be designated as the lead agency for this
ESF.
Support Agencies
Any local agency that can offer some form of recovery
assistance to private individual (families) or local businesses should be
included (the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc.). The local tax
assessor's office has information concerning the value of most structures in
the community and should also be listed, as should the jurisdiction's real
estate manager. Any other local government agency that owns facilities that
would allow it to seek reimbursement for damages under the public assistance
provisions of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act should be included.
This would include utility systems, school systems, fire departments (including
non-profit, volunteer departments), publicly-owned health care facilities, etc.
If you have a question about who is and is not eligible under these provisions,
please contact the Disaster Assistance Branch of TEMA.
FOR
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
If you need further
assistance in the development of your emergency management plan, you may
contact any of the offices listed below.
Emergency Management Planning Branch
3041 Sidco Drive
Nashville, TN 37204
Phone: 615-253-1341
Fax: 615-253-1340
West Regional Office
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
P. O. Box 1383
Jackson, TN 38302-1383
901-422-3300
800-322-7341
901-423-6621 FAX
Middle Regional Office
618 Fitzhugh Road
Smyrna, TN 37167
615-741-7342
800-422-7342
615-459-4573 FAX
East Regional Office
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
736 Louisville Road
Alcoa, TN 37701
615-981-2387
800-533-7343
615-981-2389 FAX