ESF Structure and Roles: An Overview of Emergency Support Functions, Exercises of Engineering

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EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION ANNEXES: INTRODUCTION

Purpose

This section provides an overview of the Emergency Support Function (ESF) structure, common

elements of each of the ESFs, and the basic content contained in each of the ESF Annexes. The

following section includes a series of annexes describing the roles and responsibilities of Federal

departments and agencies as ESF coordinators, primary agencies, or support agencies.

Background

The ESFs provide the structure for coordinating Federal interagency support for a Federal

response to an incident. They are mechanisms for grouping functions most frequently used to

provide Federal support to States and Federal-to-Federal support, both for declared disasters

and emergencies under the Stafford Act and for non-Stafford Act incidents (see Table 1).

The Incident Command System provides for the flexibility to assign ESF and other stakeholder

resources according to their capabilities, taskings, and requirements to augment and support

the other sections of the Joint Field Office (JFO)/Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC)

or National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) in order to respond to incidents in a more

collaborative and cross-cutting manner.

While ESFs are typically assigned to a specific section at the NRCC or in the JFO/RRCC for

management purposes, resources may be assigned anywhere within the Unified Coordination

structure. Regardless of the section in which an ESF may reside, that entity works in

conjunction with other JFO sections to ensure that appropriate planning and execution of

missions occur.

Table 1. Roles and Responsibilities of the ESFs

ESF Scope

ESF #1 – Transportation Aviation/airspace management and control Transportation safety Restoration/recovery of transportation infrastructure Movement restrictions Damage and impact assessment ESF #2 – Communications

Coordination with telecommunications and information technology industries Restoration and repair of telecommunications infrastructure Protection, restoration, and sustainment of national cyber and information technology resources Oversight of communications within the Federal incident management and response structures ESF #3 – Public Works and Engineering

Infrastructure protection and emergency repair Infrastructure restoration Engineering services and construction management Emergency contracting support for life-saving and life-sustaining services ESF #4 – Firefighting Coordination of Federal firefighting activities Support to wildland, rural, and urban firefighting operations

January 2008 ESF Annexes Introduction ESF-i

ESF-ii ESF Annexes Introduction January 2008

ESF Scope

ESF #5 – Emergency Management

Coordination of incident management and response efforts Issuance of mission assignments Resource and human capital Incident action planning Financial management ESF #6 – Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services

Mass care Emergency assistance Disaster housing Human services ESF #7 – Logistics Management and Resource Support

Comprehensive, national incident logistics planning, management, and sustainment capability Resource support (facility space, office equipment and supplies, contracting services, etc.) ESF #8 – Public Health and Medical Services

Public health Medical Mental health services Mass fatality management ESF #9 – Search and Rescue

Life-saving assistance Search and rescue operations

ESF #10 – Oil and Hazardous Materials Response

Oil and hazardous materials (chemical, biological, radiological, etc.) response Environmental short- and long-term cleanup

ESF #11 – Agriculture and Natural Resources

Nutrition assistance Animal and plant disease and pest response Food safety and security Natural and cultural resources and historic properties protection and restoration Safety and well-being of household pets ESF #12 – Energy Energy infrastructure assessment, repair, and restoration Energy industry utilities coordination Energy forecast ESF #13 – Public Safety and Security

Facility and resource security Security planning and technical resource assistance Public safety and security support Support to access, traffic, and crowd control ESF #14 – Long-Term Community Recovery

Social and economic community impact assessment Long-term community recovery assistance to States, local governments, and the private sector Analysis and review of mitigation program implementation ESF #15 – External Affairs

Emergency public information and protective action guidance Media and community relations Congressional and international affairs Tribal and insular affairs

ESF Notification and Activation

The NRCC, a component of the National Operations Center (NOC), develops and issues

operations orders to activate individual ESFs based on the scope and magnitude of the threat or

incident.

ESF primary agencies are notified of the operations orders and time to report to the NRCC by

the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Operations Center. At the regional level, ESFs are notified by the RRCC per established

protocols.

ESF primary agencies notify and activate support agencies as required for the threat or

incident, to include support to specialized teams. Each ESF is required to develop standard

operating procedures (SOPs) and notification protocols and to maintain current rosters and

contact information.

ESF Member Roles and Responsibilities

Each ESF Annex identifies the coordinator and the primary and support agencies pertinent to

the ESF. Several ESFs incorporate multiple components, with primary agencies designated for

each component to ensure seamless integration of and transition between preparedness,

response, and recovery activities. ESFs with multiple primary agencies designate an ESF

coordinator for the purposes of preincident planning and coordination of primary and supporting

agency efforts throughout the incident. Following is a discussion of the roles and

responsibilities of the ESF coordinator and the primary and support agencies.

ESF Coordinator

The ESF coordinator is the entity with management oversight for that particular ESF. The

coordinator has ongoing responsibilities throughout the preparedness, response, and recovery

phases of incident management. The role of the ESF coordinator is carried out through a

“unified command” approach as agreed upon collectively by the designated primary agencies

and, as appropriate, support agencies. Responsibilities of the ESF coordinator include:

y Coordination before, during, and after an incident, including preincident planning and

coordination.

y Maintaining ongoing contact with ESF primary and support agencies.

y Conducting periodic ESF meetings and conference calls.

y Coordinating efforts with corresponding private-sector organizations.

y Coordinating ESF activities relating to catastrophic incident planning and critical

infrastructure preparedness, as appropriate.

Primary Agencies

An ESF primary agency is a Federal agency with significant authorities, roles, resources, or

capabilities for a particular function within an ESF. ESFs may have multiple primary agencies,

and the specific responsibilities of those agencies are articulated within the relevant ESF Annex.

A Federal agency designated as an ESF primary agency serves as a Federal executive agent

under the Federal Coordinating Officer (or Federal Resource Coordinator for non-Stafford Act

incidents) to accomplish the ESF mission. When an ESF is activated in response to an incident,

the primary agency is responsible for:

y Supporting the ESF coordinator and coordinating closely with the other primary and support

agencies.

y Orchestrating Federal support within their functional area for an affected State.

January 2008 ESF Annexes Introduction ESF-iii

y Providing staff for the operations functions at fixed and field facilities.

y Notifying and requesting assistance from support agencies.

y Managing mission assignments and coordinating with support agencies, as well as

appropriate State officials, operations centers, and agencies.

y Working with appropriate private-sector organizations to maximize use of all available

resources.

y Supporting and keeping other ESFs and organizational elements informed of ESF operational

priorities and activities.

y Conducting situational and periodic readiness assessments.

y Executing contracts and procuring goods and services as needed.

y Ensuring financial and property accountability for ESF activities.

y Planning for short- and long-term incident management and recovery operations.

y Maintaining trained personnel to support interagency emergency response and support

teams.

y Identifying new equipment or capabilities required to prevent or respond to new or

emerging threats and hazards, or to improve the ability to address existing threats.

Support Agencies

Support agencies are those entities with specific capabilities or resources that support the

primary agency in executing the mission of the ESF. When an ESF is activated, support

agencies are responsible for:

y Conducting operations, when requested by DHS or the designated ESF primary agency,

consistent with their own authority and resources, except as directed otherwise pursuant to

sections 402, 403, and 502 of the Stafford Act.

y Participating in planning for short- and long-term incident management and recovery

operations and the development of supporting operational plans, SOPs, checklists, or other

job aids, in concert with existing first-responder standards.

y Assisting in the conduct of situational assessments.

y Furnishing available personnel, equipment, or other resource support as requested by DHS

or the ESF primary agency.

y Providing input to periodic readiness assessments.

y Maintaining trained personnel to support interagency emergency response and support

teams.

y Identifying new equipment or capabilities required to prevent or respond to new or

emerging threats and hazards, or to improve the ability to address existing threats.

ESF-iv ESF Annexes Introduction January 2008

January 2008 ESF Annexes Introduction ESF-v

When requested, and upon approval of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of Defense

(DOD) provides Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) during domestic incidents.

Accordingly, DOD is considered a support agency to all ESFs.

ESF-vi

ESF Annexes Introduction

January 2008

ESF COORDINATING, PRIMARY, AND SUPPORT DESIGNATIONS

Table 2. Designation of ESF Coordinator and Primary and Support Agencies

Emergency Support Functions

Agency

#1 - Transportation

#2 - Communications

#3 - Public Works and

Engineering

#4 - Firefighting

#5 - Emergency

Management

#6 - Mass Care,

Emergency Assistance,

Housing, and Human

Services

#7 - Logistics

Management and

Resource Support

#8 - Public Health and

Medical Services

#9 - Search and Rescue

#10 - Oil and Hazardous

Materials Response

#11 - Agriculture and

Natural Resources

#12 - Energy

#13 - Public Safety and

Security

#14 - Long-Term

Community Recovery

#15 - External Affairs

USDA

S

S

S

S

S

S

C/P/S

S

P^

S

USDA/FS

S

S

S

C/P

S

S

S

S

S

S

DOC

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

DOD

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

P

S

S

S

S

S

S

DOD/USACE

S

C/P

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

ED

S

S

DOE

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

C/P

S

S

S

HHS

S

S

S

S

C/P

S

S

S

S

S

DHS

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

P^

C

DHS/FEMA

S

P^

P

S

C/P

C/P/S

C/P

S

C/P

S

S

C/P

P

DHS/NCS

C/P

S

S

DHS/USCG

S

S

S

S

P

P

S

HUD

S

S

P^

S

DOI

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

P

S

P/S

S

S

S

S

DOJ

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

C/P

S

DOL

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

DOS

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

TABLE CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

C = ESF coordinator

P = Primary agency

S = Support agency

Note:

Components or offices within a department or agency are not listed on this chart unless they are the ESF coordinator or a

primary agency.

Refer to the ESF Annexes for details.

January 2008

ESF Annexes Introduction

ESF-vii

Emergency Support Functions

Agency

#1 - Transportation

#2 - Communications

#3 - Public Works and

Engineering

#4 - Firefighting

#5 - Emergency

Management

#6 - Mass Care,

Emergency Assistance,

Housing, and Human

Services

#7 – Logistics

Management and

Resource Support

#8 - Public Health and

Medical Services

#9 - Search and Rescue

#10 - Oil and Hazardous

Materials Response

#11 - Agriculture and

Natural Resources

#12 - Energy

#13 - Public Safety and

Security

#14 - Long-Term

Community Recovery

#15 - External Affairs

DOT

C/P

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

TREAS

S

S

S

S

S

VA

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

EPA

S

S

S

S

C/P

S

S

S

S

S

FCC

S

S

S

GSA

S

S

S

S

S

C/P

S

S

S

S

NASA

S

S

S

S

S

NRC

S

S

S

S

S

OPM

S

S

S

SBA

S

S

P^

S

SSA

S

S

S

TVA

S

S

S

S

USAID

S

S

S

USPS

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

ACHP

S

ARC

S

S

S

S

S

S

CNCS

S

S

S

DRA

S

HENTF

S

NARA

S

NVOAD

S

S

C = ESF coordinator

P = Primary agency

S = Support agency

Note:

Components or offices within a department or agency are not listed on this chart unless they are the ESF coordinator or a

primary agency.

Refer to the ESF Annexes for details.

ESF-viii

ESF Annexes Introduction

January 2008

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