Appendix G
THE FEDERAL RESPONSE PLAN AND
TERRORISM INCIDENT ANNEX
The Federal Response Plan—the mechanism by which FEMA coordinates federal disaster relief support to states and localities—and its
Terrorism Incident Annex, provide the context and framework for
DoD and Army roles in responses to WMD terrorism.1 These documents establish the roles, responsibilities and relationships of various federal players in responding to a catastrophic terrorist incident.
The Terrorism Incident Annex envisions a possible flow from “crisis
management” activities to “consequence management” activities in
acts of WMD terrorism (see Figure G.1).
•
Crisis management is defined by the FBI as “measures to identify, acquire, and plan the use of resources needed to anticipate,
prevent, and/or resolve a threat or act of terrorism.”
•
Consequence Management is defined by FEMA as “measures to
protect public health and safety, restore essential government
services, and provide emergency relief to governments, businesses, and individuals affected by the consequences of terrorism.”
As suggested by the figure, the annex also envisions the possibility
that crisis and consequence management may operate concurrently.
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1 For radiological incidents, including radiological sabotage and terrorism, the Federal
Radiological Emergency Response Plan (FRERP) Operational Plan (FEMA, 2000b) is
also relevant.
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Follow-on assets to support the response to
consequences on lives and property
Figure G.1—Relationship Between Crisis and Consequence Management
Crisis Management
Another government document reaffirmed the FBI’s federal lead
responsibility for crisis management in responses to threats or acts of
terrorism that take place within U.S. territory or in international
waters and that do not involve the flag vessel of a foreign country.2
Consequence Management
The Robert T. Stafford Act “provide[s] an orderly and continuing
means of assistance by the Federal Government to state and local
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2 An unclassified FEMA abstract (1996) on a Presidential Decision Directive specifies
the FBI’s leadership role in crisis management activities. The FBI also has a WMD
Incident Contingency Plan.
The Federal Response Plan and Terrorism Incident Annex 259
governments in carrying out their responsibilities to alleviate the suffering and damage which result” from emergencies and major disasters.3 The Act does this by specifying mechanisms for the federal
government to provide to states and localities assistance in planning,
training and equipment, warning information, technical assistance,
and other types of federal support prior to and during catastrophic
incidents. The Act also defines the roles of the state and federal
coordinating officers and other key elements of the response system.
These documents recognize the preeminent local and state role in
disaster relief. For example, presidential declarations of major disasters and emergencies are premised on a governor’s request for federal assistance, and federal responders are in a supporting role to
local and state disaster officials. As a FEMA official put it:
From its earliest beginnings, the United States has operated on two
fundamental principles. The first is that State and local governments have the primary responsibility for disaster assistance. The
second is that the Federal Government is responsible for the collective defense or national security of the respective states. (Goss,
1997.)
The Terrorism Incident Annex. The Terrorism Incident Annex was
mandated by PDD 39, and aimed to provide additional guidance
beyond the FRP that would improve the nation’s “ability to respond
rapidly and decisively to terrorism directed against Americans wherever it occurs, arrest or defeat the perpetrators using all appropriate
instruments against the sponsoring organizations and governments,
and provide recovery relief to victims, as permitted by law.”
The Federal Response Plan (FRP). More broadly, the FRP provides
the framework for federal responses to disasters and emergencies. 4
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3 The existence of an emergency or major disaster is a presidential determination
(Robert T. Stafford Act, 2000).
4 According to FEMA (1999a):
The FRP concepts apply to a major disaster or emergency as defined
under the Stafford Act, which includes a natural catastrophe; fire,
flood, or explosion regardless of cause; or any other occasion or
instance for which the President determines that Federal assistance is
needed to supplement State and local efforts and capabilities.
Throughout the FRP, any reference to a disaster, major disaster, or
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Preparing the U.S. Army for Homeland Security
The FRP consists of 12 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs), and, as
shown in Table G.1, the Army plays a prominent role in DoD’s support to the FRP:
•
For Public Works (ESF 3)—and the only ESF for which the DoD is
responsible agency—the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the
DoD point of contact (POC).
•
The Army Corps of Engineers also is DoD POC for Energy (ESF
12), for which DOE is the responsible agency.
•
The Director of Military Support (DOMS)—the Secretary of the
Army’s action agent for planning and executing DoD’s Support
Mission to civilian authorities in the United States—is DoD POC
for two ESFs: Information and Planning (ESF 5), and Urban
Search and Rescue (ESF 9).
Table G.1
The FRP and DoD POCs
ESFs
Transportation
Communications
Public Works and Engineering
Fire-Fighting
Information and Planning
Mass Care
Resource Support
Health/Medical Services
Urban Search and Rescue
Hazardous Materials
Food
Energy
Responsible
Agency
DOT
NCS
DoD
USDA
FEMA
Red Cross
GSA
HHS
FEMAa
EPA
USDA
DOE
DoD POC
CINCTRANS
OASD (C3I)
USACE
FORSCOM
DOMS
DLA
DLA
FORSCOM
DOMS
Navy, SUPV
SALV
DLA
USACE
SOURCE: FEMA, 1999b.
a We understand that DoD previously was responsible agency for Urban
Search and Rescue.
_____________________________________________________________
emergency generally means a presidentially declared major disaster
or emergency under the Stafford Act.
The Federal Response Plan and Terrorism Incident Annex 261
•
By comparison, the only other service that is a DoD POC for an
ESF is the Navy, for Hazardous Materials (ESF 10).
Although the foregoing covers the most obvious supporting Army
roles, CINCTRANS, FORSCOM, and the Defense Logistics Agency
(DLA), also can call on Army assets for DoD’s support to other ESFs:
transportation, fire-fighting, mass care, resource support,
health/medical services, and food.