An Inside Look at EMAC
Emergency Management Assistance Compact
Copyright © 2009 NEMA | All rights reserved.
What is EMAC?
EMAC is interstate mutual aid, enacted into law by Member States and the
U. S. Congress, that legally establishes a national system to facilitate the
sharing of state and local government publicly-owned resources across
state lines during times of emergency or disaster as long as there is a State
of Emergency declared by the governor of the affected EMAC Member
State.
Copyright © 2009
2011 NEMA | All rights reserved.
Current EMAC Membership
Puerto Rico
Guam
The 50
United States
District of Columbia
U.S. Virgin Islands
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Where did the idea come from?
Hurricane Andrew, 1992
Photo credits: NOAA/Dept. of Commerce Photo Library (http://www.photolib.noaa.gov);
FEMA Photo Library (http://www.photolibrary.fema.gov)
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How EMAC Has Evolved
SREMAC
adopted by
Southern
Governors’
Association
Ratified
by U.S. Congress
and signed
into law
1993
1996
1995
•SREMAC becomes EMAC
•System used for the first
time
•NEMA becomes EMAC
administrator
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How EMAC Has Evolved
Governors deployed
multidiscipline
personnel*
2004
2005
Largest EMAC mutual aid
deployment in history
As of
Today
•EMAC used 214 times since
1995
•86,021 personnel deployed
through EMAC system since
2004
*Before 2004, EMAC was used essentially to move emergency management and National Guard personnel .
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What EMAC Does
 Provides a responsive and
straightforward mutual aid system for
sharing resources
 Is the primary mutual aid resource
provider when federal support is not
warranted
 Maximizes the use of all available
Member State resources
 Serves a support role in engaging
and maintaining response and
recovery operations within a state,
but does not assume direction or
control of affected state’s emergency
operations
 Establishes a firm legal foundation
 Deploys as part of a coordinated
response through the state EMAs
(resources do not self-deploy)
 Works in harmony with the National
Response Framework
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EMAC Is Not Intended to …
Replace the need for federal
support
Hoard/stockpile/prioritize/
allocate resources
Permit the use of National
Guard resources for military
purposes
Rely solely upon Federal
Disaster Assistance Program
funds to reimburse Assisting
States for providing EMAC
support
Replace existing mutual aid
agreements
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EMAC’s Key Legal Provisions
Articles of Agreement
 EMAC
legislation
comprises thirteen Articles
of Agreement
 Legislation
spans a variety
of concerns, from EMAC’s
purpose to Member
States’ responsibilities to
liability
 To
use EMAC legally,
Member States must have
enacted Articles exactly as
written in the Compact
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Article I: Purpose and Authorities
“The purpose….is to
provide for mutual
assistance … in managing
any emergency disaster
that is duly declared by
the Governor of the
affected state …”
“…also provide for mutual
cooperation in emergencyrelated exercises, testing,
or other training
activities…”
“…. may include the use of
the states’ National Guard
forces …”
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Article II: General Implementation
“The prompt, full, and
effective utilization of
resources … shall be the
underlying principle on
which all articles of this
compact shall be
understood. …”
“… the legally designated
state official who is
assigned responsibility for
emergency management
[state emergency
management director]
will be responsible for
formulation of … plans
and procedures …”
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Article III: Roles & Responsibilities
“… the party states … shall:”
“The provisions of this
compact shall only apply to
requests for assistance made
by and to authorized
representatives. …”
[establishes role of “legally
designated state official”]
“If verbal, the request shall
be confirmed in writing
within thirty days of the
verbal request. …”
“… set … procedures for
reimbursement or
forgiveness …”
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Article IV: Limitations
“… the state rendering aid
may withhold resources to
the extent necessary to
provide reasonable
protection for such state …”
“These conditions may be
activated … only
subsequent to a declaration
of a state emergency or
disaster by the governor …
or upon commencement of
exercises or training for
mutual aid …”
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Article IV: Limitations
Regarding assisting forces:
“Each party state shall
afford to the emergency
forces … the same
powers, except that of
arrest … as are afforded
forces of the state in
which they are performing
emergency services. …”
“Emergency forces will
continue under the
command and control of
their regular leaders,
but…. come under the
operational control … of
the state receiving
assistance. …”
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Article V: Licenses & Permits
“Whenever any person
holds a license, certificate,
or other permit issued by
any state … evidencing the
meeting of qualifications …
such person shall be
deemed licensed, certified,
or permitted by the state
requesting assistance …”
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Article VI: Liability
“Officers or employees of a
party state rendering aid …
shall be considered agents
of the requesting state for
tort liability and immunity
purposes. …”
“No party state …
rendering aid in another
state … shall be liable on
account of any act or
omission in good faith …
while so engaged …”
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Article VIII: Compensation
“Each party state shall
provide … compensation
and death benefits … in
the same manner and on
the same terms as if the
injury or death were
sustained within their
own state. …”
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Article IX: Reimbursement
“Any party state rendering aid
… shall be reimbursed … for
any loss or damage to or
expense incurred in the
operation of any equipment
and the provision of any
service …”
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Article XIII: Additional Provisions
“Nothing in this compact
shall authorize or permit
the use of military force by
the National Guard …”
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EMAC Governance Structure
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Phase 1: Pre-Event Preparation Phase
PRE-EVENT PREPARATION
ACTIVATION
EMAC Resource Providers undertake
actions necessary to develop and
sustain capability
REQUEST & OFFER
RESPONSE
REIMBURSEMENT
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The Mission Ready Package
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The MRP Worksheet
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EMAC Training Courses
 Understanding EMAC (E-431)
Course - bi-annually at EMI
 Understanding EMAC (eLearning
Course on-line)
 Advance Team (A-Team) Training
Course (NEMA Instructed)
 State & Resource Provider Guide to
Implementing EMAC (G-Series - to
be delivered by Member States)
Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved.
EMAC Webinar Training
Available for viewing on-line:
 Mission Ready Packaging
 Public Information Officers
 Animal Protection
 Public Health & Medical
 Telecommunications Emergency
Response Teams (TERT)
 Waste Water Association Response Team
(WARN)
Other Webinars under development.
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Phase 2: Activation Phase
PRE-EVENT PREPARATION
ACTIVATION
REQUEST & OFFER
RESPONSE
REIMBURSEMENT
Governor declares state of emergency or disaster
(Photo source: http://governor.state.texas.us)
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Phase 3: Request & Offer Phase
Resources are requested
and offered through the
state emergency
management agencies using
the Request for Assistance
(REQ-A) Form.
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Phase 4: Response Phase
PRE-EVENT PREPARATION
ACTIVATION
Mobilization Stage: Personnel prepare to
leave Assisting State and go to Requesting
State to provide support
REQUEST & OFFER
RESPONSE
REIMBURSEMENT
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Phase 4: Response Phase
PRE-EVENT PREPARATION
Deployment Stage: Perform mission or render
ACTIVATION
services in Requesting State
REQUEST & OFFER
RESPONSE
REIMBURSEMENT
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Response Phase: Demobilization Stage
PRE-EVENT PREPARATION
ACTIVATION
REQUEST & OFFER
RESPONSE
REIMBURSEMENT
Demobilization Stage: Mission or services
completed and deployed personnel prepare
to return to Assisting State (home state)
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Phase 5: Reimbursement Process
PRE-EVENT PREPARATION
ACTIVATION
Deployed Personnel
Resource Providers
REQUEST & OFFER
Assisting State
RESPONSE
Requesting State
REIMBURSEMENT
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Useful Links, Training, and Information
Link:
 www.emacweb.org
Training:
 Understanding EMAC – online at EMAC website
 Mission Ready webinar – online at EMAC website
 Waste Water Association Response Team (WARN)
webinar – online at EMAC website
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Useful Links,Training, and Information
Information on EMAC website:



Who Can Deploy Under EMAC
Deploying Under EMAC – Public Works tab
Templates for Mission Ready Packages
Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved.
Contact Information
Carolyn Freitag
EMAC Coordinator
NC Division of Emergency Management
919-825-2267
Carolyn.Freitag@ncdps.gov
Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved.
Questions?
For more information visit www.emacweb.org
Emergency Management Assistance Compact
Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved.