Department of Homeland Security:
(FEMA, CISA, U.S. Coast Guard, etc.)
FEMA and CISA provide resources and guidance to other governmental agencies, and have demonstrated that they can collaborate well outside of government. Both have championed the “Whole of community approach” to disaster preparedness and management. Their policies are an important factor, as they encourage other governmental agencies to embrace non-governmental organizations and volunteers by including them in their planning, mitigation, and response efforts.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA provides more than disaster funding, grants, and resources. They publish important guidelines and help us to understand how everything fits together. This includes:
National Response Framework (NRF)
National Incident Management System. (NIMS)
Training. (Much of it on-line, and free of charge)
Cyber Institute Security Agency (CISA)
CISA is the operational lead for federal cybersecurity and the national coordinator for critical infrastructure security and resilience. CISA has published many useful resources.One in particular is: Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
The HSEEP Guide is relevant to local organizations because:
- It provides a comprehensive and consistent way to organize exercises and measure results.
- It fleshes out the entire exercise lifecycle, including the After Action / Improvement plan, and a multi-year Integrated Preparedness Plan.
- When the professional response organizations and EMAs see the volunteers embracing a formal training framework, it helps volunteers gain acceptance and the credibility that they deserve.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) conducts maritime rescue, law enforcement, and environmental protection.
The generic acronym EMA stands for Emergency Management Agency, which may refer to a County, State, or Federal agency. For example, the Maui County Emergency Management Agency is referred to as MEMA. The State Emergency Management Agency, is called HI-EMA. In Hawaii County, the EMA is referred to as “Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.”