National Emergency Responses

This book is an overview of the National Response Framework (NRF) and how the nation conducts an all-hazards response. It is built upon scalable, flexible, and adaptable co-ordinating structures to align key roles and responsibilities across the nation. It describes specific authorities and best practices for managing incidents that range from the serious but purely local, to large-scale terrorist attacks or catastrophic natural disasters. This book explains the common discipline and structures that have been exercised and matured at the local, tribal, state and national levels over time. It describes key lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, focusing particularly on how the Federal Government is organised to support communities and states in catastrophic incidents. Most importantly, it builds upon the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which provides a consistent template for managing incidents. The term "response" as used in this book includes immediate actions to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs. Response also includes the execution of emergency plans and actions to support short-term recovery. This book is written especially for government executives, private-sector and non-governmental organisation (NGO) leaders, and emergency management practitioners.