RE: FEMA - New resources for EM

In case you have not seen this.

Carl

 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) has developed two new resources for emergency managers 
and first responders to enhance mutual aid systems across the country and help 
emergency response networks operate more effectively together.

"President 
Bush, Secretary Ridge and I are committed to first responders," said Michael D. 
Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and 
Response. "The development of this common terminology for resources in emergency 
response operations is necessary for effective mutual aid arrangements and 
interoperability."

The new resources include The National Mutual Aid 
Glossary of Terms and Definitions, which provides terms for equipment, teams and 
personnel used in disasters, and, Resource Typing Definitions – I, which 
organizes equipment and teams by functional category and 'types' them according 
to capability and/or capacity. Functional categories by which the resources are 
organized, include Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Systems, 
Fire/Hazardous Materials, Health and Medical, Law Enforcement, Public Works, and 
Search and Rescue.

'Resource Typing' is a term used by emergency managers 
and responders to define the capabilities of a particular resource. For example, 
the definition for an Urban Search and Rescue Team would specify the numbers and 
kinds of professionals the team would require, the level of training and 
certification they must have, the specific equipment needed by the team, and the 
logistical requirements necessary to maintain the team.

Resource Typing 
Definitions – I covers an initial 60 resources; it is anticipated that by the 
end of FY 2004, a total of 120 typed resources will have been completed and 
released. The glossary and resource typing definitions may be downloaded from 
the fema.gov website at: www.fema.gov/preparedness/mutual_aid.shtm.

The 
glossary and resource definitions are part of a Homeland Security and FEMA 
initiative to support the new National Incident Management System (NIMS), the 
nation's first standardized management plan that creates a unified structure for 
federal, state, and local lines of government for incident 
response.

FEMA's resource typing initiative will provide states and local 
jurisdictions with a basis to type, inventory, order, and track federal, state, 
and local assets. This will ensure that equipment and personnel deployed through 
NIMS are compatible with those of neighboring jurisdictions that work together 
through mutual aid agreements.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the 
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new 
department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and 
effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national 
incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first 
responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire 
Administration.

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