NCJ Number
201406
Date Published
October 2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Recommendations by the National Emergency Management Association focus on components of a nationwide strategy for catastrophic disaster preparedness.
Abstract
The recommendations pertain to emergency preparedness and response, health and medical services, and WMD (weapons of mass destruction) recommendations. Recommendations for emergency preparedness and response include Federal funding to the States for full-time catastrophic disaster coordinators in moderate and high-risk local jurisdictions; Federal recognition of and support for interstate and intrastate mutual aid assistance as an expedient, cost-effective approach to disaster response and recovery; implementation of the Emergency Management Accreditation Program as a strategic tool for building greater multidisciplinary/all-hazards capabilities at the State and local levels; Federal, State, and local emphasis on family and community preparedness; and a standardized national donations management protocol to address the outpouring of food, clothing, supplies, and other items sent to impacted States and localities. Health and medical recommendations focus on the strengthening of a medical surge capacity to handle a large volume of casualties; the development of State-Local Disaster Medical Assistance Teams with standardized equipment, personnel, and training; and the upgrading of the current 60 U.S. Public Health Service Disaster Medical Assistance Teams to respond to WMD incidents. Additional WMD recommendations are release of fiscal 2000 and 2001 equipment funds by the Justice Department for WMD response preparedness; the authorization for the National Guard to be a key Federal homeland defense resource; the development of State-Local Urban Search and Rescue capabilities; a review of the distribution of aviation assets to the National Guard; the development of interagency information management protocols; better Federal interagency coordination to assist States in identifying and accessing the full range of Federal resources and assistance; the standardization of security clearances; the expansion of the Federal Emergency Management Administration's fire grant program; the upgrading of the National Warning System; funding for additional guidance on "shelter-in-place" strategies for WMD events; and Federal funding for State and local governments to support an automated decision support system.