Goal 4: Build a Nimble, Effective Emergency Response System and a Culture of Preparedness

We have taken many steps toward building a nimble, effective emergency response system and culture of preparedness. Examples of major accomplishments supporting this goal are summarized below:

Federal, State, Local and Tribal Governments are Better Able to Protect Against Acts of Terrorism, Natural Disasters, or Other Emergencies: The percent of Federal, State, local and tribal governments that self-reported their compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS), for FY 2006 was 100 percent, up from 82 percent. NIMS establishes standardized processes, protocols, and procedures that all responders - Federal, State, tribal, and local - will use to coordinate and conduct response actions. With responders using the same standardized procedures, they will all share a common focus in national preparedness and readiness in responding to and recovering from an incident should one occur.

FEMA's Average Response Time to Arrive at a Disaster Scene Has Improved: With a goal of 48 hours for Federal response teams to arrive on scene at a disaster site, during FY 2006 our average response time was 25 hours. Improving the timeliness of specialized Federal response teams has saved lives, reduced property loss, enabled greater continuity of services, and enhanced logistical capability in the wake of disasters.

Customer Satisfaction with FEMA's Recovery Assistance Has Improved: To ensure that individuals and families that have been affected by disasters have access to the full range of response and recovery programs in a timely manner, the Department seeks to increase the annual customer satisfaction level among recipients, while reducing the program delivery cost and increasing the timeliness of service delivery. With a goal of 90 percent satisfaction with Individual Recovery Assistance programs, during FY 2006 we achieved a customer satisfaction rating of 91 percent in response to the question "Overall, how would you rate the information and support you received from FEMA since the disaster occurred?"

FEMA Expands Capability to Assist Disaster Victims: FEMA increased registration capability to 200,000 victims a day through its toll-free registration number, online registration process, registering individuals in shelters and using mobile units; increased home inspection capacity to 20,000 a day; activated a contract to assist in identity verification in future disasters; and tightened processes to speed up delivery of needed aid while simultaneously reducing waste, fraud and abuse.

FEMA Strengthened Logistics Management Capabilities: FEMA implemented the Total Asset Visibility (TAV) program in two Regions to provide enhanced visibility, awareness, and accountability over disaster relief supplies and resources. It assists in both resource flow and supply chain management.

FEMA Improved Communications and Situational Awareness: To improve upon existing communications systems, DHS has initiated technological advances and elevated the standard by using satellite imagery, upgrading radios, and employing frequency management. The new National Response Coordination Center at FEMA and Mobile Registration Intake Centers are now operational.

DHS Awarded $2.6 Billion for Preparedness: Included in this total, approximately $1.9 billion in Homeland Security Grant funds has been awarded to State and local governments for equipment, training, exercises and various other measures designed to increase the level of security in communities across the Nation. $400 million in grants was awarded to strengthen the Nation's ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies that could impact this country's critical infrastructure. Almost $300 million was also distributed in fire grants to fire departments and EMS organizations to enhance their response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel with respect to fire and all other hazards. Of the funds awarded to State and local governments, almost $400 million was used to support State and Local Fusion Centers - valuable partnerships in place across the nation in which interagency efforts are focused to better share intelligence with state and local governments. The graph below shows the funding available to States and localities since FY 2002.

DHS Reviewed 131 State and Local Emergency Plans: By reviewing State and local disaster plans, collocating decision-makers, and pre-designating Federal leadership, DHS is improving coordination across all levels of government. Through the Nationwide Plan Review, DHS completed visits to 131 sites (50 states, 6 territories, and 75 major urban areas) and reviewed the disaster and evacuation plans for each. These reviews will allow DHS, states and urban areas to identify deficiencies and improve catastrophic planning.

DHS issued Tactical Interoperable Communication Scorecards for 75 Urban/Metropolitan Areas. These scorecards measured the ability of Urban/Metropolitan Areas to provide tactical (within one hour) communications capabilities to first responders. This process included the creation of Tactical Interoperable Communications Plan (TICP), peer evaluation, full-scale exercise, and after action reports.

U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Efforts: No one can predict when the next disaster will occur or whether it will be natural or man-made. Nevertheless, it will come, and the public expects the Coast Guard to be mission ready to answer the call and respond. The Coast Guard rescued 85 percent of mariners in imminent danger during 2006.

The FY 2008 budget request includes funding to build on these accomplishments. Examples include such things as:

• An increase of $100 million is requested for FEMA's Vision Initiatives that will enable the agency to intensify and speed the development of core competencies that are central to achieving its disaster readiness, response and recovery mission. A combination of staffing increases, new technologies, and targeted investment in equipment and supplies, will increase FEMA's mission capacity in the areas of Incident Management, Operational Planning, Continuity Programs, Public Disaster Communications, Hazard Mitigation, Disaster Logistics, and Service to Disaster Victims.
• A total of $3.2 billion will be available for State and local preparedness expenditures as well as assistance to firefighters in FY 2008, as shown in the following table. In addition to the $2.2 billion requested by DHS to fund its grant, training and exercise programs, DHS will also be co-administering the $1.0 billion Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant program, in partnership with the Department of Commerce.
  
• A realignment of $132.7 million in base resources is requested to establish a Deployable Operations Group and strengthen the Coast Guard's overall response capability. The alignment of Coast Guard's deployable, specialized forces under a single command will improve and strengthen Coast Guard's ability to perform day-to-day operations and respond to maritime disasters and threats to the Nation.
• A total of $48 million is requested to further professionalize FEMA's disaster workforce by converting Cadre of On-Call Response Employee (CORE) positions with 4-year terms into permanent full-time employees. This transition will stabilize the disaster workforce, allowing for the development and retention of employees with needed program expertise and increased staffing flexibility to ensure critical functions are maintained during disaster response surge operations.
• An increase of $12 million for the Nationwide Automatic Identification System will continue funding for this vital project that significantly enhances the Coast Guard's ability to identify, track and exchange information with vessels in the maritime domain, especially those vessels that may threaten our Nation.