Organizational Integration and Hazard Response

The responsibility of responding to emergencies, disasters, and catastrophic events rests with the lowest possible level of government and usually begins with local first responders and government organizations. This doctrine is embedded in America’s federal system and the U.S. Constitution's division of responsibilities between federal and state governments. The guiding document for these efforts is the National Response Framework (NRF), which replaced the National Response Plan in March of 2008.

Assignment Guidelines

In 4–5 paragraphs, address the following:

• In your own words, describe the mission of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and provide explanations and examples for each aspect of the mission.
  • Do you feel its mission statement is sufficient for the nation's emergency management operations? Why or why not?
• Describe the role that the states typically play, and provide examples of how states fulfill their roles.
  • How important do you feel is FEMA's role in emergency management? Explain.
• In describing the roles that are played at each level, please also compare and contrast the roles that are played at each level with the other 2 levels.
  • Which responsibilities that are held by the state regarding emergency management do you feel are the most critical? Why?
  • With regard to the NRF, which group of first responders is the most important for successful emergency response procedures (you must select one)? Why?