Last modified on: Monday, July 16, 2007 14:43

Introduction

Overview

In recent years, there has been a major increase in the number and complexity of all hazard incidents resulting in unprecedented demands on Forest Service employees and our partners in emergency response.  Our contributions have been recognized as critical in responding to all types of emergencies and disasters, and our employees have proven their perseverance and capabilities through trying circumstances.


All hazard response presents some of the most difficult and complex management challenges that our agency faces. Potential incidents include hurricanes, floods, animal disease outbreaks, terrorist attacks, and search and rescue operations. Examples of assigned tasks for agency personnel may include management of logistical distribution centers, staging areas, base camps for emergency responders, clearing roadways, law enforcement and security duties and support for wildfire or structural fire suppression.

Policy and procedures are being developed at the national level to guide decision-making and our agency’s overall role and responsibility as a partner in support of the National Response Plan (NRP). (See Chief’s Memo of 05/31/06, attached.) 

Concurrently, the Southern Region has developed specific guidance and information to assist incoming and local employees involved in all hazard response within the Region.  This effort is called the All Hazard Response (AHR) project.  The AHR project involves compilation of historical information and processes developed from recent all hazard incidents, and reflects lessons learned and best practices based on actual experiences.

This document serves as a quick reference guide for the comprehensive AHR information which is posted on the Southern Area Coordination Center website at www.fs.fed.us/r8/allhazardresponse. Specific objectives for the AHR effort are as follows:

Purpose and Need: 

  • Provide Leaders’ Intent and clarify roles, responsibilities and delegated authorities for all hazard response.
  • Consolidate program direction and procedural information to guide all pertinent areas for all hazard responses.
  • Inform incoming resources, and local resources including line officers and their employees, to the overall organization and operating procedures within the region.

Target Audience:

  • Primary:  Personnel supporting an AHR effort who need to understand the procedures, protocols and organization within the region.  Examples:  Incident Management Teams (IMTs), Area Command Teams (ACTs), Logistical Management Teams (LMTs), Emergency Support Function #4 (ESF #4) staff, Buying Teams, Safety Teams, and coordination and mobilization center staff.
  • Secondary:  Cooperating entities nationally or in other Geographic Areas.

This document, the “All Hazard Response Guide”, applies to situations where Forest Service and its cooperators are activated in response to a Mission Assignment (MA) from FEMA and or other National Response Plan partners through the Emergency Support Function (ESF) system.  The Forest Service is the lead agency representing the wildland fire management agencies in coordinating staffing of the ESF #4 function at National, Regional, and/or local locations, except in Alaska. 

This document, the “All Hazard Response Guide”, is organized into sections, beginning with an overview of the Region 8 Concept of Operations, Organization and Coordination, followed by sections specific to functional areas which support all hazard responses.  Each functional section provides a specific overview, key issues and concerns, most common questions and answers and a list for reference documents available to the user.

The website, www.fs.fed.us/r8/allhazardresponse, has detailed information beginning with key messages for Leaders’ Intent from the Regional Forester, Special Agent in Charge, and Regional Director, Fire and Aviation Management.   These key messages reflect the magnitude of the commitment to all hazard response, the historical impact of all hazard events in the Southern Region and the priority for safety, cooperation and coordination for all personnel and our interactions with the public.

The “All Hazard Response Guide” does not focus on AHR on Forest Service lands.  A separate document, the“Southern Region Guide to Emergency Events”, addresses the full range of preparedness, response and recovery for events that directly affect National Forest System (NFS) Lands, and also contains information on assistance outside the NRP that can be provided to State Forestry agencies through USFS State & Private Forestry. 

A third document, the “Southern Region Pandemic Flu Plan”, addresses specific protocols and actions that will be taken in the event of a pandemic outbreak.  The FS could be tasked to respond under the NRP and/or the Department of Agriculture for a pandemic event, so it is possible for these plans to be invoked simultaneously.

Table 1: Comparison of Southern Region
Emergency Planning Documents
Southern Region Emergency Planning Documents
NF Lands
Non-NF Lands Regional Forester Delegated Representative
All Hazard Response Guide
N/A
 Yes — Support to National Response Plan (NRP) or Departmental Emgergencies. Director, Fire and Aviation Management
Southern Region Guide to Emgergency Events
Yes
 N/A — Activities related to NF lands only. NF Line Officers
Southern Region Pandemic Flu Plan
Yes
 Possibly — May involve response in support of NRP. Either of the above depending on jurisdiction of incident.

 

All Hazard Response – Chief’s Memo 5/31/06

File Code: 1590/5100
Date: May 31, 2006
Subject: All-Hazard Response
To: Regional Foresters, Station Directors, Area Director, IITF Directory, and Deputy Chiefs

The Forest Service is a land management agency with a unique combination of people, skills, and resources that add significant value to our national all-hazard response capability.  The Agency accepts this all-hazard role as complimentary to its overall land management mission.  The Forest Service is an exceptional land management agency, a good neighbor, and a willing partner in all-hazard response.

The Forest Service all-hazard response is based on the assumption that other agencies will fulfill their primary roles and responsibilities with National Incident Management System (NIMS) qualified and trained people as outlined in the National Response Plan.  Support for all-hazard national responses may take priority over Forest Service accomplishments and targets.  The Forest Service leadership will clearly communicate its roles, capabilities and limitations with its partners.

The Forest Service Doctrine for All-Hazard Response has established the following principles which guide its actions now and into the future.

  1. The NIMS is the foundation of the Agency’s response organization.
  2. The Forest Service will continue to train other agencies to build their NIMS capabilities.
  3. The Forest Service responds and supports all-hazard responses by providing trained personnel to use their skills, capabilities, and assets without requiring significant additional training and preparation.  Support to cooperators requiring Forest Service resources will be consistent with employee’s core skills, capabilities, and training.  Our employees must be informed and trained to do all-hazard response in a safe, efficient, and effective manner.
  4. The Forest Service will conduct a thorough mission analysis of every all-hazard request before committing people and other resources.
  5. Agency employees will be provided with appropriate risk mitigation (e.g. vaccinations, personal protective equipment, etc.) to operate in the all-hazard environment to which they are assigned.
  6. All employees involved in all-hazard response will be supported and managed by an Agency leader, Agency liaison, or interagency Incident Management Team.
  7. Forest Service employee’s expertise is best used in the incident emergency response phase.  Though our employees are highly adaptable, further use of their skills during the recovery phase may impact the Agency’s land management mission.  Forest Service resources need to be managed and utilized appropriately so they can be available for primary life saving, property protection, and incident stabilization assignments.
  8. The Forest Service must be capable of meeting its primary agency response mission first, the Emergency Support Function-4 (ESF-4) mission, and then provide what ever support possible to the other ESF missions.
  9. The Forest Service also will respond when human life is at risk, or when there is another clear emergency, and the responders consider themselves capable of assisting without undue risk to themselves or others.

We believe that these principles will assist you in making sound and timely decisions as we continue to assist our partners in meeting the Nation’s emergency response needs.

For more information, please contact Dale Dague, Branch Chief, Disaster and Emergency Operations at (202) 205-1500.

/s/ Dale N. Bosworth
DALE N. BOSWORTH
Chief