Director / Deputy Director
Serves as the Department’s Emergency Coordinator providing leadership for all Departmental civil transportation intelligence, security policy, emergency preparedness, response and recovery activities and those of the Federal transportation’s operating and support agencies. The Director and Deputy Director provide effective management and direction of the Office of Intelligence, Security and Emergency Response staff in performance of the programmatic functional areas of responsibility.
Intelligence Division
The Intelligence Division is responsible for providing all-source intelligence products to the Secretary of Transportation and his/her principal staff as well as the Department of Transportation (DOT) Operating Administrators ensuring they are apprised of current developments and long range trends in international terrorism; global and international topics concerning aviation, trade, transportation markets, trade agreements and related topics in international cooperation and facilitation. In addition to providing intelligence support to the Secretary and principal staff, and the Operating Administrators, the Intelligence Division supports a number of other DOT consumers of intelligence.
Security Policy and Plans Division
The Policy and Plans division develops DOT policy and coordinates DOT participation in interagency policy development related to intelligence, security, and all aspects of all-hazards preparedness. The Division coordinates DOT-wide interaction with the National Security Council and its interagency policy committees. The Division also leads DOT’s service as co-lead of the Transportation Sector-Specific Agency, serves as the Secretary’s public health advisor, and is focal point for both Departmental and interagency response and recovery planning.
Preparedness Division
The Preparedness Division has cognizance over the management, development, coordination and execution of plans and procedures for the Department’s emergency preparedness programmatic activities:
- Continuity Programs: Continuity planning is good business, and good government. There is a range of reasons why one or more Department of Transportation facilities could become unusable for a short or a long time. To make sure the Department can continue to provide its essential functions, DOT has developed a robust and scalable Continuity of Operations program. Each of the Department's Operating Administrations has contingency plans in place for both their headquarters and regional offices. The Department’s continuity programs include alternate facilities and telework.
- Liaison to NORAD/NORTHCOM: Represent DOT during significant incidents, events, and exercises by providing specialized transportation policy expertise, unique technical knowledge, and DOT situational awareness to make essential contributions to the fulfillment of NORAD-NORTHCOM (N-NC) operational missions. Represent DOT and Operating Administrations in Interagency Groups providing DOT's context to the N-NC staff and the Commander's decision making process. Serve as the DOT resident representative to the N-NC Commander. Participates in interagency teams formed for issues of interest (e.g. pandemic flu, earthquake preparedness, pre-scripted Mission Assignment, etc).
- International Programs: Provides management of DOT participation in international programs that develop plans and appropriate supporting technical arrangements for response to international crises and disasters. These plans and arrangements are developed in coordination with United States Federal departments and agencies, NATO members and partners, as well as with other Allies, and include crisis management arrangements, training and exercises. The program manager also represents the United States to promote the national interest and provide leadership in NATO civil emergency planning committees and subgroups as well as other committees and subgroups as the DOT representative for emergency response planning.
- Training & Exercise Programs: Develops and conducts training and exercises for Senior Level Officials and emergency response personnel, in coordination with other departments and agencies, to ensure a high state of readiness. Ensures program maximizes the participation in National, regional and local emergency preparedness and response exercises for implementation of the National Response Framework and compliance with the National Incident Management System. Maintains the DOT five-year exercise calendar and supervises DOT’s input into the National Exercise Program.
Operations Division
The Operations Division provides cognizance over the supervision, general management and coordination of the Department’s operations in crisis management planning and execution of the plans. Under auspices of this Division are the Crisis Management Center, as the operations lynch-pin, and the National Response Program. Included are the development of policies and procedures to organize and employ the Secretary’s Emergency Response Team, subject matter experts and finance/logistics personnel who provide the Secretary and interagency partners with information on incidents, natural disasters or significant threats.
Crisis Management Center: The Department’s Crisis Management Center (CMC) serves as the focal point for the Department’s actions during crises. The CMC is designed to monitor the nation’s transportation systems and infrastructure 24-hours a day, 7 days a week; hosts the Secretary’s Emergency Response Team and other supports personnel who provide the Secretary and the Department’s Operating Administrations with information during crises; supports the Secretary with secure video teleconferencing and around-the-clock communications for unclassified and classified information; provides information to other Federal agencies, the White House, and DOT headquarters and field staff. Additionally, the CMC is the central point for the Department’s interagency liaison and coordination with the Department of Homeland Security’s National Response Coordination Center for federal response efforts.
National Response Program: Develops national policies, plans, and procedures to perform DOT’s National Response Framework Emergency Support Function #1 responsibilities through proactive liaison with Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency and other Federal departments and agencies, non-governmental organizations, State, local, and tribal authorities, and the private sector. Development of policies and procedures to organize and employ the Secretary’s Emergency Response Team, subject matter experts and finance/logistics personnel who provide the Secretary and interagency partners with information on incidents, natural disasters or significant threats. We manage the departmental response to multimodal emergencies and the DOT Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinator Program, which implements the Secretary’s emergency response activities under the National Response Framework.
Protective Service Division
Provides for the safety and security of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary, as directed. The Division also performs other duties as assigned by the Director.
Business Services and Administration
The responsibilities of Business Services and Administration include Budgeting, Financial Management, Procurement, Travel Management, Equipment Inventory, Records Management, Facilities Management and Administrative Support for the Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response. The Staff also provides the interface with Human Resources staff on matters related to hiring, performance agreements, time and attendance, payroll and other personnel issues. The staff also formulates, develops and implements administrative policies, procedures, techniques, systems and methods for application of departmental programs. Along with the day-to-day operations, following a disaster, the staff is responsible for all financial areas of Emergency Response Function #1 under the National Response Framework.