EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Day One Summary - April 15, 2009 The National Advisory Council (NAC) convened at 10:07 a.m. (EDT) on April 15, 2009 at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington, D.C. NAC Members Present: Kem Bennett, Chair Robert Gougelet, Vice Chair David Barron Ann Beauchesne Joseph Becker Michael Brown Joseph Bruno Stephen Cassidy Christina Catlett Irene Collins Robert Connors Russell Decker John Didion Nancy Dragani Cathey Eide Lee Feldman Joanne Hayes-White John Hines Charles Kmet Kurt Krumperman John Lancaster Suzanne Mencer Kenneth Miller Kenneth Murphy James Paturas John Stensgar J.R. Thomas (Alternate to Mark Shriver, Save the Children) Susanne Torriente FEMA Staff in Attendance: Bob Shea, Associate Deputy Administrator Alyson Price, Designated Federal Official Breese Eddy, Alternate Designated Federal Official Nancy Ward, Acting Administrator Don Grant, Director, Incident Management Systems Integration Division Kevin Molloy, Program Manager, Emergency Management Institute Michael Buckley, Acting Assistant Administrator, Mitigation Directorate Doug Bellomo, Director, Risk Analysis Div., Mitigation Directorate Deborah Ingram, Director, Risk Reduction Div., Mitigation Directorate Rafaela Monchek, Acting Deputy Director, National Housing Task Force Meeting: The meeting was called to order at 10:07 a.m. by Alyson Price, Designated Federal Official Remarks- Bob Shea, Associate Deputy Administrator * Welcomed the NAC to Washington, DC * Reminded the attendees that it was formed using staggered appointments for terms of one, two or three years * Eleven members’ terms are ending on June 15; Phil Reitinger and Dick Andrews have submitted resignations * Phil Reitinger has been appointed to serve as Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Protection and Programs Division * Hearing of Craig Fugate, nominee to serve as FEMA Administrator was scheduled for April 22, 2009 * Tim Manning nominated to serve as Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness * The NAC received approximately 350 applications to fill the thirteen open seats * According to the DHS committee management process, any member of the NAC whose term expires this year can continue to serve until new appointments are made Remarks - Kem Bennett, NAC Chair * Reminded the attendees that the two days of meetings would be open to the public and that the media was present * Noted that a portion of the April 16th agenda had been reserved for public comment * Thanked the Council for their work and departing members for their service * Reviewed the agenda for the meeting’s first day The Stafford Act Subcommittee Report - Nancy Dragani, Subcommittee Chair * Discussion Points o The Subcommittee’s area of focus was statutory issues and language changes to the Stafford Act o Reviewed and bucketed fifty-six issue papers, which included recommendations collected last year from various stakeholder organizations o They separated statutory from regulatory and policy issues then divided them into seven areas. Within those seven areas, twenty-three issue papers were tabled and thirty-three issues papers were left for further review. The issue papers were reviewed and assigned different topical areas: * Seven focused on public assistance statutory changes * Four focused on individual assistance * One focused on catastrophic * Nine focused on the private sector (infrastructure, healthcare, etc.) * One and a half focused on Tribal Governments * Six focused on mitigation * Four and a half were miscellaneous * Next Steps o Work through each issue area and develop problem statements/areas for consideration, utilizing templates used for regulatory and policy recommendations o Seek comments from other NAC Subcommittees on input on a aforementioned issue area prior to the next teleconference, tentatively scheduled for the 3rd week of May o Remarks- Nancy Ward, FEMA Acting Administrator * Thanked the NAC for inviting her to speak * Identified the present period as one of both continuity and change. Continuity: FEMA is in its 30th year. Change: a new dialogue on FEMA’s perception around the country and with its stakeholders * FEMA policy is now developed in a public forum, which is better for the agency, stakeholders and the public * No changes will be made to the NAC membership until the new Administrator is confirmed * FEMA accepted all NAC recommendations pertaining to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) * A national dialogue on housing after a disaster still needs to occur * Two national dialogues need to occur and are priorities for 2009: the strategy for recovery following a national-level event and the Public Assistance program * FEMA needs to have better tribal resources and be much more proactive in assisting tribes * Identified further work that needs to be done on the National Disaster Housing Strategy, including populating the National Disaster Housing Task Force * Identified logistics, training and recovery as major areas for improvement Special Needs Subcommittee Report - Irene Collins, Subcommittee Chair * Discussion Points o The subcommittee discussed the new positions of Regional Disability Coordinators. The NAC will be able to provide suggestions for FEMA’s consideration in the development of the job description o Revisions suggested by the subcommittee have been made by FEMA staff to the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG 301): Emergency Management Planning for Special Needs Populations. The revised CPG 301 will be released soon * Next Steps o The Subcommittee will look at how FEMA can showcase its best practices o The Subcommittee will hold a teleconference to discuss the FEMA Handbook on Accommodating People with Disabilities and Special Needs in a Disaster o Subcommittee will provide input into the job descriptions of the Regional Disabilities Coordinator positions for FEMA’s consideration National Response Framework (NRF) Subcommittee Report - Cathey Eide, Subcommittee Chair * Discussion Points o Reviewed the March 3rd response letter relating to the NAC’s NRF recommendations o The subcommittee received updates on the following * The status of the NRF Partner Guides * The work plan for the revision process of the NRF * The National Level Exercise (NLE) 2011 (New Madrid) to determine if the NLE’s demonstrate implementation of the NRF * FEMA Leadership should provide the NAC with the implementation plan for the commitments agreed upon in FEMA's March 3rd letter * Need a more collaborative role for the NAC with FEMA in the development process of the NRF Partner Guides * NAC should have a role in the National Level Exercises, beginning with the 2011 Exercise * Next steps o Hold a teleconference meeting in May to provide comments to a work plan for revisions to the NRF o Subcommittee members will provide suggestions for information that should be in the NRF Partner Guide o Develop a tool that supports the analysis for the use of the NRF from the local/state level Briefing on National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) Training - Don Grant, Director, Incident Management Systems Integration (IMSI) and Kevin Molloy, Program Manager, Emergency Management Institute * Discussion Points o FEMA spends several million dollars on training and, as of April 5, 2009, some ten million people engaged in some form of emergency management training o National NIMS/NRF Training programs include the following goals * Support education and training for all stakeholder emergency management/response personnel * Adapt the functions capabilities defined in the NIMS into guidelines and training courses that help stakeholders develop personnel training and credentialing plans that yield the desired capabilities * Define the minimum personnel qualifications required for service on complex multi-jurisdictional incidents nationwide o The National Preparedness Directorate (NPD) National Integration Center (NIC) is responsible for defining NIMS/NRF training and developing training standards and guidance to implement the NIMS o The audiences for such training are primarily stakeholders directly involved in the planning, budgeting and execution of NIMS and, secondarily, stakeholders who require NIMS training o NIMS and Incident Command System (ICS) are separate systems; knowledge of the ICS is not NIMS-compliance o Revisions are being made to the current Five-Year Plan for training objectives, budgets and schedules as part of the NIMS strategic objectives NIMS Subcommittee Report Out - Russell Decker, Subcommittee Chair * Discussion Points o The Subcommittee reviewed the newly revised NIMS document dated December 2008 and appreciates that NAC input was were incorporated into it o The Subcommittee suggests replacing the term “ NIMS compliance” to “NIMS goals” or “NIMS good faith efforts” or “resolution” and/or other terms o NIMS Requirements should be flexible - cookie cutter approaches are not applicable to different communities o Tools needed from FEMA: * NIMS Crosswalk with Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) * Lessons learned – there needs to be one depository/website where anyone can share or obtain emergency management information – suggested that this idea is a good project for Emergency Management Institute o Encouraged FEMA to work with the NIMS Subcommittee at all stages of the NIMS development process. FEMA should establish a work plan and timeline to enable FEMA and NAC to understand where both bodies are in the review process so that they can communicate with respective organizations Briefing on Mitigation Issues - Michael Buckley, Acting Assistant Administrator, Mitigation Directorate; Doug Bellomo, Director, Risk Analysis Division, Mitigation Directorate; Deborah Ingram, Director, Risk Reduction Division, Mitigation Directorate o FEMA has performed studies which show that for every dollar spent on mitigation, there is a return of four dollars of reduced damages in the future o The annualized savings in losses prevented by the grant programs is $2.5 billion o The Mitigation Directorate identified three main mitigation components * Risk Analysis * Risk Reduction * Risk Insurance o There are 5.5 million flood policies nationwide insuring over a trillion dollars in property and revenues on the order of $3 billion a year in premiums o The primary hazard identified by the Risk Analysis Division is flooding o Once risks are identified, the Division then assesses those risks with tools. Then they work with state and local governments to plan to mitigate those hazards o A one billion dollar update to the national flood maps is almost complete o The maps are accessed approximately 30 to 40 million times annually o Once information is gathered, the Division can conduct a Risk MAP (MAP is an acronym for Mapping, Analysis Planning): The program contains five goals: * Address gaps * Ensure that an increase in public awareness results in measurable reduction of vulnerability * Lead communities to engage in mitigation planning * Provide an enhanced digital platform for information management and communication * Align risk analysis programs to enhance decision-making capabilities o The Risk Reduction Division identifies three major vehicles by which FEMA works to mitigate risks * The Floodplain Management Program * The Building Sciences Program * Five grant programs o o New flood mapping is undertaken on a multilayered approach, following priorities set at the national, state and local levels Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Working Group Report - Joseph Bruno, Working Group Chair o On August 14, 2008, Chief Endrikat, the National US&R Task Force Representative made a presentation to the NAC. He contended the following * US&R program wanted more direct contact with FEMA * Continue strong partnerships with FEMA, sponsoring agencies, other federal agencies * Assistance in regularizing funding streams and budget to enhance planning efforts * Enduring relationship with the NAC to ensure these reforms were effectuated o On October 24, 2008 the NAC US&R Working Group was formed with a very similar agenda: * Discuss senior level leadership and coordination between sponsoring agency chiefs and FEMA * Assess the communication between the sponsoring agency chiefs and their partners * Consider the ability to regularize funding streams * Foster development of the relationship between the National US&R System and State US&R Alliance * Ensure continuing relationship between the National US&R and the NAC * Recommendations for discussion and Council decision o Recommendation 1: * Create a US&R strategic group, membership will include: FEMA Program Office representative, three sponsoring agency chiefs, National Task Force Leader representative, three Task Force Leaders and US&R Operations Work Group Chair o Recommendation 2: * Establish regular meetings between the Strategic Group, the ESF-9 Partners and DOD o Recommendation 3: * FEMA continue to send US&R representatives to State US&R Alliance Conferences o Recommendation 4: * Sponsoring agencies are encouraged to independently continue legislative efforts o Recommendation 5: * The NAC US&R Work Group provide oversight of the formation and initial operations of the strategic group o All five recommendations carried unanimously The meeting recessed at 3:55 p.m. Day Two Summary - April 16, 2009 The National Advisory Council (NAC) reconvened at 8:30 a.m. (EDT) on April 16, 2009 at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington, D.C. NAC Members Present: Kem Bennett, Chair Robert Gougelet, Vice Chair David Barron Ann Beauchesne Joseph Becker Michael Brown Joseph Bruno Stephen Cassidy Christina Catlett Irene Collins Robert Connors John Didion Cathey Eide Lee Feldman Joanne Hayes-White John Hines Kurt Krumperman John Lancaster Suzanne Mencer Kenneth Miller Kenneth Murphy James Paturas J.R. Thomas (Alternate to Mark Shriver, Save the Children) Susanne Torriente FEMA Staff in Attendance: Bob Shea, Associate Deputy Administrator Alyson Price, Designated Federal Official Breese Eddy, Alternate Designated Federal Official Phillip May, Regional Administrator, Region IV Jason McNamara, Chief of Staff Ken Watman, Director, Preparedness Policy, Planning & Analysis Josh Dozor, Branch Chief, Preparedness Policy, Planning & Analysis Rafaela Monchek, Acting Deputy Director, National Housing Task Force Meeting: The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. by Alyson Price, Designated Federal Official Remarks - Kem Bennett, NAC Chair * Thanked Nancy Ward and all other presenters from the previous day for their information and work Remarks - Michael Brown, Mayor of Grand Forks, North Dakota * Invited NAC Members to Grand Forks for the next NAC meeting * NAC Members will have a chance to review the town’s recovery from 1997 floods * Grand Forks is a resource to the rest of the region in fighting floods Regional Advisory Council Update by Phillip May, Regional Administrator, Region IV, FEMA * The Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC) advises the RA with an emphasis on operational disaster response, particularly Emergency Support Functions * Regions I and VI are focusing on shelter resources and lessons learned * Regions III, V and VII are focusing on integrating the private sector in preparedness activities * Region IV is focusing on naming Interoperable Channels for Emergency/Incident Response for States/local emergency management and their response forces * Region VIII is supporting the RISC Executive Committee in accomplishing priority work through RISC subcommittees (Catastrophic Planning, Critical Infrastructure, Citizen Preparedness, Public Information and Tribal Liaison) * Region IX is focusing on issues of emergency management within 140 Indian tribes * Region X is focusing on community preparedness in the current economic climate Post-Disaster Housing Subcommittee Report - Joe Becker, Subcommittee Chair * Discussion Points o Most challenges for FEMA relate to post-disaster recovery, with housing (shelter, transitional, long-term) being a major area of consideration o Over the course of their last several meetings, the Subcommittee has focused on monitoring the standing-up and implementation of the National Disaster Housing Joint Task Force o Update received regarding the FEMA Disaster Housing Task Force * Increased emphasis on housing partner and stakeholder buy-in o Input provided by invited US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials o Subcommittee provided informal feedback regarding the National Disaster Housing Strategy Annexes o Through the implementation plan, the Subcommittee is looking to obtain from FEMA: * Menu of Options, Table of Contents, regional solutions o Housing Issues: * State-led Joint Housing Task Forces - degree of success varied. FEMA is tracking best practices, needs to better explain processes to states so that personnel can be better prepared for their role. FEMA asks that NAC actively encourage States to participate in the task forces * Need to be accommodating in regulation and policy, strive for consistency, best practices, better planning and being more deliberate * Next Steps o Implementation Plan - final plan due to Congress by July 16, 2009; Subcommittee requests review prior to public comment period o The Housing Subcommittee will continue to monitor the progress of the Task Force o FEMA requests feedback on triggers that could initiate the Disaster Housing Assistance Program in a disaster * Recommendations for discussion and Council decision o Recommendation 1 * The NAC recommends to FEMA that it provide the NAC and its subcommittees pertinent documents for review at the earliest possible time and prior to any public comment period. This will allow the NAC sufficient time to fully review and consider the documents, resulting in the most valuable input and guidance to FEMA o Recommendation 2 * The Council recommends that the FEMA Administrator review legislation and support current or future legislation that gives HUD the authority and funding for their disaster housing mission consistent with the National Response Framework o Both recommendations carried unanimously Remarks - Jason McNamara, FEMA Chief of Staff * Discussion Points o Craig Fugate’s vision focuses on partnerships, building teams, working together, finding solutions and focusing on achievements o The goals of Secretary Napolitano are to unify and mature the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and her main principles are * Preparedness for response to and recovery from disasters * Implementing smart and tough enforcement strategies * Securing the borders * Executing the counter-terrorism roles and responsibilities of the Department o The Administration is working to make FEMA leadership appointments o The private sector has a crucial role in day-to-day activities of FEMA and other emergency management agencies in terms of fulfilling missions. It also has a role in terms of immediate response and then recovery Briefing on the Target Capabilities List (TCL) and Comprehensive Assessment System by Ken Watman, Director, Preparedness Policy, Planning and Analysis and Josh Dozor, Branch Chief, Preparedness Policy, Planning and Analysis * Discussion Points - Ken Watman o Comprehensive Assessment System (CAS) refers to the capability under development to collect, analyze and report on preparedness data of all kinds using a common warehouse o There are three elements of the comprehensive assessment system: collection of information, measurement or analysis of information and reporting of that information o To better collect statewide and nationwide data, both State Preparedness Response (SPR) and NIMS surveys will be provided through PrepCast portal - this will make the surveys more user friendly * Council Discussion and Formation of the NAC TCL Working Group o The Working Group will review the TCL draft capabilities and report back to the NAC in the next meeting. The members include * Jim Paturas (Chair) * Cathey Eide * Lee Feldman * Kenneth Murphy * John Didion * Suzanne Mencer * Discussion Points –Josh Dozor o Requests the NAC review the four current Capability guides prior to the next NAC meeting: Multi-Agency Coordination, On-Site Incident Command, Mass Transit Protection and WMD/Hazardous Material Rescue o TCL was envisioned to help synchronize preparedness measures across the federal government o TCL is guidance to agencies and its goals are meant to coordinate or synchronize how the preparedness activities perform o Each Capability can be identified in three charts: classes (risk factors), performance objectives and resource elements Public Private Partnerships Subcommittee Report - Ann Beauchesne, Subcommittee Chair * Discussion Points o Update from FEMA Staff * Training for Private Sector Disaster Reservist * Review of FEMA’s Private Sector inquires during the past Hurricane Season o Briefing on Private Sector involvement in National Level Exercise (NLE) 2009 o Introduction to Office of the Director of National Intelligence o Introductory briefing on DHS Private Sector Office (PSO) o Review of FEMA’s April 2nd response letter addressing the Subcommittee’s previous recommendations * Next Steps o Review and provide feedback on FEMA’s private sector needs and wants list o Provide suggestions to DHS PSO on the business liaison program o Upon availability, review the NRF Private Sector Partner Guide o Consider recommending additional language for grant guidance to encourage public-private partnership o Continue to review and revise Subcommittee recommendations Ms. Price noted that there were no members of the public who wished to make statements Miracle on the Hudson Presentation- Joseph Bruno * Discussion Points o US Air Flight 1549 was called a “miracle” by New York City Mayor Bloomberg on January 15, 2009 o The plane lost both engines at about 4,000 feet; the pilot decided to attempt to return to La Guardia Airport, then realized it would be necessary to attempt a water landing on the Hudson River o Described the details of the passengers’ rescue from the wings while the plane floated and the efforts made in recovering the aircraft, which submerged after the rescue was completed o Incident Commanders were the New York City Police, Fire Departments and an investigation was led by the National Transportation Safety Board o Situation was successful due to the ditch switch - allowing the plane to stay in the air, location - the plane went down adjacent to ferry boat docks enabling fourteen ferries to arrive quickly, and a very effective response by New York and New Jersey first responders The meeting adjourned at 12:56 p.m. I hereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge, the foregoing minutes are accurate and complete. ________________________________________________ G. Kemble Bennett Chairman National Advisory Council 1