Incident of National Significance Essay Example for Free

Incident of National Significance Essay Whenever an event of disastrous impact threatens any place in the country, various emergency responses from different government units are mobilized. The National Response Plan (NRP) was designed so that the way in which these kind of events are addressed are done effectively and in an organized manner. As an extensive response plan, it also provides ample support mechanisms that would aid in preventing further damage and facilitate recovery. The NRP is applicable to all real and possible â€Å"Incidents of National Significance. † These incidents, according to the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-5), are those situations which have potentially deep and far-reaching effects that necessitate a â€Å"coordinated and effective response† from these resources. All calamitous situations under the Stafford Act are considered Incidents of National Significance. Aside from this, the NRP could be utilized for any event that requires federal intervention. The aforementioned criteria also distinguish Incidents of National Significance from other events being handled by other agencies or are under a different response program. These criteria are qualitative in nature, and it usually applies when division authorities are overwhelmed with a particular situation. For example when the state, local, or tribal authorities need more resources or could not cope with the existing demand in services, they would request assistance from the   Department of Homeland Security. This is also applicable whenever an incident concerns a number of federal agencies or departments. In addition, the countrys President can request this program anytime when it is deemed necessary. Discuss the term, â€Å"ESF† as described in the National Response Plan. In your discussion, be sure to address the basic composition of each ESF. The Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) is a system of coordinating and facilitating response whenever situations of Federal authority arise. It defines the â€Å"mission, policies, concepts of operation, and responsibilities of primary and support agencies† participating in the execution of the National Response Plan (NRP). Basically, the ESF defines the responsibilities and roles of these Federal agencies and   departments. It can be activated due to Incidents of National Significance and other similar situations under the Stafford Act. However, it is possible that these Incidents of National Significance, can already be addressed by other Federal agencies and may not necessarily require the aid of ESFs. The current ESF design framework includes â€Å" economic stabilization, community recovery, and mitigation. â€Å"   It provides the staffing and necessary resources for emergency situations. The NRP includes 12 core ESFs,   each of which is comprised of primary and support agencies. Thes e agencies have their own scopes and obligations. The ESFs come from different management areas that includes emergency management, police and law enforcement, public works, fire, rescue, and medical and health services. Each ESF is assigned support agencies depending on their capabilities and resources in a particular field or area. Though each ESF provide these services based on their given scope or responsibility, they are also expected to assist other ESFs in accomplishing their goals. How does the ESF relate to an â€Å"Incident of National Significance? † Incidents of National Significance are those situations which have potentially deep and far-reaching effects that necessitate a â€Å"coordinated and effective response† from â€Å"Federal, State, local, tribal, private-sector, and nongovernmental entities. † Each day there are situations that require special and emergency response from the authorities. When a local jurisdiction feel that Federal Intervention is needed because of insufficient resources or if a greater expertise is required to address a certain event, they will call on help from the National Response plan (NRP). This is done in order to â€Å"save lives, minimize damage, and provide the basis for long-term community recovery and mitigation activities. † The NRP uses a functional approach to define the roles that each ESF plays in response to emergency situations, each agency or department being assigned to an ESF based on their capabilities or the services they are able to provide whenever this emergency happens. It takes into account those practices that each department does best. The appropriate assignment of services and responsibilities to any situation, such as those Incidents of National Significance, is crucial so that different agencies can work together effectively, whether they are local or Federal agencies. This ensures that the communications between them are facilitated accordingly and that they can effectively help each other when the time arises.