FEMA Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2008 – 2013 the Nation’S Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency
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FEMA Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2008 – 2013 The Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency FEMA P-422 / January 2008 Message from the Administrator I am pleased to present preparedness mission. It was clear that a new strategic the Federal Emergency plan would be needed to help develop the core Management Agency competencies required to address the all-hazard threats (FEMA) Strategic Plan. of the future and the expanded mission. Thus, in late This is a historically 2006 and again in the summer of 2007, our leadership significant time of team met to craft the implementation of a new vision transformation for for the agency that would forge an innovative and FEMA, and one of our dynamic FEMA—a New FEMA—that would regain the most important trust and confidence of the American people. challenges is to ensure that the course we have set Discussions with our partners and stakeholders led us will lead to a FEMA increasingly recognized by those to identify solid building blocks to achieve this vision: we serve as the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management strengthening the agency’s core competencies, building and Preparedness Agency. strong regions, enhancing current partnerships and creating new ones, investing in FEMA employees, FEMA and its partners successfully responded to more developing a business approach to achieving desired than 1,300 major disasters and emergencies across the results, and professionalizing the national emergency Nation since its inception in 1979. This decade has seen management system. a number of pivotal events that presented new challenges for the Nation’s all-hazard emergency Drawing strength from the tremendous challenges management system, including the September 11 and scrutiny in recent years, FEMA is stronger, terrorist attacks, a rapid succession of strong hurricanes better organized, and more capable of meeting its in 2004 that impacted Florida, and an unprecedented critical mission. But, we have more to do. This 2005 hurricane season that resulted in devastating Gulf Strategic Plan will guide our agency as we continue Coast impacts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The to demonstrate resilience, innovation, and future will likely present our Nation with equally outstanding service to the American public while challenging events, including technological incidents, being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. Join terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or extreme weather with me and every member of FEMA as we continue events spawned by global warming. FEMA and our to build the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and partners will lead the effort to ensure that our Nation is Preparedness Agency. better prepared and more capable to respond and recover effectively when such events occur. In October 2006, Congress passed the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, which redefined R. David Paulison a stronger FEMA that included a more robust Administrator i FEMA Strategic Plan ii FEMA Strategic Plan Summary of Major Plan Elements Vision The Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency Mission Reduce the loss of life and property and protect the Nation from all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, by leading and supporting the Nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation. Strategic Plan Goals Overarching Themes 1. Lead an integrated approach that strengthens • Clear and well-communicated doctrine the Nation’s ability to address disasters, • Customer-focused, field-based, and emergencies, and terrorist events results-oriented mission delivery 2. Deliver easily accessible and coordinated • Compassionate program and service delivery assistance for all programs to all populations 3. Provide reliable information at the right time • Strong leadership, teamwork, and for all users accountability at all levels 4. FEMA invests in people and people invest in • Professional workforce of motivated employees FEMA to ensure mission success who are empowered and equipped to act 5. Build public trust and confidence through • Strong partnerships that leverage capabilities performance and stewardship and capitalize on public-private efficiencies • Business approach to achieving desired results with a strong foundation in technology iii FEMA Strategic Plan iv FEMA Strategic Plan Table of Contents Message from the Administrator. i Summary of Major Plan Elements. iii Introduction. 1 Turning Vision into Reality. 3 Overarching Themes. 4 Cross-Cutting Goals and Objectives. 6 Goal 1: Integrated Approach to National Capabilities. 8 Goal 2: Assistance. 18 Goal 3: Information and Communication. 22 Goal 4: Workforce . 26 Goal 5: Organizational Culture. 30 Strategic Planning Approach and Development. 35 Major Influences. 35 Leadership Guidance and Staff Input. 36 Plan Implementation. 37 FEMA Component Strategic Plans. 37 Planning and Budget Cycle. 37 Measuring Results. 39 Road to the New FEMA. 41 Appendix A: Goals and Objectives . 42 Appendix B: FEMA Regional Offices. 44 Appendix C: FEMA Vision and Strategic Plan Integration. 47 Appendix D: Glossary. 48 v FEMA Strategic Plan vi FEMA Strategic Plan Introduction The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the federal agency responsible for leading the Nation’s efforts to prepare for, protect and mitigate against, respond to, and recover from the impacts of natural disasters and man-made incidents or terrorist events. FEMA’s formation in 1979 by a Presidential executive order directed the combination of federal programs that addressed emergency management for all types of incidents into a single agency. As part of the Department of Homeland Security missions, organizational structure, and internal systems (DHS), FEMA works closely with many partners to and procedures. In October 2006 and August 2007, the prevent or limit the impacts of major disasters and Administrator held agency-wide conferences with the emergencies on the Nation, now responding to an entire senior leadership to look forward and develop a average of approximately 60 disasters per year. For new vision and the core competencies to support it. example, FEMA has led successful responses to large disasters and incidents such as the Midwest floods FEMA’s vision is to transform the agency into the of 1993 and 1997, the September 11, 2001, terrorist Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness attacks, and the successive 2004 Florida hurricanes. Agency—the New FEMA. FEMA will rely on the However, the unprecedented 2005 hurricane season, following key building blocks to achieve this vision: which included hurricanes Katrina and Rita, demonstrated the need for nationwide changes for • Strengthening core competencies all of those involved with emergency management. • Building strong regions Furthermore, the October 2006 passage of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act • Enhancing current partnerships and creating (PKEMRA), part of the Fiscal Year 2007 Homeland new ones Security Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-295), redefined • Investing in its people FEMA, strengthened its roles, and included the integration of a robust national preparedness mission. • Developing a business approach to achieving desired results As a result of these events FEMA’s leadership began to • Professionalizing the national emergency chart a new vision and direction for the agency. FEMA management system. closely reviewed the lessons learned from the 2005 hurricane season and evaluated the agency’s core 1 FEMA Strategic Plan As the agency strives to become the Nation’s Preeminent build a Nation that is most prepared, and one that is Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency, FEMA will more capable, to respond and recover when disaster work with all of its partners, federal agencies, states, strikes. This Strategic Plan provides the framework territories, tribal nations, local governments, first for FEMA’s implementation of the vision and serves responders, business and industry, and individuals to as a strategic tool for FEMA to achieve its mission. The Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency Though created as the federal agency that leads and manages emergency management on behalf of the Nation, there are many organizations engaged in all phases of emergency management at the federal, state, and local levels. FEMA, in its leadership role, must set the standard for emergency management across the Nation and help build strong relationships among its partners. As a first step, we will foster a culture of preparedness by building combined and comprehensive national capabilities that better protect us all from the extraordinary natural and man-made threats that face our Nation. The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, passed by Congress and signed by the President in October 2006, sets forth a new expanded mission for FEMA. Our mandate is to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the Nation from all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, by leading and supporting the Nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation. Our challenge— and commitment—is to achieve our vision and fully execute this mission to create a safer and more secure America. 2 FEMA Strategic Plan Turning Vision into Reality “The American people don’t care about acronyms or organizational