NationalResponseFrameworkSecondEditionMay2013NationalResponseFrameworkExecutiveSummaryTheNationalResponseFrameworkisaguidetohowtheNationrespondstoalltypesofdisastersandemergencies.Itisbuiltonscalable,flexible,andadaptableconceptsidentifiedintheNationalIncidentManagementSystemtoalignkeyrolesandresponsibilitiesacrosstheNation.ThisFrameworkdescribesspecificauthoritiesandbestpracticesformanagingincidentsthatrangefromtheseriousbutpurelylocaltolarge-scaleterroristattacksorcatastrophicnaturaldisasters.TheNationalResponseFrameworkdescribestheprinciples,rolesandresponsibilities,andcoordinatingstructuresfordeliveringthecorecapabilitiesrequiredtorespondtoanincidentandfurtherdescribeshowresponseeffortsintegratewiththoseoftheothermissionareas.ThisFrameworkisalwaysineffect,andelementscanbeimplementedatanytime.Thestructures,roles,andresponsibilitiesdescribedinthisFrameworkcanbepartiallyorfullyimplementedinthecontextofathreatorhazard,inanticipationofasignificantevent,orinresponsetoanincident.SelectiveimplementationofNationalResponseFrameworkstructuresandproceduresallowsforascaledresponse,deliveryofthespecificresourcesandcapabilities,andalevelofcoordinationappropriatetoeachincident.TheResponsemissionareafocusesonensuringthattheNationisabletorespondeffectivelytoalltypesofincidentsthatrangefromthosethatareadequatelyhandledwithlocalassetstothoseofcatastrophicproportionthatrequiremarshalingthecapabilitiesoftheentireNation.TheobjectivesoftheResponsemissionareadefinethecapabilitiesnecessarytosavelives,protectpropertyandtheenvironment,meetbasichumanneeds,stabilizetheincident,restorebasicservicesandcommunityfunctionality,andestablishasafeandsecureenvironmentmovingtowardthetransitiontorecovery.1TheResponsemissionareaincludes14corecapabilities:planning,publicinformationandwarning,operationalcoordination,criticaltransportation,environmentalresponse/healthandsafety,fatalitymanagementservices,infrastructuresystems,masscareservices,masssearchandrescueoperations,on-scenesecurityandprotection,operationalcommunications,publicandprivateservicesandresources,publichealthandmedicalservices,andsituationalassessment.Theprioritiesofresponsearetosavelives,protectpropertyandtheenvironment,stabilizetheincidentandprovideforbasichumanneeds.ThefollowingprinciplesestablishfundamentaldoctrinefortheResponsemissionarea:engagedpartnership,tieredresponse,scalable,flexible,andadaptableoperationalcapabilities,unityofeffortthroughunifiedcommand,andreadinesstoact.Scalable,flexible,andadaptablecoordinatingstructuresareessentialinaligningthekeyrolesandresponsibilitiestodelivertheResponsemissionarea’scorecapabilities.Theflexibilityofsuchstructureshelpsensurethatcommunitiesacrossthecountrycanorganizeresponseeffortstoaddressavarietyofrisksbasedontheiruniqueneeds,capabilities,demographics,governingstructures,andnon-traditionalpartners.ThisFrameworkisnotbasedonaone-size-fits-allorganizationalconstruct,butinsteadacknowledgestheconceptoftieredresponsewhichemphasizesthatresponsetoincidentsshouldbehandledatthelowestjurisdictionallevelcapableofhandlingthemission.InimplementingtheNationalResponseFrameworktobuildnationalpreparedness,partnersareencouragedtodevelopasharedunderstandingofbroad-levelstrategicimplicationsastheymakecriticaldecisionsinbuildingfuturecapacityandcapability.Thewholecommunityshouldbe1AswithallactivitiesinsupportoftheNationalPreparednessGoal,activitiestakenundertheresponsemissionmustbeconsistentwithallpertinentstatutesandpolicies,particularlythoseinvolvingprivacyandcivilandhumanrights,suchastheAmericanswithDisabilitiesActof1990,RehabilitationActof1973,andCivilRightsActof1964.iNationalResponseFrameworkengagedinexaminingandimplementingthestrategyanddoctrinecontainedinthisFramework,consideringbothcurrentandfuturerequirementsintheprocess.iiNationalResponseFrameworkTableofContentsIntroduction...................................................................................................................1FrameworkPurposeandOrganization.................................................................................1EvolutionoftheFramework...................................................................................................3RelationshiptoNIMS..............................................................................................................3IntendedAudience...................................................................................................................4Scope.............................................................................................................................4GuidingPrinciples...................................................................................................................5RiskBasis..................................................................................................................................7RolesandResponsibilities...........................................................................................7Individuals,Families,andHouseholds..........................