9370.1-VW
Disaster Facilities
Overview
Federal Emergency Management Agency
November 2000
FEMA has developed four levels of operational guidance for use by emergency teams
and other personnel involved in conducting or supporting disaster operations. This
document corresponds to the level highlighted in bold italics.
Level 1 Overview A brief concept summary of a disaster-related
function, team, or capability.
Level 2 SOP or A complete reference document, detailing the
Operations procedures for performing a single function
Manual (Standard Operating Procedure), or a number of
interdependent functions (Ops Manual).
Level 3 Field Operations A durable pocket or desk guide, containing
Guide (FOG) or essential nuts-and-bolts information needed to
Handbook perform specific assignments or functions.
Level 4 Job Aid A checklist or other aid for job performance or job
training.
This document is consistent with and supports the Federal Response Plan (FRP) for
implementation of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 5121, et seq.
The most current copy of this document, including any change pages, is available
through the FEMA Intranet in the NEMIS Reference Library (http://nemis.fema.gov),
under Response and Recovery/Policies and Guidance, Disaster Operations Guidance.
Questions, comments, and suggested improvements related to this document are
encouraged. Inquiries, information, and requests for additional copies should be directed in
writing to FEMA, Response and Recovery Directorate, Operations and Planning Division,
Emergency Services Branch, 500 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20472.
_____________________________
Lacy E. Suiter
Executive Associate Director
Response and Recovery Directorate
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INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
No two disasters or emergencies are alike, but most incidents require the establishment
and use of specialized facilities to support response and recovery efforts. These
facilities typically provide a location where organizations can marshal their resources,
manage information, coordinate teams of emergency personnel, and systematically
provide support to disaster operations.
Each of these facilities serves a specific purpose in disaster operations. Some types of
facilities are adapted from common military operational concepts, or from the Incident
Command System (ICS), the system of facilities created by the fire-fighting community
to support operations in fighting wildland fires. Other types of facilities are unique to the
disaster response framework typically employed by local, State, and Federal
emergency management organizations, and were first established to meet specific
needs identified over the course of several disasters or emergencies. The one
common trait shared by all of these facilities is that each is designed and established to
fulfill a particular set of missions in the broader context of disaster operations.
Most local, State, and Federal emergency management personnel and voluntary
agency (VOLAG) representatives tend to operate from one primary facility during a
disaster, usually because their emergency function principally is performed or delivered
at that location. These personnel may have some involvement in other disaster-related
facilities due to their movement to, through, and from the disaster-affected area, or due
to their function’s requirement to interact with staff at other facilities to accomplish their
work. Thus many disaster personnel primarily are familiar with one or some, but not all,
of the facilities that may be established for a particular incident.
It is useful, however, for all personnel to have a basic understanding of the missions
and characteristics of all types of facilities that are employed in disasters and
emergencies. The purpose of this Overview is to provide a brief summary of the
complete range of facilities that would be utilized in a large-scale disaster, as well as a
brief description of each facility’s basic mission, functions, location, and composition.
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS
Disaster operations require the employment of three general types of resources:
Assistance programs and capabilities;
Organizations or teams of personnel to deliver assistance; and
Facilities where these organizations or teams can operate.
Funds, equipment, supplies, services, and information are obtained, managed, stored,
used, or distributed by these organizations or teams at these operating facilities to
accomplish assigned missions and deliver emergency assistance.
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Disaster-related operating facilities are organized around or focused on the
accomplishment of specific disaster-related missions. In general, these facilities can be
described as relating to one of the following mission categories:
Logistical support – Facilities where equipment, supplies, services, and funds are
managed and made ready for use in support of an incident.
Employee services – Facilities where the personnel needs of emergency responders
are addressed. Some of the missions accomplished at these facilities include
deployment management, in-processing, billeting, payroll services, hiring, training,
counseling assistance, and out-processing.
Emergency coordination – Facilities where emergency personnel work to assess the
situation, identify requirements, commit resources, and direct operations in response to
an incident. An aspect of these missions is the tactical direction of emergency teams
to, through, and from the disaster-affected area.
Assistance delivery – Facilities where emergency personnel interact directly with
individuals or applicants in need to provide aid in the form of food, water, shelter,
emergency first aid, household goods, volunteer services, eligibility information,
assistance in filing applications, or completion of assistance projects.
By design, disaster-related facilities are structured and located so they can best fulfill
their functions and accomplish their missions. Some facilities are established
specifically for accomplishing missions in a particular incident, and one of their key
requirements is that they be located geographically near the area where emergency
assistance is actually delivered. These field facilities are usually established
temporarily in or around the disaster-affected area. Other facilities can provide support
and fulfill their missions regardless of their proximity to a particular incident. These
facilities tend to be in centralized, permanent locations, where their structures, staffs,
and equipment can be more easily supported, and where their resources can be made
available to widely separated incidents.
In general, disaster-related facilities can be described as belonging to one of the
following structure/location types:
Permanent facilities – Facilities permanently established and staffed, normally not in the
affected area, which on a daily basis provide support services for emergency
management organizations. Permanent facilities are located throughout the nation (see
Figure 1) and are focused on providing ongoing, continuing support in the areas of
information processing, financial management, situation monitoring and reporting, and
logistics management. On a daily basis, personnel at these facilities perform work in
their functional areas. When specific disasters or emergencies occur, staff members at
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DENVER, CO BOSTON, MA
-- Region VII Office -- Region I Office
-- MERS Detachment -- MERS Detachment
(Maynard, MA)
BOTHELL, WA
-- Region X Office
-- MERS Detachment CHICAGO, IL NYC, NY
-- Region V Office -- Region II Office
PHILADELPHIA, PA
-- Region III Office
WASHINGTON, DC
-- Headquarters Office
-- National Interagency
EOC (NIEOC)
-- National Processing
SAN FRANCISCO, CA Service Center
-- Region IX Office KANSAS CITY, MO (Hyattsville, MD)
-- Territory Logistics Center -- Region VII Office ATLANTA, GA
West (Moffett Field CA) -- Region IV Office MT. WEATHER, VA
DENTON, TX -- MERS Detachment -- FEMA Operations Center
-- Region VI Office (Thomasville, GA) -- Disaster Finance Center
GUAM -- MERS Detachment -- Territory Logistics -- National Processing
-- Warehouse -- National Processing Center - East Service Center
Service Center (Ft. Gillem, GA) -- Disaster Info. Systems
Clearinghouse
FORT WORTH, TX
HONOLULU, HI -- Territory Logistics SAN JUAN, PR
-- Pacific Area Office Center-Central -- Caribbean Area Office
FIGURE 1: FEMA Permanent Facilities
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permanent facilities allocate a portion of their workload toward providing support to
response and recovery efforts for that specific incident. Examples of permanent
facilities include governmental offices, State and Federal emergency operations centers
(EOCs), dispatch centers, Territory Logistics Centers (TLCs), the Disaster Finance
Center (DFC), and the National Processing Service Centers (NPSCs).
Tactical facilities – Facilities or operating locations in and around the affected area
which are employed primarily by first responders or specialized emergency teams
involved in incident response or incident management. Tactical facilities are focused
on providing temporary operating locations where emergency-response personnel can
assemble, check equipment, establish communications, conduct situation
assessments, coordinate and support tactical resources, and manage on-site response
operations. A tactical facility may be a physical structure like a building, warehouse, or
hangar. In some cases, though, it may simply be a designated geographic location
where personnel temporarily assemble, communicate, or receive support. Examples of
tactical facilities include the Assembly Point (AP), Point of Departure (POD), Point of
Arrival (POA), Staging Area, Incident Command Post (ICP), and Base of Operations
(also called an Incident Base). Figure 2 demonstrates the manner in which incident
and tactical facilities might be distributed throughout a disaster area.
Base Support Installation
Local Emergency Operations Center
Incident Command Post
Mobilization Center
Staging Area
Distribution Center
Temporary Warehouse
San Francisco
Disaster Field Office
Base of Operations
-Joint Information Center
-In-Processing Center
-Employment Center
Point of Arrival -Donations Coordination Center
-Donations Phone Bank
Point of Departure
Disaster Recovery Centers
Assembly Point
Shelters, Feeding Sites
VOLAG Service Centers
FIGURE 2: Major Incident and Tactical Facilities
Tactical Facilities Incident Facilities
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Incident facilities – Facilities established on a standby or temporary basis in and around
the affected area to coordinate and support relief efforts for a specific incident. Incident
facilities are focused on providing sites from which emergency personnel can provide
operational management and coordination, applicant assistance program delivery and
support, responder employee services, and logistical support for an incident. Typically
these facilities are not occupied on a permanent basis; they may be available on a
standby basis for use, or they may be leased or otherwise secured just for the duration
of the incident. Incident facilities include local EOCs, shelters and feeding sites,
VOLAG service centers, mobilization centers, warehouses, distribution centers, Base
Support Installation (BSI), Donations Coordination Center, Donations Phone Bank,
Disaster Field Office (DFO), Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), Joint Information
Center (JIC), In-Processing Center, and Employment Center (See Figure 2).
Not all of these facilities are used in every incident. The requirements of a smaller-
scale disaster or emergency may dictate the use of only a few of these facilities to
support operations. Disasters and emergencies of moderate complexity may require
the additional activation or use of other facilities, while the support needs of a
catastrophic disaster may require the full range of facilities and operating locations
described in this document. As with decisions regarding the appropriate types of
disaster assistance and types of emergency teams to utilize, the types of disaster-
related facilities employed in a specific incident are determined primarily by the nature,
scope, severity, and conditions of the disaster or emergency.
Even if they are activated or established, not all of these facilities are used at the same
time during the course of an incident. Some facilities play a significant role in the early
stages of incident response, and then downsize or deactivate when their mission is
fulfilled and their support role is no longer needed. Other facilities may be established
later in the lifecycle of an incident, to provide long-term support. By their nature,
permanent facilities are active before, during, and after any incident – but their
resources likely will be allocated only during a specified timeframe in an incident’s
lifecycle, after which they are reallocated to provide support to other incidents. Some
facilities evolve during the course of an incident – remaining active, but adjusting their
size, functions, or staffs to accommodate the changing needs of the incident.
CAPABILITY DESCRIPTION
The following paragraphs provide a brief description of each facility that may be
established or used to support disaster operations. Figure 3 explains how these
various facilities combine to effectively support Federal response and recovery efforts:
from the assembly of personnel from FEMA and other federal agencies (OFAs) at the
Assembly Point, travel from the Point of Departure to the Point of Arrival, dispersal to
various tactical and incident facilities in the affected area, and finally movement into
direct response and recovery functions at the incident site. In addition, Figure 4
provides a summary of the key capabilities, characteristics, and requirements of all of
the facilities described in the section.
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Other FEMA Facilities: Individuals and
-- DFC FEMA HQ Teams OFA HQs
-- TLCs
-- NPSCs
-- FOC & MOCs
AP
-- Donation phone bank FEMA OFA
Region POD Region
Affected State
POA ERT
-A
Tactical State
Base Support Teams offices
Installation
T
State
ER
EOC
Mobilization
Center Go ERT ERT-A
o ds
Affected Area
Warehouses
Tactical Staging
ods
ERT
Teams Area(s)
Go
Interim
Distribution DFO
Base Centers DFO
ICP
Can include:
Incident Site
DRCs -- Joint Information Center
-- Donations Coordination Center
-- In-Processing Center
Shelters Feeding Sites -- Employment Center
-- DFO Annex
Service Centers -- Satellite DFOs
FIGURE 3: Relationships of Key Disaster Facilities
Permanent Facilities
Local, State, and Federal government offices typically are the duty stations
where many emergency management personnel work on a daily basis when
not deployed for an incident. Relevant to disaster operations, these offices
fulfill significant functions in the areas of readiness, operations oversight, and
employee services.
Emergency Operations Centers are facilities, sometimes staffed 24 hours a
day, where personnel monitor conditions in their areas of responsibility,
gather information on developing or potential incidents, issue reports to
support decision making, and notify personnel for specific incidents.
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Dispatch centers are usually staffed 24 hours a day at the local level, and are
responsible for dispatching appropriate emergency services personnel and
other initial responders to an incident.
Territory Logistics Centers provide FEMA logistics support through a centrally
coordinated disaster supply and warehouse system. FEMA operates three
TLCs, located at Fort Gillem, Georgia; Fort Worth Naval Air Station, Texas;
and Moffett Field, California.
The National Processing Service Centers perform a range of functions
related to application processing, verification, and close-out. Key among
these functions is teleregistration – contact with disaster-affected individuals
via telephone for the purpose of identifying needs, determining eligibility for
assistance, and completing an application for assistance. The NPSCs also
schedule inspectors to verify damage, and manage assistance records
associated with an incident. FEMA operates three NPSCs, located in
Denton, Texas; Hyattsville, Maryland; and Mt. Weather, Virginia.
The Disaster Finance Center, located at Mt. Weather, Virginia, provides
centralized financial management, check issuance, and bill processing
services for disasters.
Tactical Facilities
An Assembly Point is a designated location for responders to meet, organize,
and prepare their equipment prior to moving to the Point of Departure. Since
emergency teams, organizations, and resources involved in a disaster or
emergency can originate from a variety of geographic locations, each typically
has its own Assembly Point.
A Point of Departure is the designated location from which emergency
personnel and resources are transported to the disaster area. As is the case
with Assembly Points, each emergency team, organization, or resource has
its own Point of Departure. The Assembly Point and Point of Departure may
be the same location.
A Point of Arrival is a designated location within or near the disaster-affected
area where staff, supplies, and equipment arrive via transport. Upon arrival,
personnel and other resources are dispatched to a staging area, a
mobilization center, the DFO, or directly to the incident site.
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FACILITY MISSION CATEGORIES
LOGISTICAL EMPLOYEE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
SUPPORT SERVICES COORDINATION DELIVERY
Territory Logistics Centers Local government offices State operations centers National Processing Service Centers
(TLCs)
Disaster Finance Center (DFC) State government offices Other Federal agency operations
PERMANENT centers
FACILITIES FEMA Region offices FEMA Operations Center
FEMA Headquarters FEMA MERS Operations Centers
offices
Other federal agency Dispatch centers
offices
Base Support Installation (BSI) In-Processing Center Local Emergency Operations Shelters
Centers
Mobilization centers Employment Center State Emergency Operations Feeding sites
Centers
INCIDENT Warehouses FEMA Regional Operations Voluntary agency service centers
FACILITIES Center
Distribution centers FEMA National Interagency Donations phone bank
Emergency Operations Center
Interim Disaster Field Office Disaster Recovery Center
Disaster Field Office, and Annex Reconstruction Information Center
Satellite Disaster Field Office
Joint Information Center
Donations Coordination Center
Staging areas Base of Operations (BoO), Assembly Point
or Incident Base
Point of Departure
TACTICAL
FACILITIES Point of Arrival
Incident Command Post
= Federally managed facility = Non-Federally managed facility (State, local, or VOLAG) = Jointly managed facility (Federal and State)
FIGURE 4: Types and Mission Categories of Key Disaster Facilities
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A Staging Area is an interim location where personnel, supplies, and
equipment can be positioned, ready for use in on-site operations. The
primary function of a Staging Area is to provide a holding area near – but not
at – the incident site, so resources can be marshaled without placing them at
risk or adding to the operational complexities at the incident site. Additional
functions accomplished at a Staging Area include checking in team members;
providing information, equipment, and supplies; and providing workspace for
interim operations, if necessary.
An Incident Command Post is the location from which on-site operations are
directed. This facility is typically the operating location for the Incident
Commander. It also is the facility where centralized communications and
planning functions are performed. The Incident Command Post may be
collocated with the Base of Operations or Incident Base.
A Base of Operations (also referred to as an Incident Base) provides support
functions for a team involved in on-site operations. It is a command and
control center established by each of the tactical teams operating in the
affected area. Functions include providing communications and logistics
support; receiving and issuing supplies for teams; and providing billeting,
feeding, and other employee services, if necessary. Typically a separate
Base of Operations is set up and staffed by each type of tactical team on-site,
such as Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces or Disaster Medical
Assistance Teams. A Base of Operations is established within two or three
days of the disaster declaration, and it remains in operation as long as a
tactical team is involved in on-site operations. Typically, a Base of
Operations is located near the Incident Command Post.
Incident Facilities
An Interim Disaster Field Office may be used by an Emergency Response
Team as a temporary work site in the early stages of an incident when the
team cannot operate at the State EOC due to space limitations or other
reasons, and the DFO is not yet established. An interim DFO is generally
established one to six days after the disaster declaration date, and is located
near the State EOC. The Interim DFO remains in operation until the DFO is
ready for occupancy. Functions accomplished at the interim DFO include
interaction with State representatives and key Emergency Support Function
agencies; collection and assessment of information; and initiation of
assistance programs.
The Disaster Field Office is typically operational within three to seven days
after a disaster declaration, and remains in place until a Federal field
presence is no longer needed (30-60 days). The DFO provides a facility for
the coordination of Federal assistance in the field. The DFO is managed by
the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO), houses the Emergency Response
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Team, and, when possible, the State Coordinating Officer and support staff.
In large cities, a DFO location can be pre-selected (e.g., available space in a
government building or vacant commercial site).
A Disaster Field Office Annex, if necessary, is established at the same time
as the DFO. The Annex supports one or more DFO functions that cannot be
accommodated at the DFO, due to space constraints or other reasons.
One or more Satellite DFOs may be established in addition to the primary
DFO, to coordinate response and recovery operations separated across a
wide geographic area. Typically a Deputy FCO leads the staff at the Satellite
DFO.
A Base Support Installation is a military post or facility in or near the affected
area which the Department of Defense designates to fulfill military support
requests within the disaster area. Requests for DoD assistance are
channeled through the Defense Coordinating Officer and his/her support
element, the Defense Coordinating Element, which are represented on the
Emergency Response Team.
Disaster Recovery Centers are usually established within three to seven days
of the disaster declaration to provide information to disaster-affected
individuals regarding State, Federal, and volunteer assistance programs.
Multiple DRCs may be opened, as appropriate to the severity or size of the
incident. There are three phases of DRC functions. Phase 1 provides an
early presence for information on Federal/State programs (within three to
seven days). Phase 2 provides post-application assistance and information
(seven days to two months). Phase 3 provides assistance on longer-term
issues. DRCs remain in place until no longer needed. Typically each DRC is
managed jointly by a FEMA and a State DRC Manager.
An In-Processing Center is established after the disaster declaration date to
confirm assignments and provide support to Federal disaster responders. It
remains in operation for as long as necessary. Functions of the In-
Processing Center include badging, registration, lodging, transportation,
orientation, briefing status, and uniform/equipment issue.
A Mobilization Center is a centralized facility for receiving and distributing
incoming equipment and supplies for both disaster victims and responders. A
mobilization center can serve as both an incident facility and a tactical facility.
It serves specific logistical (incident) functions, including receiving,
documenting, and temporary warehousing of equipment when required; and
issuing disaster equipment and supplies. It also acts as a support center for
responding tactical teams (accommodating team personnel, including food
and lodging). A mobilization center is located at or near the Base Support
Installation, is established about two days before or after the disaster
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declaration, and remains in operation until Federal response resources are
no longer needed.
One or more Distribution Centers are established within a few days of the
disaster declaration. The primary function of a Distribution Center is to
provide a site to distribute food, water, household supplies, and other
emergency goods to individuals and families affected by the disaster.
Typically the local jurisdictions establish and manage Distribution Centers in
their area, with assistance from the State and from local volunteer
organizations. Distribution Centers typically operate until the usual
commercial sources in their community are able to reopen.
Employment Centers are established within five to seven days of the disaster
declaration to hire local employees for the DFO and DRC staffs. Functions
include interviewing and processing of local hires.
Reconstruction Information Centers are established within four weeks of the
disaster declaration date and remain in place for as long as a year.
Reconstruction Information Centers make available specific reconstruction
guidance from experts on building codes and mitigation practices.
Satellite Offices are established by various Federal agencies to provide a
presence regarding specific disaster-related programs or assistance. For
example, the Small Business Administration may create a satellite office to
administer its Physical Disaster Loans program. Agencies who may establish
satellite offices include the Department of Agriculture, the Economic
Development Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services,
and the Department of Labor.
Temporary Warehouses may be established by volunteer organizations or
Federal agencies within three days of a disaster declaration, and provide
temporary storage of resources prior to distribution to disaster-affected areas.
Functions include receiving, storing, processing, and issuing equipment and
supplies. Warehouses remain in place until no longer needed.
CONCLUSION
Disaster facilities are an essential aspect of Federal disaster operations. These
facilities vary in their location, mission, and other characteristics, but each facility fulfills
an important role in delivering or supporting Federal assistance in disasters. Some
types of facilities are permanently staffed and operating, while others are only
established and occupied for specific incidents. Some facilities are not “facilities” at all,
but rather designated locations where tactical teams can convene during their
deployment to a disaster area. It is important for disaster responders to be familiar with
the missions, characteristics, and relationships of these field facilities, to ensure the
types of support they offer are fully and effectively used during disasters.
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