Regardless of the disaster scenario, however, DOD should be prepared to provide its resources to support the lead federal agency. As an example, the US Army Chemical Corps is trained to deal with radiological and chemical disasters. The Secretary of the Army, as the DOD executive agent, coordinates with CJCS and the joint staff and issues an execute order, through DOMS, to the appropriate CINCs, services, and agencies.

Imminently serious conditions resulting from a disaster or domestic emergency may require immediate action by military commanders to save lives, prevent human suffering, or mitigate great property damage. When such conditions occur and time does not permit approval from higher headquarters, military commanders are authorized to respond to requests of civil authorities. All such necessary action is referred to as immediate response.

Immediate response is a short-term emergency supplement to government authorities. These actions do not supplant established DOD plans for providing support to civil authorities. Commanders may use immediate response authority to assist in the rescue, evacuation, and emergency treatment of casualties; in the restoration of emergency medical capabilities; and in the safeguarding of public health. Commanders may also elect to assist in the provision of essential public services and utilities. Commanders use their assessment of mission requirements and the capabilities of their commands to judge the extent of immediate assistance they choose to provide.

Immediate response by commanders does not take precedence over their primary mission. Commanders notify their senior commander and seek guidance for continuing assistance whenever DOD resources are committed under immediate response circumstances. Although immediate assistance is given with the understanding that its costs will be reimbursed, it should not be delayed or denied when the requester is unable to make a commitment to reimburse. When the President determines that federal assistance will be provided in response to a natural or man-made disaster, the military commander continues to provide immediate response assistance, adjusting his operations to conform with the tasks assigned by his higher headquarters and/or within the FRP.

DEFENSE COORDINATING OFFICER

The supported CINC appoints the DCO. The DCO serves as the central point of contact in the field to the FCO and ESF managers regarding requests for military support. The Commander, US Army Forces Command--as USACOM lead operational authority--usually tasks the continental United States Armies (CONUSAs) to conduct planning and coordination for disasters and domestic emergencies as well as to appoint DCOs following a disaster declaration. The DCO supervises the defense coordination element, a staff that can support both the administrative and ESF functional areas (1 through 12) for all coordination and decisions. At the discretion of the CINC, the DCO may assume control of all federal military units involved in the disaster.

STATE COORDINATING OFFICER

The state coordinating officer (SCO) represents the governor and is responsible for emergency management, disaster response, and recovery activities. The state coordinating officer is the primary point of contact for the FCO in facilitating disaster assistance.

The state area command (STARC) has developed disaster emergency plans in coordination with other state and local agencies. The STARC and DCO establish liaison so that local, state, and federal activities can be coordinated and managed effectively. The STARC can assist the federal forces with contracting support as well as logistical support from National Guard resources not otherwise committed.

JOINT TASK FORCE

The severity of the disaster may warrant the establishment of a JTF to provide comprehensive support. The DCO continues to serve as DOD's central point of contact for all requests for military support from the FCO and ESF managers. The DCO's expertise and constant liaison with the FCO, local officials, and other ESF managers become critical to the effective coordination and integration of the federal and state disaster assistance efforts. The CINC may designate the DCO as the CJTF. If the size of the JTF expands and the CINC designates another, more senior, officer as the CJTF, then the DCO becomes a special staff officer for the CJTF.

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS

Commanders can best prepare for disaster assistance operations by understanding the appropriate laws, policies, and directives that govern employing the military in domestic emergencies. The military does not stockpile resources intended solely for domestic disaster assistance. Also, special authorization must be granted to use military medical assets to treat civilians. In summary, disaster planning and coordination must occur between appropriate agencies at the appropriate level, such as between DOMS and FEMA, and between CINCs and regional federal agencies or states.

DISASTER RELIEF STAGES

Domestic disaster operations are normally conducted in three stages: response, recovery, and restoration. The role of the military is most intense in the response stage, decreasing steadily as the operation moves into the recovery and restoration stages.

Response operations focus on those life-sustaining functions required by the population in the disaster area. Immediate response is discussed previously in this chapter.

Recovery operations begin the process of returning the community infrastructure and services (both municipal and commercial) to a status that satisfies the needs of the population.

Restoration is a long-term process that returns the community to predisaster normalcy. While the military has an important role in the relief and recovery stages, restoration is primarily a civilian responsibility. Military forces will redeploy as operations transition from the response and/or recovery stage to the restoration stage.

ASSESSMENT

When a disaster is imminent or has occurred, the assessment of the potential or real damage and the anticipated military support requirements must precede the commitment of military resources. This ensures both the efficient use of limited deployment assets and that the resources/forces deployed are appropriate for the mission. This assessment responsibility is shared by federal, state, and local agencies and military services.

The earliest information requirements for the assessment process must include the impact on the population, available critical infrastructure facilities, and any serious environmental hazards. The status of the road/rail systems, airports, and ports must be determined. Identifying major fires, hazardous chemical spills, ruptured petroleum/natural gas pipelines, and downed electrical power lines, especially in populated areas, is a priority. Determining the status of local emergency services, police, firefighters, and health service providers is essential.

As the federal relief effort escalates, including the deployment/employment of federal military resources in the disaster area, critical relief facilities must be made operational and accessible. These facilities include municipal offices, hospitals, water treatment plants, sanitary waste disposal facilities, ice manufacturing and storage plants, electrical power stations and lines, and telecommunications nodes. Sites for the emergency shelter, feeding, and medical treatment of displaced civilians must be identified and prepared. These life support centers are required within the first few days after a disaster. Sites for the reception, storage, and distribution of supplies in the affected area must be identified.

Assessment is a fundamental task for providing effective disaster assistance. The assessment process requires the integration and analysis of information from many different sources. This process is not exclusively a DOD responsibility. It is first and foremost a local and state agency task. Federal agencies, including DOD, assist and cooperate in the information-gathering and assessment process.

Laws limit the types and ways military agencies can gather information in domestic situations. Commanders must ensure that all requests for information, both before and during a domestic emergency, comply with the applicable laws and are handled in the appropriate military channels.

TERMINATION

The military's role in disaster assistance must end as soon as practical. The objective of the federal disaster response effort is to assist the local community to return to a self-sustaining status. Consequently, the military should expect to be heavily committed during the response phase of the operation. The military's involvement decreases progressively during the recovery phase. As a principle, the military does not compete with civilian commercial enterprises. As commercial enterprises become more available in the community, the military's provision of support and services must diminish.

Disaster assistance operations require the establishment of end states or conditions to be achieved in determining the completion of disaster assistance missions. Conditions must be definable and attainable.

End states must be developed from the highest (national) perspective down to the lowest county and municipal levels. They provide a road map that all government and nongovernment agencies involved in disaster assistance can follow. The affected local population must know when military operations will terminate or transition to local supporting organizations. Mission success is tied directly to the military's ability to accomplish specific end state objectives.

In conjunction with federal, state, and local officials, commanders at all levels must understand the desired community objectives or goals, which affect the termination standards for the military's involvement, as well as other federal agencies. The return to normalcy requires a progressive downsizing of the military's role.

Military commanders establish termination standards in coordination with the FCO and state and local authorities. Standards must be clearly stated and understood by all. Standards can usually be expressed in terms of percentage of predisaster capability by specific function; for example, 70 percent of electrical power restored. In an operation such as disaster support, redeployment of forces becomes a sensitive issue since it may create misperceptions and anxiety in the population with respect to needed sustained support and the ability of local government and contractors to handle the support as federal forces are redeployed.

The criteria for mission success and completion must be defined, articulated, and disseminated as soon as possible. Civil authorities and military personnel must know when the operation has reached completion and when DOD assets will be withdrawn. Mission success should be directly proportional to the military's ability to accomplish specific milestones. Planners need to identify these milestones in their functional areas and use them to reduce further military support requirements. All parties must understand that even though the mission may not be fully complete from the civilian authorities' perspective, DOD support may have to be replaced by civilian assets and local support organizations to continue the restoration mission.