Sunday, April 24, 2011

PPD-8:PKEMRA and 6 U.S. Code

Now that PPD-8 is established as Policy it is a good opportunity to go back and look at the law and what has been required for the past 5 years since 2006.

Title 6 U.S. Code Domestic Security, Chapter 2 National Emergency Management, Part A, National Preparedness System, Sections 741-754 [heretofore referred to as PKEMRA] did an excellent job of outlining the requirements for National Preparedness.

It would be worth examining the progress thus far, given that we are coming up on the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 and the 6 year anniversary of Katrina.

Since following the law would be a good place to start, it will be interesting to see where we have come in 5 years.

6 U.S. Code was so comprehensive that I always felt that it would take 7-10 years to fully implement in the spirit and intent of the law.

Section 749 requires the development of a Comprehensive Assessment System and Section 752 outlines Reporting Requirements. The reports for Federal Preparedness and State Preparedness are required annually since October 2007.

The first report required by PPD-8 may be fairly easy if the annual reports have been done as required.

If not this will be a good first step forward.

Thanks for checking in.

Dennis R. Schrader

http://www.drs-international.com/

Saturday, April 16, 2011

PPD-8 and Post Katrina Act of 2006 (PKEMRA)

Now that the new Preparedness Policy Directive (PPD-8) is in place, it would be useful to test what elements of the PPD-8 are codified in PKEMRA.

The PPD directs that it should be implemented consistent with PKEMRA, so it probably makes sense to examine what is already in law.

For example, PKEMRA Sections 643 and 644 defines The National Preparedness Goal and the 8 components of the National Preparedness System.

(1) Target capabilities and preparedness priorities.
(2) Equipment and training standards.
(3) Training and exercises.
(4) Comprehensive assessment system.
(5) Remedial action management program.
(6) Federal response capability inventory.
(7) Reporting requirements.
(8) Federal preparedness.
 
The time lines in the PPD are very ambitious, but since PKEMRA has been in place, it is a safe assumption that the core requirements are already in place. 
 
The good news is that the reporting requirements and basic components have been in process for four years and are more than likely well under way.
 
It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
 
More to come as we examine the comparison going forward.
 
Thanks for checking in.
 
Dennis R. Schrader
http://www.drs-international.com/
 

Sunday, April 10, 2011

FEMA Strategic Plan 2011-2014 and PPD-8

Last month I wrote about the compelling vision painted by FEMA's Administrator. I was wondering how the vision would be implemented to sustain this bold vision through the ebb and flow of major events and changes in Administration.

I was delighted to see that the vision had been carefully documented in the updated FEMA strategy 60 days ago in February 2011. The strategy outlines 4 major initiatives. The first two cover the keystones of Whole of Community and Maximum of Maximums. The second two outline the ideas of deploying Regional Threat and Hazard Identification Assessments (THIRA) and the Organizational Development activities that will transform the culture and human resources to execute the vision throughout the national enterprise.

The strategy clearly supports the QHSR and the legal requirements laid out in the Post Katrina Act 2006.

Even better news this week is that the updated Presidential Directive on National Preparedness (PPD-8) fundamentally embraces the Post Katrina Act, adds Resilience as a priority, and builds on the work of the past decade to continue to mature the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Enterprise. It also directly addresses the desire to empower the private sector and NGO's as resources in the enterprise.

I recommend watching Brian Kamoie's presentation at the Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) program this past Friday, April 8th.
http://www.gwumc.edu/hspi/events/PPD8_national_preparedness302.cfm

More to come as we analyze the implications of these developments, but it certainly is cause for optimism.

Thanks for checking in,

Dennis R. Schrader

http://www.drs-international.com/

Sunday, April 3, 2011

National Capital Region (NCR) Flashback - 2003


I was reflecting on how time flies. If you recognize everyone in this picture, you've been around awhile.

It was at an NCR UASI event in 2003 to reaffirm the 8 commitments that the NCR jurisdictions had made to collaboration in 2001.

Thanks for checking in,

Dennis R. Schrader

http://www.drs-international.com/