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Index to Disaster Response Staff Officer's Handbook

Newsletter 11-07
December 2010

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Appendix P - Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers

Emergency preparedness liaison officer (EPLO) is a generic term referring collectively to service and other Department of Defense (DOD) agency personnel who coordinate military assistance to other federal agencies and state governments.

These positions are established to:

• Coordinate resources as required, typically through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mission assignment process.
• Maintain effective communication between the DOD components, DOD, and other state and/or federal governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
• Promote mutual understanding among various organizations tasked with providing and coordinating emergency support functions in civil emergency situations.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert on service-specific capabilities, limitations, and legal authorities.

Regional Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer

Regional EPLOs (REPLOs) are reservists assigned to the FEMA regions with the same areas of responsibility as their respective defense coordinating officers (DCOs). They may backfill for DCOs who have been deployed. REPLOs direct their efforts toward planning and coordinating defense support to civil authorities (DSCA) activities. They serve as subject matter experts for the regions and their respective services and are highly trained in request for assistance and mission assignment development.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) plans to assign one senior reserve officer (O-5) billet at each FEMA region. During nondisaster periods, USCG EPLOs fall under the command and control of the USCG district that encompasses the FEMA region. Upon activation, the USCG EPLO typically reports either to the FEMA regional response coordination center or the joint field office for the declared disaster.

State Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer

At the state level, state EPLOs (SEPLOs) can perform duties in state emergency operations centers (EOCs). SEPLOs are the subject matter experts in their states; they serve as DOD liaisons for DSCA to state and federal agencies and maintain situational awareness within the state. Their purpose is to build relationships on a daily basis.

EPLOs are also referred to as NEPLOs (Navy), AFEPLOs (Air Force), or MEPLOs (Marine Corps). Regardless of title, their functions and responsibilities to their DCOs are the same as described above.

REGION	STATE	POSITION	PHONE
I	CT	Liaison Officer	(781) 928-0160
I	MA	Liaison Officer	(978) 796-3784
I	ME	Liaison Officer	(207) 992-4042
I	NH	Liaison Officer	(603) 885-5667
I	RI	Liaison Officer	(207) 892-1314
I		Chief REPLO	(781) 266-9317
I		Assistant REPLO	(617) 626-8032
II	NJ	Liaison Officer	(646) 996-8137
II	NY	Liaison Officer	(215) 697-6046
II	NY	Assistant Liaison Officer	(315) 952-8408
II	PR	Liaison Officer	(787) 707-4172
II	VI	Liaison Officer	(787) 977-5820
II		Assistant REPLO	(732) 532-9660
III	DC	Liaison Officer	(610) 834-3467
III	DE	Liaison Officer	(610) 591-6882
III	MD	Liaison Officer	(215) 345-2665
III	PA	Liaison Officer	(717) 214-6658
III	VA	Liaison Officer	(757) 688-1649
III	VA	Assistant Liaison Officer
III	WV	Liaison Officer
III		Chief REPLO	(703) 235-2894
III		Assistant REPLO	(215) 656-6693
IV	AL	Liaison Officer	(251) 460-7891
IV	AL	Assistant Liaison Officer	(334) 687-1986
IV	FL	Liaison Officer
IV	FL	Assistant Liaison Officer	(210) 569-2448
IV	GA	Liaison Officer	(404) 886-5342
IV	GA	Assistant Liaison Officer
IV	KY	Liaison Officer	(502) 454-2948
IV	MS	Liaison Officer	(901) 224-5434
IV	MS	Assistant Liaison Officer	(601) 214-3504
IV	NC	Liaison Officer	(919) 456-3902
IV	SC	Liaison Officer	(864) 597-4351
IV	TN	Liaison Officer	(865) 986-1300
IV		Chief REPLO	(404) 353-0806
IV		Assistant REPLO	(404) 464-4301
REGION	STATE	POSITION	PHONE
V	IL	Liaison Officer	(616) 229-1465
V	IN	Liaison Officer	(502) 458-4147
V	IN	Assistant Liaison Officer	(317) 510-7279
V	MI	Liaison Officer	(312) 408-5342
V	MN	Liaison Officer
V	OH	Liaison Officer	(513) 569-4682
V	WI	Liaison Officer	(312) 408-5331
V		Chief REPLO	(952) 294-5908
V		Assistant REPLO	(612) 713-3995
VI	AR	Liaison Officer	(501) 604-1943
VI	LA	Liaison Officer	(501) 771-7805
VI	LA	Assistant Liaison Officer	(337) 531-9869
VI	NM	Liaison Officer	(915) 521-7433
VI	NM	Liaison Officer	(706) 394-3153
VI	OK	Liaison Officer
VI	TX	Liaison Officer	(210) 221-0437
VI	TX	Assistant Liaison Officer	(210) 225-5254
VI		Chief REPLO	(903) 963-5600
VII	IA	Liaison Officer	(515) 993-6925
VII	KS	Liaison Officer	(620) 778-3075
VII	MO	Liaison Officer	(318) 485-3128
VII		Liaison Officer	(816) 283-7066
VII		Chief REPLO	(913) 651-3300
VII		Assistant REPLO	(816) 340-4341
VIII	CO	Liaison Officer	(303) 739-7421
VIII	MT	Liaison Officer	(406) 522-6272
VIII	ND	Liaison Officer	(701) 740-3168
VIII	SD	Liaison Officer	(605) 353-8500
VIII	UT	Liaison Officer
VIII	WY	Liaison Officer
VIII		Chief REPLO	(303) 862-2067
IX	AZ	Liaison Officer	(520) 378-2511
IX	Northern CA	Liaison Officer	(916) 795-9177
IX	Southern CA	Liaison Officer	(562) 795-2162
IX	Southern CA	Assistant Liaison Officer	(562) 795-2289
IX		Chief REPLO	(916) 704-1001
IX		Assistant REPLO	(916) 322-6905
X	ID	Liaison Officer
X	OR	Liaison Officer
X	WA	Assistant Liaison Officer	(206) 389-6011
X		Chief REPLO	(509) 372-6260

Table P-1. Title 10 REPLOs and SEPLOs

USCG EPLOs, not being Title 10 forces in most instances, have statutorily different authorities and capabilities that differ significantly from the DOD services and the National Guard (when under Title 10 or Title 32).

EPLOs do not perform the traditional roles of selected reserve (SELRES) members at a unit. EPLOs provide close coordination with their respective district EPLO coordinators and are assigned to foster the exchange of information, promote cooperation and communication, and coordinate the planning and implementation of USCG contingency plans with federal (especially Department of Homeland Security organizations), state, and local emergency preparedness partners. EPLOs will maintain a close relationship with assigned FEMA regions. When a joint field office team is deployed the EPLO is able to serve as a USCG point of contact assigned to the FEMA region. The EPLO can introduce the team to appropriate officials and get it established.

FEMA regions and USCG districts do not coincide geographically (Figure P-1). The structure is managed as follows:

• USCG EPLOs are assigned to each district.
• A SELRES commander (05) is assigned as the EPLO for each of FEMA's 10 regional offices.
• Districts 1 and 8 have a SELRES (06) assigned as district EPLO coordinator because more than one FEMA regional office exists within each of those district boundaries.
• The district EPLO coordinator has responsibilities for Districts 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, and 17 and may be assigned to an active duty member of the district planning division (DX) or district response division (DR); this is not intended to be a full-time equivalent position.
• The FEMA region EPLO reports directly to the district EPLO coordinator in a "direct reporting" relationship. The district EPLO coordinator works for the DX or DR division, depending upon the district commander's preference.

Details concerning USCG EPLOs can be found in Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer (EPLO) Roles and Responsibilities Guidebook, (CG-5334), USCG Office of Disaster and Continuity Operations, December 2009.