• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

APPENDIX B

DEFINITIONS

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD (ARNG)/AIR NATIONAL GUARD (ANG). National Guard Forces, not in active federal service, remain under control of the state governor and are included in the local resources available to civil authorities. Federally owned National Guard equipment may accompany a unit when ordered by a governor to assist civil agencies in domestic emergencies.

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS (USACE). A Department of the Army organization with statute responsibilities for limited public works and emergency response. Division and district engineers provide direct assistance to civil authorities in flood fighting, flood rescue work and the repair or restoration of flood control works as authorized by Public Law 84-99. To mitigate results of disasters, direct coordination on disaster matters is exercised by the division and district engineer offices with CONUS Army Headquarters and with FEMA regional offices.

DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY (DCA). Provides for general purpose and pertinent allocated circuits of the Defense Communications System.

DEFENSE COORDINATING ELEMENT (DCE). The DCE is organized to provide support staff for the Defense Coordinating Officer in the disaster area.

DEFENSE COORDINATING OFFICER (DCO). The DCO function is supported by the DOD. The DCO is provided by DOD to serve in the field as the point of contact to the Federal Coordinating Officer and the ESFs regarding requests for military assistance. The DCO and staff coordinate support and provide liaison to the ESFs.

EMERGENCY. Any occasion or instance for which, in the determination of the President, federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States.

EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS (ESF). To facilitate the provision of federal assistance, the Federal Response Plan uses a functional approach to group the types of federal assistance which a state is most likely to need under twelve Emergency Support Functions.

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA). FEMA is the federal department responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating federal assistance to major disasters and emergencies.

FEDERAL RESPONSE PLAN (FRP). This plan is designed to address the consequences of any disaster or emergency situation in which there is a need for federal response assistance under the authorities of the Stafford Act.

POSSE COMITATUS ACT. This act prohibits the use of active duty Army and Air Force personnel from enforcing U.S. laws or directly assisting a civilian law enforcement agency. Direct assistance is further defined as: