Early this morning Secretary Chertoff and I flew to Tennessee in response to the recent tornadoes that devastated communities across the region.

We are deeply saddened by the lives lost. Our prayers are with the friends and families of those who lost loved ones and with all those now rebuilding from these devastating storms.

Today, the Secretary and I are traveling with Governor Bredesen to assess the damage and tomorrow we'll begin the physical accounting of damage with our preliminary damage assessments. The big challenge is to get people back into their homes and back to work.

Our efforts are focused on partnering with the state and local officials and private groups to respond quickly and efficiently as a team. FEMA is leaning forward, and had people on the ground before the storms struck. Today, we have teams in place helping state and local officials to evaluate damage to these communities.

Many of the affected states are shifting their operations from the initial emergency response phase to damage assessment and recovery duties. There are still hundreds of people who will need shelter, basic relief supplies, and other support, and we have FEMA teams to assist the response on the ground. We have FEMA liaisons deployed to Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama in addition to the regional personnel already on site.

As we work together in a partnership to meet the needs of these communities, we remember that the first response always rests with the people in their communities. We stand ready to assist those on the ground as they respond to these horrible storms.

David Paulison
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Today Secretary Chertoff and I released a new National Response Framework to guide how our nation plans, prepares for, and responds to disasters and emergencies of all kinds and all sizes.

The National Response Framework builds on the previous National Response Plan. It is designed to give senior elected and appointed officials from federal, tribal, state, and local government, as well as members of the private sector, a clear, straightforward, easy-to-understand system for working together before, during, and after disasters. It can be used to manage everything from the smallest local incident to a major catastrophic event that impacts our entire nation.

The Framework was not written by Washington bureaucrats working in isolation. It reflects extensive coordination and input from state and local officials and emergency managers from across the country – the very people who will be using the plan. As such, the National Response Framework is not a federal plan; it is a national plan that will make sure everyone involved in the response effort is working from the same sheet of music.

The new Framework builds on a set of core principles

• It stresses the need for partnerships across government and the private sector.
• It emphasizes a “bottom up” approach that recognizes most incidents are managed locally and that all incidents should be handled at the lowest jurisdictional level.
• It is designed to be scalable so that it can be expanded or narrowed based on the scope and nature of the incident, and it is flexible and adaptable to different kinds of disasters.
• It recognizes that successful emergency preparedness and response depend on unity of command and a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities among all involved.
• It is always activated and encourages a forward leaning posture by emphasizing preparedness planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising and applying lessons learned. Planning ahead of the disaster is critical to a successful response, and the Framework encourages such coordination.

Today’s release of the National Response Framework marks the culmination of extensive outreach and coordination among the Department, FEMA, and literally thousands of people across the country involved in emergency management. We are grateful for the expertise that so many individuals lent to its creation, and we are pleased to present the Framework today to federal, state, local, and private sector partners and to the American people.

David Paulison
Federal Emergency Management Agency

The holiday season doesn’t slow our work at FEMA.

Even before I returned to the United States last week from a trip to meet with our international partners in Brussels (NATO) and Russia, I was working to coordinate FEMA’s response to the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides in Oregon and Washington. Then, right after I returned, the Midwest was hit by snow and ice storms.

I’ve been participating this week in our interagency calls on the storms and have talked with our people on the ground. It’s great to see the team working together, involving all federal and state partners. And the new technology we’re using to track the shipment of pre-positioned supplies is helping us “lean further forward.”

America has witnessed the wildfires raging in California this week, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims, evacuees, and responders who are working around the clock to gain control of this disaster. I want to take a brief moment to share a few comments with you from my experience on the ground.

Early Tuesday, FEMA Administrator Dave Paulison and I flew to Southern California to assess the situation and support the state and local officials managing the response effort. When we arrived we saw massive fires fueled by near-hurricane force winds engulfing thousands of acres of land and threatening property and lives.

What we also saw were heroic firefighters battling these infernos with exceptional bravery. We witnessed emergency managers efficiently directing relief supplies, personnel and evacuations. I want to personally thank all the men and women who have had a hand in fighting these fires and helping during this disaster. Many firefighters and response personnel work 18 to 20 hour shifts, rest a few hours, and then go back into the hot zones to relieve their colleagues. They are the true heroes of this story, and deserve the support and gratitude of everyone in southern California and throughout the country.

These wildfires have demanded an efficient, coordinated response from all levels of government, and have underscored the value of being prepared for emergencies. San Diego’s reverse 911 system is a great example, and the shelter situation at Qualcomm Stadium is a useful model for future disasters.

We were also impressed by the incredible spirit of volunteerism throughout the communities we visited. The massive volunteer effort, coupled with orderly and successful evacuations, are examples the entire country can learn from when preparing for and responding to emergencies of any kind.

Thankfully, Mother Nature is beginning to cooperate and reduced winds are allowing firefighters to get a better handle on these massive fires. We’re still not out of the woods, but as we begin to transition from response to long-term recovery, the people of southern California can rest assured that we will continue to support them as they rebuild their homes and businesses.

Thanks for reading.

Michael Chertoff

I’m writing this from the air as I make my way to southern California with Secretary Chertoff to take a closer look at the areas impacted by the wildfires. Later today, we’ll meet with the local officials on the ground that are fighting the fires and coordinating the emergency response to make sure they have everything they need to gain control of the situation. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about some of the steps the Administration is taking to support the emergency response effort.

Earlier today President Bush issued an emergency disaster declaration for California. FEMA began mobilizing resources on Sunday, and we are currently establishing a Joint Field Office in Pasadena. The Joint Field Office will coordinate federal, state, tribal, and local response to operations throughout the area.

FEMA has also established a staging area in southern California that will assist in mobilizing federal assets for emergency response operations. We have stood up our Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) which will function around the clock to support operations. The RRCC consists of federal agencies including the Department of Interior, Department of Transportation, United States Forest Service, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Heath and Human Services, and the DHS Infrastructure Protection Office.

The American Red Cross is also playing a crucial role in assisting our operations. Currently it has opened shelters in five counties throughout southern California. Numerous Red Cross assets have been mobilized and deployed to the affected areas.

My biggest concern is the safety of the firefighters, individuals and families of those impacted in the area. I want to stress how important it is for all individuals and families to have a plan in place in case of an emergency such as this. Whether it’s a hurricane, wildfire or terrorist attack, families need to be prepared. I encourage everyone to visit http://www.ready.gov/ and learn what you and your family can do to be prepared.

We’re fully committed to assisting state and local responders and officials on the ground, and will provide whatever assistance they need to control these dangerous wildfires.

Thank you.

R. David Paulison
FEMA Administrator