Emergency Management Assistance Compact An Inside Look at EMAC Copyright © 2009 NEMA | All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved.Copyright © 2009 NEMA | All rights reserved. What is EMAC? EMAC is interstate mutual aid, enacted into law by Member States and the U. S. Congress, that legally establishes a national system to facilitate the sharing of state and local government publicly-owned resources across state lines during times of emergency or disaster as long as there is a State of Emergency declared by the governor of the affected EMAC Member State.

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands The 50 United States Guam District of Columbia Current EMAC Membership

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Where did the idea come from? Hurricane Andrew, 1992 Photo credits: NOAA/Dept. of Commerce Photo Library ( FEMA Photo Library (

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. How EMAC Has Evolved SREMAC becomes EMAC Ratified by U.S. Congress and signed into law SREMAC adopted by Southern Governors’ Association System used for the first time NEMA becomes EMAC administrator

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Governors deployed multidiscipline personnel* Largest EMAC mutual aid deployment in history As of Today *Before 2004, EMAC was used essentially to move emergency management and National Guard personnel. How EMAC Has Evolved EMAC used 214 times since ,021 personnel deployed through EMAC system since 2004

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Provides a responsive and straightforward mutual aid system for sharing resources Maximizes the use of all available Member State resources Establishes a firm legal foundation Deploys as part of a coordinated response through the state EMAs (resources do not self-deploy) Works in harmony with the National Response Framework Is the primary mutual aid resource provider when federal support is not warranted Serves a support role in engaging and maintaining response and recovery operations within a state, but does not assume direction or control of affected state’s emergency operations What EMAC Does

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Replace the need for federal support Permit the use of National Guard resources for military purposes Replace existing mutual aid agreements Hoard/stockpile/prioritize/ allocate resources Rely solely upon Federal Disaster Assistance Program funds to reimburse Assisting States for providing EMAC support EMAC Is Not Intended to …

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved.  EMAC legislation comprises thirteen Articles of Agreement  Legislation spans a variety of concerns, from EMAC’s purpose to Member States’ responsibilities to liability  To use EMAC legally, Member States must have enacted Articles exactly as written in the Compact EMAC’s Key Legal Provisions Articles of Agreement

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article I: Purpose and Authorities “The purpose….is to provide for mutual assistance … in managing any emergency disaster that is duly declared by the Governor of the affected state …” “…also provide for mutual cooperation in emergency- related exercises, testing, or other training activities…” “…. may include the use of the states’ National Guard forces …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article II: General Implementation “The prompt, full, and effective utilization of resources … shall be the underlying principle on which all articles of this compact shall be understood. …” “… the legally designated state official who is assigned responsibility for emergency management [state emergency management director] will be responsible for formulation of … plans and procedures …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article III: Roles & Responsibilities “… set … procedures for reimbursement or forgiveness …” “… the party states … shall:” “The provisions of this compact shall only apply to requests for assistance made by and to authorized representatives. …” [establishes role of “legally designated state official”] “If verbal, the request shall be confirmed in writing within thirty days of the verbal request. …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article IV: Limitations “… the state rendering aid may withhold resources to the extent necessary to provide reasonable protection for such state …” “These conditions may be activated … only subsequent to a declaration of a state emergency or disaster by the governor … or upon commencement of exercises or training for mutual aid …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Regarding assisting forces: Article IV: Limitations “Each party state shall afford to the emergency forces … the same powers, except that of arrest … as are afforded forces of the state in which they are performing emergency services. …” “Emergency forces will continue under the command and control of their regular leaders, but…. come under the operational control … of the state receiving assistance. …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article V: Licenses & Permits “Whenever any person holds a license, certificate, or other permit issued by any state … evidencing the meeting of qualifications … such person shall be deemed licensed, certified, or permitted by the state requesting assistance …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article VI: Liability “Officers or employees of a party state rendering aid … shall be considered agents of the requesting state for tort liability and immunity purposes. …” “No party state … rendering aid in another state … shall be liable on account of any act or omission in good faith … while so engaged …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article VIII: Compensation “Each party state shall provide … compensation and death benefits … in the same manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death were sustained within their own state. …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article IX: Reimbursement “Any party state rendering aid … shall be reimbursed … for any loss or damage to or expense incurred in the operation of any equipment and the provision of any service …”

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Article XIII: Additional Provisions “Nothing in this compact shall authorize or permit the use of military force by the National Guard …”

Copyright © 2010 NEMA | All rights reserved. EMAC Governance Structure

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. PRE-EVENT PREPARATION ACTIVATION REQUEST & OFFER REIMBURSEMENT RESPONSE Phase 1: Pre-Event Preparation Phase EMAC Resource Providers undertake actions necessary to develop and sustain capability

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. The Mission Ready Package

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. The MRP Worksheet

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. EMAC Training Courses Understanding EMAC (E-431) Course - bi-annually at EMI Understanding EMAC (eLearning Course on-line) Advance Team (A-Team) Training Course (NEMA Instructed) State & Resource Provider Guide to Implementing EMAC (G-Series - to be delivered by Member States)

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Available for viewing on-line: Mission Ready Packaging Public Information Officers Animal Protection Public Health & Medical Telecommunications Emergency Response Teams (TERT) Waste Water Association Response Team (WARN) Other Webinars under development. EMAC Webinar Training

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Phase 2: Activation Phase PRE-EVENT PREPARATION ACTIVATION REQUEST & OFFER REIMBURSEMENT Governor declares state of emergency or disaster RESPONSE (Photo source:

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Phase 3: Request & Offer Phase Resources are requested and offered through the state emergency management agencies using the Request for Assistance (REQ-A) Form.

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Phase 4: Response Phase Mobilization Stage: Personnel prepare to leave Assisting State and go to Requesting State to provide support PRE-EVENT PREPARATION ACTIVATION REQUEST & OFFER REIMBURSEMENT RESPONSE

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Phase 4: Response Phase PRE-EVENT PREPARATION ACTIVATION REQUEST & OFFER REIMBURSEMENT RESPONSE Deployment Stage: Perform mission or render services in Requesting State

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Response Phase: Demobilization Stage PRE-EVENT PREPARATION ACTIVATION REQUEST & OFFER REIMBURSEMENT RESPONSE Demobilization Stage: Mission or services c ompleted and deployed personnel prepare to return to Assisting State (home state)

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Phase 5: Reimbursement Process PRE-EVENT PREPARATION ACTIVATION REQUEST & OFFER REIMBURSEMENT Requesting State Assisting State Resource Providers Deployed Personnel RESPONSE

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Useful Links, Training, and Information Link: Training: Understanding EMAC – online at EMAC website Mission Ready webinar – online at EMAC website Waste Water Association Response Team (WARN) webinar – online at EMAC website

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Useful Links,Training, and Information Information on EMAC website:  Who Can Deploy Under EMAC  Deploying Under EMAC – Public Works tab  Templates for Mission Ready Packages

Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. Contact Information Carolyn Freitag EMAC Coordinator NC Division of Emergency Management

Emergency Management Assistance Compact Questions? Copyright © 2011 NEMA | All rights reserved. For more information visit