1. The U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading
Given in Sofia,Bulgaria
for the Inter-Agency Cooperation in Crisis Management and Disaster Response Workshop,
17-18SEP 2013
POC: D. Chivers USAID OFDA Civ-Mil Coordinator for Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa
As Of JUL 22

2. Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
OFDA
TOPICS
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
USG Main actors in “Foreign Disaster Response” (DOD Term) [AKA FHA, HA/DR]
“Humanitarian Assistance” for all others
OFDA Basics
USG Response Process
USG Response Options
OFDA in EUCOM today
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading

3. Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
OFDA
Main Actors
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
STATE Department
US Policy and Diplomatic Guidance
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)
Focus is REFUGEES
USAID/ OFDA
Focus is INTERNALY DISPLACED
Response to Natural and Man Made disasters
Also works in Disaster Risk Reduction
Others (HHS, DOD, etc.)
Only when REQUESTED by LFA
Depends on UNIQUE capability of each
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading

4. Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
OFDA
USAID/OFDA Basics
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
OFDA Role within the USG
Lead Federal Agency (LFA) for International Disaster Response (Humanitarian Assistance)
Coordinator of USG Response in support of Host Nation, and in Coordination with the International Humanitarian Community and other Donors
Donor
Strategic, Operational and Expeditionary
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading

5. Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
OFDA
USAID/OFDA Basics
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Mandate / Mission
Save Lives, Alleviate Human Suffering, and Reduce the Economic and Social Impacts of a disaster
Authorities & Money
Since The Foreign Assistance Act
Congressionally Funded- “IDA” Account
Special Authorities to move and spend money quickly
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading

6. From Request to Response
OFDA
From Request to Response
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
USG
Host Nation
Request Assistance
US Ambassador in Capitol
Senior Leader at Federal Level
May be phone call or meeting only-
No need for public or formal announcement
Request Meets the
USG Criteria:
MDRO
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading
HN asks or is willing to accept
Beyond HN capacity
In USG Interest
USAID/ OFDA
(Region & DC)
Authorizes OFDA Response
Disaster Declaration Cable
POC:
As Of 24 JUN 13

7. Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Response Options
OFDA
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Coordinate the USG Response
Report the USG response
In support of HN
Work with UN, IOs and NGOs
Regional Advisor
Deploy OFDA Staff
Assessment Team
DART & RMT
Work in the Cluster
System
Practice Good
Donorship
Uphold Humanitarian Principles
UN Agencies
Fund Partners
$50k
Grants
Int’l Orgs (IOs)
Disaster Declaration Cable
NGOs
Yes
Miami, Italy, UAE, and Dobbins AFB
Commercial Air Most Common
Local Purchase often
good option
Can assist partners
OFDA Warehouses
Provide Commodities
Special Purchase
3rd Party
USPHS / CDC
Depends on specifics of the event
May or may not be Reimbursable
OFDA validates all actions by inter-agency partner
Employ USG Inter-Agency
BLM/ USFS
DOD
All Options are based on Rapid Humanitarian
Needs Assessment
USAR
Others

8. Response Options Staff / Field Teams / DART OFDA
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Staff / Field Teams / DART
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading
Field Monitoring: Philippines ’09
DART Field Team – Nicaragua ‘07
Typical DART DART Field Coordination
Task: Coordinating Response Logistics
POC: D. Chivers OFDA Advisor to EMCA and EUCOM
As Of 07 SEP 12

9. Response Options Emergency Relief Commodities OFDA
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Emergency Relief Commodities
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading
Water Treatment trailer
Plastic Sheeting for Shelter
Plastic Sheeting at airfield
OFDA Locally Purchased Hygiene Kits

10. International Organizations (IOs)
OFDA
Response Options
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Grants to Implementing Partners
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading
NGOs
Red Cross Movement
International Organizations (IOs)
The UN

11. OFDA and USAID/FFP (Food For Peace) : Haiti ‘10
Response Options
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Request Unique Capabilities from the USG Inter-Agency
Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading
OFDA and USAID/FFP (Food For Peace) : Haiti ‘10
USAR Teams : Haiti ‘10
Add USAR, CDC,
CDC: Philippines ‘09
DOD: Nicaragua ‘07
As Of 07 SEP 12

12. (with Optional DOD Support)
USG Foreign Disaster Response (FDR) Process
(with Optional DOD Support)
OFDA
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
USAID/OFDA
OFDA Wash DC
- Informs the Inter-Agency
- Manages the Process as
the Lead Federal Agency
- Begins Crisis Planning
OFDA Region
-Coordinates w/ the
Field & DC
-US EMB, USAID & non-
USG (UN, Donors, etc.)
COCOM
-Updates and Advises
the CDR and Staff
On-Scene
Does event meet USG Response Criteria?
HN Request
Beyond HN Capacity
In US interest
OFDA Response Options Employed
-Staff to Scene or DART
-Funding of Implementing
Partners- Grants $$
-Commodities
-Request Inter-Agency
Support if Needed
> Does DOD have
a needed Unique
Capability?
OFDA is LFA
OFDA Field Tm/ DART
Manages the On- Scene
USG Response
Validates, Vets, and
Prioritizes Mission
Requests to DOD
Disaster Declaration Cable
Yes
Input
COM Signs
Yes
USAID Mission
Executive Secretary Memo (Exec Sec)
MITAM
(Tactical Mission Requests to DOD)
ACTION
MDRO & OFDA Draft Cable
ACTION
US AMB/COM
USG Updates, Fact Sheets
Request Assistance
Main STATE
Inform . Advise
Humanitarian Emergency Begins
Host Nation
SECDEF Approves, then orders process to COCOM, who assigns a MILFOR / JTF if applicable
DOD in DC
- Raise Awareness /Alert
- Start planning if indications are
DOD may be requested
- Embed / Coordinate w/ OFDA in
DC if DOD support request is likely
Note: OFDA will inform DOD of all DDs
Response HQ/ JTF
-Staffs, Sources and
Executes Daily
MITAM missions
-Coordinates with
Users to Execute
-Re-Deploy as soon
as Unique Service
No Longer Needed
COCOM , Components & Select Units and Bases
- Raise Awareness / Alert
- Establish OPT for FDR- if it looks
like DOD may requested to
support COCOM will assist)
Note: Per DOD Directive , “... a military commander with assigned forces at or near the immediate scene of a foreign disaster (can take) prompt action to save human lives...”
Maintain Situational Awareness / Planning if Appropriate
Deploy
POC: D. Chivers,
FDR FCM NEO Process: 2013 SEP10

13. Always- Coordination Hand-Out to US Military Audience
Photo: Nicaragua 2007, N or Puerto Cabesas (Hurricane). Villagers off-loading
Working with Host Nation to Distribute Supplies
DART attends UN Cluster Meetings
DART coordinating with other donors, the UN and foreign militaries
Advising and Coordinating with Local Government Ministries and NGOs

14. Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
OFDA
In our area Now
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Syria Complex Emergency
DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) operating from Turkey and Jordan
Grants through Implementing Partners for work inside Syria (Health, Shelter, Medical, Nutrition, WASH, etc.)
Commodity shipments
Israel, the UN, PA , and Jordan Professional Dialogue
Remaining ready for responses in E. Europe and the Caucasus

15. USAID/OFDA Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance OFDA Resources
Key Civ-Mil Points
OFDA is the USG Lead Federal Agency (“Supported Unit”)
Disaster Response is counter-intuitive / Not like Fighting a War
“Do No Harm” is paramount
FHA System is PULL, not Push
Response is based on NEED (takes time)
DOD Capacity does not equal Need
Exec Sec Memo makes it official
Normally Not Reimbursable
MITAM is tactical Request for mission support
OFDA Mandate
Save Lives
Alleviate Human Suffering
Reduce the Economic and Social Impact of the Disaster
OFDA Response Options
People (Individuals. Regional Advisors or Teams /DART)
Money (Grants to UN, IOs, NGOs)
Stuff ( Emergency supplies)
OFDA ‘s Tasks during a Response
Lead the Inter-Agency Response within the beltway as well as in the field
Coordinate USG response actions on the ground to meet Humanitarian Needs
Coordinate with other responders such as the HN, UN, & NGOs
Resources
Your OFDA Contact is:
Mr. Dana D. Chivers
Need Info/SA? Go to
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
POC: D. Chivers OFDA Advisor to EMCA and EUCOM
As Of 11 SEP 12