Emergency Support Functions and The Salvation Army
The Federal government has mandated that all levels of government adopt
the National Incident Management System, (NIMS). Within NIMS, a
key concept is Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). The list below
is the federal list. Note, however, that some local agencies have
divided some ESFs into multiple parts, or added their own ESFs.
The ESFs are more likely to be used in the Emergency Operations Center,
rather than in the field at the Incident Command headquarters.
ESF 1: Transportation
Providing civilian and military transportation
ESF 2: Communications
Providing telecommunications support
ESF 3: Public Works and Engineering
Restoring essential public services and facilities
ESF 4: Firefighting
Detecting and suppressing wildland, rural, and urban fires
The Salvation Army often feeds
firefighters and other disaster workers.
ESF 5: Information and Planning
Collecting, analyzing, and disseminating critical information to
facilitate the overall response and recovery operations
ESF 6: Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services
Managing and coordinating food, shelter, and first aid for victims;
providing bulk distribution of relief supplies; operating a system to
assist family reunification
Note: In many cases, the
majority of the Salvation Army's work would be catagorized as ESF 6,
such as feeding survivors, counseling, pastoral care, financial
assistance, etc. Most of the Red Cross's work would also
be included in ESF 6, including shelters.
ESF 7: Resource Support
Providing equipment, materials, supplies, and personnel during
response operations
ESF 8: Health and Medical Services
Providing assistance for public health and medical care needs
ESF 9: Urban Search and Rescue
Locating, extricating, and providing initial medical treatment to
victims trapped in collapsed structures
ESF 10: Oil and Hazardous Materials
Supporting response to actual or potential releases of oil and
hazardous materials
ESF 11: Agriculture and Natural Resources
Nutrition assistance, food safety, natural, cultural, and historic
resources.
The Salvation Army may help with this
ESF, especially with feeding
ESF 12: Energy
Restoring power systems and fuel supplies
ESF 13: Public Safety and Security
Police, traffic, crowd control
The Salvation Army often feeds police
offficers and other emergency workers.
ESF 14: Long term community recovery
Social and economic mitigation
The Salvation Army sometimes provides
economic assistance to survivors.
ESF 15: External Affairs
Public information, government liaison