[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 24 (Monday, February 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6451-6452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2259]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY


Publication and Release of the National Response Plan

AGENCY: Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice informs the public that the Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS) has developed and published the National Response Plan, 
which is now available to the public.

    Authority: Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-296; 
Homeland Security Presidential Directive -5, Management of Domestic 
Incidents.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: National Response Plan: Bob Shea, 
Operational Integration Staff, DHS, Washington, DC 20528, 202-282-9651 
or [email protected].
    National Incident Management System: Gil Jamieson, National 
Incident Management System Integration Center, DHS/FEMA, Washington, DC 
20472, 202-646-4090, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Homeland Security Presidential Directive -5 
required the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and administer a 
National Incident Management System and a National Response Plan. The 
National Incident Management System (NIMS), released in March 2004, 
established a unified and standardized approach within the United 
States for protecting citizens and managing homeland security 
incidents. The National Response Plan standardizes Federal incident 
management actions by integrating existing and formerly distinct 
processes. Using the comprehensive framework of the NIMS, the National 
Response Plan provides the structure and mechanisms for the 
coordination of Federal support to State, local, and tribal incident 
managers and for exercising direct Federal authorities and 
responsibilities. It is applicable to all Federal departments and 
agencies that may be requested to provide assistance or conduct 
operations in the context of actual or potential incidents of national 
significance.
    The purpose of the National Response Plan is to establish a 
comprehensive, national, all-hazards approach to domestic incident 
management across a spectrum of activities including prevention, 
preparedness, response, and recovery. The National Response Plan 
incorporates the best practices and procedures from various incident 
management disciplines--homeland security, emergency management, law 
enforcement, firefighting, hazardous materials response, public works, 
public health, emergency medical services, and responder and recovery 
worker health and safety--and integrates them into a unified 
coordinating structure. As such, it is intended to replace the Initial 
National Response Plan, the Federal Response Plan, the U.S. Government 
Domestic Terrorism Concept of Operations Plan, and the Federal 
Radiological Emergency Response Plan, all of which are currently in 
effect.
    The National Response Plan represents a true ``national'' framework 
in terms of both product and process. The National Response Plan 
development process included extensive vetting and coordination with 
Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies, nongovernmental 
organizations, private-sector entities, and the first-responder and 
emergency management communities across the country. The activation of 
the National Response Plan and its coordinating structures and 
protocols--either partially or fully--for specific incidents of 
national significance provides mechanisms for the coordination and 
implementation of

[[Page 6452]]

a wide variety of incident management and emergency assistance 
activities. Included in these activities are Federal support to State, 
local, and tribal authorities; interaction with nongovernmental, 
private donor, and private-sector organizations; and the coordinated, 
direct exercise of Federal authorities, when appropriate.
    The plan was approved by the Homeland Security Council and signed 
by 32 Federal departments and agencies, and nongovernmental 
organizations. The signatories are the Department of Agriculture, 
Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, 
Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, 
Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Justice, 
Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of Transportation, 
Department of the Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs, Central 
Intelligence Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, Federal Communications Commission, General Services 
Administration, National Aeronautic and Space Administration, National 
Transportation Safety Board, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of 
Personnel Management, Small Business Administration, Social Security 
Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Agency for 
International Development, U.S. Postal Service, American Red Cross, 
Corporation for National and Community Service, and National Voluntary 
Organizations Active in Disaster.
    Implementation of the National Response Plan commenced on December 
15, 2004 per a memorandum from the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
Implementation will occur in three phases over the period of one year. 
During the first 120 days of the implementation process, the Initial 
National Response Plan, the Federal Response Plan, the U.S. Government 
Domestic Terrorism Concept of Operations Plan, and the Federal 
Radiological Emergency Response Plan remain in effect. After April 14, 
2005, these plans are superseded by the National Response Plan. 
Detailed implementation guidance and schedules are identified in the 
Letter of Instruction in the base plan of the document.
    This Notice informs the public of the release and availability of 
the National Response Plan. The National Response Plan is available on 
the Department of Homeland Security's Web site at www.dhs.gov/nationalresponseplan. A hard copy or CD-ROM of the National Response 
Plan may be obtained by calling 800-480-2520.

    Dated: January 28, 2005.
Bob Stephan,
Special Assistant to the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 05-2259 Filed 2-4-05; 8:45 am]
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