FEMA: National Guard essential part of federal response team

By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
National Guard Bureau

The Honorable W. Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told about 2,400 people attending the National Guard's 2009 Joint Senior Leadership Conference at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., on Nov. 20, 2009, that the National Guard is a force multiplier for governors responding to domestic disasters. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill) (Released)
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WASHINGTON (11/20/09) -- The National Guard is a vital partner in the federal response to natural or manmade disasters, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said here today.

“FEMA is not the team, we are part of the team. … FEMA cannot [respond appropriately] without our partnerships,” W. Craig Fugate told about 2,400 people attending the National Guard’s first Joint Senior Leadership Conference. “Ultimately, in a disaster, we’re there to support the governor and the governor’s team.

“And one of the biggest force multipliers that every governor has is our National Guard.”

Responders must be ready for disasters that can strike at any time. While hurricanes may have a season, other calamities, such as earthquakes, don’t, Fugate noted.

The National Guard has proven that it is ready. Citizen-Soldiers and –Airmen freshly returned from Iraq clamored to be part of federal hurricane response despite their recent service, Fugate recalled. “They just showed up and said, ‘I’m here. … This is my job. My state needs me.’ … What you heard was, ‘It’s good to be home and serving our citizens. It’s good to be part of the team. It’s good to be part of the solution.’ ”

Disaster response must be immediate. Recalling being asked how FEMA responded in the next 24 hours after an earthquake caused a devastating tsunami in American Samoa , Fugate said he responded: “The next 24 hours? What happened in the next four hours?”

He also recalled that the Hawaii National Guard “who had the resources closest to and the best solutions to the challenges” proved to be a vital part of that response.

In a disaster, the most important thing is getting the right resources there as quickly as possible, regardless of red tape and other concerns, Fugate said.

“All I’m worried about is getting the job done,” Fugate said, “and I will find and exploit every crack in the system to get it done.”

The disaster response team includes the private sector and volunteer organizations, he said.

“We put too much emphasis on what government is going to do and we don’t put enough emphasis on building a team that goes beyond government,” he said. “We have a tendency in government to treat the public as a liability.” Yet usually the very first responders of all are neighbors and bystanders, he said.

“Why don’t we quit treating the public as a liability and start looking at them as a resource and empowering them to help their neighbors so that we can focus on our most vulnerable citizens?” Fugate asked.

FEMA is looking to the future, focused on being ready for the next disaster, he said. “We’re going forward. … I’m worried about the next disaster. I’m worried about making sure we as a country are ready.”

The administrator said he wants to avoid being “hazard-centric.”

“I’m not about just focusing on one or two hazards,” he said. “There is no five-day outlook on earthquakes and terrorists do not have a season. It is, every day, a come-as-you-are event. No excuses. You either perform or your fail the country.”

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