Hurricane Katrina: Better Plans and Exercises Needed to Guide the Military's Response to Catastrophic Natural Disasters

The National Response Framework replaced the National Response Plan but DHS currently has 15 Planning Scenarios. These planning scenarios are largely based on catastrophic events. Scenario 10 is a major hurricane, like Hurricane Katrina. Other planning scenarios deal with catastrophes such as major earthquakes or nuclear or biological attacks. US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) is DOD's lead for federal Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA)in the event of a domestic catastrophic event. Since our report was issued NORTHCOM, has developed and refined its DSCA plans and has participated in several exercises based on the 15 DHS planning scenarios. These exercises, which included civil authorities at all governmental levels, have helped clarify the proactive functions the military will be expected to perform in the event of a catastrophic incident.

Our report noted that U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) had a functional plan--DOD's least detailed type of plan--in place at the time Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Our report noted that this plan had been effectively used to respond to disasters prior to Katrina but noted that the lack of detail presented many challenges in the catastrophic wake of Hurricane Katrina. Following the issuance of our report, NORTHCOM upgraded it's defense support to civil authorities (DSCA) plan from a functional plan to a more detailed contingency plan. DOD in conjunction with DHS has developed a damage assessment concept of operations that uses both aircraft and ground assessment teams and utilizes pre-coordinated initial assessment options from both NORTHCOM and U.S. Strategic Command. DOD has also developed communications packages that will be used to support first responders, small staffs, and large staffs. DOD has also taken a number of steps to increase coordination between NORTHCOM and the National Guard Bureau, which will help facilitate the integration of active and reserve component forces. (See the text for the other recommendations.) In addition DOD has put a standing DSCA Execute order (EXORD) in place. This EXORD gives the NORTHCOM Commander wide authority to direct DOD response efforts. A number of steps have also been taken to address the search and rescue (SAR) coordination concerns that arose during Hurricane Katrina. NORTHCOM's Air Force component command is in the process of standing up a Joint Personnel Recovery Center for large-scale SAR operations. In 2009, the National SAR committee, which is led by the Coast Guard with DOD participation, published a revised Catastrophic Incident SAR addendum to the National Response Framework, and in 2010 the committee issued a National SAR manual. With regard to logistics, DOD has identified DOD installations that FEMA can use for Operational Staging Areas and Mobilization Center Operations during disasters or catastrophes. Since Katrina, NORTHCOM has held annual hurricane conferences with participation from other federal agencies, states, and local government officials. It has also participated with these other players in exercises that are based on 15 national planning scenarios These planning scenarios are largely based on catastrophic events. Scenario 10 is a major hurricane, like Hurricane Katrina. Other planning scenarios deal with catastrophes such as major earthquakes or nuclear or biological attacks.

Following the issuance of our report the National Guard Bureau (NGB), in conjunction with the states, developed a Joint Capabilities Database. The database contains an inventory of the types of capabilities and units that are available to respond to domestic disasters. The database is maintained through a partnership between NGB J5 (plans) and the Joint Force headquarters in each of the 54 states and territories. NGB has funded contractors in the states to maintain this database. In addition, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has a web-based tracking system that is visible to emergency operations centers in all the states. This tracking system shows all assets, including National Guard force that are requested and sent between states via emergency management assistance compact (EMAC) agreements. Trough its connections with the states, the NGB receives this information. The NGB Joint Operations Center provides daily situation reports that include data from the NEMA tracking system and executive summaries of key events to US Northern Command (NORTHCOM). This information flows to NORTHCOM through a permanent NGB desk that was established in the NORTHCOM Command Center following Hurricane Katrina. This information is also made available to U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Joint Forces command.

Our report noted that U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) had a functional plan--DOD's least detailed type of plan--in place at the time Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Our report noted that this plan had been effectively used to respond to disasters prior to Katrina but noted that the lack of detail presented many challenges in the catastrophic wake of Hurricane Katrina. Following the issuance of our report, NORTHCOM upgraded it's defense support to civil authorities (DSCA) plan from a functional plan to a more detailed contingency plan. This contingency plan now contains scalable capability packages that have been developed in conjunction with pre-scripted Requests for Assistance from the states. Furthermore, DOD and DHS have developed 25 Pre-scripted Mission Assignments for use in a catastrophic event and DOD has put a standing DSCA Execute order (EXORD) in place. This EXORD gives the NORTHCOM Commander wide authority to direct DOD response efforts. Finally, emergency response officials from all the states have participated in 2-day visits to NORTHCOM to receive briefings on the NORTHCOM plans, and NORTHCOM has also sent representatives from its standing Joint Forces Headquarters to the states to brief emergency response officials, when requested.