SUBCHAPTER IV-B--EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

{601}  5195. Declaration of policy

The purpose of this subchapter is to provide a system of emergency preparedness for the protection of life and property in the United States from hazards and to vest responsibility for emergency preparedness jointly in the Federal Government and the States and their political subdivisions.  The Congress recognizes that the organizational structure established jointly by the Federal Government and the States and their political subdivisions for emergency preparedness purposes can be effectively utilized to provide relief and assistance to people in areas of the United States struck by a hazard. The Federal Government shall provide necessary direction, coordination, and guidance, and shall provide necessary assistance, as authorized in this subchapter so that a comprehensive emergency preparedness system exists for all hazards.

(a) Definitions

For purposes of this subchapter only:
(1) Hazard

 The term "hazard" means an emergency or disaster resulting from--

(A) a natural disaster; or
(B) an accidental or man-caused event.

(2) Natural disaster

 The term "natural disaster" means any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, drought, fire, or other catastrophe in any  part of the United States which causes, or which may cause, substantial damage or injury to civilian property or persons.

(3) Emergency preparedness

The term "emergency preparedness" means all those activities and measures designed or undertaken to prepare for or minimize the effects of a hazard upon the civilian population, to deal with the immediate emergency conditions which  would be created by the hazard, and to effectuate emergency repairs to, or the emergency restoration of, vital utilities and facilities destroyed or damaged by the hazard. Such term includes the following:

(A) Measures to be undertaken in preparation for anticipated hazards (including the establishment of appropriate organizations, operational plans, and supporting agreements, the recruitment and training of personnel, the conduct of research, the procurement and stockpiling of necessary materials  and supplies, the provision of suitable warning systems, the construction or preparation of shelters, shelter areas, and control centers, and, when appropriate, the non-military evacuation of the civilian population).
(B) Measures to be undertaken during a hazard (including the enforcement of passive defense regulations prescribed by duly established military or civil authorities, the evacuation of personnel to shelter areas, the control of traffic and panic, and the control and use of lighting and civil communications).
(C) Measures to be undertaken following a hazard (including activities for fire fighting, rescue, emergency medical, health and sanitation services, monitoring for specific dangers of special weapons, unexploded bomb reconnaissance, essential debris clearance, emergency welfare measures, and immediately essential emergency repair or restoration of damaged vital facilities).

(4) Organizational equipment

The term "organizational equipment" means equipment determined by the Director to be necessary to an emergency preparedness organization, as distinguished from personal equipment, and of such a type or nature as to require it to be financed in whole or in part by the Federal Government. Such term does not include those items which the local community normally uses in combating local disasters, except when required in unusual quantities dictated by the requirements of the emergency preparedness plans.

(5) Materials

The term "materials" includes raw materials, supplies, medicines, equipment, component parts and technical information and processes necessary for emergency preparedness.

(6) Facilities

The term "facilities", except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, includes buildings, shelters, utilities, and land.

(7) Director

The term "Director" means the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(8) Neighboring countries

The term "neighboring countries" includes Canada and Mexico.

(9) United States and States

The terms "United States" and "States" includes the several States, the District of Columbia, and territories and possessions of the United States.

(10) State

The term "State" includes interstate emergency preparedness authorities established under section 5196(h) of this title.

(b) Cross reference

The terms "national defense" and "defense," as used in the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C.App. 2061 et seq.), includes emergency preparedness activities conducted pursuant to this subchapter.

This subchapter shall be carried out by the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

    (a) In general

In order to carry out the policy described in section 5195 of this title, the Director shall have the authorities provided in   this section.

The Director may prepare Federal response plans and programs for the emergency preparedness of the United States and sponsor and direct such plans and programs. To prepare such plans and programs and coordinate such plans and programs with State efforts, the Director may request such reports on State plans and operations for emergency preparedness as may be necessary to keep the President, Congress, and the States advised of the status of emergency preparedness in the United States.

With the approval of the President, the Director may delegate to other departments and agencies of the Federal Government appropriate emergency preparedness responsibilities and review and coordinate the emergency preparedness activities of the departments and agencies with each other and with the activities of the States and neighboring countries.

The Director may make appropriate provision for necessary emergency preparedness communications and for dissemination of warnings to the civilian population of a hazard.

The Director may study and develop emergency preparedness measures designed to afford adequate protection of life and property, including--

 (1) research and studies as to the best methods of treating the effects of hazards;
 (2) developing shelter designs and materials for protective covering or construction; and
 (3) developing equipment or facilities and effecting the standardization thereof to meet emergency preparedness requirements.

(1) The Director may--

(A) conduct or arrange, by contract or otherwise, for training programs for the instruction of emergency preparedness officials and other persons in the organization, operation, and   techniques of emergency preparedness;
(B) conduct or operate schools or including the payment of travel expenses, in accordance with subchapter I of chapter   57 of Title 5, and the Standardized Government Travel Regulations,   and per diem allowances, in lieu of subsistence for trainees in   attendance or the furnishing of subsistence and quarters for   trainees and instructors on terms prescribed by the Director; and
 (C) provide instructors and training aids as necessary.

(2) The terms prescribed by the Director for the payment of travel expenses and per diem allowances authorized by this subsection shall include a provision that such payment shall not exceed one-half of the total cost of such expenses.
(3) The Director may lease real property required for the purpose of carrying out this subsection, but may not acquire fee title to property unless specifically authorized by law.

 The Director may publicly disseminate appropriate emergency preparedness information by all appropriate means.

(1) The Director may--

(A) assist and encourage the States to negotiate and enter into interstate emergency preparedness compacts;
(B) review the terms and conditions of such proposed compacts in order to assist, to the extent feasible, in obtaining uniformity between such compacts and consistency with Federal emergency response plans and programs;
(C) assist and coordinate the activities under such compacts; and
(D) aid and assist in encouraging reciprocal emergency preparedness legislation by the States which will permit the furnishing of mutual aid for emergency preparedness purposes in the event of a hazard which cannot be adequately met or controlled by a State or political subdivision thereof threatened with or experiencing a hazard.

(2) A copy of each interstate emergency preparedness compact shall be transmitted promptly to the Senate and the House of Representatives. The consent of Congress is deemed to be granted to each such compact upon the expiration of the 60-day period beginning on the date on which the compact is transmitted to Congress
(3) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as preventing Congress from disapproving, or withdrawing at any time its consent to, any interstate emergency preparedness compact.

(1) The Director may procure by condemnation or otherwise, construct, lease, transport, store, maintain, renovate or distribute materials and facilities for emergency preparedness, with the right to take immediate possession thereof.
(2) Facilities acquired by purchase, donation, or other means of transfer may be occupied, used, and improved for the purposes of this subchapter before the approval of title by the Attorney General as required by section 255 of Title 40.
(3) The Director shall submit to Congress a report, at least quarterly, describing all property acquisitions made pursuant to this subsection.
(4) The Director may lease real property required for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subsection, but shall not acquire fee title to property unless specifically authorized by law.
(5) The Director may procure and maintain under this subsection radiological, chemical, bacteriological, and biological agent monitoring and decontamination devices and distribute such devices by loan or grant to the States for emergency preparedness purposes, under such terms and conditions as the Director shall prescribe.

(1) The Director may make financial contributions, on the basis of programs or projects approved by the Director, to the States for emergency preparedness purposes, including the procurement, construction, leasing, or renovating of materials and facilities. Such contributions shall be made on such terms or conditions as the Director shall prescribe, including the method of purchase, the quantity, quality, or specifications of the materials or facilities, and such other factors or care or treatment to assure the uniformity, availability, and good condition of such materials or facilities.
(2) No contribution may be made under this subsection for the procurement of land or for the purchase of personal equipment for State or local emergency preparedness workers.
(3) The amounts authorized to be contributed by the Director to each State for organizational equipment shall be equally matched by such State from any source it determines is consistent with its laws.
(4) Financial contributions to the States for shelters and other protective facilities shall be determined by taking the amount of funds appropriated or available to the Director for such facilities in each fiscal year and apportioning such funds among the States in the ratio which the urban population of the critical target areas (as determined by the Director) in each State, at the time of the determination, bears to the total urban population of the critical target areas of all of the States.
(5) The amounts authorized to be contributed by the Director to each State for such shelters and protective facilities shall be equally matched by such State from any source it determines is consistent with its laws and, if not matched within a reasonable time, the Director may reallocate such amounts to other States under the formula described in paragraph (4).  The value of any land contributed by any State or political subdivision thereof shall be excluded from the computation of the State share under this subsection.
(6) The amounts paid to any State under this subsection shall be expended solely in carrying out the purposes set forth herein and in accordance with State emergency preparedness programs or projects approved by the Director. The Director shall make no contribution toward the cost of any program or project for the procurement, construction, or leasing of any facility which (A) is intended for use, in whole or in part, for any purpose other than emergency preparedness, and (B) is of such kind that upon completion it will, in the judgment of the Director, be capable of producing sufficient revenue to provide reasonable assurance of the retirement or repayment of such cost;  except that (subject to the preceding provisions of this subsection) the Director may make a contribution to any State toward that portion of the cost of the construction, reconstruction, or enlargement of any facility which the Director determines to be directly attributable to the incorporation in such facility of any feature of construction or design not necessary for the principal intended purpose thereof but which is, in the judgment of the Director necessary for the use of such facility for emergency preparedness purposes.
(7) The Director shall submit to Congress a report, at least annually, regarding all contributions made pursuant to this subsection.
(8) All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in the performance of construction work financed with the assistance of any contribution of Federal funds made by the Director under this subsection shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with the Act of March 3, 1931 (commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276a to 276a-5)), and every such employee shall receive compensation at a rate not less than one and 1/2 times the basic rate of pay of the employee for all hours worked in any workweek in excess of eight hours in any workday or 40 hours in the workweek, as the case may be. The Director shall make no contribution of Federal funds without first obtaining adequate assurance that these labor standards will be maintained upon the construction work. The Secretary of Labor shall have, with respect to the labor standards specified in this subsection, the authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (5 U.S.C.App.) and section 276c of Title 40.

The Director may arrange for the sale or disposal of materials and facilities found by the Director to be unnecessary or unsuitable for emergency preparedness purposes in the same manner as provided for excess property under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.). Any funds received as proceeds from the sale or other disposition of such materials and facilities shall be deposited into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

The Director shall give all practicable assistance to States in arranging, through the Department of State, mutual emergency preparedness aid between the States and neighboring countries.

(a) General authority

To further assist in carrying out the purposes of this subchapter, the Director may make financial contributions to the States (including interstate emergency preparedness authorities established pursuant to section 5196(h) of this title) for necessary and essential State and local emergency preparedness personnel and administrative expenses, on the basis of approved plans (which shall be consistent with the Federal emergency response plans for emergency preparedness) for the emergency preparedness of the States. The financial contributions to the States under this section may not exceed one-half of the total cost of such necessary and essential State and local emergency preparedness personnel and administrative expenses.

(b) Plan requirements
A plan submitted under this section shall--

(1) provide, pursuant to State law, that the plan shall be in effect in all political subdivisions of the State and be mandatory on them and be administered or supervised by a single State agency;
(2) provide that the State shall share the financial assistance with that provided by the Federal Government under this section from any source determined by it to be consistent with State law;
(3) provide for the development of State and local emergency preparedness operational plans, pursuant to standards approved by the Director;
(4) provide for the employment of a full-time emergency preparedness director, or deputy director, by the State;
(5) provide that the State shall make such reports in such form and content as the Director may require; and
(6) make available to duly authorized representatives of the Director and the Comptroller General, books, records, and papers necessary to conduct audits for the purposes of this section.

(c) Terms and conditions

The Director shall establish such other terms and conditions as the Director considers necessary and proper to carry out this section.

(d) Application of other provisions

In carrying out this section, the provisions of sections 5196(h) and 5197(h) of this title shall apply.

(e) Allocation of funds

For each fiscal year concerned, the Director shall allocate to each State, in accordance with regulations and the total sum appropriated under this subchapter, amounts to be made available to the States for the purposes of this section.  Regulations governing allocations to the States under this subsection shall give due regard to

(1) the criticality of the areas which may be affected by hazards with respect to the development of the total emergency preparedness readiness of the United States,
(2) the relative state of development of emergency preparedness readiness of the State,
(3) population, and
(4) such other factors as the Director shall prescribe. The Director may reallocate the excess of any allocation not used by a State in a plan submitted under this section. Amounts paid to any State or political subdivision under this section shall be expended solely for the purposes set forth in this section.

(f) Submission of plan

If a State fails to submit a plan for approval as required by this section within 60 days after the Director notifies the States of the allocations under this section, the Director may reallocate such funds, or portions thereof, among the other States in such amounts as, in the judgment of the Director, will best assure the adequate development of the emergency preparedness capability of the United States.

(g) Annual reports

The Director shall report annually to the Congress all contributions made pursuant to this section.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, funds appropriated to carry out this subchapter may not be used for the purpose of constructing emergency operating centers (or similar facilities) in any State unless such State matches in an equal amount the amount made available to such State under this subchapter for such purpose.

Funds made available to the States under this subchapter may be used by the States for the purposes of preparing for hazards and providing emergency Assistance in response to hazards. Regulations prescribed to carry out this Section shall authorize the use of emergency preparedness personnel, materials, And facilities supported in whole or in part through contributions under this Subchapter for emergency preparedness activities and measures related to Hazards.

(a) In general

For the purpose of carrying out the powers and duties assigned to the Director under this subchapter, the Director may exercise the administrative authorities provided under this section.

(b) Advisory personnel

(1) The Director may employ not more than 100 part-time or temporary advisory personnel (including not to exceed 25 subjects of the United Kingdom or citizens of Canada) as the Director considers to be necessary in carrying out the provisions of this subchapter.
(2) Persons holding other offices or positions under the United States for which they receive compensation, while serving as advisory personnel, shall receive no additional compensation for such service. Other part-time or temporary advisory personnel so employed may serve without compensation or may receive compensation at a rate not to exceed $180 for each day of service, plus authorized subsistence and travel, as determined by the Director.

(c) Services of other agency personnel and volunteers

   The Director may--

      (1) use the services of Federal agencies and, with the consent of any State or local government, accept and use the services of State and local agencies;

      (2) establish and use such regional and other offices as may be necessary; and

      (3) use such voluntary and uncompensated services by individuals or organizations as may from time to time be needed.

  (d) Gifts

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director may accept gifts of supplies, equipment, and facilities and may use or distribute such gifts for emergency preparedness purposes in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter.

  (e) Reimbursement

 The Director may reimburse any Federal agency for any of its expenditures or for compensation of its personnel and use or consumption of its materials and facilities under this subchapter to the extent funds are available.

  (f) Printing

The Director may purchase such printing, binding, and blank-book work from public, commercial, or private printing establishments or binderies as the Director considers necessary upon orders placed by the Public Printer or upon waivers issued in accordance with section 504 of Title 44.

  (g) Rules and regulations

The Director may prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary and proper to carry out any of the provisions of this subchapter and perform any of the powers and duties provided by this subchapter. The Director may perform any of the powers and duties provided by this subchapter through or with the aid of such officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the Director may designate.

(h) Failure to expend contributions correctly

(1) When, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing to the State or other person involved, the Director finds that there is a failure to expend funds in accordance with the regulations, terms, and conditions established under this subchapter for approved emergency preparedness plans, programs, or projects, the Director may notify such State or person that further payments will not be made to the State or person from appropriations under this subchapter (or from funds otherwise available for the purposes of this subchapter for any approved plan, program, or project with respect to which there is such failure to comply) until the Director is satisfied that there will no longer be any such failure.

(2) Until so satisfied, the Director shall either withhold the payment of any financial contribution to such State or person or limit payments to those programs or projects with respect to which there is substantial compliance with the regulations, terms, and conditions governing plans, programs, or projects hereunder.

(3) As used in this subsection, the term "person" means the political subdivision of any State or combination or group thereof or any person, corporation, association, or other entity of any nature whatsoever, including instrumentalities of States and political subdivisions.

(a) Establishment

The Director shall establish such security requirements and safeguards, including restrictions with respect to access to information and property as the Director considers necessary.

(b) Limitations on employee access to information

No employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall be permitted to have access to information or property with respect to which access restrictions have been established under this section, until it shall have been determined that no information is contained in the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or any other investigative agency of the Government indicating that such employee is of questionable loyalty or reliability for security purposes, or if any such information is so disclosed, until the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall have conducted a full field investigation concerning such person and a report thereon shall have been evaluated in writing by the Director.

(c) National security positions

No employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall occupy any position determined by the Director to be of critical importance from the standpoint of national security until a full field investigation concerning such employee shall have been conducted by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and a report thereon shall have been evaluated in writing by the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In the event such full field investigation by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management develops any data reflecting that such applicant for a position of critical importance is of questionable loyalty or reliability for security purposes, or if the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for any other reason considers it to be advisable, such investigation shall be discontinued and a report thereon shall be referred to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for evaluation in writing. Thereafter, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency may refer the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the conduct of a full field investigation by such Bureau. The result of such latter investigation by such Bureau shall be furnished to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for action.

(d) Employee oaths

Each Federal employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency acting under the authority of this subchapter, except the subjects of the United Kingdom and citizens of Canada specified in section 5197(b) of this title, shall execute the loyalty oath or appointment affidavits prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management. Each person other than a Federal employee who is appointed to serve in a State or local organization for emergency preparedness shall before entering upon duties, take an oath in writing before a person authorized to administer oaths, which oath shall be substantially as follows: "I, __________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;  that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter. "And I do further swear (or affirm) that I do not advocate, nor am I a member or an affiliate of any organization, group, or combination of persons that advocates the overthrow of the Government of the United States by force or violence; and that during such time as I am a member of __________ (name of emergency preparedness organization), I will not advocate nor become a member or an affiliate of any organization, group, or combination of persons that advocates the overthrow of the Government of the United States by force or violence."

     After appointment and qualification for office, the director of   emergency preparedness of any State, and any subordinate emergency preparedness officer within such State designated by the director in writing, shall be qualified to administer any such oath within such State under such regulations as the director shall prescribe. Any person who shall be found guilty of having falsely taken such oath shall be punished as provided in section 1621 of Title 18.

{ 623}   5197b.   Use   of   existing   facilities
In performing duties under this subchapter, the Director--

(1) shall cooperate with the various departments and agencies of the Federal Government;
(2) shall use, to the maximum extent, the existing facilities and resources of the Federal Government and, with their consent, the facilities and resources of the States and political subdivisions thereof, and of other organizations and agencies; and
(3) shall refrain from engaging in any form of activity which would duplicate or parallel activity of any other Federal department or agency unless the Director, with the written approval of the President, shall determine that such duplication is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this subchapter.

The Director shall annually submit a written report to the President and Congress covering expenditures, contributions, work, and accomplishments of the Federal Emergency Management Agency pursuant to this subchapter, accompanied by such recommendations as the Director considers appropriate.

{625} 5197d. Applicability of subchapter
 

The provisions of this subchapter shall be applicable to the United States, its States, Territories and possessions, and the District of Columbia, and their political subdivisions.

(a) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.

(b) Transfer authority

Funds made available for the purposes of this subchapter may be allocated or transferred for any of the purposes of this subchapter, with the approval of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to any agency or government corporation designated to assist in carrying out this subchapter. Each such allocation or transfer shall be reported in full detail to the Congress within 30 days after such allocation or transfer.

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to alter or modify the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to authorize investigations of espionage, sabotage, or subversive acts by any persons other than personnel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The 2018 PAPPG (V3.0) is effective for all emergencies and major disasters declared on or after August 23, 2017. It supersedes the 2017 PAPPG (V2.0) which is effective for all emergencies and major disasters declared between April 1, 2017 and August 22, 2017. Proceeds from the sale of this book support the Disaster Center

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