Glossary

The documentation issued to resources at the pre-deployment briefing that authorizes the deployment.

Specific response and recovery resource capabilities that are organized, developed, trained, and exercised prior to an emergency or disaster. Mission Ready Packages are based on NIMS resource typing but take the concept one step further by considering the mission, limitations that might impact the mission, required support, the footprint of the space needed to stage and complete the mission, and the estimated cost. MRPs are developed in cooperation with resource providers and coordinated with state emergency management agencies.

The first stage of the Response phase of the EMAC process, when resources (personnel and equipment) are assembled and prepare to deploy into an affected area.

Master Scenario Events List

Montana Disaster & Emergency Services Division

An agreement to lend assistance across jurisdictional boundaries. In its broadest sense, mutual aid may be considered “neighbor helping neighbor.”  When formalized, mutual aid agreements provide a basic understanding between parties involved that the assisting jurisdiction will help the requesting jurisdiction if it is possible and reasonable.

The number of hours (or other time unit specified) from notification of mission authorization to time of deployment.

A group of operations personnel in the home state of the chair of the EMAC Executive Task Force who remain in their home state to coordinate and enforce EMAC policies and procedures during EMAC activations. The group exercises overall control of EMAC operations during activation of the system. The NCS is activated when there are active EMAC events.

A team of qualified A-Team personnel that deploys to the National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., upon request from FEMA to the National Coordinating State (NCS) and with concurrence from NEMA.  The NELT serves a liaison function in the EMAC governance structure to keep the federal government aware of state EMAC operations so that duplication of activities is avoided. The NELT may not actively request resources from other states.

A nonprofit, nonpartisan association of emergency management and homeland security professionals that administers EMAC on behalf of the EMAC Member States.

The system used to conduct incident management as specified in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5).  NIMS established a national standard methodology for managing emergencies and ensuring seamless integration of all local, state, and federal forces into the system.

The facility in Washington, D.C., used by DHS/FEMA to coordinate federal response and recovery operations.  Federal Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) are co-located at the NRCC to provide resource support to state counterparts through the Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC).

A series of guiding principles developed by the Department of Homeland Security that provides a comprehensive, all-hazards approach to domestic incident response.

National Coordinating State

National Emergency Management Association

National Incident Management System

National Response Framework

Control of an EMAC mission and its day-to-day output relative to schedules, specifications, and costs. The Requesting State has operational control over deployed personnel, but the Assisting State (the state that deployed the personnel) has command and control, so that deployed personnel may be recalled to the home state whenever necessary.

Elements of a structure to ensure efficient control, action, and coordination. EMAC’s governance structure comprises four primary operational coordination components: National Coordinating State (NCS), Advance Team (A-Team), National EMAC Liaison Team (NELT), and Regional EMAC Liaison Team (RELT).

A manual that sets forth the terms of the EMAC agreement and establishes the EMAC procedures that all Member States are to follow. It provides the written standardized process to ensure that each Member State understands the EMAC agreement, is adequately prepared to participate in the agreement, and follows the same standardized procedures while implementing EMAC.