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APPENDIX D
Key Emergency
Response Definitions
Below is a list of key terms that the authors perceive to be particularly germane to state trans-
portation agencies and their counterparts at the other levels of government. Most definitions are
nearly exact quotes, but in some cases, words in brackets were added for further clarification or
expansion. The sources used for the definitions are indicated in parentheses. Further explana-
tory notes are in the third column.
Note that the National Incident Management System and most other policy and guidance
documents referred to in this 2010 Guide contain definition lists as well.
Term Definition Comment
Catastrophic Any natural or man-made incident,
incident including terrorism, that results in
extraordinary levels of mass casualties,
damage, or disruption severely affecting
the population, infrastructure,
environment, economy, national morale,
and/or government functions. A
catastrophic incident could result in
sustained regional or national impacts
over a prolonged time period; almost
immediately exceeds resources
normally available to state, [territorial,]
local, tribal, and private-sector
authorities in the affected area; and
significantly interrupts governmental
operations and emergency services to
such an extent that national security
could be threatened. (All Hazards
Consortium, draft definition)
Emergency Any incident, whether natural or man- In this 2010 Guide, an
made, that requires responsive action to emergency can exist
protect life or property. Under the at a local, regional, or
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and state level once
Emergency Assistance Act, an declared by
emergency means any occasion or appropriate authority,
instance for which, in the determination even if not a Stafford
of the president, federal assistance is Act incident.
needed to supplement state and local
efforts and capabilities to save lives and
to protect property and public health and
safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of
a catastrophe in any part of the United
States. (Stafford Act and NIMS)
146
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Key Emergency Response Definitions 147
Term Definition Comment
Emergency [Paraphrased] The broad class of Emergency response
management agencies or people involved in the is a subset of
practice of managing emergencies and emergency
other incidents of all kinds. management.
(NIMS, 2008)
Emergency A national interstate mutual-aid The 2010 Guide
Management agreement that enables states to share includes guidance on
Assistance resources during times of disaster. the appropriate
Compact EMAC has grown to become the application of the
(EMAC) nation's system for providing mutual aid EMAC network. It is
through operational procedures and also available for
protocols that have been validated local mutual-aid
through experience. EMAC is assistance in states
administered by NEMA, the National that have passed
Emergency Management Association, enabling legislation.
headquartered in Lexington, KY. EMAC
acts as a complement to the federal
disaster response system, providing
timely and cost-effective relief to states
requesting assistance from assisting
member states.
[Adapted from FEMA-EMAC, 2007]
Emergency Includes federal, state, territorial, tribal, The 2010 Guide uses
management/ sub-state regional, and local emergency responder
response governments, private-sector and emergency
personnel organizations, critical infrastructure response personnel
owners and operators, for the generic
nongovernmental organizations references. These
(NGOs), and all other organizations and represent a broader
individuals who assume an emergency community than first
management role. Also known as responders.
Emergency Responder. (See Section 2
(6), Homeland Security Act of 2002,
Pub. L. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135 (2002).
(NIMS, 2008)
Emergency The planned and actual response by Traffic incidents are
response multiple agencies to incidents that can assumed to be
include acts of terrorism, wildland and included.
urban fires, floods, hazardous material
spills, nuclear accidents, aircraft
accidents, earthquakes, hurricanes,
tornadoes, tropical storms, war-related
disasters, public health and medical
emergencies.
[Adapted from (NIMS, 2008). The
phases of ER are plan, prepare,
respond, and recover. (NRF, 2008)]
Emergency A coordinated, performance-oriented,
Transportation all-hazard approach to support the
Operations development of a formal program for the
(ETO) improved management of traffic
incidents, natural disasters, security
events, and other emergencies on the
highway system. Focuses on an
enhanced role for state departments of
transportation (DOTs) as participants
with the public safety community in an
interagency process.
[Adapted from NCHRP Report 525,
Volume 6, 2005.]
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148 A Guide to Emergency Response Planning at State Transportation Agencies
Term Definition Comment
First Refers to those individuals who, in the When used
responder early stages of an incident, are generically in the
responsible for protecting and 2010 Guide, first
preserving life, property, evidence, and responder is not
the environment, including emergency capitalized. In this
response providers as defined in generic sense, state
Section 2 of the Homeland Security Act DOT and counterpart
of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101), as well as employees may be
emergency management, public health, considered first
clinical care, public works, and other responders.
skilled support personnel (such as
equipment operators) who provide
immediate support services during
prevention, response, and recovery
operations (HSPD-8).
Fusion Center Centers that integrate various streams FCs are referred to
of information and intelligence, including differently in the
that flowing from the federal various states, see
government, state, [territorial,] tribal, Appendix F for the
and local, governments, as well as the current centers.
private sector, providing a more FHWA is preparing a
accurate picture of risks to people, guideline for Fusion
economic infrastructure, and Center/TMC/EOC
communities that can be developed and linkages/integration.
translated into protective (e.g.,
preventative or responsive) actions. The
ultimate goal of fusion is to prevent
man-made (terrorist) attacks and to
respond to natural disasters and man-
made threats quickly and efficiently
should they occur.
[Paraphrased from Rollins, 2008.]
Incident An occurrence or event, natural or man- Traffic incidents are
made, that requires a response to considered as
protect life or property. Incidents, for included, even if
example, can include major disasters, minor.
emergencies, terrorist attacks, terrorist
threats, civil unrest, wildland and urban
fires, floods, hazardous materials spills,
nuclear accidents, aircraft accidents,
earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes,
tropical storms, tsunamis, war-related
disasters, public health and medical
emergencies, and other occurrences
requiring an emergency response.
(NIMS, 2008)
Incident, See traffic incident.
traffic
Incident A standardized on-scene emergency The core of the
Command management construct specifically National Incident
System (ICS) designed to provide for the adoption of Management System.
an integrated organizational structure Also see Unified
that reflects the complexity and Command.
demands of single or multiple incidents,
without being hindered by jurisdictional
boundaries. ICS is the combination of
facilities, equipment, personnel,
procedures, and communications
operating within a common
organizational structure, designed to aid
in the management of resources during
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Key Emergency Response Definitions 149
Term Definition Comment
incidents. It is used for all kinds of
emergencies and is applicable to small
as well as large and complex incidents.
ICS is used by various jurisdictions and
functional agencies, both public and
private, to organize field-level incident
management operations. (NIMS, 2008)
Major disaster Any natural catastrophe (including any The 2010 Guide
hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, actually treats
wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, catastrophic event as
earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, a more severe event
mudslide, snowstorm, or drought) or, than a major disaster.
regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or For example,
explosion in any part of the United Hurricane Rita might
States, which in the determination of the be considered as a
president causes damage of sufficient major disaster while
severity and magnitude to warrant major Katrina was, and
disaster assistance under [the Stafford] continues to be,
Act to supplement the efforts and catastrophic.
available resources of states, local
governments, and disaster relief
organizations in alleviating the damage,
loss, hardship, or suffering caused
thereby. (Stafford Act)
Security Actions that can be taken to avoid or Some security
counter- mitigate security threats, the countermeasures can
measures cornerstones of which are detect, deter, actually impede
deny, and defend. emergency response,
for example the
security need to have
secure, qualified
identifications of
responders entering
an incident scene,
might delay or even
bar responders. This
should be considered
in the EOPs.
Traffic Any nonrecurring event that reduces Although
incident roadway capacity or an abnormal emergencies are not
increase in demand. Such events mentioned, they are
include traffic crashes, disabled included.
vehicles, spilled cargo, highway
maintenance and reconstruction
projects, and special nonemergency
events (e.g., ball games, concerts, or
any other event that significantly affects
roadway operations). (FHWA, 2010)
Traffic A tool to achieve and maintain public TIM should be a
incident safety, travel efficiency, and air quality subset of emergency
management standards by reducing the impacts of management.
traffic incidents. (I-95CC, 2009 )
Unified An application of ICS used when there UC is thus one form
Command is more than one agency with incident of ICS that engages a
(UC) jurisdiction or when incidents cross cooperative
political jurisdictions. Agencies work command structure
together through the designated with shared authority.
members of the UC, often the senior
person from agencies and/or disciplines
participating in the UC, to establish a
common set of objectives and strategies
and a single Incident Action Plan (IAP).
(NIMS, 2008)
