WASHINGTON — As the Trump administration undertakes sweeping changes to the nation’s homeland security structure and considers significant reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has created a task force to ensure that the needs of local emergency services are not ignored.
IAFC President Fire Chief Josh Waldo has established a 10-person task force to assess the potential impacts of the changes and offer recommendations, the association stated in a press release. Retired Arlington County, Va., Fire Chief Jim Schwartz will lead the task force.
Two recent executive orders from President Donald Trump call for a full-scale review of FEMA, a shift from an all-hazards approach to a risk-based emergency response framework and the development of a National Resilience Strategy and Critical Infrastructure Policy. These moves could significantly reshape how federal disaster preparedness and response are handled.
- Executive Order 14180, Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
- Executive Order 14239, Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness
The IAFC task force will provide input to the newly formed FEMA Review Council and will monitor broader changes across the Department of Homeland Security over the coming year.
The task force will focus on answers to the following questions:
- What recommendations does the IAFC have for reforming or reorganizing FEMA?
- How can FEMA’s operations be improved to meet the needs of local fire departments?
- What recommendations does the IAFC have for revising the homeland security framework?
- What are the key components of HSPD-5; PPD-8, and other homeland security documents that the IAFC thinks should be changed or maintained?
- How should DHS revise the ESFs, National Essential Functions, Primary Mission Essential Functions, and other policies?
- As the Trump Administration transitions from a focus on all-hazards response to risk response, how will that affect local fire and EMS agencies?
- How will grant programs or training at the National Fire Academy be affected?
- What steps can the IAFC and local fire and EMS departments take as the Trump Administration continues to make radical changes to the U.S. government?
- How will the Trump Administration’s policies affect all-hazards response, like hazmat and wildland fire response?
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