§ 317. Regional offices

In general

Each Regional Administrator shall be appointed from among individuals who have a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of emergency management and homeland security.

Considerations

In selecting a Regional Administrator for a Regional Office, the Administrator shall consider the familiarity of an individual with the geographical area and demographic characteristics of the population served by such Regional Office.

ensuring effective, coordinated, and integrated regional preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation activities and programs for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters (including planning, training, exercises, and professional development);

assisting in the development of regional capabilities needed for a national catastrophic response system;

coordinating the establishment of effective regional operable and interoperable emergency communications capabilities;

staffing and overseeing 1 or more strike teams within the region under subsection (f), to serve as the focal point of the Federal Government’s initial response efforts for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters within that region, and otherwise building Federal response capabilities to respond to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters within that region;

designating an individual responsible for the development of strategic and operational regional plans in support of the National Response Plan;

fostering the development of mutual aid and other cooperative agreements;

identifying critical gaps in regional capabilities to respond to populations with special needs;

maintaining and operating a Regional Response Coordination Center or its successor;

coordinating with the private sector to help ensure private sector preparedness for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters;

assisting State, local, and tribal governments, where appropriate, to preidentify and evaluate suitable sites where a multijurisdictional incident command system may quickly be established and operated from, if the need for such a system arises; and

performing such other duties relating to such responsibilities as the Administrator may require.

Training

The Administrator shall require each Regional Administrator to undergo specific training periodically to complement the qualifications of the Regional Administrator. Such training, as appropriate, shall include training with respect to the National Incident Management System, the National Response Plan, and such other subjects as determined by the Administrator.

Exercises

The Administrator shall require each Regional Administrator to participate as appropriate in regional and national exercises.

advise the Regional Administrator on emergency management issues specific to that region;

identify any geographic, demographic, or other characteristics peculiar to any State, local, or tribal government within the region that might make preparedness, protection, response, recovery, or mitigation more complicated or difficult; and

advise the Regional Administrator of any weaknesses or deficiencies in preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation for any State, local, and tribal government within the region of which the Regional Advisory Council is aware.

a designated Federal coordinating officer;

personnel trained in incident management;

public affairs, response and recovery, and communications support personnel;

a defense coordinating officer;

liaisons to other Federal agencies;

such other personnel as the Administrator or Regional Administrator determines appropriate; and

individuals from the agencies with primary responsibility for each of the emergency support functions in the National Response Plan.