This lesson provides an orientation to the roles and responsibilities of the Support Branch, one of three branches that constitute the FEMA Logistics Section.

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify:

• The purpose and role of the Support Branch within the organizational structure.
• The Support Branch Units, and the roles and responsibilities carried out by those units.
• The Support Branch’s best practices.

[Managers prepare supplies for new JFO office in Georgia]

Narrator: While the External Support Branch focuses on supporting elements outside of the regional office or Joint Field Office (JFO), The Logistics Support Branch focuses its attention inward on the JFO or disaster office itself. The Support Branch is responsible for management of facilities, supplies, and transportation during an incident.

The Support Branch is overseen by the Support Branch Director who is responsible for the management of all support activities during an incident. This position will be activated only when required to support incident objectives.

The Support Branch is composed of the following four units:

• Facilities Unit – establishes and supports facilities
• Ordering Unit – orders resources
• Supply Unit – receives and delivers supplies
• Ground Support Unit – transports personnel, supplies, food, and equipment using fleet vehicles

You will learn more about the roles and responsibilities of each unit in this lesson.

Mel: The Support Branch supports internal operations there at the Joint Field Office. It’s composed of a Supply Unit which includes both accountable property and consumable supplies. Ordering Unit which orders all resources ideally through a single-point ordering and tracking system. Also a Facilities Unit that’s just responsible for the layout, diagramming, and of set-up and support of the basic facilities itself.

Scott: The Support Branch is primarily, under our structure, is utilized to support the Joint Field Office operation and by definition anything from ground transportations to office supplies property accountability and just the day to day function of maintaining a field operation.

Mike: The Support Branch has a major requirement to be one of the backbones of the critical infrastructure that will be utilized for the response with a main focus on facilities and support associated with those facilities to include transportation, external assets which would be directed at a location to include security, transportation between locations, and trucking.

They have a major responsibility to make sure that those requirements are maintained and sustained to enable the response to continue without having to focus on those things so that the responders and those with operational requirements can focus on responding to the needs of the state and not have to focus on the facilities.

The Facilities Unit sets up, maintains, and demobilizes all facilities used in support of incident operations. This unit also coordinates facility maintenance and janitorial services, as required.

The following individuals make up the Facilities Unit. On the next page, select each role to learn more about its responsibilities.

• Facilities Unit Leader
• Facility Manager
• Billeting Manager

The Facilities Unit Leader is responsible for the procurement, furnishing, and management of all facilities activated by the incident. This individual also provides sleeping and sanitation facilities when needed for incident personnel. Primary duties also include:

• Participating in Support Branch planning activities.
• Determining initial and recurring requirements for each incident facility.
• Locating and evaluating potential incident facilities.
• Preparing the layout of incident facilities.
• Procuring sites for facilities.
• Providing facility maintenance services.
• Coordinating with the Security Manager for security services.

The Facility Manager is responsible for establishing a JFO and providing the facility management services for the assigned facility during its life cycle. This includes completing or overseeing the following activities:

• Determining personnel support requirements
• Obtaining necessary equipment and supplies
• Working with General Services Administration (GSA) to acquire lease space
• Developing a site plan for the facility
• Supervising the setup of office facilities
• Ensuring all facilities are set up and functioning properly
• Demobilizing equipment/services when no longer needed
• Providing facility maintenance services

The Billeting Manager assists responder personnel with obtaining billeting. This may include hotels, motels, corporate apartments, and camps. This includes:

• Identifying billeting options available to the responders in the area.
• Reserving blocks of rooms at hotels/motels.
• Providing addresses and phone numbers of facilities to personnel.
• Working with FEMA contracting personnel to procure corporate apartments in the area.
• Maintaining apartment keys and assigning to individuals in need.
• Conducting periodic lodging surveys to ensure continued availability and suitability of lodging.
• Working with the affected community for alternate housing when commercial lodging is not available or is inadequate.

[FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Center vehicle parked in a parking lot in Laredo Texas]

Narrator: There are many activities that the Facilities Unit conducts in order to provide support to the Joint Field Office (JFO), Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), Incident Support Bases (ISBs), and other temporary disaster facilities.

The Facilities Unit participates in a joint site survey of each perspective facility. This survey team consists of personnel from the Facilities Unit, FEMA network and telecommunications specialists, a FEMA Security specialist, and a FEMA Safety specialist. This survey team ensures that facilities meet required federal, state, and local building codes. The facility must provide a safe and effective place for the disaster responders to operate.

[Man enters temporary Disaster Recovery Center set up at the Starr County Courthouse]

Narrator: If a prospective facility is owned by another federal entity or a state or local government and FEMA can use it at no cost, the Facilities Unit will draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FEMA and the facility owner specifying the terms of use. If owned by a private source or from anyone wishing to be paid for its use, the Facilities Unit will work with the General Services Administration (GSA) to obtain a lease for the facility.

[FEMA staff reviewing boxes of supplies to set up the New Joint Field Office in Mississippi]

Narrator: For facilities such as the Joint Field Office (JFO) or Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), the Facilities Unit will develop a facility layout, diagramming who is to be assigned to each area within. The unit will then coordinate the delivery of basic furniture (tables, chairs, room dividers, filing cabinets, etc.) and will perform the facility setup.

[Workers coordinate duties when setting up new Center in Ohio]

Narrator: Facilities including Incident Support Bases (ISBs) and Responder Support Camps may be established in areas having existing structures, which may be used in whole or in part. The Facilities Unit will also survey and coordinate the use of structures.

Once established, the Facilities Unit also coordinates the provision of other required services. For office-type facilities this includes the leasing of copiers, providing document shredding and recycling services, and arranging for janitorial services in each facility. Incident Support Base (ISB) and camp services may include portable toilets, trash dumpsters, shower facilities, and lighting units. Close

[FEMA workers setting up their office in a vacant 61,000 square foot store which is being converted for a Joint Field Office]

Narrator: Most Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) and leases specify that FEMA will return the property to the owner in its original condition. Once the incident activities are complete, the Facilities Unit performs an inspection of the site/facility before incident operations are completed. If FEMA has made improvements to the site/facility during its operations there, the Facilities Unit will coordinate with the owner to see if he/she wishes those improvements to be left in place. In the event of damages occurring during response operations or if the property owner does not want the improvements made, the Facilities Unit coordinates the remediation of the site to return it to the same condition as it was when FEMA first received it.

[Two female FEMA employees working on a computer]

Narrator: The Support Branch’s Ordering Unit is responsible for establishing a single-point ordering system that provides visibility and status of all orders. In large disasters, resources become scarce quickly, and single-point order helps to minimize duplication orders and eliminate unnecessary costs. Additionally, the Ordering Unit serves as the focal point for all local purchases. In conjunction with the Logistics Chief, the Ordering Unit screens all material and service purchase requests to determine if the request can be filled from existing resources that are already on-hand or are available through the Logistics Supply Chain Management System.

The Ordering Unit Leader is responsible for establishing a single-point ordering system for ordering all resources (personnel, teams, equipment, and Initial Response Resources) and supplies for the incident. The unit is also responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the standards order tracking system or database. This includes the following duties:

• Reconciling orders made prior to arrival
• Identifying and resolving duplicate orders
• Ensuring ordering procedures are known to all incident personnel
• Establishing and maintaining names and telephone numbers of personnel receiving orders
• Determining best acquisition methods and providers for resources
• Placing orders
• Identifying times and locations for delivery of supplies and equipment
• Keeping personnel placing orders informed of order status
• Maintaining contact with the Finance/Admin Section Chief to request, manage, execute contracting authority, and pay for items or services procured

[Worker is preparing computers to be distributed]

Narrator: While the Ordering Unit is responsible for requesting/procuring all equipment, supplies, and resources, all material and equipment is received, stored and distributed by the Support Branch’s Supply Unit. This separation of ordering and receiving duties serves as a “checks and balances” system to ensure accountability and fiscal responsibility. The Supply Unit documents the receipt of all goods and services obtained at the disaster. The unit stores and maintains all equipment in the local inventory and distributes it to the disaster responders as required. This includes both consumable administrative supplies as well as FEMA accountable property. Accountable property is

• Durable (non-consumable) equipment that is maintained in FEMA distribution centers.
• Any item that can be returned at the end of a disaster and re-used on a subsequent disaster.
• High-dollar assets that require close monitoring and tracking.

To perform its disaster duties, the Supply Unit creates and maintains separate areas in the JFO for the consumable supplies and the FEMA accountable property. In large disasters, these may actually be warehouse-type operations. In such operations, the Supply Unit also maintains responsibility for identifying requirements for warehouse support equipment and personnel. In smaller incidents, these areas may be nothing more than a secure closet where assets are maintained and from where they are distributed.

There are several key roles of the Supply Unit. Each of these roles will be discussed briefly on this page.

Select each role to learn more about its responsibilities.

Supply Unit Leader (SPUL)

Receiving and Distribution Manager (RCDM)

Supply Room Manager (SRMG)

Mail Room Manager (MRMG)

Accountable Property Manager (APMG)

[FEMA worker talks with driver in front of the driver’s 18-wheeler]

Narrator: While the Supply Unit handles the inventory management and warehousing aspects of logistics, the transportation and equipment maintenance side of logistics is a function of the Ground Support Unit.

This unit is responsible for the following functions:

• Providing fleet services for personnel as appropriate to support the JFO
• Maintaining and repairing assigned vehicles and mobile ground support equipment
• Recording usage time for all ground equipment (including contract equipment) assigned to the incident
• Supplying fuel for all mobile equipment
• Providing transportation in support of incident operations (except aircraft)
• Developing and implementing the Incident Traffic Plan

[National Guardsman fills up a tank of gas for a trucker who is delivering supplies]

Narrator: Along with its primary functions of maintaining and servicing vehicles and mobile equipment, the Ground Support Unit also maintains a transportation pool for major incidents. This pool consists of vehicles (e.g., staff cars, buses, or pickups) that are suitable for transporting personnel. The unit is responsible for managing fleet vehicle reservations and assignments. The unit also provides for fueling of vehicles, which normally includes the management of fleet fuel credit cards.

The Ground Support Unit ensures the performance of basic operator-level preventive maintenance checks and services for transportation assets. This includes keeping maintenance records on assets and performing services such as filling fluids, replacing bulbs, and checking filters on assigned equipment. They also maintain logs for equipment such as generators, forklifts, and light sets to document the amount of usage hours accumulated for each item in order to ensure that preventive maintenance is performed at prescribed intervals.

In addition to providing JFO support, Ground Support Unit personnel will be present at the ISB and will coordinate and supervise many of the “yard” support and services. These include the coordination for portable toilets, trash dumpsters, parking plan and traffic control function, maintaining and fueling generators and light sets, and the coordination of support for teams and drivers (i.e., feeding and billeting).

The Ground Support Unit is responsible for maintaining and servicing vehicles and mobile equipment, and providing a transportation pool for major incidents. These are important services needed during a disaster.

The Ground Support Unit accomplishes its function three ways:

• Evaluating the need for ground support as it pertains to that particular incident.
• Identifying the best solution to meet the identified need.
• Providing the required vehicles to meet that need.

In this lesson, you reviewed the following key points:

• The role and function of the Support Branch
• The four units that make up the Support Branch
• The purpose and function of the Facilities Unit and how that unit accomplishes its function
• The purpose and function of the Ordering Unit and how that unit accomplishes its function
• The purpose and function of the Supply Unit and how that unit accomplishes its function
• The purpose and function of the GSU and how that unit accomplishes its function