emergency teams and essential services

12

 to disaster areas; DHS expects to 

significantly reduce this response time by 2009.  The following diagram 

illustrates DHS' performance objectives for FEMA response time.  (See 

Figure 5).  

Response 

Response 

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Figure 5: DHS Target Response Metrics 

However, measuring response time and progress toward achieving DHS 

targets is problematic.  FEMA's systems for personnel deployment and 

logistics do not easily track performance information.  ADD, for example, 

does not capture data on how long it takes for emergency personnel to arrive 

at a disaster site.  In other words, the system does not have a  stopwatch  to 

measure the elapsed time between contacting personnel of their need to 

deploy and their ultimate arrival at a disaster scene.  Currently, program 

officials must review information manually tracked either on paper or on 

spreadsheets to determine response time, a very inefficient process.  EP&R 

plans to develop a new deployment management system to address this issue.  

Similarly, LIMS III provides no tracking of essential commodities, such as ice 

and water, needed by disaster victims.  As a result, FEMA cannot readily 

determine its effectiveness in achieving DHS' specific disaster response goals 

and whether or not there is a need to improve.  FEMA is currently working to 

establish a baseline for average response time in providing essential services, 

beginning in 2006.  FEMA officials said that they are pilot testing a Total 

Asset Visibility system to track shipment and distribution of essential 

commodities such as ice, water, and food.  

12

 Essential services are generally defined as life saving commodities and emergency supplies including water, food, ice, 

medical supplies, mobile homes, travel trailers, or other housing options. 

Emergency Preparedness and Response Could Better Integrate Information Technology  

with Incident Response and Recovery 

Page 10