FEMA Administrator’s Annual Guidance Identifies Priorities for Stabilizing “Critical Lifelines”

WaterISAC has obtained a copy of outgoing FEMA Administrator Brock Long’s annual planning guidance, which is likely to change following his planned departure in early March. Still, the document provides interesting insights into the latest direction for FEMA. In the beginning of the document, Long states that achieving the three goals identified in FEMA’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan will reduce risk to “community lifelines” before a disaster and support rapid stabilization and restoration during and after a disaster. According to FEMA, the community lifelines includes food, water, and sheltering; hazardous waste; energy; communications; transportation; health and medical; and safety and security. These are similar to but different from the “critical lifelines” sectors identified in the 2013 National Infrastructure Protection Plan, which identifies them as water, energy, communications, and transportation. For each of FEMA’s three strategic goals, Long identifies priorities that he believes will provide the greatest impact towards stabilizing the community lifelines.