6 U.S.C. § 317 Regional Offices

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-22 with Court Rules updates (published on www.congress.gov on 12/01/2023)

(a) In general

There are in the Agency 10 regional offices, as identified by the Administrator.

(b) Management of regional offices

(1) Regional Administrator

Each Regional Office shall be headed by a Regional Administrator who shall be appointed by the Administrator, after consulting with State, local, and tribal government officials in the region. Each Regional Administrator shall report directly to the Administrator and be in the Senior Executive Service.

(2) Qualifications

(A) 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.

(B) 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.

(c) Responsibilities

(1) In general

The Regional Administrator shall work in partnership with State, local, and tribal governments, emergency managers, emergency response providers, medical providers, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, multijurisdictional councils of governments, and regional planning commissions and organizations in the geographical area served by the Regional Office to carry out the responsibilities of a Regional Administrator under this section.

(2) Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a Regional Administrator include-

(A) 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);

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

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

(D) 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;

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