DRI Coordination with External Agencies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The National Response Framework (NRF) uses Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) to organize federal assistance. ESF #2 specifically covers:
- Transportation
- Communications (Correct answer)
- Mass care and emergency assistance
- Energy infrastructure
Correct answer: Communications
ESF #2 under the National Response Framework covers Communications, coordinating federal communications support during incidents.
Question 2: A Mutual Aid Agreement (MAA) differs from a standard vendor contract primarily in that a MAA:
- Requires payment in advance for all services
- Is reciprocal — either party may request or provide assistance depending on the situation (Correct answer)
- Is only valid during federally declared disasters
- Applies solely to technology resources
Correct answer: Is reciprocal — either party may request or provide assistance depending on the situation
MAAs are reciprocal agreements where either party can request or provide assistance based on need, without the transactional nature of a vendor contract.
Question 3: When an organization participates in a community-wide emergency exercise involving multiple agencies, this type of exercise is known as a:
- Tabletop exercise
- Functional exercise
- Full-scale exercise (Correct answer)
- Drill
Correct answer: Full-scale exercise
A full-scale exercise involves multiple agencies, activates emergency operations centers, and deploys personnel and equipment to simulate a real incident across the community.
Question 4: In the context of the Whole Community approach promoted by FEMA, which group is explicitly included as a key partner in emergency preparedness?
- Only government agencies at all levels
- Only first responder organizations
- Individuals, families, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies (Correct answer)
- Only federally recognized entities
Correct answer: Individuals, families, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies
FEMA's Whole Community approach recognizes individuals, families, nonprofits, businesses, and all levels of government as essential partners in building community resilience.
Question 5: Which document would a business continuity professional use as the primary federal guidance for structuring coordination between private organizations and government during disasters?
- NIST SP 800-34
- ISO 22301
- National Incident Management System (NIMS) (Correct answer)
- COBIT 5
Correct answer: National Incident Management System (NIMS)
NIMS provides the national framework for how government and private organizations coordinate during incidents, including standardized terminology, ICS, and operational protocols.
Question 6: A Liaison Officer (LNO) in an Incident Command System structure is responsible for:
- Managing all logistics for the incident
- Serving as the point of contact for cooperating agencies and organizations (Correct answer)
- Overseeing media and public communications
- Directing tactical operations in the field
Correct answer: Serving as the point of contact for cooperating agencies and organizations
The Liaison Officer serves as the ICS point of contact for representatives from cooperating and assisting agencies, facilitating inter-agency coordination.
Question 7: When coordinating with utilities (power, water, telecommunications) prior to a disaster, an organization should primarily aim to:
- Negotiate lower rates for post-disaster restoration
- Establish priority restoration status and share critical facility information (Correct answer)
- Eliminate dependency on all external utilities
- File regulatory complaints preemptively
Correct answer: Establish priority restoration status and share critical facility information
Establishing priority restoration status and sharing critical facility information with utilities ensures the organization receives faster service restoration after a disaster.
DRI Coordination with External Agencies 2
The National Response Framework (NRF) uses Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) to organize federal assistance.
ESF #2 specifically covers: