What is an Emergency Support Function (ESF)?

Emergency Support Function 1 (ESF-1) Overview

What is the difference between Emergency Support Function (ESF) and RESF?
The Emergency Support Function (ESF) provides the structure for coordinating Federal interagency support for a Federal response to an incident. They are mechanisms for grouping functions most frequently used to provide Federal support to States and Federal-to-Federal support, both for declared disasters and emergencies.  They are responsible for assisting Federal, State, tribal, and local governmental entities, voluntary organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector on a larger scale. The RESF supports the ESF’s missions in a variety of locations and the members are part of various operating administrations at a local or regional planning level while ESF is at a state or federal level.

The Regional ESF (RESF) facilitates communication and coordinates among regional jurisdictions and agencies concerning transportation issues and activities during a major disaster or incident.  RESF-1 personnel focus on disruptions of the regional transportation system requiring inter-jurisdictional coordination and information sharing. Transportation disruptions can occur as a result of direct impacts upon the transportation infrastructure (e.g. disasters), major traffic incidents or from surges in requirements placed on the system by emergencies in other functional areas.

The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) RESF 1 – Transportation representative is part of the Capitol Region Emergency Planning Council (CREPC) that works with 41 communities located in the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) Region 3.

Terri Thompson is the RESF-1 chair. Comments or suggestions may be directed to her by email or by calling her at 860-522-2217, x242.