What is ESF #4

Emergency Support Function #4

Wildland fire agencies respond to more types of emergencies than only wildland fire. These emergency responders also deal with hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, terrorist attacks—any type of natural or human-caused disaster or emergency could result in a request to the Federal government for wildland or structural fire resources.

Coordination of resources can be complicated during a Presidential declaration of an emergency or a major disaster; however, a process exists to guide such multi-agency interactions. In these cases, the response is coordinated under the National Response Framework (NRF). The NRF identifies the roles and structures of Federal agencies to provide support to States or other agencies through Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). A list of the ESFs and their Coordinating Agencies are listed further below.

The NRF identifies ESF #4 as the coordinator for wildland, rural, urban, and suburban firefighting support; and under the NRF, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) serves as Primary Agency for ESF #4. During all types of disasters and major emergencies, ESF #4 is the primary link between the Federal wildland and structural fire communities and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The USFS coordinates and staffs ESF #4 with the support of the Department of the Interior (DOI) and serves as the face of wildland and structural firefighting resources to FEMA and other involved agencies.

There are six departments or agencies identified as supporters to ESF #4. They provide technical assistance and expertise in specific areas related to firefighting operations. In addition to DOI, these support agencies are the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), the National Weather Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, and Department of State. Their roles related to ESF #4 are identified in the ESF #4 Annex of the NRF.

To provide Federal support for the detection and suppression of wildland, rural, and urban fires resulting from, or occurring coincidentally with, an all-hazard incident. Under the NRF, ESF #4 manages and coordinates Federal firefighting resources and personnel to support of State, Tribal, and local agencies who either have limited and/or reduced capacity for large scale operations. These resources are often mobilized to incidents not involving wildland fire.

The Forest Service, Washington Office of Fire & Aviation Management, All Hazard and International Fire Support Branch is the day-to-day link to DHS / FEMA and provides a National ESF #4 Coordinator. Each Region or Area also has a designated ESF Coordinator to partner with their FEMA representative. Supporting agencies include the DOI Office of Wildland Fire and USFA maintain a close working relationship.

During a disaster or emergency, ESF #4 may be staffed at all levels of FEMA operations:

The National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) at FEMA headquarters in Washington, DC.
A Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in any of the 10 FEMA Regions.
Embedded with a FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) – an advance team that deploys at the onset of an emergency to provide Federal liaison capabilities with the affected State(s).
A Joint Field Office (JFO) established by an IMAT in any State affected by a disaster or major emergency.
A State Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
A Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC).
The National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC).
Embedded with an incident management team or other resource assigned through ESF #4.

An ESF #4 is staffed by qualified personnel from the wildland fire agencies. Typically, there are two or more ESF #4 representatives assigned to staff the ESF #4 desk at FEMA facilities, and at other locations or embedded with a team. The Lead ESF #4 Representative at a FEMA facility must be qualified as a ESF Primary Leader (ESFL), an USFS employee, and Executive Agent. Firefighting support is under the Stafford Act and the National Response Framework.

The official qualifications of the ESF #4 positions are identified in the Federal Wildland Fire Qualifications Supplement with-in the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, and PMS 310-1 Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide.

When activated, ESF #4 staff at the NRCC serve as the link between USFS, DOI, and FEMA leadership. Similarly, ESF #4 staff at the RRCC or JFO serves as the link between USFS, DOI regions and FEMA Regions (State offices may also be included depending on the nature of the emergency or disaster). In addition to the resource ordering process, the ESF #4 staff gathers ongoing intelligence about emerging details regarding the assigned incident.

The ESF #4 response is the link between the wildland fire resource ordering process and FEMA funding mechanisms. Upon request FEMA provides ESF #4 with a mission assignment. The ESF #4 Coordinator places an order with the appropriate Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC). As with wildland fires, the GACC mobilizes and coordinates firefighting resources at the geographic area level.

In addition to the primary ESF #4 mission, USFS and DOI are also identified as support agencies. These support agencies may also be sub-tasked to provide support identified in the NRF. For example, under these support missions, USFS may be asked to provide:

Saw-capable personnel for emergency road clearing.
Command and control assets (single resource personnel or Incident Management Teams.
Transportation, land and air.
Radio communications systems with support personnel (if needed).
Engineering, contracting, procurement personnel and equipment to assist in debris removal.
Resources and supplies for evacuation shelters.
Staff for establishing and managing logistical facilities to include federal staging areas.
Personnel, equipment, and supplies for Federal urban Search and Rescue Task Forces and/or Health and Medical Teams.
Additional technical assistance and logistical support when responding to oil and hazardous materials spills.

While not through ESF #4, the Forest Service also supports ESF #13 (Public Safety and Security) including Law Enforcement and Investigation personnel through an agreement with Department of Justice.

Mission Assignments

Additionally, FEMA can issue a direct mission assignments (MA) to USFS or DOI through ESF #4. Any requests for assistance outside of the primary or support missions are closely scrutinized by ESF #4 staff. When possible, USFS provides advisory services, guidance, and training to the requesting agency to help them build capacity rather than performing the task for them.

The ESF #4 activations do not always result in mobilization of response assets such as IMTs or crews. In fact, the majority of activations require USFS to staff the ESF #4 desk at an RRCC with one or two people. However, there have been incidents when dozens of ESF #4 staff and hundreds of responders were mobilized through ESF #4 program.

Notable ESF #4 Assignments:

New Mexico Fires and resulting Debris Flows – ESF #4 provided crews, an IMT, single resource command and control support, and heavy equipment to help mitigate the flooding and debris flows following significant fires in both 2022 and 2024. In addition, ESF #4 representatives coordinated between FEMA, the IMT engaged in firefighting, the Forest Service's Region, and the State of New Mexico to coordinate the effort between firefighting operations, post-fire recovery operations, and flood / debris flow mitigation operations.

Hurricane Helene – The Hurricane Helene response through ESF #4 was significant. There were nine Incident Management Team assignments and over 300 responders who supported FEMA and the State of North Carolina in the Federal response. Missions included emergency road clearing, logistical and public information support, and command and control functions. Firefighters cleared 157 miles of road and partially cleared 82 miles of road in multiple western North Carolina counties. They provided critical access to Search and Rescue crews and first-responders.

National COVID-19 Vaccination Vaccine – Through ESF #4, Forest Service provided Emergency Medical Service personnel to serve as vaccinators, screeners, and medical observers at federally supported vaccination centers. Forest Service also provided incident management personnel to assist Federal, State, and local agencies with vaccination distribution planning and vaccination site management, logistics, planning, operations and supervision. Vaccinators mobilized through Forest Service administered a total of 1,910,132 doses of vaccine during the 2021 National COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign. Between January 20 and June 23, a total of 1,929 interagency personnel were mobilized through ESF #4; of these, 979 were USDA Forest Service employees.

COVID-19 Planning Support – Beginning in March, 2020, ESF #4 responded to the initial stages of the pandemic by providing incident management personnel to various federal, state, and local Emergency Operations Centers to assist those organizations with strategic and operational planning related to the response to the COVID-19 emergency. This phase of the response lasted until June 2020.

California Wildfires and Oregon Wildfires – ESF#4 was activated separately in California and Oregon to support FEMA’s non-suppression response roles by monitoring wildfire activity, gathering information and briefing FEMA for situational awareness. ESF #4 also supported an Erosion Threat Team in Oregon

Hurricane Dorian – the projected path of this slow-moving major hurricane confounded forecasters, complicating efforts to pre-positioning resources from many different agencies. ESF #4 was activated in two FEMA regions and at the NRCC to coordinate the pre-positioning of three IMTs and six Type 1 crews, along with miscellaneous overhead, to be able to perform emergency road clearing immediately after the storm passed to provide access for search and rescue crews.

Super Typhoon Yutu – In late October, Super Typhoon Yutu hit the Northern Mariana Islands as a Category 5 storm. With winds up to 180-mph, the storm destroyed several hundred structures including homes, schools, and businesses. Over a period of 31 days, ESF #4 worked with IMTs and a local hand crew on Saipan and Tinian to coordinate the efforts of multiple agencies in distributing and setting up temporary emergency shelters to disaster survivors. More than 1,100 households received shelters through this effort.

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria – Three major hurricanes made landfall in three different parts of the country (Texas/Louisiana, Florida/Georgia, and Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands) within weeks of each other, all while the National Preparedness Level was at the highest P.L. 5. ESF #4 coordinated the ordering for FEMA from across all Federal and State organizations 27 interagency Incident Management Teams, seven 20-person crews, 26 two-person saw modules, and miscellaneous overhead personnel between August 26 and November 19. Missions included managing Federal staging areas, providing logistical support to law enforcement personnel, performing emergency road clearing, managing logistics facilities, and supporting local emergency operations centers.

Oso Slide – A major landslide occurred near the town of Oso, Washington, in March. Mud and debris cover a 1.3 square mile span, at a depth of 60 feet in places; 43 people were killed by the slide. The search effort continued for more than a month. FEMA activated ESF #4 regionally, and the Forest Service provided ESF #4 staff and a Type 2 incident management team to coordinate response operations, which involved over 200 responders at the height of the response.

Colorado Flash Floods – In September 2013, a significant rain event resulted in serious flash flooding in the Colorado Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Following an Emergency Declaration by the President, FEMA issued a Mission Assignment through ESF #4 for command/control/coordination and aviation support for all-hazard emergency operations in the areas affected by the floods. During the two week response, ESF #4 had ordered two IMTs, 11 hand crews, seven helicopters and modules, five air tactical platforms, and associated overhead personnel (approximately 490 individuals total). These resources provided support for missions that had a significant impact on the outcome of the incident: rescue of approximately 1500 people and over 700 animals, and hauling of 114,800 lbs. of cargo to remote areas and stranded communities.

Hurricane Sandy – Hurricane Sandy was the second-largest Atlantic storm on record, affecting the East Coast from Florida to Maine, and states as far west as Indiana. Making landfall as a post-tropical cyclone in southern New Jersey on October 29, Sandy battered the densely populated New York and New Jersey region with heavy rains, strong winds, and record storm surges. On the western side of the storm, blizzard conditions paralyzed parts of the central Appalachians, including much of West Virginia. The storm’s effects were extensive, resulting in a massive Federal response. ESF #4 coordinated the mobilization of 10 IMTs, 50 hand crews, and various other resources. At the height of the response, 1,200 responders were deployed to New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and West Virginia. In addition, qualified ESF #4 and support personnel were working with FEMA at JFOs, RRCCs, State EOCs, and the NRCC, and in support of the operations at the Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry offices, the Eastern Area Coordination Center, and the USFS Washington Office.

Hurricane Irene – This Category 3 storm in late August made landfall in Puerto Rico, then made landfall three times on the U.S. East Coast -- at Cape Lookout, North Carolina; Little Egg Inlet, New Jersey; and New York City. Coastal areas in the Mid-Atlantic States sustained the brunt of the damage from the initial landfall; Irene then battered much of the Northeast with record rainfall and major flooding. ESF #4 staff operated nationally and in four FEMA regions. Three incident management teams and 11 hand crews were mobilized to New York and Massachusetts following Hurricane Irene to assist with emergency road clearing and coordination of distribution of water and other commodities. Communications equipment, communications technicians, and aviation specialists were also mobilized to assist FEMA in two FEMA regions.

Arizona Winter Storms – A series of major winter storms swept through Arizona in January creating heavy snow accumulations in the northeast part of the state which blocked access routes to and from some areas left many people stranded or without the means to provide the basic necessities of life. Following a FEMA emergency declaration on January 24th, Forest Service equipment and personnel worked in coordination with the Arizona State Type 2 incident management team in supplying food, water, charcoal, and fuel wood to residents most affected in the aftermath of this weather event. Forest Service equipment including dozers and snowmobiles were used to clear roads and ferry supplies to residents in areas that were inaccessible.

American Samoa Tsunami and Typhoon Melor – Following a major earthquake, a tsunami seriously impacted American Samoa. An ESFL and ESF #4 Wildland Support staff member accompanied a FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team to American Samoa to identify potential support that could be provided through ESF #4. During that response, Typhoon Melor was poised to strike Saipan and Guam. An incident management team was mobilized to assist FEMA in providing life-saving and life-sustaining supplies to the islands; however, the storm’s last-minute change of course spared the islands from significant impacts.

Acronyms

As with any administrative function, FEMA has its own shorthand that all ESFs must learn and use. The following are some commonly used acronyms that can help speed communication during ESF activations.

Acronym	Agency, Office, or Organization
DHS	Department of Homeland Security
DOI	Department of the Interior
EOC or SOC	Emergency Operations Center or State Operations Center
ESF	Emergency Support Function
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency
GACC	Geographic Area Coordination Center
IMAT	Incident Management Assistance Team
IOF	Interim Operating Facility
JFO	Joint Field Office
MA	Mission Assignment
NICC	National Interagency Coordination Center
NRCC	National Response Coordination Center
NRF	National Response Framework
RRCC	Regional Response Coordination Center
USFA	United States Fire Administration
USFS	United States Forest Service

Emergency Support Functions and Coordinators, # 1 - 15

ESF Coordinator: Department of Transportation

Coordinates the support of management of transportation systems and infrastructure, the regulation of transportation, management of the Nation’s airspace, and ensuring the safety and security of the national transportation system. Functions include but are not limited to the following:

Transportation modes management and control.
Transportation safety.
Stabilization and reestablishment of transportation infrastructure.
Movement restrictions; and
Damage and impact assessment.

ESF Coordinator: DHS / Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Coordinates government and industry efforts for the reestablishment and provision of critical communications infrastructure and services, facilitates the stabilization of systems and applications from malicious activity (e.g., cyber), and coordinates communications support to response efforts (e.g., emergency communication services and emergency alerts and telecommunications).