ANNEX BUDGETS

At one time”, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had a substantial structured budget which was reportedly making great strides in planning, training, mitigation and response of emergencies and disasters.

Fiscal budgets have showed a shift from the budget planning processes and funding justification in the past. To the dismay of many, congress gave the whole DHS budget to the DHS Director, to dole out as seen fit.  There is controversy over the structural change in budget allocation distribution.  Yearly it will become unclear as to which programs will be funded. Regardless of how the funds are split up, emergency managers will ultimately have to work with less. 

The cuts may be so deep that the planning, training, mitigation and response will all suffer to varying degrees.  More and more states will be on-the-line to fund all the needs associated with emergency management.  There is considerable conversation as to how effective emergency management was at arguing its case for needed funding.  It’s being trapped in a cycle of defending one program over another.  There will be a spotlight placed on emergency management on whether emergency preparedness and response will be compromised by fiscal pressures at all levels of government.  We will see in the very near future how much these cuts will affect our federal, state and local governments ability to deal with the forest fires, hurricanes, tornadoes; floods, earthquakes, hazardous materials events and heaven help us, terrorist (foreign and domestic) events.

If you’re a responder, you will want to keep a sense of where this conversation goes, as it very well may impact your ability to be involved in those events that tear through our communities.

Alliance Projects:

    A greater focus and actions are receiving attention as the private sector will be picking up a greater percentage of the costs associated.

   Although there have always been some mutual agreements with the public and private sector.  A need for greater cooperation has been recognized over the past decade.  “Government response agencies are looking to private sector to provide resources and capabilities that public agencies just don’t have”

Illinois Private Sector Alliance Project, the prevention, preparedness and response.  Eighty five to ninety percent of all critical infrastructure in this country is owned by the private sector – It’s not only government” (Emergency Management Magazine, by Emily Montandon)

   FEMA is grasping the importance of private sector collaboration at all levels of government.