Region III: DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV

FEMA Region III

In 1999, FEMA Region III moved to its current location at One Independence Mall in Philadelphia.

FEMA In Motion

FEMA Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) travels en route to the Virginia Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

FEMA Region III’s Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) traveled to Richmond, Virginia to work directly with our Commonwealth partners at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) in anticipation of Hurricane Matthew. Here the staff participates in a morning briefing on the progress of the hurricane and preparation activities taking place.

Morning Briefing in Virginia

FEMA Region III’s IMAT participates in a morning briefing with our partners at Virginia Dept. of Emergency Mgmt (VDEM).

FEMA Region III’s Marlon Owens (far right) coordinates with logistics staff to organize and place trucks with food, water, and blankets at the staging area at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia in anticipation of Hurricane Matthew. Those resources were then moved to the states that needed them most, including North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

FEMA Establishes Staging Area

FEMA Region III’s Marlon Owens (far right) coordinates with logistics staff to organize trucks carrying commodities.

This photo shows FEMA Region III Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney addresses staff at the West Virginia Joint Field Office during a meeting. The Regional Administrator visited the field office following severe flooding and storms in West Virginia in late June 2016.

WV Joint Field Office Meeting

FEMA Region III Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney speaks to staff at the West Virginia Joint Field Office (JFO).

A FEMA Mitigation Specialist shares mitigation information at Lowe's in Charleston, West Virginia.

FEMA Offers Advice & Tips

A FEMA Mitigation Specialist in West Virginia shares mitigation tips following the severe storms & flooding in June.

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After FEMA was formed in 1979, Region III consolidated its Philadelphia offices in the Curtis Building on Independence Square, working from that location until 1985. In July 1999, Region III moved to its current location at One Independence Mall.

Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney leads the Region III office, where close to 200 full-time employees support the region's response and recovery operations during a presidential disaster declaration.

The regional population ranges from densely urban in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia to sparsely rural in the hills and valleys of West Virginia. The region is rich in history, with four of the original 13 colonies and the nation's capital.

About Us

This is a graphic of FEMA Region III, which includes the State of Delaware, the State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Washington, DC., the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the State of West Virginia. FEMA Region III is based out of Philadelphia.

FEMA Region III works closely with the emergency management agencies of the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards. To help accomplish its mission, Region III maintains strong partnerships through its councils - the Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC), the Regional Advisory Council (RAC), and the Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group (RECCWG).

Office of the Regional Administrator

Regional Administrator: MaryAnn Tierney
Deputy Regional Administrator: Robert Welch

Key Partners

Delaware

Delaware Emergency Management Agency
165 Brick Store Landing Road
Smyrna, Delaware 19977
Phone: (302) 659-3362
Fax: (302) 659-6855
dema.delaware.gov

District of Columbia

District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency
2720 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, S.E.
Second Floor
Washington, D.C. 20032
Phone: (202) 727-6161
Fax: (202) 673-2290
hsema.dc.gov

Maryland

Maryland Emergency Management Agency
Camp Fretterd Military Reservation
5401 Rue Saint Lo Drive
Reistertown, Maryland 21136
Phone: (410) 517-3600
Toll Free: (877) 636-2872
Fax: (410) 517-3610
mema.maryland.gov

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
1310 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg PA 17110-9463
Phone: (717) 651-2001
Fax: (717) 651-2040
pema.pa.gov

Virginia

Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court
Richmond, VA 23236-3713
Phone: (804) 897-6502
Fax: (804) 897-6506
vaemergency.gov

West Virginia

West Virginia Division of Homleand Security and Emergency Management
Building 1, Room EB-80 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, West Virginia 25305-0360
Phone: (304) 558-5380
Fax: (304) 344-4538
dhsem.wv.gov

Regional Interagency Steering Committee, the Regional Advisory Council, and the Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group

The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, which was signed into law by President Bush on October 4, 2006, called for a major transformation of FEMA. On the regional level, two new entities were implemented to enhance communications and preparedness for future disasters: the Regional Advisory Council and the Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group.

Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC)

The Regional Interagency Steering Committee is the senior level entity that coordinates responsibilities, resolves operational and preparedness issues relating to the interagency response and recovery activities at the Federal Regional level, and provides planning guidance and oversight for the development of interagency response and recovery focused plans and activities.

Regional Advisory Council (RAC)

Established in 2007, the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) advises the Regional Administrator on emergency management issues specific to the region. The Council ensures effective and ongoing coordination of activities involving federal preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation for natural and manmade disasters. Members serve staggered lengths, with the maximum being three years.

Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group (RECCWG)

The Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group (RECCWG) serves as the single, regional coordination point for emergency communications preparedness, response, and recovery for federal, state, and local governments within Region III. This group also provides tactical disaster emergency communications capabilities to support all-hazards disaster response and recovery and national security emergency requirements in the Region and among other regions as needed.

The RECCWG reports to the Regional Administrator and is led by the Disaster Emergency Communications Coordinator.

Disaster Declarations

In recent memory, the region has experienced disaster declarations for hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, wildfires, winter storms, and earthquakes. After a declared disaster, a unique webpage is developed to keep everyone apprised of response and recovery efforts. Please visit the Disaster Declarations page for more information.

The following is a list of recent presidentially-declared disasters in Region III:

Maryland Severe Storms and Flooding (September, 2016)
West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (June, 2016)
Delaware Severe Winter Storm and Flooding (January, 2016)
District of Columbia Snowstorm (January, 2016)
Maryland Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (January, 2016)
Pennsylvania Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (January, 2016)
Virginia Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (January, 2016)

For additional information, please visit each link above or contact us.

Divisions

Response Division

The mission of the Response Division is to coordinate and provide Federal disaster response capability to state, tribal, and local governments to support life-saving and life sustaining capabilities.

Operational Planning Branch: Supports the full spectrum of disaster response and recovery operational and deliberate planning, ensuring continuity between long-range planning, current operations planning, and field element incident action planning. Planning’s functions also include planning for logistical requirements needed to implement the plan.
Operations Integration Branch: Ensures the effective regional coordination, integration, and implementation of disaster operations, programs and activities. The branch’s functions include: operations training and exercises, situational awareness through the Regional Watch Center, and the operation of Regional Response Coordination center. Logistics staff work to develop and maintain logistics management capability, distribution and resource management in support of all field operations in conjunction with FEMA’s Logistics Management Directorate, as well as Federal and state partners.
Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT): This mobile, responsive force of qualified and experienced federal emergency management personnel provides incident management capabilities to state, local and tribal governments prior to or after a disaster. The IMAT deploys when requested by the state to coordinate any federal response. Region III has one full-time IMAT and two collateral duty IMATs.

Recovery Division

The Recovery Division is responsible for managing programs that provide Federal assistance to individuals and families and assist communities in recovering as a result of a Federal disaster declaration.

Individual Assistance Branch: The Individual Assistance Branch provides individuals and households with various types of assistance to meet disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other funding sources for recovery.
Public Assistance Branch: FEMA's Public Assistance program provides state and local governmental entities and certain private non-profit organizations with disaster grant assistance for emergency actions and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged facilities not covered by insurance or other funding sources for recovery.
National Disaster Recovery Framework: FEMA developed the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) to coordinate long term recovery for communities impacted by disasters and to improve coordination between federal agencies in their support to states and communities. For information on the NDRF and to hear from FEMA Region III's Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator (FDRC) Kevin Snyder and Community Planning and Capacity Building Coordinator Michelle Diamond, listen to Region III's NDRF podcast: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/audio/126251.

Mitigation Division

FEMA's Region III Mitigation Division strives to create safer communities by reducing the risks to loss of life and property. Mitigation programs enable individuals to recover more quickly from floods and other disasters and lessen the financial impact of disasters on the nation.

Risk Analysis Branch: Risk analysis promotes disaster resilience by enabling individuals and communities to recover more rapidly from floods and other disasters through effective risk analysis of natural hazards through flood mapping and hazard mitigation planning. To view flood maps, please visit the Map Service Center.
Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch: Risk reduction creates safer communities by proactively reducing risk and enhancing the capability of states and local communities to reduce their risk from natural hazards. FEMA has authority for three Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs with statutory and regulatory authorities, program requirements and triggers for funding. The programs are the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA). They all share a common goal-to assist state and local communities in their efforts to reduce the loss of life and property from future natural hazard events.
Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch: The Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch administers the floodplain management and insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). These programs focus on state and local building codes and zoning regulations to assure that new development and substantial improvements located in a floodplain are constructed to prevent or minimize future flood damage. Under the insurance part of the program, this office provides oversight of flood insurance training programs and outreach efforts for insurance agents, lenders and property owners throughout the region.
Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Program: The Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) program integrates the protection and enhancement of environmental, historic, and cultural resources into FEMA's mission, programs and activities. It ensures that FEMA's activities including facility management, Public and Individual Assistance programs, and all Hazard Mitigation and Emergency Preparedness grants comply with Federal environmental and historic preservation laws and executive orders. EHP also provides environmental and historic preservation technical assistance to FEMA staff, local, state and Federal partners.

National Preparedness Division

The mission of FEMA's Region III National Preparedness (NP) Division is to provide leadership in the coordination and facilitation of all Federal efforts to assist state and local emergency management and emergency response organizations to build and sustain capability to respond to any emergency or disaster, including a terrorist incident as well as other natural or man-made hazards.

Preparedness Branch: The Regional Preparedness Branch works in close coordination with the National Preparedness Directorate to deliver and coordinate homeland security training, education (internal and external), and exercise programs within the Region. These functions include implementation of the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the National Response Framework (NRF). In addition, Preparedness provides internal and external Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) and exercise support.
Technological Hazards Branch: The Technological Hazards Branch administers the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program (REPP), which conducts and evaluates Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) exercises, medical drills, out-of-sequence and remedial drills. These exercises and drills serve to test the radiological emergency response plans and preparedness for the offsite response organizations surrounding nuclear power facilities.

Grants Division

The Grants Management Division is responsible for the financial management of all Region III disaster and regional non-disaster grants and the programmatic management of regionalized preparedness grants.

Financial Management Branch: The Financial Management Branch provides full lifecycle grant management for all regional disaster and non-disaster grants from application and award to reporting, monitoring and closeouts. Also, this branch provides grantees with comprehensive grants business management services, including financial monitoring, audit resolution, data analysis/systems support, grants policy guidance, and training.
Program Management Branch: The Program Management Branch provides grant program management for all regional preparedness grants from application and award to reporting, monitoring and closeouts. This branch provides grantees with comprehensive grants management services, including program monitoring, technical assistance, grants policy guidance, and training. The regional Emergency Management Grant Program offers preparedness assistance to state and local governments through the Emergency Management Grant Program. This branch also provides pre-award and post award technical assistance and program monitoring support for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants.
- The FY 2016 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) application is currently open. Region III recently completed a series of webinars for potential applicants, which includes information on the program and application. For the complete presentation and to download a copy, visit the FEMA Multimedia Library at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/126678

Mission Support Division

The Mission Support Division provides overall administrative and information technology support for the day-to-day operations of the regional office and disaster operations.

Administrative Services Branch: The Administrative Services Branch manages acquisition, personnel, and safety and security requirements and payroll processing. The branch manages the FEMA Deployment Tracking System (DTS), as well as other administrative services to the Region and Joint Field Offices (JFOs).
Information Technology (IT) Branch: The IT Branch provides and manages the facilities information technology infrastructure to support regional activities. For disaster operations, this branch provides information technology services and assets.

External Affairs Office

Region III External Affairs coordinates and manages internal communications for the Region III office and external communications to the public, press, Intergovernmental Affairs and Congressional Affairs partners. External Affairs supports Region III divisions in the communication of policies and programs to ensure that activities are responsive to stakeholders, media, congressional representatives, senators, and their staff, and other audiences. Major activities of External Affairs include the coordination of private sector engagement, promoting National Preparedness Month and America’s PrepareAthon!, and the Regional Advisory Council.