"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released the National Response Framework (NRF), successor to the National Response Plan. The NRF, which focuses on response and short-term recovery, articulates the doctrine, principles and architecture by which our nation prepares for and responds to all-hazard disasters across all levels of government and all sectors of communities. The NRF is responsive to repeated Federal, State, local and private sector requests for a streamlined document that is less bureaucratic and more user-friendly. The NRF also focuses on preparedness and encourages a higher level of readiness across all jurisdictions. The NRF is being released following an extensive process of outreach and coordination between DHS and key stakeholders representing Federal, tribal, state and local governments, non-governmental agencies and associations, and the private sector. The latest public comment period for the base document of the NRF closed on October 22, 2007, and the comment period for the support annexes closed on November 10, 2007. The final documents reflect the nearly 5,700 comments received from participants of the process."--FEMA news release. |