Emergency Support Functions: Incorporating ESFs in Emergency Operations Plan

Emergency support functions (ESFs) are the systems that allow coordination of support from Federal inter-agencies in response to a particular incident. These are the mechanisms that put various functions together with a view of providing federal support to various states or offering federal to federal assistance during an emergency. In an emergency operations plan, ESFs play a vital role in ensuring that the appropriate response is offered at different levels whenever a disaster happens. To incorporate them into the new plan, certain procedures need to be followed. The first step involves identifying the participants in the emergency operations plan. This helps in assessing the support to expect and to which extent during a disaster. After getting this information, it is possible to make appropriate preparations aimed at responding to a certain risk. 

The second step involves developing a matrix that will assess the level of participation of various agencies in mitigating the effects of a certain disaster. It highlights the type of support each of these bodies will offer during emergency management. Lastly, ESFs will help in identifying which department plays a leading role in disaster management. To ensure better utilization of the resources, it would be advisable to add Financial Management Support Annex which has the primary purpose of providing financial management for all concerned participants at the time of emergencies. It also includes offering guidance to all agencies and departments providing federal support during disasters(FEMA, 2015). Financial management plays a critical role in allocating resources for various emergency management efforts by enabling maximum benefit and minimal wastage. This is done through the acquisition of equipment and appropriate human resource. Having the best financial management will allow various agencies and departments to provide maximum response efforts towards a certain disaster. It will also allow for better-coordinated efforts towards a common goal in emergency management. 

Reference 

FEMA. (2015). About the Agency. FEMA.Gov .