FEMA IS-552: The Public Works Role in Emergency Management Answers

1. Which choice lists a task performed by Emergency Support Function (ESF) #3, Public Works and Engineering? A. Providing natural and cultural resources and historical properties protection
2. Coordinating with telecommunications and information technology industries
3. Providing emergency repair of damaged public infrastructure and critical facilities
4. Providing national incident logistics planning, management, and sustainment capability
5. True or False: The NIMS provides the template for incident management, and the NRF provides structure and mechanisms for unified incident response. A. True
6. False
7. Which one of the following statements best describes the purpose of the after-action review? A. To determine what went wrong and the individuals who were responsible
8. To identify personnel who should be commended for their response actions
9. To identify strengths of an emergency plan and areas for future improvements
10. To evaluate emergency response personnel as part of their performance reviews
11. Which of the following choices is a disaster assistance program authorized by the Stafford Act that provides low-interest loans, temporary housing assistance, crisis counseling, and other benefits to disaster survivors? A. Public Assistance
12. Hazard Mitigation
13. Individual Assistance
14. Homeland Security Grant
15. During which phase of emergency management do public works professionals clear roadways, assess initial damage, and manage emergency traffic? A. Prevention
16. Recovery
17. Preparedness
18. Mitigation
19. Response
20. Which one of the following statements best describes the function of the Incident Annexes available from the National Response Framework (NRF) Resource Center? A. They describe the concept of operations to address specific situations.
21. They provide the structure for coordinating federal interagency support.
22. They are overarching in nature and applicable to nearly every type of incident.
23. They describe how various organizations coordinate and execute common processes.
24. Which of the following choices is generally the top priority for restoration of essential services in a community? A. Local industries
25. Critical facilities
26. Local businesses
27. Residential areas
28. During which step of the emergency planning process should communities begin to engage the whole community in planning? A. Develop the plan
29. Form a collaborative planning team
30. Understand the situation
31. Determine goals and objectives
32. Which one of the following statements best describes the role of the local government in emergency management?

The local government… A. Can request aid directly from the federal government.

1. Coordinates resources with other states through EMACs.
2. Is responsible for managing an incident from beginning to end.
3. Transfers command to the state 72 hours after an incident occurs.
4. True or False: Mitigation funds are often allocated for public infrastructure and facilities improvements because they support the community’s priority to protect its citizens. A. True
5. False
6. Which one of the following choices is a question about a resource need that public works must take into account when developing administrative policies and processes for emergency management? A. Is permission required to enter private property during an emergency?
7. Have mutual aid agreements been established with other communities?
8. What are the established protocols for disseminating public information?
9. What traffic routes will be used in the event that an evacuation is required?
10. Which one of the following statements is NOT a good method for ensuring effective administrative practices for emergency management? A. Institute local funding mechanisms to supplement federal funds
11. Establish mutual aid agreements only with surrounding communities
12. Use prearranged contracts or agreements for procurement of resources
13. Seek legal advice in the development of plans, procedures, and policies
14. Choose the best phrase to complete the following statement:

Public works professionals can help justify expenses for cost reimbursements and improve after-action analysis of the event through effective ________________________. A. mitigation

1. delegation
2. documentation
3. characterization
4. After-action analysis for the I-35W Mississippi Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis indicated that a primary reason for the successful response was the city’s linked 800 MHz communication system. However, the Department of Public Works (DPW) was not tied into the 800 MHz system. Instead, they were using push-to-talk phones and cell phones. The property shop manager obtained some hand-held radios for the DPW operations center and Command Post, which was separate from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) due to space constraints, but public works employees were unfamiliar with how to operate the radios in the 800 MHz system.

Based on this information, which of the following choices provides the best recommendation for the PWD to ensure a coordinated response in the next emergency? A. Build a new EOC that will accommodate all agencies using the 800 MHz system

1. Provide training on how to use the borrowed hand-held radios in the 800 MHz system
2. Acquire new radios that are interoperable with other agencies in the 800 MHz system
3. Acquire interoperable radios and provide training on how to use the 800 MHz system
4. Which of the following statements best describes the first priority of public works during initial response? A. Provide an initial assessment of the damages to all community services
5. Assist with life safety activity by providing equipment and technical expertise
6. Restore solid waste management services, repair facilities, and clear streets
7. Review reports and other data to provide a preliminary damage assessment
8. True or False: The general public is less likely to panic if they are not given much information about an emergency. A. True
9. False
10. Which statement best describes the function of a Joint Information Center? A. Verifies the accuracy of all information prior to release and monitors media reports to provide correction as needed
11. Establishes a method of operating during an incident that allows for coordinated information and integrated messages
12. Provides an environment and a central location from which the other components of the public information program can function
13. Provides information related to the incident and the functions of government as well as other matters of general interest both internally and externally
14. Which one of the following is the best example of how public works professionals can contribute to emergency prevention through effective communication? A. Acquire historical damage assessment information for use by the emergency manager
15. Communicate changes to household garbage collection schedules to the public
16. Keep local, state, and federal agencies informed about debris management efforts
17. Ensure that communication equipment is interoperable with that of other agencies
18. Which of the following is an example of a non-structural public works mitigation activity? A. Retention ponds
19. Seismic retrofitting
20. Relocation of facilities
21. Building code revision
22. Which one of the following statements is NOT a way in which the public works professional can help to ensure that NIMS is incorporated at the local level? A. Review NIMS updates on a regular basis.
23. Integrate NIMS into all emergency management plans.
24. Develop public works code words for use during incident response.
25. Complete the required NIMS training and promote training for others.