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DOCUMENT RESUBIE
05645 - [B1226173]
Continuity of the o-Aeral Government in a Critical Naticnal
Emergency, a Neqlected Necessity. LCE-78-409; 18-16790. kpril
27, 1978. 40 pp. + 4 appendices (-3 pr.).
Report to the Congress; by Elmer B. Staats, Comptroller General.
Issue Area: Military Preparedness Plans 4800).
Contact: Logistics and Communications Eiv.
Budget Function: National Defense: Defense-rel4ted Activities
(054).
Organization Concerned: Department of Agricultuze; Department of
Defense; Department of Health, Educatic, and Nelfare;
Department of Housing and Urban Levelopment; Department of
Labor; Department of Transpirtaticn; General Services
Administration, Federal Preparedness Pgency.
Congressional Relerance: House Committee on Aiued Siurvices;
Senate Committee on Arsed Services; Congress.
Authority: Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 IF.L. 81-920),
Executive Order 10952. Executive Order 11490.
The Federal Preparedness Agency (FPA) ib responsitle
for setting policies for planning the continuity of government
in a national emergency and for coordinating plans among 30
Federal agencies. Fiadings/Conclusions: FPA does not h-ave the
necessary resources or organizational strucdure to adequately
fulfill its responsibilities. Efforts at coordination have been
ineftective because groups established for this purpose have met
infreq:ently. Planning assumptions and ether guidance provided
by FPA were outdated. Deficiencies in preparedness ;lans were
not adequately identified in reports subsitted by agencies or in
FPA reviews. Participation in the National Defense Executive
Reserve established to strengthen preparedness has declined.
Because ot FPA's lack of enforcement capability, the agercies
have developed different approaches in developing plans. Some
agencies have not identified their essential emergency
functions, and guidance in this area has not teen adequate.
Agencies are required to set up teams cf key peisonnel to carry
out essential functions at emergency facilities, but assignment
of personnel to teaws was incopplets, training was often
inadequate, and arrangements for activation of teams was
incomplete. Facilities tor relocation of teams lack certain
basic requirements, and agencies have not made detailed plans
for problems that would be encountered in emergencies. FPA's
ability to assess damage could be limited tecause of protlems in
its resource data system. Recommendations: The Director of EPA
should: coordinate emergency planning more effectively ty
developing more indepth agency reviehs, and by putting more
emphasis on the National Defense Executive Reserve Program;
develop morw specific criteria for agencies* use in determining
which functions would be essential in an emergency; direct
agencies to develop specific plans tc deal with the most severe](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaaxas0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)