Final answer:
The 15 Emergency Support Functions are essential components of the National Response Framework, which is used in the U.S. for coordinated emergency response. They include areas such as Transportation, Communications, Public Health, and Search and Rescue, and are headed by designated primary agencies with the support of others.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 15 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) are part of the National Response Framework, which is used in the United States to coordinate emergency response. These ESFs provide the structure for coordinating federal interagency support for a federal response to an incident. They are mechanism for grouping functions most frequently used to provide federal support to States and Federal-to-Federal support, both for declared disasters and emergencies under the Stafford Act as well as for non-Stafford Act incidents. Here are the ESFs:
- Transportation
- Communications
- Public Works and Engineering
- Firefighting
- Information and Planning
- Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Temporary Housing, and Human Services
- Logistics Management and Resource Support
- Public Health and Medical Services
- Search and Rescue
- Oil and Hazardous Materials Response
- Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Energy
- Public Safety and Security
- Long-Term Community Recovery
- External Affairs
Each ESF is headed by a primary agency that has been designated based on its authorities, resources, and capabilities in the specific area. Other agencies may support the primary agency, bringing their own expertise and resources to bear.