R 042032Z OCT 11

ALCOAST 466/11
COMDTNOTE 12900
SUBJ: DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) SURGE CAPACITY FORCE
(SCF): USCG SOLICITATION FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER SUPPORT
A. PUBLIC LAW 109-295 SECTION 624 SURGE CAPACITY FORCE
B. DHS SURGE CAPACITY FORCE CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS (CONOPS) APRIL 2010
1.  A PROVISION IN THE 2006 POST-KATRINA ACT (REF A AND REF B)
AUTHORIZED DHS TO CREATE A SURGE CAPACITY FORCE (SCF) OF FEDERAL
EMPLOYEES TO AUGMENT A CATASTROPHIC DISASTER RESPONSE.  THE ACT CALLS
FOR DEPLOYABLE NON-FEMA DHS EMPLOYEES TO BE PART OF THE SCF.  THE
SECRETARY OF DHS WILL ACTIVATE THE SCF WHEN A CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT,
SUCH AS A HURRICANE KATRINA EVENT, EXCEEDS THE CAPACITY OF FEMAS
EXISITING DISASTER WORKFORCE TO RESPOND.  VOLUNTEERING FOR THE DHS
SCF IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR COAST GUARD CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES TO
ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN NEED DURING MAJOR DISASTERS OR EMERGENCIES AND
SUPPORT USCG AND DHS MISSIONS, INCLUDING A ONE DHS APPROACH IN
PROTECTING THE AMERICAN HOMELAND.
2.  SCF APPLICATION PROCESS.  AN INDIVIDUAL E-MAIL WILL BE SENT TO
ALL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES INVITING THEM TO JOIN THE SCF ALONG WITH
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY.  ALL APPLICANTS WILL NEED TO OBTAIN
SUPERVISORY APPROVAL.
3.  SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO SUPPORT
EMPLOYEE REQUESTS TO SIGN UP AS A SCF VOLUNTEER.  PARTICIPATION AS AN
SCF MEMBER WILL CREATE ANOTHER SUPPORT CADRE TO ASSIST IN ADDRESSING
A MAJOR DISASTER.
4.  SCF VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS.
    A.  SELF-CERTIFICATION OF RECEIVING WRITTEN SUPERVISORY APPROVAL.
    B.  A PERFORMANCE RATING OF MEETS/ACHIEVED EXPECTATIONS OR
HIGHER,
THE ABSENCE OF A PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN OR ANY DISCIPLINARY
ACTIONS IN THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS BEFORE APPLICATION AND AT THE TIME
OF DEPLOYMENT.
    C.  POSSESSION OF A GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD.
    D.  SELF-CERTIFICATION REGARDING PRE-DEPLOYMENT MEDICAL
CONDITIONS.
    E.  SELF-CERTIFICATION THAT THE FIVE REQUIRED ONLINE FEMA COURSES
ARE COMPLETED.  THE LINKS TO THE COURSES ARE BELOW:
IS-100.B INTRODUCTION TO INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS)
HTTP://TRAINING.FEMA.GOV/EMIWEB/IS/IS100B.ASP
IS-102.A DEPLOYMENT BASICS FOR FEMA RESPONSE PARTNERS
HTTP://TRAINING.FEMA.GOV/EMIWEB/IS/IS102A.ASP
IS-200.B ICS FOR SINGLE RESOURCES AND INITIAL ACTION INCIDENTS
HTTP://TRAINING.FEMA.GOV/EMIWEB/IS/IS200B.ASP
IS-700.A NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NIMS), AN INTRODUCTION
HTTP://TRAINING.FEMA.GOV/EMIWEB/IS/IS700A.ASP
IS-800.B NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK (NRF), AN INTRODUCTION
HTTP://TRAINING.FEMA.GOV/EMIWEB/IS/IS800B.ASP
5.  CERTAIN CIVILIAN MEMBERS CONNECTED WITH SPECIALIZED TEAMS OR
ORGANIZATIONS ARE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATING AS A SCF VOLUNTEER
BASED ON THEIR ASSIGNED RESPONSIBILITIES DURING A CATASTROPHIC EVENT.
THOSE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATING AS PART OF INCIDENT MANAGEMENT
ASSISTANCE TEAM (IMAT), DISTRICT RESPONSE ASSIST TEAM (DRAT), JOINT
FIELD OFFICE (JFO), MARITIME TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM RECOVERY UNITS
(MTSRU), AND SELECTED RESERVES (SELRES) ARE INELIGIBLE TO APPLY AS
SCF VOLUNTEERS. ALSO INELIGIBLE ARE COAST GUARD CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
WHOSE POSITIONS ARE REIMBURSABLE TO ANOTHER COMPONENT OR AGENCY FOR
THE PURPOSE OF PERFORMING SPECIFIC WORK IN SUPPORT OF THOSE OUTSIDE
ORGANIZATIONS.
6.  SCF ASSIGNMENTS.  THE SCF WORK CAN INVOLVE PERFORMING FEMA
COMMUNITY RELATIONS, INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, OR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
DUTIES, SUCH AS DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FORMS OR
MONITORING DEBRIS REMOVAL.  WORKING CONDITIONS MAY BE AUSTERE AND MAY
INVOLVE WORKING IN A NON-OFFICE ENVIRONMENT.
7.  SCF DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS.
    A.  IN THE EVENT OF A CALL UP, SCF VOLUNTEERS WILL BE CONTACTED
BY
FEMA AND ASKED IF THEY ARE ABLE TO DEPLOY, AND IF THEY HAVE CURRENT
SUPERVISORY PERMISSION TO LEAVE, WILL BE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS ON WHERE
TO GO AND TO WHOM TO REPORT.
    B.  SCF VOLUNTEERS MUST RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM THEIR IMMEDIATE
SUPERVISOR BEFORE ACCEPTING A FEMA REQUEST TO DEPLOY.
    C.  SCF VOLUNTEERS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE WITHIN 72 HOURS TO DEPLOY
FOR UP TO 45 CALENDAR DAYS.
    D.  SCF VOLUNTEERS WILL USE THEIR GOVERNMENT CREDIT CARDS FOR
TRAVEL.  VOLUNTEERS WILL ARRANGE FOR TRAVEL ORDERS AND AIRLINE
TICKETS ACCORDING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCEDURES.  TRAVEL ORDERS ARE TO BE APPROVED BY THE VOLUNTEERS
SUPERVISOR.  TRAVEL COSTS WILL NOT BE CHARGED TO THE UNITS.  SPECIAL
ACCOUNTING CODES WILL BE PROVIDED THAT WILL ALLOW REIMBURSEMENT.
8.  TIMECARDS AND THE RECORDING OF ANY OVERTIME WORKED WILL BE
MAINTAINED BY THE DESGINATED FEMA ON-SITE SUPERVISOR AT THE INCIDENT
COMMAND CENTER WHERE THE EMPLOYEE IS DEPLOYED.  OVERTIME COSTS WILL
BE REIMBURSED BY FEMA.  FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS WILL ADDRESS DETAILS.
9.  COAST GUARD CIVILIANS HAVE PROVEN THAT THEY CAN BE COUNTED ON
WHEN THE NATION IS IN NEED.  VOLUNTEERING FOR SCF IS IN KEEPING WITH
THE COAST GUARDS CALL OF SEMPER PARATUS.
10.  QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS INITIATIVE MAY BE ADDRESSED TO THE
FOLLOWING EMAIL BOX. USCG-SCF (AT) USCG.MIL.
11.  RADM R.T. HEWITT, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES,
SENDS.
12.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.