Emergency Support Functions

ESF 1 - Transportation

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #1 – Transportation provides support by assisting local, state, tribal, territorial, insular area, and Federal governmental entities, voluntary organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector in the management of transportation systems and infrastructure during domestic threats or in response to actual or potential incidents. 

ESF 2 - Communications 

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #2 – Communications supports the restoration of communications infrastructure, coordinates communications support to response efforts, facilitates the delivery of information to emergency management decision makers, and assists in the stabilization and reestablishment of systems and applications during incidents. 

ESF 3 - Public Works & Engineering

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #3 – Public Works and Engineering coordinates and organizes the resources of the Federal Government to facilitate the delivery of multiple core capabilities. 

ESF 4 - Firefighting

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #4 – Firefighting provides Federal support for the detection and suppression of wildland, rural, and urban fires resulting from, or occurring coincidentally with, an all-hazard incident requiring a coordinated national response for assistance. 

ESF 5 - Information & Planning / Emergency Management

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #5 — Information and Planning collects, analyzes, processes, and disseminates information about a potential or actual incident, and conducts deliberate and crisis action planning activities to facilitate the overall activities in providing assistance to the whole community. 

ESF 6 - Mass Care

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #6 – Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Temporary Housing, and Human Services coordinates and provides life-sustaining resources, essential services, and statutory programs when the needs of disaster survivors exceed local, state, tribal, territorial, and insular area government capabilities. 

ESF 7 - Logistics

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #7 – Logistics integrates whole community logistics incident planning and support for timely and efficient delivery of supplies, equipment, services, and facilities. It also facilitates comprehensive logistics planning, technical assistance, training, education, exercise, incident response, and sustainment that leverage the capability and resources of Federal logistics partners, public and private stakeholders, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in support of both responders and disaster survivors. 

ESF 8 - Health & Medical

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #8 – Public Health and Medical Services provides the mechanism for Federal assistance to supplement local, state, tribal, territorial, and insular area resources in response to a disaster, emergency, or incident that may lead to a public health, medical, behavioral, or human service emergency, including those that have international implications. 

ESF 9 - Search & Rescue

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #9 – Search and Rescue (SAR) deploys Federal SAR resources to provide lifesaving assistance to local, state, tribal, territorial, and insular area authorities, including local SAR Coordinators and Mission Coordinators, when there is an actual or anticipated request for Federal SAR assistance. 

ESF 10 - Oil & HAZMAT

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #10 – Oil and Hazardous Materials Response provides Federal support in response to an actual or potential discharge and/or release of oil or hazardous materials when activated. 

ESF 11 - Ag & Natural Resources

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #11 – Agriculture and Natural Resources organizes and coordinates Federal support for the protection of the Nation’s agricultural and natural and cultural resources during national emergencies. ESF #11 works during actual and potential incidents to provide nutrition assistance; respond to animal and agricultural health issues; provide technical expertise, coordination and support of animal and agricultural emergency management; ensure the safety and defense of the Nation’s supply of meat, poultry, and processed egg products; and ensure the protection of natural and cultural resources and historic properties. 

ESF 12 - Energy

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #12 – Energy provides support to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by assisting local, state, tribal, territorial, and Federal government entities, nongovernmental organizations (NGO), and the private sector by coordinating government capabilities, services, technical assistance, and engineering expertise during disasters and incidents that require a coordinated Federal response.  The term “energy” includes producing, storing, refining, transporting, generating, transmitting, conserving, building, distributing, maintaining, and controlling energy systems and system components. 

ESF 13 - Public Safety & Security

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #13 – Provides Federal public safety and security assistance to local, state, tribal, territorial, and Federal organizations overwhelmed by the results of an actual or anticipated natural/manmade disaster or an act of terrorism. 

ESF 14 - Cross Sector Business & Infrastructure 

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #14 – Cross Sector Business & Infrastructure supports the coordination of cross-sector operations, including stabilization of key supply chains and Community Lifelines, among infrastructure owners and operators, businesses and their government partners.