ABSTRACT

This chapter describes changes to the command structure of Department of Homeland Security to address legal issues presented by the Posse Comitatus Act. It discusses the role of a “dual-hatted commander” in public sector emergency management and provides an example of a negative public perception impact that can exacerbate the response effort based on a contemporary legal emergency management understanding. The public sector’s adherence to the third principle has a critical impact on the public’s perception of municipal, state, and federal actions in their operations, especially during times of response to disasters and tragedies. Federal Emergency Management Agency quickly deployed Incident Management Assistance Teams to the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to coordinate with local officials regarding their needs and offset any shortfalls of supplies for potential disaster response and recovery. Involving the governors is illustrative of the sensitivity to having US active-duty soldiers on the ground during a disaster.