How can I meet or talk to Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers who are connected to FEMA to support COVID-19 readiness?

Albert DeWeese — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 16:24:53 -0400

I am new here and am a civilian. I am trying to connect with EPLOs (Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers) helping FEMA prepare for the response to COVID-19. Can someone help me? I understand there are several FEMA regions and that there is a REPLO from Army North assigned to each FEMA region. I also understand there is a SEPLO assigned to each state. I am trying to reach these REPLOs and SEPLOs. I have an emergency oxygen device that I think will be a very useful asset for COVID-19 emergency response. I want to talk to active REPLOs or SEPLOs assigned to FEMA to describe the device and understand if will indeed be helpful. Please help me connect. Again I am new here and don't really know how this community works. I am also a civilian so please bear with me if I use incorrect terminology.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2020 4:39 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 16:39:12 -0400

What state are you in?

Scroll thru this link to find the number to the liason for your state

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/call/call_11-07-appp.htm

CALL Handbook 11-07: Index to Disaster Response Staff Officer's Handbook - Appendix P - Emergency...

Emergency preparedness liaison officer (EPLO) is a generic term referring collectively to service and other Department of Defense (DOD) agency personnel who coordinate military assistance to other federal agencies and state governments.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2020 5:21 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 17:21:24 -0400

They are likely co-located at the FEMA Regional offices and individual State EMAs. So we'd need to know which state you are looking for, otherwise just talk to FEMA HQ/DHS. They are Army Reservists (or activated Guardsmen on Title X), and a good bet is they are in a Reserve Civil Affairs battalion (but not guaranteed).
I don't think the REPLO/SEPLO are the best bet for this matter, as military response is not a first thing for FEMA. Emergency Management is kept at the lowest level possible, and the Guard will always be called before Active and Reserve. Emergency oxygen would probably be best for EMS, Police, and Fire - so you will want the Response coordinator at the State and/or local EMA.
FEMA brings big money and equipment, but they do not run emergency management - they support the local govts when the situation is beyond what the State can support.
Best bet is to contact your local EMA or the most affected areas - like NY and WA.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Mar 18 at 2020 5:53 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 17:53:15 -0400

I believe you're coming it at it from the wrong angle.

If there is a requirement for your good or service, it would be on Federal Business Opportunities FedBizOpps on line as an RFP, RFQ. Now SAM.gov...just migrated. https://beta.sam.gov

If you are trying to sell it and FEMA doesn’t know about it, two routes. in disaster relief there are Emergency Support Functions where the lease coordinating Federal Agency goes to for support. Usually, generally, nearly always it is FEMA. There are a few where FEMA is not.

Under ESF3 USACE has primary agency contracting responsibility. https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Business-With-Us/Contracting/Emergency-Contracts-ACI/

Under ESF8 US Dept Health and Human Services has primary responsibility for public health and backing up the medical system. https://www.hhs.gov/grants/small-business-programs/index.html

Your seeking a contract relationship which EPLOs and REPLOs can’t do. The military rep (Defense Coordmating Officer DCO) in each region is to coordinate T10 response to state requested needs.

The President declared a national emergency, which is not the same as a federal disaster declaration. So FEMA is not responding with DHHS in heavy. And the federal agencies only go in at the request of a state and a federal disaster declaration. I'd start with HHS Small Business Office.

beta.SAM.gov

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2020 6:06 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 18:06:12 -0400

You may want to hire a defense or government consultant to get your product in front of the right people.
There will only be a posting on FBO if the government knows they need your product, if you have something new and better, you have to show them. I personally doubt the FEMA EPLOs are the correct people though they may know the correct people.

Good Luck

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 18 at 2020 7:13 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 19:13:17 -0400

DHS, FEMA, States, Army North, NORTHCOM, HHS, Surgeon General, CDC.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Mar 19 at 2020 11:54 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 11:54:03 -0400

I used to be a FEMA certified Operations Center Manager. Additionally, my Navy Regional Ops Center supported Fukushima and Haiti Earthquake. Bottom line, if you are not already on a Basic Ordering Agreement for essential and vetted supplies, you are just one of thousands of the "noise" throwing sand into the gears at the wrong spot. Showing up after the event starts isn't helpful to the people providing services. Military Liaison job is to coordinate the provision of existing military support. They don't do R&D, test marketing, product evaluations, or clearinghouse activities for the thousands of "noises" out there. Doing any of that means they aren't doing their job and are becoming part of the problem. That would get me mowing some butt lawn if I caught one of my NEPLOs doing that. You're trying to insert yourself into the function/process at the wrong spot. FEMA isn't a medical device evaluation organization either. Health and Human Services would be a closer fit, but I don't know if you'd be considered noise there as well. You'll have to be a bit creative if your product is actually viable and helpful. The States have implemented programs where small business can provide information on how the pandemic is affecting them. Telling the state you have something but don't know where to go is one option. Remember, you have to convince someone who isn't necessarily the sharp knife in the drawer you're worth spending time over. BTW, say you have something like a cell phone sized device that increases O2 percentage. It isn't viable for treatment as it falls into the make them comfortable and watch them die protocol. My wife is a retired RT that spent over 40 years in the pulmonology support game. It isn't about O2 percentage. It's about O2 getting into the lungs and being absorbed. COVID is frequently resulting in plug pneumonia which has to be mechanically removed by doing a bronchoscopy under fluoroscopy. Ventilators have their role, but are just one piece of the treatment solution. People are media hyped on beds and 100,000 ventilators. The talking heads are ignoring everything else like ~13,000 pulmonologists, numbers of certified support RTs, etc. They are already very busy taking care of flu, COPD, you name it. 80% of the ventilators are doing this normal stuff before COVID hit. A limiter may be the scopes which tend to be finicky and break with heavy use. We tend to confuse things as being equal to capability. Not true. Things that can be applied at the right time and place with adequate staff and support is capability that will actually result in something. Lots of chain links that can break.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 20 at 2020 1:54 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 13:54:42 -0400

I believe in large disaster operations FEMA will be the budget office that disburses funds and does not have the expertise to execute many of the missions.