---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 317"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "317"
heading: "Regional offices"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/317"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter V — National Emergency Management"
---

# §317. Regional offices

- (a) **In general—** There are in the [Agency](/usc/6/311.md?p=2) 10 [regional offices](/usc/6/311.md?p=10), as identified by the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1).
- (b) **Management of regional offices—**
  - (1) **Regional Administrator—** Each [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10) shall be headed by a [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) who shall be appointed by the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1), after consulting with [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal government](/usc/6/311.md?p=13) officials in the region. Each [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) shall report directly to the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) and be in the Senior Executive Service.
  - (2) **Qualifications—**
    - (A) **In general—** Each [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) shall be appointed from among individuals who have a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of [emergency management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) and [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security.
    - (B) **Considerations—** In selecting a [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) for a [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10), the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) shall consider the familiarity of an individual with the geographical area and demographic characteristics of the population served by such [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10).
- (c) **Responsibilities—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) shall work in partnership with [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/311.md?p=13), [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) managers, [emergency response providers](/usc/6/101.md?p=6), medical providers, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, multijurisdictional [councils](/usc/6/681.md?p=2) of governments, and regional planning commissions and organizations in the geographical area served by the [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10) to carry out the responsibilities of a [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) under this section.
  - (2) **Responsibilities—** The responsibilities of a [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) include—
    - (A) ensuring effective, coordinated, and integrated regional preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation activities and programs for natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters (including planning, training, exercises, and professional development);
    - (B) assisting in the development of regional capabilities needed for a national catastrophic response system;
    - (C) coordinating the establishment of effective regional operable and [interoperable](/usc/6/311.md?p=6) [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications capabilities;
    - (D) staffing and overseeing 1 or more strike teams within the region under [subsection (f)](#f), to serve as the focal point of the Federal Government’s initial response efforts for natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters within that region, and otherwise building Federal response capabilities to respond to natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters within that region;
    - (E) designating an individual responsible for the development of strategic and operational regional plans in support of the [National Response Plan](/usc/6/311.md?p=8);
    - (F) fostering the development of mutual aid and other cooperative agreements;
    - (G) identifying critical gaps in regional capabilities to respond to populations with special needs;
    - (H) maintaining and operating a Regional Response Coordination [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) or its successor;
    - (I) coordinating with the private sector to help ensure private sector preparedness for natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters;
    - (J) assisting [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/311.md?p=13), where appropriate, to preidentify and evaluate suitable sites where a multijurisdictional [incident](/usc/6/677a.md?p=6) command system may quickly be established and operated from, if the need for such a system arises; and
    - (K) performing such other duties relating to such responsibilities as the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) may require.
  - (3) **Training and exercise requirements—**
    - (A) **Training—** The [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) shall require each [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) to undergo specific training periodically to complement the qualifications of the [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9). Such training, as appropriate, shall include training with respect to the [National Incident Management System](/usc/6/311.md?p=7), the [National Response Plan](/usc/6/311.md?p=8), and such other subjects as determined by the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1).
    - (B) **Exercises—** The [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) shall require each [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) to participate as appropriate in regional and national exercises.
- (d) **Area offices—**
  - (1) **In general—** There is an Area Office for the Pacific and an Area Office for the Caribbean, as components in the appropriate [Regional Offices](/usc/6/311.md?p=10).
  - (2) **Alaska—** The [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) shall establish an Area Office in Alaska, as a component in the appropriate [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10).
- (e) **Regional Advisory Council—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** Each [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) shall establish a Regional Advisory [Council](/usc/6/681.md?p=2).
  - (2) **Nominations—** A [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, or [tribal government](/usc/6/311.md?p=13) located within the geographic area served by the [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10) may nominate officials, including Adjutants General and [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) managers, to serve as members of the Regional Advisory [Council](/usc/6/681.md?p=2) for that region.
  - (3) **Responsibilities—** Each Regional Advisory [Council](/usc/6/681.md?p=2) shall—
    - (A) advise the [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) on [emergency management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) issues specific to that region;
    - (B) identify any geographic, demographic, or other characteristics peculiar to any [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, or [tribal government](/usc/6/311.md?p=13) within the region that might make preparedness, protection, response, recovery, or mitigation more complicated or difficult; and
    - (C) advise the [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) of any weaknesses or deficiencies in preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation for any [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal government](/usc/6/311.md?p=13) within the region of which the Regional Advisory [Council](/usc/6/681.md?p=2) is aware.
- (f) **Regional Office strike teams—**
  - (1) **In general—** In coordination with other relevant [Federal agencies](/usc/6/677a.md?p=4), each [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) shall oversee multi-[agency](/usc/6/311.md?p=2) strike teams authorized under [section 5144 of title 42](/usc/42/5144.md) that shall consist of—
    - (A) a designated [Federal coordinating officer](/usc/6/311.md?p=5);
    - (B) [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15) trained in [incident](/usc/6/677a.md?p=6) management;
    - (C) public affairs, response and recovery, and communications support [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15);
    - (D) a defense coordinating officer;
    - (E) liaisons to other [Federal agencies](/usc/6/677a.md?p=4);
    - (F) such other [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15) as the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) or [Regional Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=9) determines appropriate; and
    - (G) individuals from the [agencies](/usc/6/311.md?p=2) with primary responsibility for each of the [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) support [functions](/usc/6/101.md?p=9) in the [National Response Plan](/usc/6/311.md?p=8).
  - (2) **Other duties—** The duties of an individual assigned to a [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10) strike team from another relevant [agency](/usc/6/311.md?p=2) when such individual is not functioning as a member of the strike team shall be consistent with the [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) preparedness activities of the [agency](/usc/6/311.md?p=2) that employs such individual.
  - (3) **Location of members—** The members of each [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10) strike team, including representatives from [agencies](/usc/6/311.md?p=2) other than the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5), shall be based primarily within the region that corresponds to that strike team.
  - (4) **Coordination—** Each [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10) strike team shall coordinate the training and exercises of that strike team with the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/311.md?p=13) and private sector and nongovernmental [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2) which the strike team shall support when a natural disaster, [act of terrorism](/usc/6/444.md?p=2-A), or other man-made disaster occurs.
  - (5) **Preparedness—** Each [Regional Office](/usc/6/311.md?p=10) strike team shall be trained as a unit on a regular basis and equipped and staffed to be well prepared to respond to natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters, including [catastrophic incidents](/usc/6/311.md?p=3).
  - (6) **Authorities—** If the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) determines that statutory authority is inadequate for the preparedness and deployment of individuals in strike teams under this subsection, the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) shall report to Congress regarding the additional statutory authorities that the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) determines are necessary.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title V, § 507, as added Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 611(13), Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1401; amended Pub. L. 110–53, title IV, § 404, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 303.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 317, Pub. L. 107–296, title V, § 507, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2214, related to the role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 611(4), Oct. 4. 2006, 120 Stat. 1395.

### Amendments

2007—Subsec. (c)(2)(I) to (K). Pub. L. 110–53 added subpars. (I) and (J) and redesignated former subpar. (I) as (K).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Mar. 31, 2007, see section 614(b)(3) of Pub. L. 109–295, set out as a note under section 701 of this title.