What is the Unified Command Group (UCG)?
Created by the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act (Louisiana Disaster Act), the Unified Command Group (UCG) is the strategic decision-making body for emergency and disaster response in the state, with the governor serving as the unified commander. The UCG is comprised of members appointed by Executive Order (EO) of the Governor.
The UCG provides a unified and coordinated approach to emergency incident management, enabling institutions and agencies with different legal, geographic and functional responsibilities to coordinate, plan and interact effectively. The complex array of traditional and emerging threats and hazards demands the application of a unified and coordinated approach to emergency incident management not only during emergencies but during day-to-day operations of state government.
The UCG coordinates and manages the activities of the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). The SEOC is a state-of-the-art command and control center. Under the command of the UCG, the SEOC facilitates all levels of government response, resource providers, and stakeholders, helping them work together to ensure that the first priority of an emergency or disaster is met – the immediate safety and welfare of citizens and protection of life and property.
Duties
Under Louisiana Revised Statue (LRS) Title 29: 725.6, the UCG is tasked with:
- Submitting recommendations to the legislature relative to any changes in state law necessary to remove barriers to achieving the goals of the UCG.
- Establishing a comprehensive Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP) for short-term and long-term initiatives.
- Submitting a semi-annual report to the governor and entities involved in the statewide plan by January 1 and July 1 of each year which includes a copy of the current or revised statewide interoperability plan.
- Re-prioritizing initiatives in the statewide plan, as needed, to address immediate communication needs in cases of emergencies or disasters.
- Centralizing coordination among multiple agencies, including local, state, and federal.
Membership
The Governor is the Unified Commander.
The GOHSEP Director serves as the Deputy Commander of the UCG.
UCG is composed of sixteen (16) members or their designees:
- State Military Department, The Adjutant General (TAG)
- Louisiana State Police (LSP), Superintendent
- Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), Secretary
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), Secretary
- Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Louisiana (LDEQ), Secretary
- Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Secretary
- Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), Secretary
- Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Secretary
- Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (Corrections), Secretary
- Louisiana Division of Administration (DOA), Commissioner
- Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC), Executive Director
- Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office (LOSCO), Coordinator
- Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), Chairman
- Louisiana Attorney General (AG)
- Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), Commissioner
- Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC), Executive Secretary
Subcommittees
The UCG was created with permanent subcommittees and the power to appoint others as needed.
The First Responder Subcommittee is composed of emergency response professionals. The Subcommittee discusses and provides solutions to issues that arise within the disciplines of law enforcement (LE), fire service, emergency medical service (EMS), and intelligence gathering and dissemination.
The Regional Parish OHSEP Directors Subcommittee offers advice and counsel to the Parish or Police jury President on homeland security and emergency management issues. It helps to ensure that emergency management planning between local municipalities, Parish Councils and administrations, and the State is consistent.
The SIEC administers the Louisiana Wireless Information Network (LWIN) and composed of all appropriate first responder and support organizations. LWIN is the largest statewide radio system in the country, providing daily voice communications to first responders and key decision makers from local, State, Federal and other entities. The committee also has a Broadband Subcommittee that administers the LA FirstNet initiative to bring a Statewide dedicated public safety broadband network to Louisiana.
The Long-Term Recovery Subcommittee (LTRS) is dedicated to long term recovery and sustainability. Long term recovery and sustainability is the ability of the state of Louisiana to build the capacity of plans, procedures, and contracts in order to offset rising disaster related costs; furthermore, it strategizes ways that improve community resilience and whole community preparedness. The subcommittee is aligned with the ESF 14 State of Louisiana Disaster Recovery Framework. During EOC activation, the LTRS is convened alongside the UCG to access recovery needs following a disaster, activate Recovery Support Functions (RSF)’s for complex recovery issues, and develop post-disaster recovery strategies.
The Intrastate Mutual Aid Subcommittee is composed of all appropriate first responders and support organizations. The Subcommittee has full authority to design, construct, administer and maintain an intrastate mutual aid system with capacity to share assets in support of a full response to any emergency event that may arise within the State.
