Today, FEMA announced the release of the “National Response Framework, Fourth Edition” and the “Emergency Support Function #14 – Cross-Sector Business and Infrastructure Annex.” The updates to the National Response Framework, or NRF, and the creation of Emergency Support Function, or ESF, #14 are intended to incorporate lessons learned from the nation’s experiences with hurricanes and wildfires in 2017. According to FEMA, the updated framework remains scalable, flexible, and adaptable, using the core capabilities identified in the National Preparedness Goal, and continues to focus on the capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs during disasters. With the incorporation of ESF #14 into the NRF, FEMA hopes to help promote the rapid response and recovery through the stabilization of “Community Lifelines,” which include water and wastewater services.