An excerpt from The National Response Framework (NRF) ICS800

To assist response partners in effectively carrying out the Response mission, the National Response Framework:

• Identifies capabilities that are essential for response and community lifelines stabilization
• Indicates the actions necessary to build and deliver the required capabilities
• Describes key roles and responsibilities for integrating capabilities across the whole community
• Outlines how the Response mission area relates to other mission areas

Some NGOs are officially designated as support elements to national response capabilities:

• The American Red Cross is chartered by Congress to provide relief to survivors of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.
• National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD) is an association of organizations that mitigates and alleviates the impact of disasters; provides a forum promoting cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration; and fosters more effective delivery of services to communities impacted by a disaster. National VOAD is a consortium of over 70 national organizations and 56 territorial and state equivalents.
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): Within the NCMEC, the National Emergency Child Locator Center (NECLC) facilitates the expeditious identification of children and their reunification with their families.