Report 2011-103 Recommendations and Responses in 2014-041

Report 2011-103: California's Mutual Aid System: The California Emergency Management Agency Should Administer the Reimbursement Process More Effectively

Department Number of Years Reported As Not Fully Implemented Total Recommendations to Department Not Implemented After One Year Not Implemented as of 2013-041 Response Not Implemented as of Most Recent Response
Emergency Management Agency 2 8 6 5 5

Recommendation To: Emergency Management Agency

To make certain that emergency response agencies receive reimbursements on time, Cal EMA should establish procedures to ensure that paying entities do not delay reimbursements.

Response

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) will fund phase II of the new mutual aid reimbursement program. However, due to the nature of the California Fire Assistance Agreement and the process of negotiations that support changes in administering the agreement, the negotiation process has taken a year to accomplish. We are currently anticipating all signatories approve the revised agreement. In light of not receiving all signatures to date, the implementation process of phase II is temporarily on hold until all terms of the agreement are finalized.

Recommendation To: Emergency Management Agency

To make certain that local agencies calculate correctly their average actual hourly rates, Cal EMA should audit a sample of invoices each year and include in the review an analysis of the accuracy of the local agencies' average actual hourly rates reported in the agencies' salary surveys.

Response

Cal OES has provided to the State Auditor copies of four audit reports completed on local fire agencies salary surveys. Cal OES will continue to audit a sample of local fire agencies salary surveys to comply with the audit recommendation.

Recommendation To: Emergency Management Agency

To make certain that local agencies calculate correctly their average actual hourly rates, if Cal EMA determines that the local agencies' rates are incorrect, it should advise the agencies to recalculate the rates reported in their salary survey. Local agencies that fail to submit accurate average actual hourly rates should be subject to the base rates.

Response

Cal OES has provided to the State Auditor copies of four audit reports completed on local fire agencies salary surveys. Cal OES will continue to audit a sample of local fire agencies salary surveys to comply with the audit recommendation.

Recommendation To: Emergency Management Agency

If FEMA determines that the calculations and claims identified in the Office of Inspector General's audit report were erroneous, Cal EMA should modify the time sheets to track the actual hours that the responding agency works as well as the dates and times that the agency committed to the incident and returned from the incident.

Response

To date, the FEMA Policy 9525.7 proposed changes are still under review and a definitive decision has yet to be made. As soon as we receive the final word on the proposed changes we will comply appropriately.

Recommendation To: Emergency Management Agency

If FEMA determines that the calculations and claims identified in the Office of Inspector General's audit report were erroneous, Cal EMA should ensure that the replacement for its current invoicing system can calculate the maximum number of reimbursable personnel hours under both FEMA's policy and the CFAA.

Response

To date, the FEMA Policy 9525.7 proposed changes are still under review and a definitive decision has yet to be made. As soon as we receive the final word on the proposed changes we will comply appropriately.

Current Status of Recommendations

All Recommendations in 2014-041