Authorized Equipment List
The Authorized Equipment List (AEL) is a tool for emergency managers, first responders and homeland security professionals. It contains approved equipment types allowed under FEMA’s preparedness grant programs.
How to Use the List
You have two options to find the equipment you need:
What's Included
The Authorized Equipment List consists of 21 equipment categories, further divided into sub-categories and individual equipment items. Note that this list only includes equipment types, not commercially available products.
Browse the Authorized Equipment List
Tethered aerostats are unmanned balloons that use lighter-than-air gases such as helium to take flight and remain aloft while moored by ground equipment. A tethered aerostat system requires a number of components to be fully operational. The key component is a balloon filled with lighter-than-air gas that enables the system to take flight and remain aloft. These balloons, usually referred to as envelopes, come in different shapes, sizes, and designs, which are determined by mission, payload, and logistical factors. Other components typically include:
- A means for transporting the system, such as a truck and/or trailer;
- A mooring station for controlling the inflated aerostat envelope prior to launch;
- A launching platform, which sometimes doubles as the mooring station;
- Tethers used for both mooring the aerostat envelope to ground equipment and for transmitting power and data;
- Winches for letting out, pulling in, and adjusting the tension of the tethers; and
- Automatic or manual deflation devices.
Depending upon the mission, tethered aerostats can support a variety of surveillance and tactical equipment. This item also includes mission-specific payloads that are designed to be attached to the tethered aerostat platform. Examples include, but are not limited to, high-resolution video cameras, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors, communication/network repeaters, acoustic detectors, and radar. Some tethered aerostat products may also include a ground control station for media storage, data transmission, and system management functions.
About
The Standardized Equipment List
The Interagency Board provides subject matter expertise on equipment used by first responders and other emergency management professionals. They maintain the Standardized Equipment List (SEL), which has most of the equipment types listed on the Authorized Equipment List.
- The numbering scheme for individual items on the Authorized Equipment List provides direct cross-referencing with the Standardized Equipment List.
- The Standardized Equipment List has relevant standards, training requirements and operating considerations for many of the equipment items.
- A link to the Standardized Equipment List will appear on each equipment item page.
The SAVER Program
The System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) program produces market survey reports that provide operating information on individual commercially available items.
- Most equipment items have reports.
- The program site uses the same item numbers as the Authorized Equipment List and a link to their site will appear on each equipment item page.
- NOTE: They do not endorse any particular products or vendors.
DISCLAIMER
FEMA is solely responsible for the content of the Authorized Equipment List. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, processes or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government.
Neither the United States Government nor any of its employees make any warranty, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose by any specific commercial product, process or service referenced herein.