A basic premise of the National Response Framework is that

A basic premise of the National Response Framework (NRF) is that incidents are generally handled at the lowest jurisdictional level possible.

Incidents handled at the lowest jurisdictional level possible promotes a tiered response strategy, emphasizing that more complex incidents may require additional support from neighboring jurisdictions or the state, and in some cases, Federal support.

From the perspective of emergency management professionals and first responders, the tiered response strategy articulated in the National Response Framework is highly valued for its emphasis on local autonomy and the initial management of incidents at the closest level to the event.

Source: https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/is800d/english/instructor%20guide/el0800.d%20ig.pdf