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A Framework for Assessing Regional Preparedness
Title: A Framework for Assessing Regional Preparedness
Author: N/A
Date: April 2006.
Institution: The Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP)
Bibliographic Entry: “A Framework for Assessing Regional Preparedness.” The Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP). April 2006. http://www.emaponline.org/?256
Electronic Link: http://www.emaponline.org/?256
Key Words: regional assessment, emergency management, standards, mutual aid, National Capital Region
Summary of Key Issues, Points, Conclusions:
Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), an independent nonprofit organization jointly developed by Federal Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), establishes emergency management and homeland security standards by applying a peer review accreditation process. This white paper discusses seven reasons for executing regional assessments as well as receiving EMAP accreditation.
Using the experience that resulted from conducting a pilot assessment of the National Capital Region, EMAP suggests a five-step methodology for assessing urban and rural regional areas, which can help identify emergency management capability strengths and weaknesses, benchmark progress, and focus strategic priorities. The relatively straight-forward framework incorporates self-assessments of local jurisdictions’ plans, procedures and preparedness activities against EMAP standards. An independent team of EMAP-trained assessors would conduct a follow-on, regional on-site assessment to review state-level plans for multistate regions. Fifty-eight EMAP standards are scalable and apply to emergency management programs of any size.
Although access to the actual standards is not provided, the white paper alludes to governance and planning, leveraging resources and economies of scale, response and recovery operations, exercises and training, and public information and media relations. EMAP’s attempt to target regional preparedness by suggesting application of its emergency management standards does recognize the coordination, standardization and centralization issues that arise in regional efforts.
Name of Researcher: Ann Marie Pease
Institution: Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University
Date Posted: Sept. 18, 2007