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David BiboActing Associate Administrator for Policy, Program Analysis, and International AffairsFEMA
FY 14-15: Agency Priority Goal
Ensure resilience to disasters by strengthening disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
Priority Goal
Goal Overview
To enhance national preparedness and resilience, FEMA established the THIRA to provide a common approach for identifying and assessing risks and documenting their associated impacts. Developing an understanding of its risks from natural, technological, and human-caused threats and hazards allows a community to make informed decisions about how to manage risk and develop needed capabilities.
In addition, states and territories assess their current capability and set targets for improvement for preventing, protecting against, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from these threats and hazards. FEMA expects states and territories to mature and demonstrate improvement towards achieving their capability targets over the next two years through their THIRAs.
Strategies
FEMA is working to advance preparedness capabilities across the Nation through the National Preparedness System (System). The System enables a collaborative, whole community approach to national preparedness that engages state, local, tribal and federal governments, communities, families, individuals, private and nonprofit sectors, and faith-based organizations. Preparedness is assessed by states and territories through State Preparedness Reports (SPRs) and Threat and Hazards Identification and Risk Assessments (THIRAs).
The first THIRAs submitted by states and territories as part of the FY2012-13 Agency Priority Goal (APG) identified targets for performance on each capability. FEMA enhanced the rigor of the THIRA process for the FY2014-15 APG by requiring states and territories to identify capability requirements and estimate the resources needed to meet the capability targets. These risk assessments will assist states and territories in prioritizing preparedness efforts and guiding Federal grant assistance. FEMA updated its Agency Priority Goal statement and performance measures for FY2014-15 to measure how states and territories improve their core capabilities over the next two years. FEMA will report progress on building, sustaining and delivering the 31 core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal in the annual National Preparedness Report.
Demonstrating improvement on a core capability can often be difficult for a state or territory. Given the current economic and political conditions, states and localities may not have the staff, expertise, or funding to ensure improvement on core capabilities, or they may not prioritize changes due to competing interests. Nevertheless, in order to mitigate the effects of this external risk FEMA will continue to receive feedback, improve processes, and provide technical assistance to state and local stakeholders through meetings, training and working groups.
Progress Update
Results:
• Thirty-one states and territories demonstrated improvement in their State Preparedness Reports toward achieving core capability targets established through their Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments, compared to 28 states and territories in fiscal year 2014. As the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment process matures, states and territories will continue to refine capability targets by making them more specific and measureable. Since the initial assessment in 2012, roughly 43 percent of targets became more specific, seven percent of targets were made more challenging, and only two percent of targets were revised downward. Given the improved refinement of targets, FEMA has confidence that results of this measure demonstrate an increase in state and territory preparedness capabilities as indicated through the State Preparedness Report assessment.
• Forty-three out of the 56 state and territory Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment submissions achieved alignment with DHS Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 201, Second Edition, compared to 48 states and territories in fiscal year 2013. Analysis of the fiscal year 2015 results showed that 13 states experienced challenges with developing measurable capability targets, understanding resource requirements, and identifying National Incident Management System resource types. These results informed FEMA’s Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment technical assistance in the fourth quarter, which will assist states and territories to achieve alignment with DHS guidance in their December 2015 submission.
• States and territories rated themselves as proficient in planning for 46.3 percent of their high-priority core capabilities in fiscal year 2015, compared with 38.3 percent in fiscal year 2013. Planning is a key indicator of preparedness.
Milestones:
• During fiscal years 2014 and 2015, FEMA conducted a total of 12 in-person technical assistance visits within the regions and 36 virtual technical assistance sessions addressing various aspects of the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and State Preparedness Report.
• During fiscal years 2014 and 2015, all 56 states and territories with Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments attended in-person and/or virtual technical assistance sessions. All states and territories with 2013 and 2014 Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments that did not align to DHS guidance participated in one or more technical assistance sessions.
• FEMA completed outreach activities started in fiscal year 2014 to share the results of calendar year 2013 and 2014 Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments and State Preparedness Reports with other Federal departments and agencies.
• FEMA is using OMB MAX, a platform run by the Office of Management and Budget, to help share 2013 and 2014 State Preparedness Report results with offices across the Federal government. Sharing State Preparedness Report results supports data-driven decision making to ensure Federal preparedness programs are targeting their resources to help state, local, tribal, and territorial governments improve their preparedness capabilities.
• The 2014 National Preparedness Report was released on August 6, 2014 and the 2015 National Preparedness Report was released on May 28, 2015. The National Preparedness Report summarizes national progress in building, sustaining and delivering the 31 core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal.
Challenges:
• Analysis suggests the rate of increase in average state and territory State Preparedness Report ratings will taper off over time making it more difficult to achieve ambitious increases in capability. In part, this may be due to the nature of the data employed for analysis. States and territories rate themselves on a scale of 1 to 5. Each point on this scale represents a capability range of 20 percent. For a state at the lower end of a 4 rating (61 percent) to move to the lower end of a 5 rating (81 percent) would only reflect a one-point rating increase but would actually represent a 20 percent increase in capability. Therefore, while states and territories continue to improve over time, FEMA’s ability to capture small changes with existing data is limited.
• States and territories continue to experience challenges successfully completing Steps 2 through 4 (giving threats and hazards context; establishing capability targets; and applying the results) of the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment process utilizing current DHS guidance. . Specific issues arise in Step 3 (establishing capability targets), including the development of measurable capability targets with descriptions consistent with core capability definitions in the Goal. FEMA is using feedback from after-action calls with states and territories to better understand jurisdictional challenges and will adjust Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment technical assistance for next year.
Next Steps
No Data Available
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Performance Indicators
Percent of states and territories with a Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment that meets current Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidance
Percent of high priority planning core capabilities rated as proficient by states and territories
Number of states and territories that have demonstrated improvement towards achieving their core capability targets established through their THIRA
Contributing Programs & Other Factors
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Preparedness program supports this Agency Priority Goal. The Preparedness program contributes to the Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness. This effort uses the National Preparedness System to build, sustain, and deliver core capabilities in order to achieve the National Preparedness Goal of a “secure and resilient Nation with the capabilities required across the whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk.” The completion of the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and the State Preparedness Report are initiatives of the Preparedness program to advance this Agency Priority Goal.
Strategic Objectives
Strategic Objective:
Statement:
Enhance National Preparedness
Description:
National preparedness underpins all efforts to safeguard and secure the Nation against those threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk. Presidential Policy Directive 8 calls for a National Preparedness Goal, which is "a secure and resilient Nation with the capabilities required across the Whole Community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk."
We will pursue the following strategies to enhance national preparedness:
- Empower individuals and communities to strengthen and sustain their own preparedness by engaging public and community organizations through programs such as America’s Preparathon! to build a collective understanding of their risks, the resources available to assist their preparations, and their roles and responsibilities in the event of a disaster.
- Build and sustain core capabilities nationally to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from all hazards by conducting such activities as: 1) fostering capability development by providing tools and technical assistance; 2) providing planning and reach-back expertise; 3) using grant programs such as the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative (which collectively provide funds to state, local, tribal, territorial, and regional government and port, transit, and nonprofit entities); and 4) promoting the use of the National Planning Frameworks. These activities support the Department’s intent to build and sustain a national integrated network of capabilities across all levels of government and to promote the involvement of the Whole Community in the Nation’s preparedness efforts.
- Assist federal entities in the establishment of effective continuity programs that are regularly updated, exercised, and improved by administering the National Exercise Program, the cornerstone of a collective effort to test, improve, and assess national preparedness.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement: By September 30, 2015 states and territories will demonstrate improvement towards achieving their core capability targets established through their Threat and Hazards Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA).
Description: To enhance national preparedness and resilience, FEMA established the THIRA to provide a common approach for identifying and assessing risks and documenting their associated impacts. Developing an understanding of its risks from natural, technological, and human-caused threats and hazards allows a community to make informed decisions about how to manage risk and develop needed capabilities. In addition, states and territories assess their current capability and set targets for improvement for preventing, protecting against, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from these threats and hazards. FEMA expects states and territories to mature and demonstrate improvement towards achieving their capability targets over the next two years through their THIRAs.
Strategic Objective:
Statement:
Mitigate Hazards and Vulnerabilities
Description:
DHS is uniquely positioned not only to support communities during a disaster, but also to enable partners to take steps that will decrease risk and mitigate future hazards before a disaster strikes. While risk cannot be totally eliminated, DHS can influence and support more positive outcomes in reducing risks. National risk management emphasizes focusing on those actions and interventions that reduce the greatest amount of strategic risk to the Nation.
We will pursue the following strategies to mitigate hazards and vulnerabilities:
- Promote public and private sector awareness and understanding of community-specific risks by providing credible and actionable data and tools to support risk-informed decision making and incentivizing and facilitating investments to manage current and future risk.
- Reduce vulnerability through standards, regulation, resilient design, effective mitigation, and disaster risk reduction measures by encouraging appropriate land use and adoption of building codes, while also applying engineering and planning practices in conjunction with advanced technology tools.
- Prevent maritime incidents by establishing, and ensuring compliance with standards and regulations by licensing U.S. mariners, conducting and sharing findings of casualty investi-gations, and providing grants and support for government and nongovernment boating safety efforts.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement: By September 30, 2015 states and territories will demonstrate improvement towards achieving their core capability targets established through their Threat and Hazards Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA).
Description: To enhance national preparedness and resilience, FEMA established the THIRA to provide a common approach for identifying and assessing risks and documenting their associated impacts. Developing an understanding of its risks from natural, technological, and human-caused threats and hazards allows a community to make informed decisions about how to manage risk and develop needed capabilities. In addition, states and territories assess their current capability and set targets for improvement for preventing, protecting against, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from these threats and hazards. FEMA expects states and territories to mature and demonstrate improvement towards achieving their capability targets over the next two years through their THIRAs.
Strategic Objective:
Statement:
Ensure Effective Emergency Response
Description:
DHS, primarily through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on land and the U.S. Coast Guard at sea, acts as the federal coordinator during disaster response, supporting state, local, tribal, territorial, and regional governments while working closely with nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to help leverage the resources they can bring to bear.
We will pursue the following strategies to ensure effective emergency response:
- Provide timely and accurate information to individuals and communities to support public safety and inform appropriate actions by the public before, during, and after emergencies.
- Conduct effective, unified incident response operations by following the National Response Framework, Second Edition; maximizing interagency coordination, information sharing, and preparation; and implementing initiatives to ensure a stable, flexible, and fully qualified disaster workforce.
- Provide timely and appropriate disaster assistance through "survivor-centric" programs that support, streamline, and simplify the delivery of services for individuals and communities. DHS will strengthen capabilities and operationalize resource-sharing opportunities to achieve the greatest potential to change outcomes on the ground in catastrophic disasters.
- Ensure effective emergency communications through the provision of technical communications capabilities enabling security, situational awareness, and operational decision making to manage emergencies under all circumstances.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement: By September 30, 2015 states and territories will demonstrate improvement towards achieving their core capability targets established through their Threat and Hazards Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA).
Description: To enhance national preparedness and resilience, FEMA established the THIRA to provide a common approach for identifying and assessing risks and documenting their associated impacts. Developing an understanding of its risks from natural, technological, and human-caused threats and hazards allows a community to make informed decisions about how to manage risk and develop needed capabilities. In addition, states and territories assess their current capability and set targets for improvement for preventing, protecting against, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from these threats and hazards. FEMA expects states and territories to mature and demonstrate improvement towards achieving their capability targets over the next two years through their THIRAs.
Strategic Objective:
Statement:
Enable Rapid Recovery
Description:
DHS plays a key role in facilitating recovery following a disaster by supplementing communities’ recovery core capabilities; promoting infrastructure resilience guidelines and use of standards; and encouraging the development of continuity plans for communities, government entities, and private sector organizations. The devastating effects of recent disasters have highlighted the need to reform our national approach to long-term recovery. Communities devastated by a disaster, particularly large-scale events such as Hurricane Sandy, face complex and difficult challenges including restoring economic viability, rebuilding infrastructure and public services, and establishing resilience against future hazards.
We will pursue the following strategies to enable rapid recovery:
- Ensure continuity and restoration of essential services and functions by: 1) supplementing communities’ recovery core capabilities; 2) encouraging the development of continuity plans for communities, government entities, and private-sector organizations; and 3) working to ensure continuity and rapid restoration of essential services.
- Support and enable communities to rebuild stronger, smarter, and safer by following the National Disaster Recovery Framework and implementing programs that: 1) fund authorized federal disaster support activities; 2) support eligible reconstruction projects and disaster survivors; 3) provide subject matter experts to assist in planning and coordinating rebuilding efforts; and 4) focus on how best to restore, redevelop, and revitalize the health, social, economic, natural, and environmental fabric of the community and build a more resilient nation.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement: By September 30, 2015 states and territories will demonstrate improvement towards achieving their core capability targets established through their Threat and Hazards Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA).
Description: To enhance national preparedness and resilience, FEMA established the THIRA to provide a common approach for identifying and assessing risks and documenting their associated impacts. Developing an understanding of its risks from natural, technological, and human-caused threats and hazards allows a community to make informed decisions about how to manage risk and develop needed capabilities. In addition, states and territories assess their current capability and set targets for improvement for preventing, protecting against, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from these threats and hazards. FEMA expects states and territories to mature and demonstrate improvement towards achieving their capability targets over the next two years through their THIRAs.
