Step 2: Develop a Plan

Emergency ACtion Plan

Now that you understand your vulnerability to a variety of different hazards, you can begin to create a plan that will help you prepare and respond to them. You and your team should work on this document and update it at least annually and after any incident or exercise that activates your organization's Emergency Action Plan.

Not all plans are created equal, and no two organizations are the same. Therefore, it is important that the Emergency Planning Committee develop a site-specific, relevant, and industry-compliant Emergency Action Plan. For some sectors, a requirement to create a more comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan may be required. In this section, there are several pages dedicated to a unique community sector that will guide organizations through the process of developing an industry-appropriate Emergency Action Plan. This toolkit outlines regulatory requirements and additional considerations for emergency planning for the following community sectors:

Faith-Based Organizations

Non-Profit Organizations

Healthcare Organizations

Schools

Childcare

Businesses

Multi-Family Housing

Quick Tips

Identify your sector.
If your organization is from the healthcare sector, there is additional guidance provided based on license type.
Ensure that the Emergency Action Plan addresses ALL of the vulnerabilities identified in your Hazard Vulnerability Assessment.
Modify it to fit your organization's specific needs. Try to understand how particular hazards will impact your facility specifically.
Don't start from scratch! Look to other organizations and examples from others in your sector to get started. Their examples of Emergency Action Plans and Emergency Operations Plans will help format and organize your organization's plan. Most templates follow a process outlined in FEMA's Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101 - "Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans".

CPG 101

Community Emergency Planning Spotlight

The local Boys and Girls Club begins to create their Emergency Action Plan. The Emergency Planning Committee uses the Ready Rating template to create the plan. The Committee also reaches out to local Police, Fire, Emergency Management, and Public Health officials for assistance with the process, and makes use of the special hazard tools to address hazards that are specific to their area.