ORIENTATION WORKSHOP

Target Capabilities Assessment

• Purpose• Objectives• Structure of the Target Capabilities Assessment• Process Overview• The Self-Assessment Tool• Completing the Self-Assessment• Activity• Next Steps

Purpose

• The goal of the Arkansas Capabilities Assessment Tool (ArCAT) project, initiated by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, is to gather valuable and relevant homeland security and emergency management data.

• The end result of the ArCAT will be a comprehensive report that acts as a reference for the department to use when updating the State’s homeland security strategy and preparedness report.

Objectives

• Gather qualitative and quantitative preparedness data that is comparable across the jurisdictions of Arkansas.

• Identify capability strengths and areas for improvement.

• Develop valuable information and perspective that can be used to support strategic planning and funding decisions.

Structure of the TCA

• TCA Self-Assessment Survey Tool

• Schedule– Capabilities Assessment

– Final Report

Approximately 10 Weeks

Process Overview

Phase 1: Orientation

Phase 2:Self-

Assessment

Phase 3: Validation

Phase 4:Analysis

&Reporting

• Area Workshops• Communicate purpose, objectives, and structure of the TCA• Introduce project timeline

• 6-8 weeks long• Coordinator schedules meetings• Completes and submits the Self-Assessment to ADEM

• Format to be determined• Review capabilities in high priority areas• Confirm jurisdiction responses• Collect feedback

• Analyze data • Develop the final TCA Report

Orientation Workshops

Self-Assessment

Validation with

Jurisdictions

Analysis and Reporting

6 Weeks6-8 Weeks1 Week

Process OverviewGeneral Organization Chart

Process Overview

Assessment Coordinator Responsibilities:

• Select Assessment Participants

• Schedule Assessment Meetings

• Prepare for Assessment Meetings

Process Overview

Assessment Participant Responsibilities:

• Communicate with the Assessment Coordinator regarding assessment meetings

• Participate in the Assessment Meetings

• Participate in the Validation Workshop

The Self-Assessment Tool

The Self-Assessment Tool

Reference Spreadsheets (White Tabs)

Data Collection

Spreadsheets (Colored

Tabs)

The Self-Assessment Tool Sections of the Data Collection Spreadsheets

Header

Assessment Form

The Self-Assessment Tool

1

2

3

Reference Information: Indicates the capability and mission area to which the

measures correspond

Response Section: Open-ended questions

about the current baseline resources

related to the capability

Response Section: Questions about equipment

purchasing and funding

The Self-Assessment Tool Reference Information:

Provides the guidance for using the measurement scale to respond to

measures, and a condensed version of the scale

4

The Self-Assessment Tool

Response Field: Used to provide

an explanation for important

information

Response Column: Populates automatically with the scale label, based on the

Score selectedResponse Column:

Includes a drop-down menu for indicating the

response to the corresponding

measure

Measure Information:

Includes individual measures

associated with the capability and

numbers to identify each measure throughout the

assessment process

Response Field: Used to provide a high-level explanation for the overall capability, to list

major equipment purchased, and is required for each

spreadsheet

876

9

5

The Self-Assessment Tool Measurement Scale

Completing the Self-Assessment

Completing the Self -AssessmentResponding to the Equipment Purchases and Funding

Questions• Standard set of questions for each target capability regarding equipment

purchases for that specific capability.• Ties equipment purchases to a specific funding source/sources

Completing the Self-AssessmentResponding to the Capability Profile Questions

• Unique set of open-ended questions for each capability that baseline the county’s current resources• Should be completed prior to responding to the rest of the measures for that capability

If you are estimating a response, please indicate this in the response field,

including your level of certainty

Record your responses to the Capability Profile questions in the

Response field

Yes. 75% of the population live in these areas (high certainty)

Completing the Self-Assessment

Responding to Capability-Specific Measures•Complete after responding to the Capability Profile questions

Select the cell in the Score column that corresponds to the measure, and a drop-down menu will appearSelect the appropriate

score

The Progress Label column automatically populates based on the number selected in the Score column

Completing the Self-Assessment

Responding to Capability-Specific Measures Example

No Progress

Limited Progress

Moderate Progress

Substantial Progress

Objective Achieved

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 N/A

City ANo bomb technicians, but

has an agreement with City B to use one of their bomb technicians, if necessary

City BHas several bomb technicians, and the capacity to assist one other jurisdiction if necessary

City CNo bomb technicians, and no specified access to personnel

within the county

Measure:

Our jurisdiction currently has (or has access to) the personnel it needs to support Explosive Device Response Operations (e.g., bomb technicians).

Completing the Self-AssessmentIdentifying the Capability Target• To effectively use the measurement scale, a jurisdiction capability

target (10-Outcome Achieved) must be identified for the capability• Details of the jurisdiction target should be recorded in the Capability

Explanation field located at the bottom of the spreadsheet• List MAJOR EQUIPMENT purchased to support this TC

Completing the Self-AssessmentConsidering Mutual Aid and Federal Assets• Mutual aid agreements can be considered if…

– An explicit agreement already exists– The agreement provides the jurisdiction access to

resources in a timely manner• Federal resources can be considered if….– The resources reside within your jurisdiction– An explicit agreement exists with the responsible

agency– The agreement states that your jurisdiction has

access to those resources prior to a Federal disaster declaration

Resources accessed through a Federal disaster declaration, as directed by the National Response Framework, cannot be claimed as a means for obtaining a capability.

Completing the Self-Assessment

Considering Mutual Aid and Federal Assets

Mutual Aid and Federal Resources: Other Factors to Consider

• Formality of the agreement

• Date created/Date updated

• The existence of competing mutual aid agreements

• The jurisdiction’s capability without the agreement

• The risk that the resources may be activated under the NRF or use in another emergency (for Federal resources)

Completing the Self-AssessmentExplanation:Bullet points

Key points for that measure

Capability Explanations:Required for

every capability

Completing the Self-Assessment

Explanation• Key points only, no long narrative

– Explanations do not need to be a long narrative– Bullets points with only key information for that

question• May be beneficial for complicated measures

or situations because it could:– Serve as a reminder of the reasoning used for the

response to a complex or difficult measure– Provide valuable information to ADEM and IEM

assessment analysts when reviewing the data

Completing the Self-Assessment

Capability Explanations

• Is required for every capability

• Provide a high-level overview, which may include:– An indication if mutual aid or Federal assets were factored into

the capability-specific measure scores– Other factors that contributed to the jurisdiction’s scores– An improvement strategy for building the capability over time– A sustainability strategy for the capability—processes and

methods in place to ensure longevity– Thoughts and ideas that may be useful to future planning efforts

• Include a list of Major Equipment purchased to support this target capability

Completing the Self-Assessment

Summary Section•The summary is generated automatically as cells in other sections are populated

•No data entry is required by the jurisdiction in the Summary block

Self-Assessment Guidance

Guidance Available:

• The Self-Assessment Guide

• IEM Support

Activity

– Review the Target Capability Handout: Emergency Operations Center Management

– Become familiar with the questions, measures, format and structure

– This TC will be used for the tool demo

Activity

Purpose: Tackle the challenges of completing a data collection spreadsheet and providing appropriate responses that accurately reflect your level of preparedness.

Next Steps

• Retrieve self-assessment survey tool from the ADEM website (Capabilities Assessment Tool)

• Identify assessment participants to assist with completion of the assessment

• Schedule meetings with the assessment participants as soon as possible

• Complete the self-assessment survey• Submit your completed self-assessment survey tool to

Chad Stover via email

IEM Contact Information

Susan LoveIEM, State CoordinatorOffice: (501) 834 - 6185 Mobile:(225) 588 - 4839 Email: susan.love@iem.com