INDUSTRY NEWS BDR features monthly columns written by our subject matter experts focused on topics of interest for the emergency management community.
The Four Cs of Regional Planning: Collaboration, Coordination, Change and Championship
By Christine Packard
Principal Consultant
In federal fiscal year (FFY) 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security initiated the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) to support regional planning efforts in the 10 most recognizable high-risk/high-consequence urban areas of the United States. The RCPGP, currently slated to continue through FFY 2010, advances the development of integrated regional plans, protocols and procedures to assist these large metropolitan areas in preparing for and responding to a catastrophic disaster. There are four fundamental elements that influence the success of this regional planning program: collaboration, coordination, change and championship.
Collaboration: The RCPGP undertakes a collaborative approach to planning by including representation of all pertinent disciplines from the jurisdictions in the region. With these critical partners at the planning table, the RCPGP builds upon the capabilities of individual jurisdictions and streamlines them into an added, holistic layer of preparedness for the region. The planning process identifies and addresses impediments to regional response and creates systems to effectively and efficiently coordinate during a catastrophic event. The result is synchronized, comprehensive response capacity that is truly regional in nature.
Coordination: A challenge in regional planning is assuring jurisdictions that regional response plans do not usurp local authority or protocols for preparedness and response. Planning efforts have quickly unveiled a number of intricacies in maintaining individual authorities when regional plans are implemented. The intent of the RCPGP is to enhance individual jurisdictional capacity by creating a regional coordination mechanism that encompasses not only sharing of information, but also coordinates regional decision-making among (not on behalf of) the jurisdictions regarding issues such as evacuation, resources allocation, public information and mass care.
Change: The heart of any new planning effort involves change. The RCPGP calls for a transformation in mindset to bring the focus of decision-making from insular jurisdictional response to a strategic regional response that supports the best outcomes for the region as a whole. Regional response is far more than information sharing and activation of mutual aid during an event; it is a collective approach to ensuring the health and safety of all people in the region, regardless of their place of residence. Breaking down these individual jurisdictional silos may be challenging at times, but together these jurisdictions can strengthen the region by cooperatively planning and collaborating to respond to a catastrophic event.
Championship: The most successful regional planning efforts are those that have a true champion within the region. These champions advocate for regional planning, strategize on gaining buy-in for the planning process, address concerns of jurisdictions, and shepherd the planning process to completion. A champion does not necessarily need to be the project manager of the planning endeavor; a champion is often is a stakeholder who truly believes in the benefit of regional planning and encourages peers to participate, provide feedback and support the project.
Beck Disaster Recovery (BDR), a Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) company, has supported a number of RCPGP projects and understands the complexity of regional planning. BDR continues to strive to be a source of best practices for the regional planning communities and continues to provide guidance to facilitate collaborative regional coordination.
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