Today, FEMA released the National Preparedness Report (although it is dated March 30, 2012). Nothing too intense, but good to know we’re all on the same page!

Main points:

• As the NPR coordinator, FEMA worked with the full range of whole community partners—including all levels of government, private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, communities, and individuals—to develop the NPR

• FEMA integrated data from the 2011 State Preparedness Reports (SPRs), statewide self- assessments of core capability levels submitted by all 56 U.S. states and territories through a standardized survey.

• Areas of overall national strength: planning, operational coordination, intelligence and information sharing, environmental response/health and safety, mass search and rescue operations, operational communications, public health and medical services

• These areas of national strength align closely with the Goal’s cross-cutting, common capabilities and those capabilities from the Goal’s Response mission area.

• Cybersecurity and recovery-focused core capabilities are national areas for improvement.

• Good to hear: “Key finding: Federal preparedness assistance programs have helped build and enhance state, local, tribal, and territorial capabilities through multi-year investments across mission areas.”

• Great: “Key Finding: States generally reported the most progress in capabilities that they identified as high priorities.”

• The Nation has made demonstrable progress addressing areas for improvement identified after events such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. 

• FEMA recognizes the need to better support folks with special needs… “Efforts to integrate people with disabilities and other access and functional needs, children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with chronic medical conditions into preparedness activities require attention across all mission areas. “

• Good to hear: “Key finding: Decision-makers in the public and private sectors increasingly are using risk analysis to shape and prioritize preparedness activities across mission areas.”

• Pretty interesting as the final “key finding”: “Key finding: Many programs exist to build and sustain capabilities across all mission areas, but challenges remain in measuring progress from year to year.”

• Excerpted conclusion:The complex set of threats and hazards facing the Nation and the underlying interdependencies within critical infrastructure and supply chains require integrated preparedness efforts to build, sustain, and deliver the core capabilities. The components of the National Preparedness System will provide a consistent and reliable approach to support decision-making, resource allocation, and ongoing performance assessment.