Strategy for upgrading preparedness in small and rural communities to meet national preparedness standards

Abstract

In order for the smallest units of government towns, villages, small cities, and rural areas in the least populated areas of the country to successfully meet the national preparedness, response, recovery, and interoperability goals of the National Preparedness Guidelines, they must adhere to the compliance metrics of the National Incident Management System. This ensures personnel and resource accountability as well as successful multiagency coordination during times of disaster. Efforts by small towns and rural areas to meet NIMS compliance standards have been problematic. Failure of some units of government to meet these requirements has affected their ability to effectively respond to and recover from major disasters, as evidenced when coordinating with resources outside their immediate area or NIMScompliant agencies. NIMS is built around the concept that all units of government and all disciplines from the federal to the local level must not only understand their role during incident response but also have the ability to seamlessly interoperate with each other and account for personnel and resources to successfully manage an incident. This research examines the reasons for the inability of some small towns and rural areas to meet these preparedness standards. The research findings drive the proposed solutions.