National Ocean Service Completes Readiness Self-Assessment
JUNE 14, 2021 ─ Emergencies can strike without warning, and unfortunately, we have too many real-life examples that remind us of the importance of being prepared. With this in mind, the Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) Disaster Preparedness Program (DPP) developed a readiness self-assessment tool explicitly designed to help the National Ocean Service (NOS) and NOS offices better prepare for emergencies and continuity events. Continuity events disrupt an agency, business, or organization’s regular, daily operations which results in the activation of the Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan.
With hurricane season just around the corner, the development of a self-assessment is timely. The 63-question self-assessment covers topics ranging from hazard vulnerability to continuity of operations and employee readiness. Once completed, assessments are reviewed and compiled by the DPP into a specialized results report. Each office’s report provides information on self-assessment scores, preparedness resources, recommendations, and improvement areas.
As NOS continues to evolve and build upon its experiences with each threat and hazard faced, so will the readiness self-assessment. Offices that have completed their self-assessment demonstrate their commitment to both emergency preparedness and readiness planning.
If you would like to learn more about the NOS readiness self-assessment please contact DPP’s Alyson.Finn@noaa.gov.