CAR v3.0 - Capability Assessment for Readiness Interactive Software Program

The latest “Capability Assessment for Readiness” (CAR) CD program is now available. Version 3.0 is the result of our 20-year history in developing emergency management program "blueprints," developing review (assessment) methodologies, conducting program reviews for state and local emergency management agencies, and providing related training programs.

This product is based on the “Municipal CAR” we developed for the Florida Division of Emergency Management through a grant to the City of West Palm Beach, Florida. It defines a “best practices” baseline for community emergency management and is inclusive of the Emergency Management Functions (EMFs) as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1600 Standard on Emergency Management.

The CAR:

• Establishes the baseline program elements at a municipal level, and enables a jurisdiction to complete the self assessment, assigns emergency management program activities to local agencies, and develop a multi-year strategic workplan and budget from the assessment results.
• Enables a local government to set improvement goals and measure progress.
• Allows assessment results to be tracked so that emergency managers can focus resources on the areas requiring the most improvement.
• Assists a local government in answering the following questions. First, "Is the emergency management program comprehensive for the needs of the jurisdiction?" Second, "Are goals, objectives and mission of the system being achieved?" Third, "Is the jurisdiction able to utilize resources through a strategic planning process?"

Also included on the CD are strategy “tool boxes” for each of the 13 emergency management functions.

Why Do We Need An Assessment?

Every day, local emergency management officials are faced with decisions that relate to providing emergency services to its citizens. Now more than ever, these local leaders are faced with constant pressure of doing more with less, and many local government executives are hard pressed to justify any increase in expenditures unless they can be attributed directly to improved or expanded service delivery in the community. This effort is often hampered by the lack of a state accepted set of criteria by which a community can judge the level and quality of emergency management.

Many professional groups have developed accreditation systems to establish industry-wide benchmarks for management and overall organizational performance. It is critical that emergency management organizations have a well-defined, recognized measurement tool that can be used to evaluate operational effectiveness for elected officials at the local level of government and the citizens and communities served.

Major reasons (and benefits) for performing an assessment.

• Provides for periodic organizational assessments to ensure effectiveness.
• Assists in raising the level of professionalism within the organization and ultimately within the profession.
• Allows for review of operational capabilities before seasonal storms or other hazards impacting local government to assist in building disaster resistant communities.

A local "Capability Assessment for Readiness" provides a common format for an assessment of a local government emergency management organizations, and allows state and local emergency management agency staff, to communicate strengths and areas needing improvement. The local government assessment process seeks to answer three very basic questions:

1. Is the emergency management program comprehensive for the needs of the jurisdiction?
2. Are goals, objectives and mission of the system being achieved?
3. Is local government able to utilize resources through a strategic planning process?

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CAR v3.0 - Capability Assessment for Readiness Interactive Software DEMO. The password to install the demo is " Demo " We've made the demo available via the options below. You will need the software Winzip to open the demo's.

Option 1 Size: 6.36 MegaBytes Option 2 Size: 6.36 MegaBytes Click the Icon below to start downloading the CAR v3.0 - Capability Assessment for Readiness Interactive Software Demo. This download has been split into five parts using the freeware utility HJ Split for our users on a slower connection. Click the above link to download and run HJ Split to join the five parts once you have completed downloading them. Each part is 1.36 MegaBytes Demo Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5