CAPCOG revamps regional homeland security plans

The CAPCOG Homeland Security Division is completing an update to the region’s Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment along with its Stakeholder Preparedness Review. These planning documents lay the foundation for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery to the region’s threats, hazards and risks as well as equip the region to better coordinate an overall response to disasters locally and regionally.

“The plans survey the region holistically, so no local jurisdiction is alone in responding to a crisis,” said Martin Ritchey, CAPCOG homeland security director. “Disasters often cross jurisdictional boundaries, and it is hard for every local government to afford all the resources needed to respond to every potential disaster. These plans provide structure to how the region allocates for those situations and their required resources.”

Since early 2020, the division has sought input from the CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force and its subcommittees, which consist of emergency managers and public safety officials, to identify needs, gaps and potential risk to the region’s communities. The plans support how the region identifies capability gaps and potential threats and helps determine what actions the region and local governments can take to address those issues. They also serve as the guide for developing future plans as threats and risks evolve.