The Colorado Emergency Preparedness Assessment (CEPA) does the following:
- Assists local jurisdictions in efforts to obtain a greater understanding of local preparedness levels and to better position the state to support local disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
- It tells the story they want to tell, helps assess risk, capabilities and the potential need for support and resources during and after emergencies or disasters.
- A standardized and repeatable process, subsequent sessions provide trend data and comparative analysis for local jurisdictions.
- Allows jurisdictions to better understand their preparedness levels and for the state to better support local preparedness, response and recovery efforts
CEPA Session Elements
- Threat and Hazard Risk Assessment
- Core Capability Assessment
- Grant Funding Reliance Assessment
- Response Capacity Assessment
- Key Resource Inventory
- Strengths and Strategies to Enhance Preparedness
- Access and Functional Needs Assessment
- Comparative Analysis
- POETE element prioritized within local or regional Integrated Preparedness Plan
What is in it for you?
The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) provides the facilitator for the CEPA Session. The data gathered during the session is then compiled into a comprehensive report that assesses current capabilities, compares current assessments with previous cycle analysis and supports the jurisdictions' Integrated Preparedness Plan.
Empower Your Preparedness through CEPA
- Identifies local threats and hazards through comprehensive risk assessments
- Assesses core capabilities using planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise (POETE) element analysis
- Identifies capability gaps, response capacity and opportunities for improvement
- Creates a platform for communication and information sharing, promoting whole community engagement
- Informs elected officials, agency leaders and community stakeholders on capability needs
- Helps to inform efforts in local integrated preparedness planning
- Provides supporting documentation for funding (e.g., grant and budget requests)
Contact
Please contact the DHSEM CEPA team or your area field manager for more information about the program.
- CEPA team email: CEPA@state.co.us
CEPA Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who participates in CEPA?
A. County emergency management personnel, police, fire, emergency medical services (EMS), medical and health services, voluntary organizations active in disasters (VOADs), along with agencies that help the county deliver the core capabilities during emergencies, like public works, human services and IT.
Q. Who does the report? Does the county get to see the report before it is released?
A. DHSEM produces the report and sends it to the county for edits and approval. Importantly, the report stays with the county. DHSEM will not release the county’s report to any other organization or entity (including FEMA) without the express written consent of the county.
Q. How is CEPA related to the THIRA/SPR?
A. Both the CEPA and the THIRA/SPR measure the jurisdiction’s ability to deliver the core capabilities. Under FEMA’s current methodology, the THIRA/SPR measures core capability delivery given a very specific scenario with detailed times, places, locations and impacts. The CEPA is a broader assessment of core capability delivery during any emergency. DHSEM will use the aggregated state data to inform the state’s annual THIRA/SPR.
Q. Do I have to do both a THIRA/SPR and a CEPA?
A. No. The state must still do a THIRA/SPR to meet annual FEMA grant requirements. Jurisdictions are welcome do a THIRA/SPR in addition to the CEPA. In fact, the THIRA/SPR can be used to help identify gaps for a specific planning scenario. However, DHSEM does not provide THIRA/SPR facilitation as it does for CEPA.