Communities use the THIRA and SPR to answer three basic questions:
What are the worst disasters we need to prepare for?
How prepared are we currently?
How do we prepare for those disasters?
Communities and the Federal government use the THIRA and SPR to set priorities for developing and maintaining preparedness resources.
Communities prepare for disasters by investing in planning, personnel, equipment, training, and exercises. Completing the THIRA and SPR helps communities identify areas where they need to prioritize these investments, making them more effective.
Identifying the worst disasters that they need to prepare for helps communities to focus their preparedness efforts on those kinds of scenarios, especially planning and exercises.
Determining how to prepare for those disasters helps communities be more strategic. They can set goals for their preparedness, develop plans for achieving them, and prioritize activities and investments that support their goals.
Measuring their preparedness helps communities track progress over time and change course as necessary. This also helps communities to identify and prioritize gaps between how prepared they are and how prepared they need to be.
The Federal Government uses THIRA and SPR results to guide the more general preparedness support it provides nationally and the more tailored support it provides to specific communities. Communities can also only use Federal preparedness grants to support priorities they identify in the THIRA and SPR.
Participation from community leaders and experts is important for creating a more accurate, complete, and useful THIRA and SPR. It also provides an opportunity for participants to shape the long-term preparedness priorities of their communities and the Nation.
