Standards for Local Civil Preparedness

CPG 1-5
November 1980
(Supercedes CPG 1-5, April 1978, which may be used)

NOTICE

This Civil Preparedness Guide, which was published by the former Defense Civil Preparedness
Agency (DCPA), will continue in effect until revised and updated by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA). Any references to DCPA found in this publication shall be construed to mean FEMA.

STANDARDS FOR LOCAL CIVIL PREPAREDNESS

Developed jointly with the National Association of State Directors for Disaster Preparedness, and the United States Civil Defense Council.

Developed in cooperation with:
The Council of State Governments
National Association of Counties
National League of Cities and United States Conference of Mayors
International City Management Association
American National Red Cross
International Association of Chiefs of Police
International Association of Fire Chiefs
International Association of Fire Fighters
National Fire Protection Association
National Sheriffs' Association
U.S. Civil Service Commission
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service

NOTE TO READERS

This 1978 edition of the Standards is updated from the 1972 version in several ways. Some of the Standards have been revised to reflect the concept of risk orientation. This means that larger cities and other jurisdictions which could face blast and other direct effects of nuclear weapons need certain additional elements of preparedness. For example, an EOC providing some degree of blast protection is desirable in a high risk jurisdiction, and warning fanout to the public must be rapid.

In the 1972 version, emergency planning was covered in Standard Five. This has been changed to Standard Three, since emergency planning provides a basis for establishing requirements for facilities and equipment and for trained personnel (now covered in Standards Four and Five, respectively).

The concept of Nuclear Civil Protection (NCP) has been added to Standard Three, on emergency planning. NCP plans provide for two options:

(1) Protection of the population essentially in-place, at or near their places of residence,

(2) Orderly relocation of people from high-risk areas to low-risk host jurisdictions during a period of severe international crisis, should time and circumstances permit implementation of relocation plans. NCP planning for the relocation option is expected to be conducted into the 1980's, with direct Federal support and the consent and participation of States and localities.

 

Note for Civil Preparedness Directors or Coordinators:

These Standards for Civil Preparedness have been developed jointly by local, State, and
Federal civil preparedness professionals. They are provided as an aid in implementing the major emphasis of civil preparedness.

This emphasis aims at improving the ability of local governments to act swiftly and effectively to save life and preserve property if the community is threatened or hit by any kind of emergency or disaster-whether a peacetime emergency or enemy attack upon the United States. This requires making effective, coordinated use of all assets available to the community, from the executive talents of its top officials; to its police, fire and other forces; to its ambulances, hospitals, and medical professionals; to shelters to protect its citizens.

This in turn requires emphasis on people and training them to work together. These Standards should be used in training new and experienced local Civil Preparedness Directors/Coordinators at Federally conducted or sponsored training activities, and in on-site assistance or conferences at the community level. The Standards are also intended for use by local Directors in analyzing the level of readiness of their community, as a basis for making improvements.

If you are a new local Director or Coordinator, we recommend you look first at the outline of duties at pages 1 to 2 of the Standards. Then you will want to look at Standard Two for more details.

If you are a new Director or Coordinator in a smaller rural community, we would like to call to your attention the discussion on emergency plans for the smaller jurisdictions at pages 20 to 21.

The Standards should be brought to the attention of county commissioners, mayors, and city managers-both individually and at meetings of their associations. It should be stressed that both the Federal Government and the States are doing everything they can to help local governments to improve their readiness for emergencies-but that success depends, in the last analysis, on the support given by local chief executives.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
Purpose of Standards.................................................................................1
Duties of Local Civil Preparedness Directors/Coordinators.............1
Background for Use of Standards...........................................................2
Use of Standards..........................................................................................2
Building Emergency Readiness...............................................................2
"Fully-Qualified" vs. "Minimum-Level" Standards...............................2
Risk Areas.......................................................................................................2

STANDARD ONE - ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF CIVIL PREPAREDNESS
1. Statement of Purpose................................................................................5
2. Joint-Action vs. Individual Jurisdiction Approach.............................5
3. Organizing Local Civil Preparedness Action.......................................5
4. Administration of Local Civil Preparedness Program.......................6

STANDARD TWO - THE LOCAL CIVIL PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR/COORDINATOR
1. Position and Responsibilities of the Local Civil Preparedness Director/ Coordinator.........9
2. Civil Preparedness Staffing for Jurisdictions of Various Sizes................................................10
3. Selection, Qualifications, and Salary of Local Director/Coordinator.......................................11
4. Professional Training and Growth...................................................................................................12

STANDARD THREE - TANGIBLE COMPONENTS OF EMERGENCY READINESS.- LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY PLANS
Need for Local Emergency Plans.........................................................................15
Local Planning Process..........................................................................................15
Hazard Analysis........................................................................................................15
Organization and Content of Local Government Emergency Plans...........16
Nuclear Civil Protection Planning.........................................................................16
  1. Fully-Qualified Emergency Planning Standard...........................................17
  2. Minimum-Level Emergency Planning Standard..........................................21

STANDARD FOUR - TANGIBLE COMPONENTS OF EMERGENCY READINESS: FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
1. Emergency Operating Center................................................................23
2. Shelter..........................................................................................................23
3. Radiological Defense...............................................................................24
4. Warning System........................................................................................25
5. Emergency Communications................................................................26
6. Emergency Public Information..............................................................26
7. Law Enforcement......................................................................................27
8. Fire Service.................................................................................................27
9. Rescue.........................................................................................................27
10. Emergency Medical..................................................................................27
11. Public Works Engineering......................................................................27
12. Emergency Welfare..................................................................................28
13. Schools.......................................................................................................28

STANDARD FIVE - TANGIBLE COMPONENTS OF EMERGENCY READINESS: TRAINED PERSONNEL
1. Training Required for Local Government Personnel.....................................................................29
2. Training for Personnel Required to Supplement or Extend Governmental Capabilities......30
3. Training for the Public............................................................................................................................34

STANDARD SIX - INTANGIBLE COMPONENTS OF EMERGENCY READINESS: ABILITY TO EXECUTE EMERGENCY PLANS
Evaluating Local Ability to Execute Plans...................................35
  1. Fully-Qualified Readiness Standard.....................................35
  2. Minimum-Level Readiness Standard....................................36