An Emergency Management Playbook for State Transportation Agencies (2024)

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120 Sustaining Success An EM culture is established when behaviors are embedded, outcomes are measurably achieved, and success is sustained. Viewing EM as a way to enable business outcomes helps ensure sustainability. Uncover and broadly share examples of the EM program in action—the full cycle from preparedness to recovery—that contributes to agency goals. • Start at the top. Brief new leaders on their EM roles and responsibilities within their first week on the job. Conduct brief training sessions or briefings and include leadership in exercises. When disasters occur in your state or other states, brief the leadership team on transportation implications and actions, ideally during regular staff meetings. • Celebrate success and make it clear that the success is due to the staff. Celebrate often so people feel recognized for their actions and excited to continue. If your organization has an awards program, nominate your EM team and/or members to receive awards. Highlight activities in preparedness, recovery, and response. • Focus on results and build accountability. Find ways to measure progress and success, iterate based on learnings, and repeat the cycle. If something is not working, use lessons learned from past events to make a change. • Set expectations and align the agency staff around a common understanding of EM and everyone’s role in it. Highlight what is expected and what is possible to achieve by aligning EM with the agency’s vision. Be open to changes and suggestions for improvement. • Document the EM processes. Share the documents throughout the agency and review them yearly, at a minimum. Take an approach that starts with actions determined by dialogues and agreements within the agency, not with agency leaders identifying or articulating a desired action. • Ensure supportive systems and infrastructure are in place and identify those that need to be put in place. Periodically confirm contact information for intra- and interagency contacts to ensure they are correct and current. • Establish a training program that meets FHWA, AASHTO, and FEMA guidelines, that reinforces “how we do it here” so that EM becomes a practiced part of agency operations, rather than isolated, occasional instances. • Communicate constantly and consistently both within the agency and with agency partners to build relationships and maintain momentum. Have a presentation to share with partners what the DOT brings to the table. • Undertake preventive maintenance before an expected emergency. C H A P T E R 1 3