COMMAND & STAFF GUIDANCE
An effective Ready Army program cannot be executed exclusively by the installation Emergency Manager. It takes team work from up and down the chain of command to be effective and get the word out to everyone. The following guidance is some suggested roles and responsibilities for the various staffs to support the Ready Army program. This is not all inclusive and staff should refer to regulations, policies, SOPs, and local command guidance for executing the Ready Army program. Contact your Family Readiness Group or Installation Emergency Manager
ACOM, ASCC, and DRU Emergency Management Program Coordinator
Every ACOM, ASCC, and DRU commands have an assigned EM Program Coordinator. This individual is responsible overall for ensuring EM is integrated into the command.
ACOM, ASCC, and DRU commands
- Ensure Ready Army program responsibilities are assigned to an appropriate staff sections
- Incorporate Ready Army community awareness into daily staff activities of the command.
- Publish guidance to subordinate commands to support and integrate the Ready Army program into their missions.
- Establish a process to incorporate Ready Army considerations into assessments, evaluations, and exercises.
- Coordinate across the staff, G-1, PAO, CBRNE, Surgeon, PHEO, G-4, Safety, Law Enforcement, Fire and Emergency Services to promote the Ready Army program.
- Coordinate with local installation EM personnel, family support organizations, family readiness groups, youth services, etc., to ensure Ready Army programs are mutually supporting each other.
- Support National Preparedness Month each September.
- Promote the Ready Army program into your command.
The Ready Army Campaign relies on everyone to reach out to many different audiences and motivate them to become prepared for disasters and emergencies. We encourage you to involve community and business leaders in the planning process. This information should provide you with ideas of the events, messages, and communication techniques that can help you reach and engage your community. Suggested tips include (not limited to):
PLANNING AND PROMOTING Ready Army events:
Work with Your Community Partners. Don’t feel like you have to do it alone. Reach out to emergency response and preparedness groups in your community for advice or assistance in coordinating events and educating your community about preparedness.
Find Existing Community Events and Meetings – Participating in planned and scheduled events can be a great way to reach members of your community. Check with your local emergency management organizations for local events to partner with.
Reach Out to Your Local Citizen Corps Council – Citizen Corps Councils and Citizen Corps’ program partners and affiliates provide training and volunteer opportunities to support you, your family, first responders, and your community in an emergency. Visit www.citizencorps.gov to learn more.
Share Online
Use a variety of tools to promote Ready Army to an even wider audience on the internet and in social media. Use your website – Post Ready Army web banners on your website or post links to the Ready Army campaign’s public service announcements (PSAs). You can also post local information and links to preparedness events in your community.
Social media – Use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or a blog to reach out to your community about Ready Army.
Email and Newsletters – Do not forget to include emergency preparedness messages in your email signature, monthly newsletters, or other messaging tools.
Preparedness Resources
Consider the following resources to display or highlight when you plan a preparedness meeting or event. You can access many of these online at ReadyArmy.mil or Ready.gov.
- PSAs
- Instructional Videos
- Emergency Preparedness Templates and Checklists
- Display an Emergency Supply Kit
Installation Emergency Manager
The installation EM is overall responsible for the Ready Army program and is executed with support from the EM Working Group with includes staff members from not just the garrison staff but from representatives from all tenant activities on the installation. The following is an extract from DA PAM 525-27:
"Individual, family, and community preparedness is the cornerstone of any successful EM program. The preparedness at the community level contributes directly to the success of the evacuation and mass care efforts by the EM program. Community preparedness establishes a buffer between the onset of the emergency and the reestablishment of essential and routine services by installation and civilian and commercial providers. It is the goal of community preparedness efforts that individuals and families should be prepared to survive for a minimum of 72 hours before the restoration of essential services, such as the distribution of water, food, and emergency supplies. Within the Army, all installations shall establish and execute the Ready Army Campaign (www.ready.army.mil)."
The following guidance is some suggested roles and responsibilities for the various staffs to support the Ready Army program. This is not all inclusive and staffs should refer to regulations, policies, SOPs, and local command guidance for executing the Ready Army program:
Ready Army program Guidance
- Ensure Ready Army program responsibilities are assigned to an appropriate garrison staff sections.
- Include Ready Army program activities into the EM Working Group.
- Collaborate with all tenant command EM program coordinators and local off installation EM personnel on Ready Army activities.
- Incorporate Ready Army community awareness into daily staff activities of the garrison staff.
- Publish guidance to the garrison staff to support and integrate the Ready Army program into their missions.
- Establish a process to incorporate Ready Army considerations into assessments, evaluations, and exercises.
- Coordinate across the staff, DPTMS, PAO, CBRNE, Surgeon, PHEO, DOL, DES, Safety, OPMG, Fire and Emergency Services to promote the Ready Army program.
- Coordinate with local installation EM personnel, family support organizations, family readiness groups, youth services, etc., to ensure Ready Army programs are mutually supporting each other.
- Support National Preparedness Month each September.
- Promote the Ready Army program into your command.
The Ready Army Campaign relies on everyone to reach out to many different audiences and motivate them to become prepared for disasters and emergencies. We encourage you to involve community and business leaders in the planning process. This information should provide you with ideas of the events, messages, and communication techniques that can help you reach and engage your community. Suggested tips include (not limited to):
PLANNING AND PROMOTING Ready Army events:
Work with Your Community Partners. Don’t feel like you have to do it alone. Reach out to emergency response and preparedness groups in your community for advice or assistance in coordinating events and educating your community about preparedness.
Find Existing Community Events and Meetings – Participating in planned and scheduled events can be a great way to reach members of your community. Check with your local emergency management organizations for local events to partner with.
Reach Out to Your Local Citizen Corps Council – Citizen Corps Councils and Citizen Corps’ program partners and affiliates provide training and volunteer opportunities to support you, your family, first responders, and your community in an emergency. Visit www.citizencorps.gov to learn more.
Share Online
Use a variety of tools to promote Ready Army to an even wider audience on the internet and in social media. Use your website – Post Ready Army web banners on your website or post links to the Ready Army campaign’s public service announcements (PSAs). You can also post local information and links to preparedness events in your community.
Social media – Use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or a blog to reach out to your community about Ready Army.
Email and Newsletters – Do not forget to include emergency preparedness messages in your email signature, monthly newsletters, or other messaging tools.
Preparedness Resources
Consider the following resources to display or highlight when you plan a preparedness meeting or event. You can access many of these online at ReadyArmy.mil or Ready.gov.
Resources List
- PSAs
- Instructional Videos
- Emergency Preparedness Templates and Checklists
- Display an Emergency Supply Kit