Ready for Anything: A Disaster Risk Playbook for Public Entities

Public entities today face a widening range of natural and human‑caused disasters that can interrupt operations, endanger communities and strain already limited resources. While many organizations maintain emergency policies, fewer have fully developed, exercised, and updated disaster plans that truly support resilience. This playbook offers a practical, structured approach for risk managers to strengthen preparedness, protection, and recovery capabilities, grounded in NFPA 1660 and FEMA guidance and aligned with PRIMA’s core competencies.

1. Policy vs. Planning: Why the Difference Matters

One of the most common gaps in public‑sector emergency readiness is the confusion between policy and planning. A policy establishes intent, authority, and expectations - what the organization believes should happen. A plan, by contrast, defines how it will happen: the procedures, checklists, resources, timelines, and responsible parties needed for implementation. NFPA 1660 emphasizes this distinction because policies alone do not produce coordinated action during an incident. Effective disaster risk reduction requires both clear policy direction and well-designed operational plans.

2. Understanding Your Hazards and Priorities

Public entities face varied hazards based on geography, infrastructure, and community needs, from hurricanes and wildfires to cyber incidents and utility failures. One of the most effective first steps is a facilitated hazard identification exercise. When risk managers ask staff to list their top three local hazards, patterns quickly emerge. This helps frame the organization’s risk assessment, a foundational element of NFPA 1660 and FEMA preparedness guidance. A strong risk assessment clarifies which exposures could produce the most severe disruptions, allowing leaders to prioritize mitigation and recovery strategies accordingly.

3. Carrier Risk Engineers and Broker Risk Engineers: Distinct, Complementary Roles

Public‑sector risk managers often rely on two different types of technical partners: carrier risk engineers and broker risk engineers. Although both contribute to disaster readiness, their advice differs.

A carrier risk engineer evaluates the entity on behalf of the property insurer. Their primary focus is identifying physical hazards and recommending improvements that reduce the insurer’s exposure to loss. Their assessments often reference established engineering standards and focus heavily on protection systems, impairment risks, and loss‑expectancy drivers.

A broker risk engineer, however, serves the public entity directly. This role helps interpret the carrier’s technical findings, translate them into phased and achievable action plans, and ensure they align with organizational realities, budget constraints, and operational priorities. Broker engineers also provide broader disaster‑readiness context, connecting emergency planning, hazard mitigation, NFPA 1660 compliance, FEMA guidance and risk/loss‑control best practices.

When these roles are coordinated effectively, public entities gain a balanced and actionable understanding of risks: the insurer’s perspective on loss drivers, paired with advisory support that ensures the recommendations become practical, implementable solutions.

4. Building a Playbook That Works in Real Time

A strong disaster risk playbook incorporates the following components:

• Clear roles and responsibilities tied to policies and operational plans
• Risk‑based prioritization grounded in assessments of local hazards
• Mitigation strategies aligned to NFPA 1660 and FEMA guidance
• Response procedures that are simple, practiced, and time‑bound
• Recovery and continuity actions that reflect critical services and community needs
• Regular reviews and exercises, ensuring plans evolve with changing conditions

Using visual checklists, conducting tabletop exercises and inviting cross‑departmental participation creates familiarity and confidence, two of the strongest predictors of successful disaster response.

5. Strengthening Resilience Before, During and After Disaster

Ultimately, disaster readiness is not a document; it is a capability. When policies are supported by clear, actionable planning,  when risk assessments guide mitigation, and when engineers, emergency managers, and operations staff collaborate effectively, public entities are positioned to protect their people, assets, and communities across every phase of an event.