In a standard Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), theHazard-Specific Annexesprovide the detailed, actionable information regarding response and recovery activities tailored to a particular type of threat. While the Basic Plan provides the general framework for all-hazards, the annexes focus on the unique operational requirements of specific disasters, such as a hurricane, a hazardous material spill, or a biological outbreak.
Situational assumptions (Option B) are found in the Basic Plan and describe the "what if" scenarios that the planners believe to be true. Communication documents (Option C) refer to the actual forms and logs used during the event, but they do not contain the strategic or tactical information found in an annex. Hazard-specific annexes describe the unique triggers for action, the specialized resources required, and the specific recovery milestones for that hazard. For example, a "Tornado Annex" would specify the immediate search and rescue protocols, whereas a "Pandemic Annex" would focus on vaccination clinics and quarantine procedures.
According to FEMA’s CPG 101, the use of annexes allows the EOP to remain organized and scalable. It prevents the Basic Plan from becoming too cluttered with technical details that only apply to one type of incident. For a CEDP professional, these annexes are the "playbooks" for the organization. They ensure that when a specific threat is recognized, the Incident Command has a ready-made set of response and recovery steps that have already been vetted and coordinated with subject matter experts.
