What provides the foundation for development of an emergency operations plan?

The development of a robustEmergency Operations Plan (EOP)must be rooted in a "risk-informed" planning process. According toFEMA’s Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, the foundation of any EOP is the information derived from aHazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA)or aThreat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA). This data provides the analytical basis for understanding which threats are most likely to affect the community or organization and what the potential impacts of those threats will be.

While checklists and guidelines (Option A) are useful for tactical execution, they are not the foundation; they are tools used within the plan. A policy directive (Option B) provides the legal authority to act, but the operational substance of the plan is determined by the risks identified in the analysis phase. A thorough HVA assesses the probability of an event and the severity of its impact on people, property, and business continuity.

In theCEDPcurriculum, this reflects the transition from "Risk Assessment" to "Operational Planning." By utilizing event assessment documents—including historical data, climate modeling, and infrastructure audits—planners can identify "Capability Gaps." For example, if the HVA identifies a high risk of flooding but the current EOP lacks a specific evacuation protocol for vulnerable populations in flood zones, the assessment dictates where the plan must be strengthened. This ensures that the EOP is not just a generic document but a site-specific strategic roadmap that addresses the real-world vulnerabilities of the jurisdiction. Without this analytical foundation, an EOP is merely a collection of assumptions that may fail to address the actual resource demands of a localized disaster.