Connecticut State Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

Planning for All Hazards:

Emergency planning can be defined as the process of preparing systematically, and across all levels of government for expanding incidents and disaster situations. Emergency planning occurs at all levels of government, including the federal, state, regional, and local levels.

According to FEMA's Community Preparedness Guide known as CPG-101, It is important that emergency plans are:

  • Integrated among all levels of government and consistent across all levels of government.
  • Scalable to address smaller and larger scale incidents and flexible to address both traditional and catastrophic incidents.
  • Collaborative and inclusive of the community as a whole, including those with functional needs and language barriers.

In Connecticut, DEMHS is responsible for all-hazards planning at the state level as well as the collection and review of local plans. This also includes emergency management program design and development, administration, coordination, development and maintenance of plans and programs to enhance Connecticut’s prevention, preparedness, response and recovery capabilities.Connecticut follows the State Response Framework (SRF) to prepare for and respond to natural hazards or disasters that may occur, and the State Disaster Recovery Framework for longer term recovery.

Statewide Planning Resources:

The State of Connecticut collaborates and leads a variety of statewide emergency planning initiatives. Many of these plans have been developed with substantial  state, local, federal and tribal involvement and are available in our Plans and Publications section of this website. The Statewide Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is an instance of such a statewide plan. A comprehensive list of DEMHS Plans and Publications is available.

Natural Hazards in Connecticut

Man-Made Hazards in Connecticut

State Agency Planning Resources

State offices and agencies are included in statewide emergency planning initiatives and response efforts. The State Response Framework lists out agency responsibilities before, during and after a disaster situation or emergency requiring their agency expertise. To further facilitate common language and standardization Governor Malloy Signed Executive Order No. 34 requiring state agencies to utilize, train and plan using the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS).

Local and Regional Planning Resources

The Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security works closely with local municipalities and the two tribal nations to assist in the development of local emergency operations plans. According to Conn. Gen. Stat, 28-7, local municipalities are required to submit annually Local Emergency Operations Plans to their DEMHS Regional Coordinator. The following are local and regional planning resources: