August 2019
Hawai`i Emergency Management Agency │Department Readiness Checklist
Document Maintained by HI-EMA Training Officer
DEPARTMENT READINESS CHECKLIST
Departments must be ready to perform two primary missions during an emergency or incident:
Provide information to and emergency support requested by the State Emergency Operations
Center (SEOC)
Ensure essential department functions continue or are rapidly restored.
This readiness checklist is to assist senior leaders in evaluating their department’s readiness to
effectively perform these functions.
READINESS ACTIONS
PLANS
1. Does the agency have a current Continuity of Operations Plan
(COOP)?
Yes No N/A
Does the plan define critical agency functions?
Yes No N/A
Does the plan provide procedures for preventing disruptions and
restoring critical functions during an emergency?
Yes No N/A
Does the plan provide alternate procedures for performing critical
functions during disruptions to normal systems?
Yes No N/A
Is there a position responsible for maintaining the COOP?
Yes No N/A
Is the COOP updated annually?
Yes No N/A
Is a copy of the current COOP on file with HI-EMA?
Yes No N/A
Has a copy of the current COOP been distributed throughout the
department and to attached agencies?
Yes No N/A
2. Does the agency have a current Departmental Emergency
Operations Plan (EOP)?
Yes No N/A
Does the plan describe the department’s emergency organizational
structure?
Yes No N/A
Does the plan address how department SESF duties will be executed?
Yes No N/A
Is there a position responsible for maintaining the Departmental EOP?
Yes No N/A
Is the Departmental EOP updated annually?
Yes No N/A
Is a copy of the current Departmental EOP on file with HI-EMA?
Yes No N/A
Has a copy of the current Department EOP been distributed throughout
the department and to attached agencies?
Yes No N/A
3. Are key documents available in hard copy or electronic form if the
state/department’s computer network is down?
Yes No N/A
August 2019
Hawai`i Emergency Management Agency │Department Readiness Checklist
Document Maintained by HI-EMA Training Officer
READINESS ACTIONS – STAFFING, TRAINING AND EXERCISE
1. Does the agency have EMOs identified (primary and 2
alternates)
Yes No N/A
2. Are primary and alternate SESF representatives assigned to
each SESF the agency is tasked to support?
Yes No N/A
3. Is additional staff trained and ready to be assigned/deployed to
SESFs the department supports, as needed?
Yes No N/A
4. Have EMOs and SESF representatives completed required HI-
EMA training?
Yes No N/A
5. Have emergency workers needed to sustain/restore critical
functions been identified and trained?
Yes No N/A
6. Have workers who may be reassigned during an incident to
support emergency or continuity operations been identified and
informed?
Yes No N/A
7. Is the department prepared to provide a list of non-essential staff
that can potentially support other agencies in a major incident?
Yes No N/A
8. Are all agency staff notified multiple times a year that all state
employees are considered emergency workers and what this role
may entail?
Yes No N/A
9. Is regular training provided to all staff on the agency’s emergency
policies and procedures?
Yes No N/A
10. Are internal exercises regularly held to practice and test
emergency and continuity plans and procedures?
Yes No N/A
11. Does the agency and its SERT members participate in the
annual Makani Pahili Hurricane exercise?
Yes No N/A
READINESS ACTIONS – FACILITIES, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
1. Does the department have a designated Department Operations
Center (DOC)?
Yes No N/A
Has the DOC been hardened to withstand hurricane forces?
Yes No N/A
Is the DOC located outside a tsunami evacuation zone?
Yes No N/A
Is the DOC located outside a flood zone?
Yes No N/A
Is the DOC large enough to accommodate key members of the
department’s emergency response team and workers necessary to
sustain essential department functions?
Yes No N/A
August 2019
Hawai`i Emergency Management Agency │Department Readiness Checklist
Document Maintained by HI-EMA Training Officer
READINESS ACTIONS – FACILITIES, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
Have the necessary supplies been identified to support the DOC once it
activates (office supplies; internet access; phones; furniture)?
Yes No N/A
Is the DOC accessible 24 hours or is there a security plan in place to
provide after-hours access?
Yes No N/A
2. Does the department and its key units have back-up voice
communications equipment if regular voice communications
systems are disrupted (e.g. satellite phone; land-mobile radio)?
Yes No N/A
Are key staff regularly trained to operate the equipment?
Yes No N/A
Is someone in charge of regularly maintaining and testing the
equipment?
Yes No N/A
Do key emergency staff know where the equipment is located and have
access to it?
Yes No N/A
Is the amount of equipment adequate to ensure all key emergency
workers can coordinate with the SEOC and with agency offices
performing essential functions? (ensure neighbor island operations are
considered)
Yes No N/A
3. Does the department and its key units have back-up
communications equipment that will provide internet access if
regular communications systems are disrupted?
Yes No N/A
Are key staff regularly trained to operate the equipment?
Yes No N/A
Is someone in charge of regularly maintaining and testing the
equipment?
Yes No N/A
Do key emergency staff know where the equipment is located and have
access to it?
Yes No N/A
Is the amount of equipment adequate to ensure all key emergency
workers can coordinate with the SEOC and with agency offices
performing essential functions? (ensure neighbor island operations are
considered)
Yes No N/A
4. Does the department have a generator at its key locations?
Yes No N/A
Will the generator power the DOC?
Yes No N/A
Can the generator power sites/equipment required to perform critical
department functions?
Yes No N/A
Is fuel stored with the generator?
Yes No N/A
Is the generator regularly tested?
Yes No N/A
August 2019
Hawai`i Emergency Management Agency │Department Readiness Checklist
Document Maintained by HI-EMA Training Officer
READINESS ACTIONS – FACILITIES, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
Is someone in charge of regularly maintaining and testing the
generator?
Yes No N/A
Are multiple staff trained on how to operate the generator?
Yes No N/A
Is the generator secure and protected from wind and flooding?
Yes No N/A
5. Does the department have a policy that addresses employees,
their families and pets sheltering at worksites?
Yes No N/A
6. Does the department have a policy that addresses
responsibilities of disaster response workers, emergency
workers, civil service staff, and managerial staff?
Yes No N/A
7. Are emergency supplies, including food/water, for workers
available at worksites that will be operating during a disaster?
Yes No N/A
8. Have workers been advised of supplies they are expected to
bring with them during an emergency?
Yes No N/A
9. Can the department access its computer files if the
state’s/department’s computer network is down?
Yes No N/A