Process

This year the region has made some simple changes to the process so it flows more smoothly and quickly. Notably, in an attempt to reduce the time it takes to complete this process, we have created two surveys to enable regional stakeholders to provide input ahead of the meetings. More about that below.

Surveys

This year, we have developed two surveys to collect information ahead of the THIRA and SPR meetings so that we have a place to start. The surveys walk through the core capabilities by mission area. On each page, you will click the checkbox for the core capabilities you would like to provide input on. The time it will take you to complete each survey really depends on you. If you have a lot to contribute, it could take a while to complete. Consider the following:

• If you’re a SME who could speak volumes on multiple core capabilities but don’t have the patience to do so, we get it. Your contributions on some core capabilities is more than no contribution.
• If you don’t have the patience to complete the surveys in one sitting, we have no issues if you submit multiple surveys over a span of time.
• Each core capability in both surveys has multiple text boxes. If you only have something to add to one text box, that’s no problem. You’re not expected to add text to a box just because it’s there.
• There’s a Save and Continue button at the bottom of each survey. We encourage you to use it in case something happens that might arrest your work (e.g., browser crash, laptop battery dying).

Lost, Built, Sustained Survey: This survey collects information about whether capabilities in your jurisdiction/organization or in the region were lost, sustained, or built over 2023. Recognizing that 2023 isn’t over, forecast as you’re able for the remaining months. To the best of your ability, tag the information you enter with a POETE category.

Address Gaps Survey: This survey collects information about activities/actions you believe the region should continue to sustain or that we should build to address gaps in our capabilities.

Meetings (click here to register)

This year the region will host nine in-person meetings to review targets and capabilities in the region.

• All meetings will be held in the Media Room at the Houston Emergency Center (HEC), 5320 N. Shepherd Drive
  Houston, Texas 77091.
• Register for the meetings at this link: https://houstonuasi.com/thira/thira-spr-meeting-registration.
• Morning sessions begin at 9 a.m.
• Afternoon sessions begin at 1 p.m. (except where denoted)

2023 THIRA and SPR Meeting Schedule

• October 3, 2023
  Category: Health and Medical
  Core capabilities: Mass Care Services Fatality Management Services; Public Health, Healthcare, and EMS
  Target references: 10, 24, 25, 33
  UASI committee: Health and Medical
• October 5, 2023
  Category: Mitigation
  Core capabilities: Long-term Vulnerability Reduction; Risk and Disaster Resilience Assessment; Community Resilience
  Target references: 2, 23, 35
  UASI committees: All, Community Preparedness
• October 9, 2023
  Category: Critical Infrastructure A
  Core capability: Infrastructure Systems
  Target references: 15, 16, 17, 18
  UASI committee: Risk Management and Critical Infrastructure
• October 10, 2023
  Category: Recovery
  Core capabilities: Economic Recovery; Health and Social Services; Housing; Natural and Cultural Resources
  Target references: 7, 13, 14, 27
  UASI committees: Regional Collaboration, Health and Medical
• October 16, 2023 (morning session)
  Category: All Responders
  Core capabilities: Operational Coordination; Screening, Search, and Detection
  Target references: 30, 37
  UASI committees: First Responder—Fire; First Responder—Law Enforcement
• October 16, 2023 (afternoon session, begins at 2 p.m.)
  Category: Law Enforcement
  Core capabilities: Access Control and Identity Verification; On-Scene Security, Protection, and Law Enforcement
  Target references: 1, 28
  UASI committee: First Responder—Law Enforcement
• October 17, 2023 (morning session)
  Category: Fusion and Intel
  Core capabilities: Intelligence and Information Sharing; Interdiction and Disruption
  Target references: 19, 20, 21
  UASI committee: Intelligence and Information Sharing
• October 17, 2023 (afternoon session)
  Category: Cybersecurity
  Core capability: Cybersecurity
  Target reference: 6
  UASI committees: Intelligence and Information Sharing, Risk Management and Critical Infrastructure
• October 25, 2023
  Category: Critical Infrastructure B
  Core capabilities: Logistics and Supply Chain Management; Supply Chain Integrity and Security; Physical Protective Measures; Risk Management for Protection Programs and Activities
  Target references: 22, 31, 36, 39
  UASI committee: Risk Management and Critical Infrastructure
• October 26, 2023
  Category: Fire
  Core capabilities: Environmental Response/Health and Safety; Screening, Search, and Detection; Fire Management and Suppression; Mass Search and Rescue Operations
  Target references: 8, 11, 26, 37
  UASI committee: First Responder—Fire
• October 27, 2023 (morning sessions)
  Categories: Operational Communications, Public Information and Warning
  Core capabilities: Operational Communications, Public Information and Warning
  Target references: 29, 34
  UASI committee: Interoperable Communications, Regional Collaboration
• October 27, 2023 (afternoon session)
  Category: Critical Transportation
  Core capability: Critical Transportation
  Target references: 4, 5
  UASI committee: Regional Collaboration

Meeting Participation Requirement

All voting members of UASI committees are required to attend one THIRA or SPR meeting for each committee they hold a voting seat on. All jurisdictions are required to attend a THIRA or SPR meeting in the prior year before being eligible to request grant funding. Meeting participants will be directed to a sign-in form where they are responsible for accounting for their attendance, what committee they are representing at that meeting, and who they are serving as a proxy for (if applicable). Proxies must come from the same agency with the attendance requirement. It is the responsibility of individuals who vote for more than one committee to send informed proxies who will represent the committee and signify their attendance as a proxy.

Stories

There will be a separate survey, available here, for real-world uses of grant-funded teams or equipment. These surveys provide a critical component in the SPR, allowing us to demonstrate to the federal government how we have used the assets, training, and teams they’ve helped us build. These surveys will be available soon.

 

Target statements

Below is a list of all the standardized target statements, the corresponding core capability, and the disciplines, subjects, or committees who should participate in the target or capability review process. Each year FEMA assign core capabilities and targets to update, which is what we based the meeting schedule above on. Targets that are struck through are ones that we are not required to complete this year.

#	Core Capability	Target	Statement	Example disciplines and subjects (and/ or committees)
1	Access Control and Identity Verification	Credential Acceptance	Within (time) of an event, be prepared to accept credentials from (num) partner organizations involved in incident management.	First responders, emergency managers, technologists, first-responders (FRFC, FRLEC)
2	Community Resilience	Public Risk Awareness	Within (time), (num) households are covered by risk-appropriate insurance, including homeowners, flood, windstorm, and seismic.	Community outreach, public information, community organizations, mutual-aid groups, VOADs, insurance industry partners, first-responders (CPC)
3	Community Resilience	Community Outreach	Every (time), conduct (num) outreach events or activities to increase awareness of locally significant threats and hazards to help the residents be more prepared to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from those events.	Community outreach, public information, WUI outreach, higher education and research partners, community organizations, mutual-aid groups, VOADs, private sector partners, first-responders (CPC)
4	Critical Transportation	Evacuation	Within (time) notice of an incident, complete the evacuation of (num) people requiring evacuation, including (num) people with access and functional needs (requiring evacuation).	Medical transport, public transit, private transportation partners, first-responders (RCC, CPC)
5	Critical Transportation	Clear Critical Roads	Within (time) of an incident, clear (num) miles of road affected, to enable access for public, private, and non-profit emergency responders.	Medical transport, public transit, private transportation partners, first-responders (RCC, CP)
6	Cybersecurity	Cyber Plan Updates	Every (time) appropriate authorities review and update cyber incident plans/annexes based on evolving threats covering (num) publicly managed and/or regulated critical infrastructure facilities.	CISOs, cybersecurity practitioners, public works, radio shops, critical infrastructure operators, first-responders (RMCIC)
7	Economic Recovery	Reopen Businesses	Within (time) of an incident, reopen (num) businesses closed due to the incident.	Chambers of commerce, business districts, economic recovery, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs), economic development, community preparedness, first-responders (RCC, CPC)
8	Environmental Response/Health and Safety	HAZMAT clean-up	Within (time) of an incident, assess, contain, and begin cleaning up hazardous material releases from (num) hazmat release sites.	Environmental remediation partners, HAZMAT teams, environmental partners, VOADs, community preparedness, first-responders (FRFC, CPC)
9	Environmental Response/Health and Safety	Decontamination	Within (time) of a hazmat incident, complete decontamination procedures for (num) exposed individuals (hazmat-related incidents).	HAZMAT teams, first-responders, EMS, medical transport, hospital systems, public health authorities (FRFC, HMC)
10	Fatality Management Services	Body Recovery/ Storage	Within (time) of an incident, complete the recovery, identification, and mortuary services, including temporary storage services, for (num) fatalities.	Mortuary services, DMORT, public health, forensic sciences, first-responders (HMC)
11	Fire Management and Suppression	Structural Firefighting	Within (time) of an incident, conduct fire fighting operations to suppress and extinguish (num) structure fires.	Firefighting, wildland firefighting, community preparedness, first-responders (FRFC)
12	Forensics and Attribution	Evidence Collection and Analysis	Within (time) of a suspected terrorist attack, conduct outreach to the fusion center and Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in the community and identify (num) personnel assigned to support follow up information sharing, intelligence analysis, and/or investigative actions associated with the collection, examination, and analysis of evidence, as well as the identification of perpetrators.	Fusion analysts, criminal investigations, local, state, and federal terrorism partners, evidence analysis, first-responders (IISC, FRLEC)
13	Health and Social Services	Reestablish Services	Within (time) of an incident, restore functions at (num) affected healthcare facilities and social service organizations.	Healthcare, social service organizations, VOADs, infrastructure partners, first-responders (HMC)
14	Housing	Long-Term Housing	Within (time) of an incident, (num) people requiring long-term housing, including (num) people with access and functional needs (requiring accessible long-term housing), find and secure long-term housing.	Recovery, housing,  community development, DAFN, first-responders (RCC)
15	Infrastructure Systems	Communication Systems	Within (time) of an incident, restore service to (num) customers (without communication service).	Critical infrastructure partners (public & private), energy partners, telecommunications partners, first-responders (RMCIC)
16	Infrastructure Systems	Community Power	Within (time) of an incident, restore service to (num) customers (without power service).	Critical infrastructure partners (public & private), energy partners, first-responders (RMCIC, ICC)
17	Infrastructure Systems	Sanitation	Within (time) of an incident, restore service to (num) customers (without wastewater service).	Critical infrastructure partners (public & private), public works/ engineering, first-responders (RMCIC)
18	Infrastructure Systems	Water Service	Within (time) of an incident, restore service to (num) customers (without water service).	Critical infrastructure partners (public & private), public works/ engineering, first-responders (RMCIC)
19	Intelligence and Information Sharing	Intelligence Cycle Auditing/ Execution 1	During steady state, and in conjunction with the fusion center and/or Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), every (time) review ability to effectively execute the intelligence cycle, including the planning, direction, collection, exploitation, processing, analysis, production, dissemination, evaluation, and feedback of available information, and identify the (num) personnel assigned to support execution of the intelligence cycle.	Fusion analysts, criminal investigations, local, state, and federal terrorism partners, evidence analysis, first-responders (IISC)
20	Intelligence and Information Sharing	Intelligence Cycle Auditing/ Execution 2	Then, within (time) of the identification or notification of a credible threat, identify/analyze local context of the threat for the respective area of responsibility, and facilitate the sharing of threat information with (num) priority intelligence stakeholder agencies/ entities in accordance with the intelligence cycle, and all dissemination protocols.	Fusion analysts, criminal investigations, local, state, and federal terrorism partners, evidence analysis, first-responders (IISC)
21	Interdiction and Disruption	Interdiction/ Disruption Activities	Within (time) of the identification or notification of a credible threat, conduct outreach to the fusion center and Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in the community and identify (num) personnel assigned to support follow up interdiction and disruption activities that may be undertaken against identified suspects and/or contraband.	Fusion analysts, criminal investigations, local, state, and federal terrorism partners, evidence analysis, first-responders (IISC, FRLEC, CPC)
22	Logistics and Supply Chain Management	Life-Sustaining Goods Delivery	Within (time) of an incident, identify and mobilize life-sustaining commodities, resources, and services to (num) people requiring shelter and (num) people requiring food and water. Maintain distribution system for (time).	Logistics, food/ water private-sector partners, sheltering partners, first-responders (RMCIC, RCC)
23	Long-Term Vulnerability Reduction	Building Code Review	Every (time) , (num) jurisdictions review their building codes, and, if necessary, enact or update risk-appropriate, disaster resilient building codes.	Fire departments, codes and permitting, first-responders (RCC)
24	Mass Care Services	Relocation Assistance	Within (time) of an incident, move (num) people requiring temporary, non-congregate housing, including (num) people with access and functional needs (requiring accessible, temporary, non-congregate housing), from congregate care to temporary housing.	Public transportation partners, DAFN, housing partners, first-responders (RCC)
25	Mass Care Services	Community Sheltering	Within (time) of an incident, provide emergency sheltering, food, and water for (num) people requiring shelter and (num) people requiring food and water, including (num) people with access and functional needs (requiring accessible shelter) and (num) people with access and functional needs (requiring food and water), and (num) animals requiring shelter, food, and water. Maintain for (time).	Sheltering partners, animal rescue/ sheltering, food and water private sector partners, first-responders (RCC, CPC)
26	Mass Search and Rescue Operations	Search and Rescue	Within (time) of an incident, conduct search and rescue operations for (num) people requiring rescue.	USAR, fire department rescue teams, first-responders (FRLEC, CPC)
27	Natural and Cultural Resources	Resource Restoration	Within (time) of an incident, restore (num) damaged natural and cultural resources and historic properties registered in the jurisdiction.	Arts partners, environmental groups, parks departments, land offices, historic preservation groups, first-responders (RCC)
28	On-Scene Security, Protection, and Law Enforcement	Community Protection	Within (time) of an incident, provide security and law enforcement services to protect emergency responders and (num) people affected.	Law enforcement, first-responders (FRLEC)
29	Operational Communications	Interoperable Communications	Within (time) of an incident, establish interoperable communications across (num) jurisdictions affected and with (num) partner organizations involved in incident management Maintain for (time).	Communication partners, jurisdictional radio shops, first-responders (IISC)
30	Operational Coordination	Unified Operations	Within (time) of a potential or actual incident, establish and maintain a unified and coordinated operational structure and process across (num) jurisdictions affected and with (num) partner organizations involved in incident management Maintain for (time).	Emergency management staff, first-responders, first-responders (RCC, FRFC, FRLEC)
31	Physical Protective Measures	Critical Infrastructure Security Plan Updates	Within (time) of completing a risk and vulnerability assessment, appropriate authorities review and update physical security plans covering (num) publicly managed and/or regulated critical infrastructure facilities to incorporate new information from the assessment.	Public works, communications, public critical infrastructure operators, first-responders (RMCIC)
32	Planning	EOP Updates	Within every (time) update all emergency operations plans that define the roles and responsibilities of (num) partner organizations involved in incident management across (num) jurisdictions affected, and the sequence and scope of tasks needed to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to, and recover from events.	Emergency managers, first-responders (RCC)
33	Public Health, Healthcare, and Emergency Medical Services	Medical Care	Within (time) of an incident, complete triage, begin definitive medical treatment, and transfer to an appropriate facility (num) people requiring medical care.	EMS, medical transport, hospital systems, public health authorities, first-responders (HMC)
34	Public Information and Warning	Information Delivery	Within (time) notice of an incident, deliver reliable and actionable information to (num) people affected, including (num) people with access and functional needs (affected) and (num) people with limited English proficiency affected.	Public information staff, emergency managers, DEFN, media partners, EAS committee, WEA message originators, first-responders (RCC)
35	Risk and Disaster Resilience Assessment	Threat and Hazard Modeling	Every (time) after identifying threats and hazards of concern, model the impacts of (num) threat and hazard scenarios to incorporate into planning efforts.	Emergency managers, program management, first-responders (RMCIC, RCC)
36	Risk Management for Protection Programs and Activities	Critical Infrastructure Assessment	Every (time) appropriate authorities conduct a review of relevant physical and cyber threats and hazards, vulnerabilities, and strategies for risk management covering (num) publicly managed and/or regulated critical infrastructure facilities.	Public works, communications, public critical infrastructure operators, first-responders (RMCIC)
37	Screening, Search, and Detection	Conduct Screening Operations	Within (time) of notice of a credible threat, conduct screening, search, and detection operations for (num) people requiring screening, including (num) people with access and functional needs (requiring screening).	Soft target/ event venue operators, law enforcement, fire, emergency managers, first-responders (FRLEC)
38	Situational Assessment	Situational Briefings	Within (time) of incident, and on a (num) (time) cycle thereafter, provide notification to leadership and (num) partner organizations involved in incident management of the current and projected situation. Maintain for (time).	Law enforcement, fire, emergency managers, first-responders (FRLEC, FRFC, RCC)
39	Supply Chain Integrity and Security	Supply Chain Risk Preparedness	Every (time) engage (num) partner organizations involved in incident management to promote awareness of threats, dependencies, vulnerabilities, and strategies to support restoration of private sector supply chains.	Private sector supply-chain partners, emergency managers, LEPC, critical infrastructure operators, first-responders (RMCIC, RCC)
40	Threats and Hazards Identification	Community Threat/ Hazard Assessment	Every (time) engage with (num) jurisdictions and (num) partner organizations involved in incident management to assess the threats and hazards that are realistic and would significantly impact your communities.	Response/ EM partners, emergency managers, LEPC, critical infrastructure operators, first-responders (RMCIC, RCC)