NCHRP's "State DOT Models for Organizing & Operating Emergency Response" shows how various DOTs have organized to manage and respond to emergencies of all types and sizes, including how to surge up for larger, longer-lasting incidents.

Effective emergency management minimizes impacts on the community, enhances the safety of responders, reduces risk and economic cost, and enhances the overall response and recovery to any emergency event.

This NCHRP report "presents state-of-the-art information to assist state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the assessment of emergency response programs in foundational governance, programmatic planning and support, and building capacity for response for emergency surges. It provides models that illustrate choices DOTs have made among a wide range of organizational and operational dimensions."

"The report also presents case studies of solutions DOTs have implemented across many organizational and operational facets, from specialized capacities, such as strike teams or mobile equipment teams, to integration of emergency man- agement with security functions to close teaming of emergency management operations with Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSMO)."

The report is designed for both new and experienced practitioners to use immediately as they fulfill their agency’s emergency response incident and event management responsibilities.

Offered as a supplement is the web-only document "Emergency Response: Organizational & Operational Models Used by State DOTs", which helps transportation agencies improve their emergency response and support robustness and resilience into their operations.

Read the full report here