Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed an executive order on Aug. 18 establishing a statewide framework to modernize the commonwealth’s emergency preparedness system.
The Unified Readiness Framework will integrate strategic planning capabilities, real-time decision-making, and interagency partnerships across state government, local first responders, private sector entities, non-profit organizations, and critical infrastructure sectors to “strengthen the Commonwealth against current and emerging threats”
“Keeping all Virginians safe requires a modern, seamless, and proactive preparedness system,” said Spanberger in a press release. “The Unified Readiness Framework breaks down operational silos and builds a stronger, more resilient Commonwealth. By bringing together our first responders, state agencies, businesses, and community partners, we are ensuring Virginia is fully equipped to anticipate, respond to, and recover from any threat.”
The framework strengthens capabilities across the following areas:
- Operational Readiness: Enhancing emergency communications, operations planning, and interoperability
- Workforce Readiness: Strengthening retention, training, and leadership development for first responders and emergency personnel
- Infrastructure & Technology Readiness: Ensuring critical infrastructure protection, digital security, and continuity of government
- Community Readiness: Promoting community partnerships, public information, and volunteer and non-profit integration
- Risk & Security: Prioritizing threat identification, intelligence integration, and coordination
The executive order directs the secretary of public safety and homeland security to establish and coordinate implementation of the framework, which will align existing state plans, strategies, programs, assessments, initiatives, and statutory responsibilities into a capability-based system focused on measurable outcomes and continuous improvement.
The executive order points to a range of threats driving the modernization effort, including natural disasters, public health emergencies, cyber incidents, threats to critical infrastructure, supply chain disruptions, acts of violence, and emerging technologies.
The order also sets a year-end deadline, requiring executive branch agencies to review and update their emergency-related plans, as appropriate and in coordination with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, by Dec. 31, 2026.
