The Olson Group, Ltd. (OGL) on behalf of Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, worked with State agencies and first responders across the Treasure State over a six-month period to update and revise the State’s Homeland Security Strategic Plan. The Plan, which served as the basis for allocating Federal grant funds to Montana and its communities, was developed through a series of meetings with stakeholders from local government, Native American tribes, public safety, and business leaders.
OGL developed, distributed, collected, and analyzed the data from a self-assessment toolkit used by Montana’s counties, tribes and State agencies to examine their preparedness and determine their needs. The toolkit provided a common basis for the State’s jurisdictions to consider the hazards they face, examine their response capabilities, and determine how to best address – by direct investment, better coordination with other jurisdictions, and hazard mitigation – those risks. The toolkit used Federal guidance found in the Department of Homeland Security’s Target Capabilities List, with the requirements tailored to better reflect Montana’s specific concerns.
OGL staff facilitated panels and large, regional planning meetings during the development of the document, building consensus and collecting insights from the public safety stakeholders, themselves