In a new report released by the Dept. of Homeland Security, Columbus was one of only six U.S. cities given an advanced rating in all three categories, making it, on paper, one of the most well-prepared cities for emergency planning and communications. The report also ranked Cleveland as one of the worst cities in emergency management, citing the still informal and unorganized status of the area planning groups. Cincinnati and Toledo were graded only slightly higher due to an improving performance in organizing those same area planning groups.
The report graded the cities in three major areas of communications preparedness: Usage, Governance, and Standardized Operating Procedures. The Usage category was evaluated on how effectively first responders actually were in cooperating and communicating during drills and emergencies requiring interorganizational cooperation, essentially how well the plans are currently implemented. Columbus was rated as having advanced usage, while the three other Ohio cities rated were given only an intermediate ranking on usage and implementation. Governance ranked the organization of emergency planning groups, the existence of definite protocol, and the active funding and constant updating of this planning. Cleveland was cited for not having a definite strategic plan or formal planning group in place, while Columbus was again rated advanced in the area. Toledo and Cincinnati were given intermediate rankings in this category as well, given the improving nature of their plans and the formality of the planning groups. Standardized Operating Procedures encompassed the actual effectiveness and implementation of the plans themselves in exercises and actual emergencies, with Columbus again being advanced to the other three Ohio cities intermediate ratings.
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