When disaster strikes, public sector fleets play a critical role in response and recovery efforts. An essential part of making those efforts safe and effective is having a strategy in place before an emergency happens. A fleet emergency plan documents that strategy and helps fleets maintain mission-critical services.

To ensure your plan is effective, it’s important to keep it up to date. While every disaster response plan will be different depending on the unique circumstances of each fleet, four fleet professionals shared guidance based on recent updates they’ve made to their own plans. 

When Should Fleets Update Their Emergency Response Plan?

Just as a fleet’s unique circumstances determines what goes into a disaster recovery plan, they’ll also impact the frequency with which it’s updated. However, fleets can look for a few triggers:

• An emergency

Responding to an emergency will likely expose any weaknesses and provide ideas for improvement, so a post-event review can be especially effective. 

“When changes are made, they are usually adopted out of recommendations from an after-action review,” said Tim Coxwell, CAFM, CPFP, CEM, Fleet Management Division Director, Leon County Sheriff’s Office Fleet Management.

Keith T. Kerman, Deputy Commissioner of DCAS (Department of Citywide Administrative Services) and New York City’s Chief Fleet Officer, said Hurricane Sandy prompted changes that will improve future response efforts.

“Telematics can play an important role in supporting emergency response in many ways. DCAS has been enhancing the emergency plan using our Fleet Office of Real Time Tracking (FORT). Hurricane Sandy destroyed over 600 city-owned vehicles, which were parked or operating in flood zones. While some of that involved essential emergency response, many vehicles did not have to be in flood zones,” Kerman said. “The FORT can now report on the location of city fleet assets by flood zones, instructing agencies to relocate non-essential vehicles per storm and tracking that they are moved.” 

• Time

It never hurts to put a review on the calendar to prompt updates, whether that’s annually or more frequently.

Lisette Guzman, Public Information Officer for Los Angeles County Public Works, said the County’s Public Works department regularly reviews its Continuity of Operations Plan and incorporates experiential knowledge.  

“The last time it was reviewed and updated was in 2024. We are currently in the process of reviewing it again” she said. “While the general framework of the Continuity of Operations Plan remained the same, critical processes — such as fuel procurement, equipment transportation, and equipment rentals — were reevaluated based on lessons learned.” 

• New technology 

When you bring new technology on board, it may enhance your emergency response and/or require additional people, processes, or resources to keep it operational during an emergency. Both outcomes necessitate an update to your emergency plan.

Electric vehicles and charging infrastructure are prime examples. New York City’s DCAS operates more than 5,400 electric vehicles and 2,450 charging ports, which the department has included as part of its emergency planning. 

“Technology is changing both at the IT and electric level, and we need to update our emergency planning and capacities accordingly. Fuel emergency planning is no longer just about liquid fuels,” Kerman said. “In partnership with the FDNY, DCAS is currently in the process of relocating solar carports with ground-based battery systems out of flood zones and replacing them with carports with elevated battery systems. DCAS is also beginning to install generator connectivity to major charging hubs, providing additional options to charge EVs in the case of power loss emergencies.”  

Telematics is an example of how technology can aid response efforts.

“Telematics is essential for fleet managers under normal conditions.  During emergencies they become critical,” Coxwell said. “Funding reimbursement for FEMA requires a level of documentation that telematics streamline and simplify.”  

Kerman expects that the changes DCAS is making to its emergency response plan to accommodate new technology will pay off.

“These changes will better safeguard assets during storms, preventing unnecessary loss of equipment and cost,” he said. “They will also optimize our capacity to sustain fuel disruption and power loss emergencies and maintain continuity of emergency operations which all New Yorkers depend on.”

Knowing What to Update in the Fleet Plan

Lessons learned from past emergencies are an excellent guide for determining what needs to be updated on your emergency response plan. But focusing on the people, processes, and resources is also a worthwhile effort.

• Processes and Contacts

“For government fleet managers looking to update their fleet emergency plan, we would recommend being systematic about it. There are obvious things to update like contact names, phone numbers, and emails,” Guzman said. “It’s also an opportunity to evaluate critical processes and ensure appropriate emphasis is placed on the most essential ones.”

LP Monroe, Deputy Fleet Management Division Manager for the Office of Central Services in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is currently in the process of updating the County’s fleet emergency plan, which was last updated in 2019.

“We began with the basics such as verifying and updating employee contact information, and ensuring all staff have agency issued cell phones,” she said. “One of our internal goals is to provide a streamlined method of communication for Fleet Management Division (FMD) employees to receive or have access to information in the event of an emergency.” 

An emergency plan is a part of the five-year strategic plan Monroe created for her division last year.  This year, her team’s goal is to update its Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). That includes formalizing internal succession plans and identifying “shelter in place” rooms for each location that are staged with emergency supplies, like bottled water, NOAA radios, and copies of the COOP and County and FEMA emergency guides.

• Fuel Emergency Plan

Kerman said DCAS updates its fuel emergency planning each spring in preparation for storm season. Part of that plan is to ensure fleet assets are fully fueled leading up to an event. Including agencies, DCAS manages 401 fueling sites and 61 mobile fuel trucks. If all tanks, trucks and vehicles were fully topped off, the city could hold as much as 3 million gallons of fuel going into an emergency. Telematics have helped confirm everyone is following this process.

“Prior to emergencies, DCAS always reminds agencies to top off fuel for city vehicles.  We can now report to the minute on whether that is happening, as our telematics can relay the status of fuel tanks for each vehicle,” he said. 

Coxwell’s fuel emergency plan also focuses on resource availability. 

“Maintain a 21-day fuel supply, and have tanks topped off ahead of storms,” he recommended. “We have fuel delivered every 14 days. Stock tires and critical parts using the same concept. Secure your backup power (generator) for your fuel island, administrative buildings, detention facility, and fleet garage.” 

• Staff Expectations and Training

Making sure members of the emergency response team are properly trained and understand what’s expected of them is a key piece of executing an emergency response plan. Los Angeles County experienced this very recently.

“The response to the wildfires and subsequent rain events in Los Angeles County put Public Works’ emergency response plans through a rigorous test. Fleet management was pushed beyond capacity in the weeks during and after the fires. The team was asked to deliver supplies and equipment around the clock to the fire-impacted areas,” Guzman explained. “The work done was identified as one of the critical processes in our Continuity of Operations Plan.  We were able to quickly identify the commercial drivers within Public Works that allowed fleet operations to continue in a safe manner.” 

Coxwell lays out plans for a continual response effort, too, and manages expectations for both emergency responders and their families. 

“Law enforcement fleets initiate all hands-on deck Alpha Bravo 12-hour shift rotations for 24-hour services. We divide staff so that experience is balanced on both shifts,” he recommended. “Staff and their families should be familiar with the plan and their homes should be as equally prepared for emergencies as your fleet facility is. During events it is likely you will be in the storm and your family will be at home or in shelters for first responder families.” 

At Prince George’s County, the Fleet Management Division (FMD) team is trained in emergency response practices and cross train employees so they can step into alternate roles if needed.

“With an increase in inclement weather and emergency activations, it is important FMD be prepared to respond and ensure our staff is knowledgeable of what to do in the event of an emergency. Our county has an active emergency management agency (Emergency Management Division) that conducts annual mandatory emergency event training for employees,” Monroe explained. “By updating our emergency plan, we are merely applying and following the guidance established from the County. Additionally, in 2024 we created a goal to have 75% of our staff CPR/First Aid certified, which was met. This year we seek to increase this metric to enhance our response readiness.” 

Fleet Emergency Plan Dos and Don’ts

When asked about fleet emergency plan “dos and don’ts” Monroe, Guzman, Kerman, and Coxwell offered the following:

• Do: Customize Your Plan

Most fleet emergency plans will start with some basics. According to Kerman: “Fleets should have formal processes for planning and thinking through emergencies, including continuity of operations plans, fuel emergency, and power loss plans.”

From there, fleets should customize their plans based on their unique circumstances, like the type of natural disasters in their region. 

“In the buildup of an approaching storm such as a hurricane, you’ll have ample time to ramp up operations, compared to a tornado where you may have only hours. Have a hurricane plan. Have a tornado plan,” Coxwell advised.

You might also consider different iterations of the plan based on who is reading it.

“When updating the various components of the emergency plan, it is important to consider the intended audience and adjust accordingly,” Guzman said. “Executives may only need to know the right contacts. Line staff would need to understand what is expected of them in an emergency to ensure the continued critical processes, which may be as granular as a how-to guide on certain procedures.” 

• Do: Have Partnerships in Place

When your fleet resources are maxed out, local vendor partnerships will be critical, so it’s important to maintain strong relationships with them throughout the year.

“While most of our operations are in-house, it is a best practice to have in-house and contract options in place to help scale up in emergencies,” Kerman said. 

Coxwell recommends this: “Build relationships and establish formal MOUs concerning alternate fuel suppliers, alternate fleet service facilities, and regional/national vendors.”  

Do: Be Ready for Anything

The impacts of an emergency situation can be far reaching, so it’s important to plan a backup for your backup to be ready for any failure that comes your way. 

“Fleets should not assume that what works on a day-to-day basis will be available in an emergency situation,” Kerman said. “What happens when you lose cellular communications; can you still communicate?  We faced that in the blackout of 2003. Don’t assume the private sector will be able to supply liquid fuel. We faced that in 2012 after Sandy. It’s really important to think through various emergency scenarios and game out what your operation would do in each case to keep the fleets running.”

Don’t: Reinvent the Wheel

Updating (and creating) a fleet emergency plan may seem daunting. Monroe says there are plenty of resources to make the job a little easier. 

“I don’t recommend reinventing the wheel; instead, build upon the foundation established by government agencies such as FEMA and the EPA. Also utilize free resources from the American Red Cross and Samaritan's Purse to assist you as you develop your fleet emergency plan,” she advised. “Finally, I recommend reaching out to fellow government fleet division to learn how they plan and implement their COOP and fleet emergency plans, as there is always something to learn from other entities.”

Stay Calm and Carry On

Fleet leaders have a big job to do in emergency situations. Monroe says part of leading the effort is keeping your wits about you.

“As a leader in your division, it is important that you stay calm, levelheaded, and strategic in the event of an emergency. Your staff looks to and emulates your response to the events unfolding,” she said. “If you project confidence and determination while facing adversity, your staff will mirror the same and stay the course until the emergency has passed.”