Ready Ratingis a free, self-paced membership program designed by theAmerican Red Crossto help businesses, schools, and organizations become better prepared for emergencies.8While FEMA (Option A) operates the well-known "Ready.gov" website, the specific "Ready Rating" tool and its associated assessment dashboard are proprietary to the American Red Cross. This program provides a systematic way for organizations to evaluate their current level of preparedness and receive customized recommendations for improvement.
The Ready Rating system is based on a "123 Assessment" that measures an organization's performance across several key areas:
* Commitment:Ensuring leadership is involved in the planning process.
* Assessment:Identifying hazards and internal vulnerabilities.
* Planning:Developing an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).
* Training:Conducting drills and employee safety education.
For aCEDPprofessional working in the private sector or for an NGO, Ready Rating is a valuable tool for buildingBusiness ContinuityandSocial Capital. It aligns with the Red Cross mission of disaster readiness by providing small to medium-sized entities-which may not have a full-time emergency manager-with professional-grade planning templates and hazard checklists. By using the Ready Rating score, an organization can benchmark its progress year-over-year and demonstrate its commitment to safety to stakeholders, employees, and insurers. This program exemplifies the "Whole Community" approach to preparedness by empowering non-governmental entities to take ownership of their own disaster resilience.