This virtual event is hosted by the Endeavor-Virginia Working Group in partnership with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, and it promises to be an invaluable opportunity for collaboration and learning.

When:
•    Thursday, October 19, 2023
•    Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Meeting Overview:
During times of disaster, our state and local roads often face closures for many reasons. Understanding and effectively responding to these situations is essential for the safety and well-being of our communities. This meeting aims to bring together stakeholders from both the private sector and local and state governments to enhance the processes of capturing, disseminating, and responding to transportation situational awareness in Virginia.

Key Discussion Points:

•    Understanding the processes used by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and local departments of transportation use to gather road status information for industry
•    Gain insights into the processes used by state and county DOTs to report road closures, road openings, and status updates.
•    Options for reporting road status information from industry to government
•    How to strengthen collaboration and communication between industry and government for efficient resource movements.

Hosted By:

•    Endeavor-Virginia Working Group
•    Virginia Department of Emergency Management

On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, the kick-off meeting was conducted for the ENDEAVOR Virginia (aka ENDEAVOR-VA) planning and problem-solving working group.

Facilitated by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the All Hazards Consortium (AHC), 80+ participants (60% private sector, 40% government) engaged in tabletop discussions that identified industry-related issues that could be working on the AHC's "Use Case" development process.

The private sector will organize an Executive Steering Committee to prioritize the use cases to be addressed first and outline their first-year work plan (e.g. approved charter, goal/objectives, meeting schedule, etc..)

Working with ENDEAVOR-VA's government Executive Steering Committee, joint planning and problem-solving sessions will be conducted to produce solutions that will make Virginia businesses and communities more resilient in the near future.

Supported by the AHC and its multiple working groups and partners, along with the ENDEAVOR Pennsylvania working group formed in 2018, the ENDEAVOR-VA working group is off to a great start. It will also leverage the larger community of people, processes, exercises, technologies, and information produced by the collective body of AHC stakeholders and partner organizations.

1.    What is the ENDEAVOR-VA Model?
ENDEAVOR-VA is a structured, safe, integrated planning model to formalize partnerships between emergency management and private sector partners to reduce the impacts of hazards statewide. 

ENDEAVOR-VA provides the private sector with a new safe, FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) protected problem-solving model that they own, operate, and sustain over time with government emergency managers.

For Government:
ENDEAVOR-VA provides government (state/local) emergency managers with a new option to energize and accelerate their existing or evolving private sector programs through integrated planning and results focused problem-solving.

3.    Will the ENDEAVOR-VA model compete with existing public/private organizations, trade, associations, community groups, etc.?
The ENDEAVOR-VA model will not compete with any existing organization. ENDEAVOR-VA establishes a legal framework owned and operated by industry instead of a government agency. This allows industry, nonprofits, academia, and individuals to become part of and support the ENDEAVOR-VA model as they see fit. ENDEAVOR-VA should provide a framework for problem-solving and the aggregation of information and solutions that can be shared with everyone.

4.    What will be the focus of the ENDEAVOR-VA model?
Typically, the ENDEAVOR-VA model will focus on broad, statewide issues that all stakeholders can use. The executive steering committee will establish the process for prioritizing areas of focus. Various use cases, projects, initiatives, or other activities may be undertaken by ENDEAVOR-VA stakeholders and/or partner organizations based on the available resources. ENDEAVOR-VA will provide the framework to keep all stakeholders informed.

5.    Who runs ENDEAVOR-VA?
The governance model for ENDEAVOR-VA will feature an executive steering committee with a chair and co-chair. This will be outlined and the charter. The state emergency management department will advise the executive steering committee as needed.

6.    How will ENDEAVOR-VA work with the state?
The ENDEAVOR-VA model will provide the ability for government to work on specific issues with the advisement from industry as appropriate. Conversely, industry may work on problems that need advisement from government. ENDEAVOR-VA will be connected to the state department of emergency management, which will provide the reach back capability to other state agencies based on the Use cases being undertaken.
Once in place, ENDEAVOR-VA will provide the state with a streamlined option to work with industry to solve specific problems faster.

7.    Who is The All Hazards Consortium (AHC)?
     •    A Maryland, 501c3 non-profit, formed by states (VA-DC-MD) in 2005
     •    Builds Partnerships Between States & Industry to solve operational problems

               -  40,000+ Nationwide Stakeholders, includes state/local/federal, trades, sectors, nonprofits, research
     •    Focus areas:
               - Integrated, cross-sector planning w/ AHC’s FOAI exempt legal framework
     •    Identifies Inter-Dependencies in Multi-State, Cross Sector issues
     •    Operational Planning, Exercises & Problem Solving
               - Sensitive Operational Information Sharing & Technology
               - Operational Training & Education
               - Mitigation planning & infrastructure  projects
                    o    FEMA BRIC Grants – Infrastructure/Mitigation (Energy Storage www.gogpods.org)
                    o Serves government as audited fiduciary agent, $50+ million in projects, grants, & research
     •    Support multiple state & industry PPP programs across US
     •    Website: www.ahcusa.org

8.    Is the AHC Exempt from FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)?
As a Maryland 501c3, the AHC is exempt from FOIA requests. This provides a safe, media free environment for industry and government to meet and discuss issues and develop projects and solutions together without the fear of media or non-operational interference. This exemption extends to all of its working groups, meetings and events, including ENDEAVOR-VA activities.