Emergency Response Planning Solutions
Emergencies demand swift, coordinated action. Gradient Planning builds clear, tested emergency response plans that empower your team to protect service continuity and public safety under pressure.
When crises hit, clarity is everything
Utilities face diverse emergency scenarios from natural disasters to equipment failures. Without a clear, practiced response plan, confusion and delays can turn manageable incidents into major crises.
What You Don’t Want:
Outdated or incomplete emergency plans
Unclear roles and communication protocols
Lack of response training and exercising
Gaps between ops, IT customer service, and leadership
Plans that do not conform to regulatory requirements
From planning to practice
Gradient Planning develops comprehensive emergency response plans tailored to your utility's risks, operations, and regulatory requirements. We don't just deliver documents: we train your team, run realistic drills, and refine your plan based on real-world performance.
Assess and Align
Kick off with focused site visit, interviews, and document reviews to confirm hazards, critical assets, operational constraints, and decision-making authority. Then integrate key Risk & Resilience Assessment findings and ERP regulatory requirements so planning focuses on your highest-priority risks and meets compliance goals and industry standards.
Build the plan and playbooks
Update the Emergency Response Plan (ERP) to focus on greatest response needs and planning gaps to strengthen roles, triggers, checklists, notification protocols, and action plans. Add scenario-specific annexes (e.g., cyber, power loss, source water, treatment upsets, alternate water sources) that translate most likely and most consequential vulnerabilities and threats into actionable guidance.
Train, Exercise, and Improve
Train staff on the updated ERP so they know how to use it, especially at 2 a.m. and when the person they report to is on vacation. Then, validate staff training through tabletop or functional exercises built around the assessment’s highest-risk scenarios, and deliver an improvement roadmap ensuring the ERP stays current, usable, and aligned with evolving risks. More information about emergency exercises can be found here.
What you'll receive
Regulatory-Ready, Industry-Standard ERP
You will receive a defensible Emergency Response Plan that is reviewed and updated to comply with applicable state and federal requirements, aligns with industry standards and best practices, and withstands regulatory and audit scrutiny. You will receive clear documentation of what was updated and why—so leadership can stand behind the plan with confidence.
Risk-Informed, Utility-Specific Updates
You will receive an Emergency Response Plan that directly addresses your highest-priority needs based on what we learn through Risk & Resilience Assessment findings, site visits, document reviews, and staff interviews. The result is a plan tailored to your assets, operations, staffing realities, and local partners that is also focused on the scenarios most likely to disrupt your service.
Proven, Easy to Use, and Staff-Ready
You will receive a plan built on FEMA’s Incident Command System (ICS) with streamlined roles, triggers, checklists, and communications—designed to be usable even at 2 a.m. when stress is high and support is limited. You also receive staff training on the updated ERP so your team knows how to execute it consistently and effectively.
“Exceptional Partner”
“The City of Framingham’s Water & Wastewater Department has been working with Gradient Planning each year since 2017 on all aspects of risk management. Gradient Planning has been an exceptional partner to Framingham, offering practical solutions-focused planning that consistently strengthens our overall preparedness. Their deep subject-matter expertise and willingness to respond to our evolving needs, has allowed Framingham to progressively work toward our preparedness goals and continue to maintain compliance along the way.”
Kate Lancraft, P.E., C.S.P.
Founder and Managing Director
Gradient Planning, LLC
“Gradient Planning has exceeded our expectations in every aspect of emergency preparedness consultancy. Kate Lancraft provides a comprehensive approach, attention to detail, and tailored programs that ensure our organization is empowered to handle any scenario with confidence. From risk assessments to customized training sessions, Kate has been a partner to our team. With unparalleled expertise and dedication to our safety and resilience, it is clear that Gradient Planning is committed to our continual improvement. Without hesitation, I highly recommend Gradient Planning to any organization serious about safeguarding its future.”
25+
years supporting critical infrastructure resilience
Deep, sustained experience helping water and wastewater utilities manage risk, maintain continuity, and meet evolving regulatory expectations.
100%
regulatory acceptance of risk assessments and ERPs
All assessments and emergency response plans accepted by EPA and state regulators with zero corrective follow-up required.
50+
utilities served across small, mid-size, and large systems
Trusted by utilities in New England and beyond to deliver practical, solutions-focused planning tailored to real operational conditions.
“We do not “bait and switch.” The experts you hire are the ones who develop your plans, and train your staff. What you see is what you get.”
Common questions about emergency response plans
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At least annually or after any significant operational or regulatory change.
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Yes — we ensure all frameworks align with FEMA, EPA, and state-specific standards.
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Absolutely. We offer scenario-based workshops to prepare teams for real-life application.
Be ready before it happens
Every moment counts during an emergency — plan ahead with a partner who's been there.