SITUATION & NEED
Coordinated Consulting Services was hired by Clackamas County Disaster Management to develop a Mass Care Plan to effectively guide response actions during disasters that require provision of essential, life-sustaining services including shelter, food, water, medical aid, and supplies to large numbers of people who are displaced or affected by a disaster. The County also needed a coordinated approach for engaging multiple partners, identifying gaps in existing mass care systems, and ensuring that all partners, particularly those serving disproportionately impacted populations, could contribute to a comprehensive plan. Additionally, the County sought to test the updated plan through a tabletop exercise to confirm its practicality and readiness for implementation.
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SOLUTION
Coordinated Consulting Services (CCS) conducted a full assessment, planning, and exercise cycle to inform the development of the Mass Care Plan. CCS began with a thorough gap analysis of existing Clackamas County and Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization documents in order to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for alignment across plans, Standard Operating Procedures, After Action Reports, and guidance materials.
An expanded planning team and core planning team were established to inform the planning process, guide partner engagement, and refine plan elements. CCS then facilitated 20 subject matter expert interviews designed to gather information on organization roles and responsibilities, level of involvement in mass care operations, and current procedures, plans, or other resources that would help to inform the plan content. Using this information, CCS first developed a comprehensive plan framework and a draft Mass Care Plan that addressed congregate and non-congregate sheltering, feeding and hydration, distribution of emergency supplies, equity considerations and planning for the whole community. A Roles and Responsibilities Matrix was also created to clearly define the roles of various agencies in a mass care response.
To validate and refine the plan, CCS designed and executed an in-person, HSEEP-compliant, tabletop exercise, including all planning meetings, exercise materials, evaluation design, and evaluator/facilitator support. Following the exercise, CCS produced a detailed After-Action Report/Improvement Plan and After-Action Meeting Finally, CCS completed all plan revisions, prepared an implementation memo, and delivered a final presentation to County partners.
OUTCOME
The project resulted in a fully updated, operational Mass Care Plan that clearly outlines the who, what, where, why, and how of mass care response in Clackamas County. The plan integrates best practices, equity considerations, and stakeholder-driven operational detail, providing a practical and scalable framework for disaster response.
The tabletop exercise validated key components of the plan and generated actionable recommendations that strengthened clarity, coordination, and readiness across County departments and partner organizations. The accompanying After-Action Report/Improvement Plan ensures a clear pathway for ongoing plan maintenance, training, and future refinement.
Overall, the County is now equipped with a robust mass care framework, improved interagency alignment, and actionable strategies to deliver effective and equitable support to community members during disasters.
