Recommending action

At the end of a vulnerability assessment there should be conclusions, recommendations, and a summary.

The conclusions are a logical extension of previous work and focus on work already performed. They are based on the information in the vulnerability assessment and should not introduce any new facts. Recommendations focus on the work that needs to be accomplished in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. The summary is a short synopsis of the entire work, containing the method, planning group composition, very brief conclusions, and a list of the recommendations.

There are three important questions that the planning group should consider when writing the conclusions and recommendations:

· To whom is the planning group to report the conclusions and recommendations of the vulnerability assessment?

Reporting will normally be to the individual or organization that authorized the vulnerability assessment.

· How does the planning group gain support for the conclusions and recommendations?

To gain the support of the authorizing individual or organization, a copy of the vulnerability assessment should be provided and a summary of the assessment should be given in an oral presentation.

· What form should the conclusions and recommendations take?

The conclusions should be a series of short statements of fact and/or interpretations of information. Justification and supporting arguments for these conclusions should be contained in the body of the vulnerability assessment with cross-references to specific sections of the assessment if necessary. The recommendations for action that could or should be taken are based on the conclusions; they provide the link to the rest of the emergency preparedness process.