Regional Preparedness Advisory Committees for Interoperability (RPAC-I)

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The Office of Commonwealth Preparedness established Regional Preparedness Advisory Committees (RPAC) throughout the Commonwealth based on the Governor's Homeland Security Regions in 2007. The RPACs meet and focus on regional initiatives in training, equipment, communication, and strategy to ensure ready access to response teams in times of emergency and to facilitate testing and training exercises for emergencies and mass casualty preparedness.

Membership for each RPAC includes representatives from emergency management, fire, law enforcement, local government, the private sector, and institutions of higher learning.

The Statewide Plan is the guiding document for all interoperable communications activities. Virginia Code mandates the annual update of the Plan and statewide compliance to the Plan by 2015. The CICO provides oversight for the update of the plan by facilitating key stakeholder sessions and for the implementation of the plan by setting up and providing a liaison to specialized working groups, committees, and initiative action teams.

The Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator’s Office (CICO) established Interoperability Subcommittees of the RPACs, referred to as the Regional Preparedness Advisory Committees for Interoperability (RPAC-Is). Each RPAC-I assists the CICO and the State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) in implementing the initiatives written in the Statewide Strategic Plan for Interoperable Communications (Statewide Plan). Each RPAC-I also provides a forum for local communities to coordinate and plan at the operational and tactical level prior to providing input to the strategic statewide planning level through the SIEC. Each RPAC-I has an elected representative on the SIEC to share the local perspective and ensure each region has a voice in the decision-making process regarding future communications projects and funding.

This structure helps engage a broader community of communications specialists at the regional level. With the increasing focus on regional approaches to strategic planning, collaboration among the CICO, SIEC, and the RPAC-Is will form an essential foundation for achieving the Commonwealth’s communications interoperability goals.