Governor Abigail Spanberger convened 1,000 law enforcement and community leaders in Richmond for a first-of-its-kind statewide summit on emergency preparedness, with plans to translate findings into new state laws and executive actions. The summit brought together stakeholders from 30 sectors including law enforcement, fire, EMS, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and higher education.
The summit focused on integrating planning across disciplines that do not typically work together to identify gaps in preparedness for various emergencies, from extreme weather and natural disasters to cyberattacks and acts of mass violence.
The gathering builds on seven regional readiness summits held earlier this year that engaged more than 750 leaders. Discussions centered on improving emergency communications and information sharing, strengthening joint planning, increasing operational capacity, and building the workforce needed for crisis response.
In August, Spanberger signed Executive Order 19 establishing the Virginia Unified Readiness Framework as the state's governance model for preparedness, homeland security, emergency management, and resilience. The framework integrates strategic planning and partnerships across government, first responders, nonprofits, and critical infrastructure.