Improving Regional Resilience in NYC Through THIRA/SPR

Project Overview

Hagerty has partnered with New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) on a recurring basis to complete the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) for the New York Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) region. This region includes New York City, the City of Yonkers, and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester.

NYCEM oversees both regional preparedness coordination within the UASI and citywide emergency management—serving over eight million residents across the five boroughs.

To support this effort, NYCEM engaged Hagerty to ensure the THIRA/SPR process meets the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) annual reporting requirements and delivers actionable, data-driven, operationally relevant insights. Ultimately, our goal is to apply the federal process to deliver local value, support strategic planning, and demonstrate responsible use of grant funding.

Understanding the Mission

The NYCEM-led THIRA/SPR effort is designed to produce a clear, data-informed analysis of high-risk threats and hazards, current capabilities, and investments needed to strengthen preparedness. Beyond its compliance with FEMA’s reporting requirements, the process also serves as a practical decision-making tool for local and regional partners.

The scope of the effort spans all FEMA Core Capabilities and focuses on:

• Identifying high-risk threats and hazards relevant to the NYC Urban Area
• Estimating the potential impacts of those threats and hazards
• Assessing capabilities, both quantitatively and qualitatively, to address identified risks
• Developing capability targets and identifying areas for improvement
• Informing and validating regional investment priorities
• Maintaining an efficient, adaptable, and stakeholder-driven process

Over time, Hagerty has applied a methodology aligned with FEMA’s Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 201, tailored to the unique scale and complexity of one of the nation’s most dynamic urban regions.

The Hagerty Approach

Hagerty implemented a structured and repeatable process leveraging data analysis and stakeholder input. The THIRA/SPR balanced technical rigor with practical application to ensure insights that were both accurate and actionable.

Hagerty’s key execution strategies included:

• Reviewing relevant documentation and working closely with stakeholders to estimate the impacts of high-risk threats and hazards
• Developing custom capability models to assess preparedness levels across all FEMA Core Capabilities
• Iterative refinement of models based on stakeholder feedback
• Conducting targeted workshops and interviews with interagency partners from emergency management, public health, law enforcement, transportation, and more
• Facilitating focused discussions on strategic objectives and operational realities

Each year, we refine models and processes using updated data and feedback to ensure scalable, transparent, and relevant outcomes.

Achieving Results

Hagerty’s involvement extended beyond technical delivery. In collaboration with NYCEM, we designed an efficient, inclusive process that minimized burdens on stakeholders while ensuring broad participation.

The effort resulted in a FEMA-compliant THIRA/SPR that exceeded reporting requirements by generating actionable outputs to regional leadership. These deliverables have directly informed decision-making within the Urban Area Working Group (UAWG), Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), and the broader UASI framework.

Key outputs included:

• A vetted list of high-risk threats and hazards with qualitative and quantitative impact assessments
• Capability targets and performance estimates grounded in local and regional data.
• A summary of key capability strengths, gaps, and strategic investment priorities
• An analysis of the role and impact of funding sources—including federal grant programs—on regional capability development and sustainment
• Reusable tools and documentation to support future assessments

Hagerty’s Ongoing Support

To further support NYCEM’s preparedness mission, Hagerty also developed THIRA/SPR process improvement recommendations for potential elevation to FEMA. Ultimately, this effort reflects not only compliance but also a strategic commitment to continuous improvement in emergency preparedness.

Through this collaboration, Hagerty and NYCEM have transformed the THIRA/SPR process into a model for other urban areas seeking to derive meaningful insights from federal preparedness requirements. The result is a replicable framework that enhances regional coordination, strengthens capabilities, and maximizes the impact of grant funding—ultimately contributing to a safer, more resilient New York Urban Area.