Overview 

Adams County is developing the Long-Term Recovery and Resiliency Strategic Plan to better prepare for disruptions such as natural disasters, health crises, and economic challenges. This plan will consolidate the County’s existing projects, services, programs, and partnerships into a single comprehensive document, allowing us to identify available resources and highlight areas that need improvement to ensure essential services continue during emergencies.

The plan focuses on enhancing internal operations and strengthening partnerships with local agencies, businesses, schools, and nonprofits. It will address critical areas such as policies, procedures, and organizational structure to enable the County to respond proactively in emergencies and deliver equitable and efficient recovery services. By collaborating with community partners, Adams County aims to build a unified and resilient approach to future challenges.

Developed in partnership with Synergy Disaster Recovery and the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS), this strategic plan is informed by research, community input, and resource assessments. Public feedback plays a key role in shaping the plan’s goals to meet the needs of the entire community, with particular attention to vulnerable and underrepresented communities. The Adams County Resiliency Working Group (ACRWG), consists of County departments, community organizations, and experts, helping to shape the plan by providing valuable insights. With a focus on identifying priority projects and creating a shared vision, this plan serves as a long-term roadmap for the County’s resilience and recovery efforts.

Project Objectives:

• Building Organizational Capacity: Improve how the County handles emergencies through better coordination and preparedness.
• Developing a Resiliency Process: Create a clear plan to respond to both natural and human-made issues.
• Creating a Shared Vision: Work with the community to create a common understanding of resilience.
• Prioritizing Resilient Projects: Focus on projects that protect vulnerable communities and help them adapt.

Existing Conditions Assessment

Synergy Disaster Recovery and IBTS conducted an Existing Conditions Assessment by reviewing over 35 plans and documents to understand Adams County’s recovery and resilience. They analyzed community resources, land use, demographics, housing trends, and infrastructure, while also considering geophysical data and social vulnerability. Interviews with county leaders and stakeholders provided additional insights. The results highlighted overall resilience scores of 54% for social resilience, 57% for economic resilience, and 57% for government resilience, with strategic planning scoring the highest at 71%​. 

The County’s overall resilience scored 54%, with room for improvement in social, economic, and government resilience. Key areas like technology and infrastructure also need attention. From this assessment, themes were formed in order to better group goals and priority actions. 

Themes from the Assessment Findings

We’ve organized these themes into two categories: those that focus on building resilience within the broader community through external actions and partnerships, and those that strengthen Adams County’s internal resilience through processes and staff.

Themes with Goals and Actions Focused on the Community:

1. Stakeholder Engagement: Involve residents, businesses, and vulnerable communities in planning for resilience.
2. Funding and Finance: Secure funding and use it fairly to support recovery efforts, especially for those in need.

Themes with Goals and Actions Focused on Internal Adams County Staff/Processes:

1. Data Utilization: Improve how the County collects and shares data to make informed decisions.
2. Organizational Capacity: Ensure the County has the staff, policies, and resources to manage emergencies.
3. Communication: Strengthen internal communication to keep staff and officials informed during crises.

Project Approach & Phases: