Redwood helps organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and major disruptions. That can include emergency planning, operational readiness, coordination support, recovery planning, and rebuilding strategy.

In simple terms:
We help people know what to do, who does it, and how decisions get made when things go wrong—and we help them rebuild smarter afterward.

We work with:

• Public agencies and local governments

• Special districts and utilities

• Healthcare, education, and institutional organizations

• Private organizations with complex facilities or operations

• Communities navigating recovery after a disaster

Every project is different, but the goal is always the same: clear, usable solutions that work in real life.

Most plans are written to meet requirements.
Redwood’s work is built to be used.

What sets us apart:

• We work directly with the people who will use the plan—not just leadership

• We focus on clarity and decision-making, not jargon

• We test plans before they’re finalized

• We design everything so it’s easy to find and follow under stress

If someone can’t understand it quickly during an emergency, we consider that a failure.

No. Writing is only one part of the work.

Depending on the project, Redwood may:

• Review and improve existing plans

• Build new plans from the ground up

• Facilitate workshops and working sessions

• Help coordinate partners and agencies

• Support training and exercises

• Assist with recovery strategy and rebuilding decisions

The goal isn’t a document—it’s readiness and confidence.

Most projects follow a clear, step-by-step process:

1. Alignment: Understanding goals, risks, and how things really work

2. Assessment: Reviewing what exists and identifying gaps

3. Development: Building or improving plans and tools collaboratively

4. Testing: Making sure everything works before it’s needed

5. Adoption: Training, exercises, and ongoing support

Not every project includes every step, but we always start with clarity and end with usability.

It depends on size and complexity.

Some focused projects take a few months.
Larger, more comprehensive efforts can span a year or more.

We’ll always be upfront about:

• Timeline

• Level of effort

• What’s realistic given your resources

No vague schedules or open-ended engagements.

We’re careful not to overload people.

Redwood designs projects to:

• Respect staff time

• Focus meetings on decision-making, not presentations

• Use existing knowledge instead of recreating work

We rely on your team’s expertise—but we don’t expect them to do our job.

Item descriptionYes. Redwood supports both planning and real-world response and recovery.

That can include:

• Advisory support during active incidents

• Coordination assistance

• Recovery planning and rebuilding strategy

Our approach is grounded in operational reality, not theory.

Yes—but compliance is never the only goal.

We ensure plans meet applicable requirements while also making sure they:

• Make sense to users

• Reflect how decisions are actually made

• Are easy to update over time

Compliance matters—but usability matters more.

Absolutely.

We regularly coordinate with:

• Local and regional partners

• Utilities and service providers

• Nonprofits and support organizations

• Regulatory and oversight entities

Good plans reflect how people already work together—not how a template says they should.

Yes.

We offer:

• Role-based training

• Practical workshops

• Tabletop exercises using realistic scenarios

The goal is for people to recognize the plan and feel confident using it, not see it for the first time during an emergency.

That’s common.

Many organizations come to us because:

• Their plan is outdated

• It’s hard to use

• Staff don’t trust it

• It doesn’t reflect current operations

We can review what you have, identify what’s worth keeping, and improve the rest.

No.

While we work extensively with public-sector organizations, the same approach applies to:

• Private organizations

• Campuses and facilities

• Healthcare and institutional environments

• Organizations with complex operations or high risk

Preparedness and recovery aren’t just public-sector issues.

It starts with a conversation.

We’ll talk through:

• Your goals

• Your risks

• What’s working and what isn’t

• What kind of support would actually help

From there, Redwood can outline a clear, realistic path forward—even if that path is small to start.