Ready-Willing-Able (RWA) Framework

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What is the RWA Framework?

The Ready-Willing-Able Framework helps organizations assess their capacity for inclusive emergency communications.

Many organizations care about inclusion but struggle to implement it effectively.

The RWA Framework breaks this into three components:

  1. Willing - You want to do it
  2. Ready - You have the tools
  3. Able - You have the skills

Why This Matters

Most organizations are “Willing” (they have good intentions) but lack the “Ready” (pre-prepared materials) or “Able” (trained staff) components.

This framework helps you identify and close those gaps.

The Three Components

1. Willing: Motivation

Definition: Your organization values inclusion and has committed to it.

Common Gap: “We care about accessibility, but there’s no budget.”

What Success Looks Like:

Implementation Steps:

  1. Get leadership to sign a Universal Access commitment
  2. Add accessibility to department goals
  3. Create a dedicated budget line
  4. Include accessibility in job descriptions

2. Ready: Logistics

Definition: The materials, templates, and infrastructure exist before an emergency happens.

Common Gap: “We have no pre-translated alert templates.”

What Success Looks Like:

Implementation Steps:

  1. Create alert templates now (don’t wait for a crisis)
  2. Pre-translate into community languages
  3. Save templates in your alert system
  4. Test sending through all channels
  5. Create Easy Read versions
  6. Set up automatic distribution

3. Able: Skills

Definition: Staff know how to create and distribute accessible communications.

Common Gap: “Our team doesn’t know how to write Plain Language.”

What Success Looks Like:

Implementation Steps:

  1. Conduct Plain Language training
  2. Practice Easy Read writing
  3. Train on alternative format creation
  4. Run emergency drills
  5. Review real examples
  6. Get feedback from people with disabilities

RWA Audit Scorecard

Use this scorecard to assess your organization.

Answer “Yes” or “No” to each question.

For every “No,” follow the linked resource to close the gap.

Willing: Leadership & Prioritization

  1. Has leadership signed an accessibility commitment?
  2. Is there a dedicated budget for accessible communications?
  3. Are accessibility goals in staff performance reviews?
    • Yes
    • No → Incorporate accessibility metrics into performance evaluations

Willing Score: ___/3

Ready: Infrastructure & Templates

  1. Do pre-written alert templates exist?
  2. Are templates translated into community languages?
  3. Is a low-bandwidth crisis mode available?
  4. Are distribution channels tested regularly?
  5. Do Easy Read versions exist for critical alerts?
  6. Are alternative formats (audio, video, ASL) pre-approved?

Ready Score: ___/6

Able: Staff Competency

  1. Can staff write at Grade 6 reading level?
  2. Do staff know Easy Read principles?
  3. Have staff completed accessibility training in the last year?
  4. Have emergency drills included accessible communications?
    • Yes
    • No → Incorporate accessibility testing into regular emergency drills
  5. Do staff know how to create alt text and captions?
  6. Has the team consulted with people with disabilities?

Able Score: ___/6

Interpreting Your Score

Total Score: ___/15

13-15 points: Excellent! You are ready for inclusive emergency communications.

10-12 points: Good progress. Focus on closing the remaining gaps.

7-9 points: Moderate readiness. Prioritize high-impact improvements.

4-6 points: Early stages. Start with leadership commitment and basic templates.

0-3 points: Significant gaps. Begin with the “Willing” component to establish organizational commitment.

Progressive Improvement: Start Where You Are

Do not wait for a perfect score.

You do not need 15/15 to save lives.

You need to be better today than you were yesterday.

Your First Week: Focus on Quick Wins

If you scored 0-3 points:

  1. Pick one template from Emergency Templates
  2. Send it to test your distribution channel
  3. That is progress

If you scored 4-6 points:

  1. Create 3 pre-written templates
  2. Add one new distribution channel
  3. Test both channels
  4. That is progress

If you scored 7-9 points:

  1. Complete one staff training session
  2. Create Easy Read versions of your top 3 alerts
  3. Run one emergency drill
  4. That is progress

If you scored 10+ points:

  1. Engage the disability community for feedback
  2. Document your process to share with others
  3. Mentor another organization
  4. That is progress

Track Your Improvement Over Time

Retake this assessment every 3 months.

Goal: Improve your score by 2-3 points each quarter.

Example Progress (assuming consistent 2-3 point improvement per quarter):

This is realistic, achievable progress.

Remember: Progress Over Perfection

In a disaster, a 7/15 organization that acts fast saves more lives than a 15/15 organization that moves slowly.

Speed and progress matter more than perfect scores.

Your goal is improvement, not perfection.

Gap Analysis: What to Do Next

If You Scored Low on “Willing”

Priority: Get leadership buy-in.

Actions:

  1. Present the case for accessibility as a life-safety issue
  2. Show legal requirements (ADA, CAN-ASC-6.4)
  3. Share examples of emergency failures
  4. Request budget allocation
  5. Get written commitment

Resources:

If You Scored Low on “Ready”

Priority: Build infrastructure now, before an emergency.

Actions:

  1. Create alert templates using Easy Read
  2. Translate into top 3 community languages
  3. Set up Crisis Mode website mirror
  4. Test all distribution channels
  5. Pre-approve alternative formats
  6. Document the process

Resources:

If You Scored Low on “Able”

Priority: Train staff on accessibility best practices.

Actions:

  1. Schedule Plain Language workshop
  2. Practice writing Easy Read content
  3. Learn WCAG basics
  4. Conduct tabletop exercises
  5. Get feedback from disability community
  6. Make training annual requirement

Resources:

Real-World Example: Hurricane Response

Before RWA Framework

Situation: Hurricane approaching coastal city.

Willing: ✅ City cared about reaching everyone.

Ready: ❌ No pre-translated templates existed.

Able: ❌ Staff didn’t know Easy Read writing.

Result: Emergency messages sent in complex English only. Non-English speakers and people with cognitive disabilities missed critical evacuation orders.

After RWA Framework

Situation: Hurricane approaching coastal city.

Willing: ✅ City has Universal Access policy.

Ready: ✅ Pre-translated templates in English, Spanish, Vietnamese.

Able: ✅ Staff trained on Plain Language and Easy Read.

Result: Clear messages reached all residents. Multiple formats sent through SMS, social media, and local radio. Evacuation successful.

Using the RWA Framework

For Emergency Managers

  1. Assess Your Current State: Complete the RWA Audit Scorecard.

  2. Identify Priority Gaps: Focus on areas with lowest scores.

  3. Create Action Plan: Use linked resources to address gaps.

  4. Set Timeline: Assign deadlines for each improvement.

  5. Regular Review: Reassess quarterly.

For Policy Makers

  1. Require RWA Assessment: Make it part of emergency planning.

  2. Fund Infrastructure: Allocate budget for “Ready” components.

  3. Mandate Training: Ensure “Able” through required accessibility training.

  4. Track Progress: Monitor RWA scores across departments.

For Standards Bodies

  1. Reference RWA: Use as self-assessment tool.

  2. Collect Data: Track RWA scores across jurisdictions.

  3. Identify Patterns: See where organizations struggle most.

  4. Refine Standards: Use gaps to inform policy updates.

Continuous Improvement

The RWA Framework is not a one-time assessment.

Reassess Regularly:

Update Materials:

Stay Connected:

Additional Resources

Self-Assessment Tools

Implementation Guides

Standards & Research

Questions?

Found a gap in the RWA Framework? Open an issue.

Want to share your RWA journey? Contribute your story.

Need help implementing? Review the Resource Directory for expert guidance.

The RWA Framework helps you move from good intentions to effective action. Start today.