The New Britain's Fire Department did not have a rapid damage assessment plan in place to facilitate damage mitigation and life saving priorities following a large scale emergency. The purpose of this research was to determine what processes and procedures are required to create a rapid damage assessment plan. Action research was used to help answer the research questions which examined the objectives, components, procedures and resources for a damage assessment plan. Research procedures included a literature review and questionnaire for fire departments within Connecticut. The results highlighted the components of damage assessment plans used by agencies within and outside the fire service. Recommendations included the implementation of a rapid damage assessment plan for the New Britain's Fire Department.