Appendix 1 - Glossary

Appendix 1 – Glossary of Key Terms

After-Action Report (AAR): 

A document intended to capture observations of an exercise and make recommendations for post-exercise improvements. 

Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES)

A public service organization of licensed amateur radio operators who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment to provide emergency communications for public service events as needed.

American Red Cross

An organization charged by statue and agreements with the responsibility of helping meet the human needs of disaster victims.

Command Section

One of the five functional areas of the Incident Command System. The function of command is to direct, control, or order resources, including people and equipment, to the best possible advantage.

Command Post

That location at which primary Command functions are executed; usually co-located with the Incident Command Base. Also, referred to as the Incident Command Post.

Common Terminology: 

Standardized words and phrases used to ensure consistency while allowing diverse incident management and support organizations to work together across a wide variety of incident management functions and hazard scenarios.

Comprehensive Resource Management

Maximizes the use of available resources, consolidates like resources and reduces the communications load on the Incident Command Operation.

Coordination

The process of systematically analyzing a situation, developing relevant information, and informing appropriate personnel of viable alternatives for selection of the most effective combination of available resources to meet specific objectives.

Coordinator of Emergency Management

The Harrisonburg Fire Chief will serve as the Coordinator for the City of Harrisonburg; The Rockingham County Department of Fire & Rescue Chief will serve as the Coordinator for Rockingham County. James Madison University has a position within the Police Department of Coordinator of Emergency Management.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT): 

A community-level program that trains citizens to understand their responsibility in preparing for disaster.  The program increases its members’ ability to safely help themselves, their family, and their neighbors.  Trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers provide immediate assistance to victims in their area, organize spontaneous volunteers who have not had the training, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist professional responders with prioritization and allocation of resources following a disaster. 

Continuity of Operations (COOP): 

Pre-planned procedures to follow in the wake of an incident where the normal operations of the government are severely disrupted. 

Declaration of Emergency

Whenever, in the opinion of the Governor, the safety and welfare of the people of the state require the exercise of extreme emergency measures due to a threatened or actual disaster, he may declare a state of emergency to exist.

Decontamination

The process of making people, objects, or areas safe by absorbing, destroying, neutralizing, making harmless, or removing the Hazardous Materials/HAZMAT.

Department Operations Center: (DOC)

Location used by the City/County departments as a coordination point for agency resources and facilities during major incidents and planned events. It coordinates with the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and provides direct support to any field level command post(s)

Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management

The Harrisonburg Fire Department Administrative Officer will serve as the Deputy Coordinator for Harrisonburg. The Deputy Fire Chief will serve as Deputy Coordinator for Rockingham County.

Deputy Director of Emergency Management

The Harrisonburg Deputy City Manager will serve as the Deputy Director. The Rockingham County Deputy County Administrator will serve as the Deputy Director.

Director of Emergency Management

The Harrisonburg City Manager will serve as the Director of Emergency Management for the City. The County Administrator will serve as the County Director of Emergency Management. JMU’s Director of Emergency Services Management is the university’s Coordinator of Emergency Management.

Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) A readily accessible facility where applicants may visit for information about FEMA and other disaster assistance programs.

Emergency/Disaster/Incident

An event that demands a crisis response beyond the scope of any single line agency or service and that presents a threat to a community or larger area. An emergency is usually an event that can be controlled within the scope of local capabilities; a major emergency or disaster usually requires resources beyond what is available locally.

Emergency Alert System

A network of broadcast stations interconnecting facilities authorized by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate in a controlled manner to warn and inform the public of needed protective actions in the event of a disaster or emergency.

A subscription service and landline service that will allow the Emergency Communication Center contact residents and businesses about emergency situations within a geographic area.

Emergency Operations Center

A facility from which government or institutions direct and control its emergency operations; where information about the status of the emergency is officially collected, assimilated, and reported on; where coordination among response agencies takes place; and from which outside assistance is officially requested.

Emergency Operations Plan

A document, which provides for a preplanned and coordinated response in the event of an emergency or disaster situation.

Emergency Management

The preparation for and the carrying out of functions (other than functions for which military forces are primarily responsible) to prevent, minimize, and repair injury and damage resulting from natural or manmade disasters. These functions include firefighting, police, medical and health, rescue, warning engineering, communications, evacuation, resource management, plant protection, restoration of public utility services, and other functions related to preserving the public health, safety, and welfare.

Emergency Support Function

A function which takes agencies to provide or to coordinate certain resources in response to emergencies or disasters.

Exercise

An activity designed to promote emergency preparedness; test or evaluate emergency operations plans, procedures, or facilities; train personnel in emergency response duties, and demonstrate operational capability. There are three specific types of exercises: tabletop, functional, and full scale.

Evacuation

Assisting people to move from the path or threat of a disaster to an area of relative safety.

Federal Disaster Assistance

Aid to disaster victims and/or state and local governments by federal agencies under provisions of the Booker T. Stafford Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 (PL93-288).

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying geographically reference data.

Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Management Task Force

Task Force comprised of local, state, federal, and private partnerships to prepare and respond to all-hazards within the City and County.

Hazardous Materials

Substances or materials which may pose unreasonable risks to health, safety, property, or the environment when used, transported, stored or disposed of, which may include materials which are solid, liquid, or gas. Hazardous materials may include toxic substances, flammable and ignitable materials, explosives, or corrosive materials, and radioactive materials.

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan

The plan was developed in response to the requirements of Section 303 (a) of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (Title III) of Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986. It is intended to be a tool for our community’s use in recognizing the risks of a hazardous materials release, in evaluating our preparedness for such an event, and in planning our response and recovery actions. This plan is separate from the City/County/JMU Emergency Operations Plan

Incident Action Plan

The IAP is a written plan that defines the incident objectives and reflects the tactics necessary to manage an incident during an operational period.

Incident Command System

A standardized emergency management construct designed to provide an integrated organizational structure that reflects the complexity and demands of single or multiple incidents, without being hindered by jurisdictional boundaries. ICS is the combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure, designed to aid in the management of resources during incidents. It is used for all kinds of emergencies and is applicable to small as well as large and complex incidents. ICS is used by various jurisdictions and functional agencies, both public and private, to organize field-level incident management operations.

Incident Commander

The individual responsible for the management of all incident operations.

Incident Action Plan (IAP): 

A document outlining the control objectives, operational period objectives, and response strategy defined by incident command during response planning. 

Initial Damage Assessment Report

Provides information regarding overall damage to public and private property, thereby providing a basis for emergency declaration and/or disaster assistance.

Integrated Communications Plan

This plan coordinates the use of available communications means and establishes frequency assignments for certain functions.

Joint Information Center (JIC): A facility established to coordinate critical emergency information, crisis communications, and public affairs functions.  The Joint Information Center is the central point of contact for all news media. The Public Information Officer may activate the JIC to better manage external communication. 

Local Emergency

The condition declared by City of Harrisonburg or Rockingham County when, in its judgment, the threat or actual occurrence of a disaster is or threatens to be of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant coordinated local government action to prevent, or alleviate loss of life, property damage, or hardship. Only the Governor, upon petition of the City of Harrisonburg or Rockingham County, may declare a local emergency arising wholly or substantially out of a resource shortage when he deems the situation to be of sufficient magnitude to warrant coordinated local government action to prevent or alleviate the hardship or suffering threatened or caused thereby.

Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

Appointed representatives of local government, private industry, business, environmental groups, and emergency response organizations responsible for ensuring that the hazardous materials planning requirements of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA Title III) are complied with. The LEPC is the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Management Task Force.

Mass Care: Actions taken to protect evacuees and other disaster victims from the effects of the disaster.  Activities include providing temporary shelter, food, medical care, clothing, and other essential life support needs to the people who have been displaced because of a disaster or threatened disaster.

Mitigation

Activities that eliminate or reduce the chance occurrence or the effects of a disaster. Examples of mitigation measures include, but are not limited to, the development of zoning laws and land use ordinances, State building code provisions, regulations and licensing for handling and storage of hazardous materials, and the inspection and enforcement of such ordinances, codes and regulations

Mutual Aid Agreement

A written agreement between agencies and/or jurisdictions in which they agree to assist one another, upon request, by furnishing personnel and equipment in an emergency.

National Incident Management System (NIMS):  A systematic, proactive approach guiding government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work seamlessly to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of life or property and harm to the environment.

National Response Framework

Guides how the Nation conducts all-hazards response. The Framework documents the key response principles, roles, and structures that organize national response. It describes how communities, States, the Federal government, and private sector and nongovernmental partners apply these principles for a coordinated, effective national response.

National Weather Service

The federal agency, which provides localized weather information to the population, and during a weather-related emergency, to state and local emergency management officials.

Nongovernmental Organization (NGO): An association, including voluntary and faith-based groups, that is based on interests of its members, individuals, or institutions. NGOs are not created by any government but may work cooperatively with government. NGOs, provide relief services to sustain life, reduce physical and emotional distress, and promote the recovery of disaster victims Examples of nongovernmental organizations include faith-based charity organizations and the American Red Cross..

Preparedness

The development of plans to ensure the most effective, efficient response to a disaster or emergency. Preparedness activities are designed to help save lives and minimize damage by preparing people to respond appropriately when an emergency is imminent. Preparedness also includes establishing training, exercises and resources necessary to achieve readiness for all hazards, including Weapons of Mass Destruction incidents.

Presidential Declaration

A presidential declaration frees up various sources of assistance from the Federal government based on the nature of the request from the Governor.

Primary Agency

While several City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, and James Madison University departments will be performing varied and critical tasks during a disaster, in most cases only one agency will be considered the ‘primary agency.’ The primary agency shall be responsible for detailed planning, testing, and evaluation of their respective emergency support function. The Coordinator of Emergency Management shall serve as the principle advisor to the Director of Emergency Management for respective localities during the response and recovery phase. In addition, the Coordinator of Emergency Management must assure that essential operations of his/her agency will continue, unless otherwise directed by the City Council, Board of Supervisor and/or JMU President.

Regional Information Coordination Center (EOC)

The center facilitates communications and coordination among local, state, and federal government authorities to ensure an effective and timely response to regional emergencies and incidents, including coordination of decision-making regarding events such as closing, early release of employees, evacuation, transportation decisions, health response, etc.

Shelter-in-Place: A common procedure implemented in the event of a chemical or radioactive release.  Individuals take refuge in an interior portion of a building when an attempt to evacuate would potentially expose them to greater risk.

Situation Report

A form which, when completed at the end of each day of the Emergency Operations Center, will provide officials with a daily summary of the status of an emergency and of the local emergency response. A copy should be submitted to the VEOC via WEBEOC or fax.

Span of Control

As defined in the Incident Command System, Span of Control is the number of subordinates one supervisor can manage effectively. Guidelines for the desirable span of control recommend three to seven persons. The optimal number of subordinates is five for one supervisor.

State of Emergency

The condition declared by the Governor when, in his judgment, a threatened or actual disaster in any part of the State is of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant disaster assistance by the State to supplement local efforts to prevent or alleviate loss of life and property damage.

Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986

Established Federal regulations for the handling of hazardous materials.

Unified Command

Shared responsibility for overall incident management because of a multi-jurisdictional or multi-agency incident. In the event of conflicting priorities or goals, or where resources are scarce, there must be a clear line of authority for decision-making. Agencies contribute to unified command by determining overall goals and objective, jointly planning for tactical activities, conducting integrated tactical operations and maximizing the use of all assigned resources.

Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster:

A coalition of the nation’s most reputable national and state Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). They promote coordination, cooperation, communication, and collaboration to mitigate and alleviate the impact of disasters.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than 4 ounces, or a missile having an explosive incendiary charge of more than 0.25 ounces, or mine or device like the above; poison gas; weapon involving a disease organism; or weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life. (Source: 18 USC 2332a as referenced in 18 USC 921).