ESF 5 - Emergency Mgt

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #5

Emergency Management

Primary Agency

Emergency Management

Secondary/Support Agencies

Fire

Rescue Squads

Law Enforcement

Department of Information and Technology

Department of Planning and Zoning

Department of Public Works

American Red Cross

City/County Attorney

Finance

Introduction

Purpose:

Emergency Support #5 (Emergency Management) directs, controls, and coordinates emergency operations from the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County’s Emergency Operations Center (located at 101 N. Main St.) utilizing an incident command system. ESF #5 must ensure the implementation of actions as called for in this plan, coordinate emergency information to the public through ESF #2 (Communications) and ESF #15 (External Affairs), and coordinate with the Virginia Emergency Operation Center should outside assistance be required.

Scope:

ESF #5 supports and coordinates all City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County departments and agencies across the spectrum of incident management from prevention to response and recovery. ESF #5 facilitates information flow in the pre-incident prevention phase in order to place assets on alert or to pre-position assets for quick response. During the post-incident response phase, ESF #5 activities include those functions that are critical to support and facilitate multi-agency planning and coordination. This includes alert and notification, deployment and staffing of emergency response teams, incident action planning, coordination of operations, logistics and material, direction and control, information management, facilitation of requests for assistance, resource acquisition and management (to include allocation and tracking), worker safety and health, facilities management, financial management, and other support as required.

Policies:

Emergency Support Function #5 provides an overall City/County multi-agency command system implemented to manage operations during a disaster or large-scale incident.

The Incident Command System will be used in any size or type of disaster/incident to control response personnel, facilities, and equipment.

The Incident Command Systems principles include use of common terminology, modular organization, integrated communications, a unified command structure, coordinated action planning, manageable span of control, pre-designated facilities, and comprehensive resource management.

ESF #5 staff supports the implementation of mutual aid agreements to ensure seamless resource response.

ESF #5 may provide key personnel trained in Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance and Administrative sections of emergency response teams as needed.

Departments and agencies participate in the incident action planning process, which is coordinated by ESF #5.

Concept of Operations

General:

The Coordinator of Emergency Management will assure the development and maintenance of SOPs on the part of each major emergency support service. Generally, each service should maintain current notification rosters, designate and staff an official Emergency Operations Center or Department Operations Center, designate an EOC representative, establish procedures for reporting appropriate emergency information, develop mutual aid agreements with like services in adjacent localities, and provide ongoing training to maintain emergency response capabilities. The City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County officials and agencies assigned responsibilities by this plan should be aware of the hazards that have the greatest potential for a local disaster and are most likely to occur.

When an emergency threatens, available time will be used to implement increased readiness measures. The Coordinator of Emergency Management will assure that all actions are completed as scheduled.

The Planning Sections will produce situation reports, which will be distributed to the EOC staff, on-scene incident command staff, and the VEOC. The staff of the EOC will support short term and long-term planning activities. Plans will be short and concise. The EOC staff will record the activities planned and track their

progress. The response priorities for the next operational period will be addressed in the Incident Action Plan (IAP).

Organization:

Emergency operations will be coordinated from the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County EOC. The EOC staff will consist of the Director, Deputy Director, Coordinator, and Deputy Coordinator (s) of Emergency Management, and key agency/department leads or their designated representative. Additional personnel will be designated as EOC support personnel to assist with communications, internal logistics, finance, external affairs, and administration. The Director of Emergency Management is also responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of a hazard mitigation plan. The Hazard Mitigation Plan is developed through regional committees and coordinated by the Central Shenandoah Planning District. The chiefs of regulatory agencies or designees are responsible for enforcing compliance with rules, codes, regulations, and ordinances.

The Incident Commander will utilize the Incident Command System. Depending on the nature and scope of the incident it may be handled solely by the Incident Commander, or it may require coordination with the EOC. In major disasters there may be more than one incident command post operating under an Area Command system. The Incident Commander will generally be a representative from the Primary Agency.

The regulatory agencies and governing bodies play an important role as they must pass and implement the rules, regulations, codes, and ordinances, which would reduce the impact of a disaster. The City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County agencies and volunteer emergency response organizations assigned disaster response duties are responsible for maintaining plans and procedures. These agencies are also responsible for ensuring that they are capable of performing these duties in the time of an emergency. In addition, these agencies are responsible for bringing any areas where new/revised codes, regulations, and ordinances may mitigate a particular hazard to the attention of the City Manager/County Administrator and the City Council/Board of Supervisors, in coordination with the Coordinator for Emergency Management.

The Coordinator of Emergency Management will assure that all actions are completed as scheduled. The City Manager/County Administrator may close facilities, programs, and activities as needed. This assures that employees who are not designated “emergency service personnel” are not unnecessarily placed in harm’s way and may then be tasked to provide other support to emergency operations.

The Coordinator of Emergency Management will coordinate training for this emergency support function and conduct exercises involving the EOC.

Actions:

Develop and maintain a capability for emergency operations and reflect it in the Emergency Operations Plan.

Make individual assignments of duties and responsibilities to staff the EOC and implement emergency operations.

Maintain a notification roster of EOC personnel and their alternates.

Establish a system and procedure for notifying EOC personnel.

Identify adequate facilities and resources to conduct emergency operations at the EOC.

Coordinate Emergency Management mutual aid agreements dealing with adjunct jurisdictions and relief organizations such as the American Red Cross.

Develop plans and procedures, with ESF #2 (Communications)and ESF #15 (External Affairs), to provide timely information and guidance to the public during an emergency.

Identify and maintain a list of essential services and facilities, which must continue to operate and may need to be protected.

Test and exercise plans and procedures; and

Conduct community outreach/mitigation programs.

Ensure compatibility between this plan and the emergency plans and procedures of key facilities and private organizations within the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Define and encourage hazard mitigation activities, which will reduce the probability of the occurrence of disaster and/or reduce its effects.

Provide periodic staff briefings as required.

Prepare to provide emergency information to the public in coordination with ESF #2 (Communications) and ESF #15 (External Affairs).

Provide logistical support to on scene emergency response personnel.

Maintain essential emergency communications through the established communications network.

Provide reports and requests for assistance to the VEOC.

Compile an initial damage assessment report and send to the VEOC; and

Coordinate requests for non-mutual aid assistance.

Develop accounting and record keeping procedures for expenses incurred during an emergency.

Responsibilities:

Activates and organizes local emergency assets and capabilities.

Coordinates with various City/County Departments and emergency management organizations.

Coordinates short, and long-term planning activities.

Supports continuity of government.

Directs and coordinates emergency operations.

Submits state required reports and records.

Conducts initial warning and alerting; and

Provides emergency public information.

Provides Elected Officials with updated information and assist in formulating policy decisions.

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