The Plans found within this section are the responsibility of the Elmore County Emergency Management Agency. The authority is given by the Elmore County Commission because Elmore County EMA is the coordinating agency for all emergency management departments, agencies, and organizations within the county. The plans are written, maintained and updated by the EMA Director and the EMA staff. All plans are written in compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) and are adopted by the Elmore County Commission. The plans apply to all major types of emergency situations associated with potential hazards, whether natural, man-made, technological or human caused. The plans are strategic based plans that address how Elmore County will respond to, and start the initial recovery process from emergency situations or disasters. The plans organizational and operational guidelines are always maintained in a state of readiness. Emergency situations can arise with little or no warning, so to make Elmore County more resilient, each plan has its basic plan and then functional and hazard specific annexes. So to maintain “Continuity of Government” it is our plan to have copies of all our counties plans cataloged in our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for quick easy assess if the severity of the event warrants implementation of a plan.
Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
The Elmore County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) describes how Elmore County will respond to and begin the initial recovery to an emergency situation. Utilizing the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) principles, the county will be divided into operational areas depending on the type of incident that impacts the county. Each operational area will establish its own incident command post. The Elmore County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will coordinate and support the priorities as needed.
Public Safety officials, should become familiar with this plan to ensure efficient and effective execution of emergency responsibilities. Reviewing the plan, ensure organizations develops Standard Operation Procedures (SOP)s or Standard Operational Guidelines (SOG) to execute responsibilities as defined by this plan, and train staff to implement those procedures.
The Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director has the responsibility for coordination of the emergency management organization. The EMA is responsible for coordinating the Elmore County Multi-Agency Coordination Group to increase the overall level of communication, collaboration and coordination of the emergency management functions, plans, and programs in the county. During emergency operations the Director is responsible for the proper functioning of the EOC, The Director also acts as the liaison with state and federal emergency agencies, and neighboring counties. The EMA Director is responsible for monitoring and analyzing any situation that may threaten public safety.
Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP)
Hazard Mitigation is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards. Mitigation activities may be implemented prior to, during, or after an incident. However, it has been demonstrated that hazard mitigation is most effective when based on an inclusive, comprehensive, long-term plan that is developed before a disaster occurs.
Threat, Hazards, Identification Risk Assessment (THIRA)
Every community should understand the risk it faces. By understanding its risk a community can make smart decisions about how to manage risk, including developing needed capabilities. Risk is the potential for an unwanted outcome result from an incident, event or occurrence, as determined by its likelihood and the associated consequences. By considering changes to these elements, a community can understand how to best manage and plan for its greatest risks across the full range of the threats and hazards it faces.
The Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) is a 4 step common risk assessment process that helps the whole community—including individuals, businesses, faith-based organizations, nonprofit groups, schools and academia and all levels of government—understand its risks and estimate capability requirements. The THIRA process helps communities map their risks to the core capabilities, enabling them to determine whole-community informed:
- Desired outcomes,
- Capability targets, and
- Resources required to achieve their Capability targets
The outputs of this process inform a variety of emergency management efforts, including: emergency operations planning, mutual aid agreements, and hazard mitigation planning.
Ultimately, the THIRA process helps communities answer the following questions:
- What do we need to prepare for?
- What shareable resources are required in order to be prepared?
- What actions could be employed to avoid, divert, lessen, or eliminate a threat or hazard?
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
The purpose of the Elmore County Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP); is to describe Elmore County’s concept of operations for direction and control of emergency operations during government activities and community emergencies that are located in Elmore County. It addresses all jurisdictions and the unincorporated areas of the county. In the issues of assigned responsibilities and tasks that must be carried out to save lives, property, and help maintain and restore facilities during an emergency situation and to serve as a guide of direction for county resources and emergency personnel. The Elmore County Commission established an Emergency Management Office in 1983 within the government structure. This agency is led by a Director and a Deputy Director and it’s responsible for coordinating these efforts to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all types of emergency situations and disasters.
Elmore County is very vulnerable to many hazards that could affect our way of life. Hazards that may pose a threat to the public’s health and safety, also to public and private property. Many of these hazards are described in the Elmore County All Hazard Mitigation Plan. Organizations must be able to activate quickly at any time day or night, operate 24 hours a day, and to deal with any emergency situation effectively which may range from minor to catastrophic.
This document focuses on the basic COOP elements: essential functions, critical systems, alternate facilities, and orders of succession, delegation of authority, budgets, and vital records. Development of procedures that address the basic COOP elements and work in concert with business continuity and disaster recovery plans allows for uninterrupted delivery of the County’s essential functions.
This document applies to the full spectrum of threats and emergencies that may affect the County. Specifically, this COOP plan is based on an event scenario that disrupts the County’s essential functions. In this scenario, the County’s primary location is inaccessible for normal business activities. The most likely causes of such disruption are severe weather, widespread utility failure, multiple explosions, civil disturbance, or credible threats of actions that would preclude access to or use of County facilities. Under this scenario, County offices relocate the pre-determined essential staff and resources to a remote facility identified as the alternate facility.
The Continuity of Operations plan is a living document that due to its nature and ever changing content must continuously be updated. The hazards and vulnerabilities stay virtually the same but the agency information is constantly changing with political, personnel, and budgetary items.
Mass Care Plan
In Elmore County Mass Care, Sheltering, is handled in conjunction with Department of Human Resources (DHR) and American Red Cross, Shelters are activated through the coordination of the Elmore County EMA Director.
Fatality Management Plan
Management of the dead is one of the most difficult aspect of disaster response, and natural disasters, in particular, can cause a larger number of deaths. Although we have been aware of these challenges for over 20 years the resent tsunami in South Asia and Hurricane Katrina in the United States, the tornado outbreaks of 2011 have all revealed the need for particular guidance in the area of fatality management. Disasters frequently overwhelm local systems that care for deceased. Consequently, the responsibility for the immediate response falls on the local communities. The absence of specialist advice or mass fatality planning amplifies the problems, often resulting in the mismanagement of human remains. This is significant because the way the victims are treated has a profound and long-lasting effect on the mental health of the survivors and communities. In addition, correct identification of the dead has legal significance for inheritance and insurance that can have an impact on families for many years after the disaster. The plan marks an important step towards the better treatment of victims and their families. It recognizes the vital role the local organizations and communities and the exceptionaly difficult task of managing human remains following disaster.
Pandemic Influenza Plan (PI)
The Pandemic Influenza (PI) Plan is somewhat the same as the “Continuity of Operations Plan” in the fact that it establishes a plan for how your organization will operate. This document focuses on the basic COOP elements: essential functions, critical systems, alternate facilities, and orders of succession, delegation of authority, budgets, and vital records. Development of procedures that address the basic COOP elements and work in concert with business continuity and disaster recovery plans allows for uninterrupted delivery of the County’s essential functions during a Pandemic Influenza Epidemic. The goal is to maintain at least 70% functionality of government during outbreak.
Strategic National Stockpile Plan (SNS)
The Strategic National Stockpile SNS is a stockpile of medication and medical supplies maintained by the Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They are at different sites across the United States, guarantees it can deploy the medical supply’s anywhere in the US with in twelve hours. This is Elmore Counties plan for security, storing, dispense and transport these supplies to and from and within Elmore County. Mass Prophylaxis Treatment Sites (MPTS) are determined by local EMA Directors and the entire SNS process is initiated by the State Health Officer.
Interoperable Communications Plan
Individual first responders and emergency personnel typically have their own radio communications systems. These systems typically use different radio frequency ranges and electronic protocols that are not compatible. These responders are using dissimilar radio equipment but on similar missions.As a result, these individuals are not able to communicate when they are either out of their own area or working jointly with other personnel. This plan will identify these discrepancies and provide the basis to develop/enhance interoperability between these individuals/agencies.In the past there were only limited Mutual Aid frequencies and no Interoperable Frequencies. Today, there is the National NPSPAC (National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee) and Alabama Specific Mutual Aid/Interoperable Frequencies in use and these will be used in this plan. Alabama Specific Mutual Aid frequencies are used between like entities such as law enforcement and fire services. These are existing frequencies and most have been available for years. These frequencies have generally been programmed into the responder’s radios. The communication truck (Regional Command Vehicle – First T.E.A.M. Vehicle) will be able to connect various Mutual Aid frequencies electronically with other radio systems. National NPSPAC Interoperable Frequencies are also used to communicate between responders and the communications truck which can be dispatched to the scene. These frequencies can be either simplex or duplex operation. The communications truck will be able to connect various Mutual Aid and Interoperable frequencies together and with other radio systems. Alabama has a Mutual Aid Communications Committee whom recommendations are included in this plan. This plan will outline a strategy for providing tactical (incident-based) interoperability solutions by identifying available resources, and establishing policies and procedures for the use of these resources.
Hazardous Material Response Plan
The goal of the Elmore County Hazardous Material Response Plan is to provide agencies within Elmore County the information needed to assist in response and mitigation of a hazard material release. The plan provides information about facilities and transportation routes that may have the potential to pose a threat to the health and safety of those in and around the railroad corridor. It provides maps, response and evacuation plans, guidelines and procedures. The Response Plan is established pursuant to Title III the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), the community “Right to Know” law and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 29 CFR 1910 standard.The objectives of this plan are to describe guidelines for the management of a threatened or actual release of a hazardous material. The plan is meant to serve multiple jurisdictions; recommend task assignments; recommend guidelines and responsibilities; and provide coordination in the planning of all phases of a railroad emergency.
Railroad Emergency Response Plan
The goal of the Elmore County Railroad Response Plan is to provide agencies within Elmore County that have rail service running through their jurisdiction. The information needed to assist them with the response and mitigation of a railroad emergency. This is to include hazard materials release from the rail emergency. The plan provides information about facilities and transportation routes that may have the potential to pose a threat to the health and safety of those in and around the railroad corridor. It provides maps, response and evacuation plans, guidelines and procedures. The Response Plan is established pursuant to Title III the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), the community “Right to Know” law and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 29 CFR 1910 standard. The objectives of this plan are to describe guidelines for the management of a threatened or actual railroad emergency to include a release of a hazardous material. The plan is meant to serve multiple jurisdictions; recommend task assignments; recommend guidelines and responsibilities; and provide coordination in the planning of all phases of a railroad emergency.
Staging and Distribution Plan
The purpose of the Elmore County Staging and Distribution Plan is to provide guidelines for the activation of Staging Areas and Point of Distribution (PODs) within Elmore County in the event of a natural disaster, technological disaster, or human caused event. This plan provides the responding public safety agencies with guidelines on receiving and distributing commodities that may include; water, ice, heater meals, and tarps, to individuals impacted by the disaster.