What is the role of emergency?

Prevention

Actions taken to avoid an incident.  Stopping an incident from occurring.  Deterrence operations and surveillance.

Mitigation

Refers to measures that prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency happening, or reduce the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies.    Typical mitigation measures include establishing building codes and zoning requirements, installing shutters, and constructing barriers such as levees.

Preparedness

Activities increase a community's ability to respond when a disaster occurs.  Typical preparedness measures include developing mutual aid agreements and memorandums of understanding, training for both response personnel and concerned citizens, conducting disaster exercises to reinforce training and test capabilities, and presenting all-hazards education campaigns.

Response

Actions carried out immediately before, during, and immediately after a hazard impact, which are aimed at saving lives, reducing economic losses, and alleviating suffering.
Response actions may include activating the emergency operations center, evacuating threatened populations, opening shelters and providing mass care, emergency rescue and medical care, fire fighting, and urban search and rescue.

Recovery 

Actions taken to return a community to normal or near-normal conditions, including the restoration of basic services and the repair of physical, social and economic damages.  Typical recovery actions include debris cleanup, financial assistance to individuals and governments, rebuilding of roads and bridges and key facilities, and sustained mass care for displaced human and animal populations.

The Incident Command System and the use of an Emergency Operations Center supports incident management.

When an incident occurs, incident stabilization activities (e.g. firefighting, damage assessment, property conservation) may be underway at the scene of the incident. Others assigned to support incident stabilization, business continuity or crisis communications activities will report to an emergency operations center (EOC). The emergency operations center is a physical or virtual location from which coordination and support of incident management activities is directed.

Learn more at https://www.ready.gov/incident-management

LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND THEIR ROLES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT manages national and international operations & assists states through funding, policies, and guidelines.

STATE GOVERNMENT runs state operations & assists local governments through funding, policies, guidelines, the National Guard, and state & regional Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs).

COUNTY GOVERNMENT manages operations for the unincorporated county and activates the operational area EOC when asked by cities/special districts or multiple jurisdictions are impacted.

CITY GOVERNMENT manages all local emergency operations

DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS - All public employees in California (anyone employed by a county, city, state agency or public district) are disaster service workers and may be called upon to assist in disaster response.  

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS & ORGANIZATION’S ROLES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Names and hyperlinks of departments, offices and agencies are based on Monterey County and will vary based on jurisdiction

Emergency Operation Centers coordinate disaster response information and resources

Public Works conducts debris removal and management of the jurisdiction’s roads

Coroner’s Offices manage mass fatality response

Fire Departments manage fire mitigation and response operations

Law Enforcement manage evacuations and public safety

Environmental Health ensures water & food safety, air quality & waste management policies and enforces environmental regulations

Health Departments manage health emergencies and increased health care needs during disasters

SPCA manages animal evacuation and emergency sheltering

Elected Officials make policies & declare or proclaim emergencies (impacts regulations & funding)

The Red Cross or Social Services (based on disaster) run evacuation facilities and mass care operations

Housing & Community or Planning Departments (based on jurisdiction) regulate building permits, code enforcement & development planning; along with conducting building damage assessments

Other organizations that may support emergency operations include: Public Transportation Agencies, United Way, Utility Companies, Water Districts, Water Resources Agency, Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, Chambers of Commerce, National Weather Service, Coast Guard, Schools, Libraries, Churches, Community Center, USGS, Community Foundations, and more, depending on the incident

What are the four roles of an emergency?

What are your main role as and for during an emergency?

What is the most important part of an emergency?

What is the 5 types of emergency?