ANNEX A

DIRECTION & CONTROL

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            PURPOSE

This annex will develop a capability for the chief executive, key staff, and emergency support personnel of Saline County to direct and control response and recovery operations from a centralized facility (an emergency operations center-EOC) in the event of an emergency.

SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS

Situation

•          Saline County is subject to many hazards (as stated in the Basic Plan) that would require the use of a centralized emergency operating area to facilitate policymaking, coordination, and control of operating forces in a large scale emergency situation.

•          Saline County and its incorporated subdivisions are separate entities and thus will control operations from EOCs within their respective jurisdiction. If the incorporated subdivisions do not have an emergency management organization, the county will assume that role upon request.

•          Saline County will direct and control operations from the Saline County E-9-1-1 Center, 2025 S. Odell Ave, Marshall, hereafter designated as the primary emergency operations center (EOC).

•          The Saline County E-9-1-1 Center is staffed 24 hours a day and has the communications equipment to communicate with County, City and State departments or agencies. This includes contact with the State Highway Patrol, Troop A in Lee's Summit; area fire and police departments; and local government agencies. An emergency generator is also available.

•          The alternate EOC for Saline County will be the Marshall Airport, followed by the Saline County Sheriff's Office, both are located in Marshall. The alternate EOC facility will become the official site for all county officials and departments/agencies having emergency functions.

•          Saline County can also establish on-site direction and control using the Indian Foothills Radio Club mobile communications trailer. The trailer could be placed at any location in the county giving a good communications base for conducting emergency operations. The Sheriff's Department can also provide a patrol car equipped with radio communications as another alternative.

Municipal EOCs:

Assumptions

•          The EOC Direction and Control procedures described in this annex will be adequate for all disaster conditions that could arise in Saline County.

•          When an emergency/disaster occurs or threatens to occur, the EOC will be activated in a timely manner. Local officials will respond as directed in this annex and Appendix 3 to the Basic Plan

•          Should a total evacuation become necessary, operations can be successfully controlled from a nearby, safe location.

•          Close coordination must be maintained between the EOC and the disaster scene to identify special considerations, secondary threats, and available resources.

CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

General

•          The EOC and emergency response personnel will be activated according to the guidelines outlined in Appendix 3 to the Basic Plan.

•          In most cases the composition of the necessary operational staff will be determined after all personnel have been called in and are present.

•          Space will be provided in the EOC for the chief executive and principal advisors, damage assessment staff, and the public information officer. Space for briefing the media will be available but separate from actual operations rooms.

•          The majority of agencies will operate from the EOC with the exception of those agencies with numerous records and files who will send a representative to the EOC when called upon to do so.

•          Each emergency support service will designate a representative to report to the EOC during an emergency to advise decision makers and coordinate its own service's response effort with other responding organizations/agencies.

•          The Emergency Management Director must maintain the capability to activate the EOC on short notice and maintain a continuous 24-hour a day manning of emergency response jobs (EOC staff, emergency support services, dispatchers, shelter teams, etc.). Work shifts will be established to provide the necessary response.

•          Those organizations and agencies providing emergency response personnel must include in their standard operating guidelines (SOG's) the specific emergency authorities that may be assumed by a designated successor during emergency situations. The circumstances under which this authority would become effective and when it would be terminated should also be identified.

•          Although the elected government officials and department heads will control operations, the Emergency Management Director will manage the EOC.

•          A log will be kept in the EOC to record significant events and key information related to the disaster during an emergency situation. See Appendix 3 to this annex for log form.

•          The decision to discontinue operations will be made by the chief executive.

Actions to be Taken by Operating Time Frames

Mitigation

•          Analyze potential disasters (see Situation and Assumptions, Basic Plan) and expand EOC capabilities to meet all situations.        

•          Identify agencies, facilities, personnel, and resources necessary to support EOC operations.

•          Develop procedures for bringing the EOC to operational readiness.

•          Train Direction and Control staff in EOC procedures (tests and exercises).

•          Develop a public information program to exercise citizen awareness of the EOC facility and its purpose. Conduct tours and give briefings as necessary.

•          Develop plans to relocate EOC operations should it become necessary.

•          Prepare displays and acquire other equipment necessary for EOC operations.

•          Develop a media and rumor control program.

•          Stock administrative supplies and equipment.

•          Develop a method for message handling within the EOC.

•          Develop EOC security procedures.

•          Conduct exercises and critiques of EOC procedures with all EOC staff.

•          Develop information packets to be distributed to Direction and Control staff when the EOC is activated. These packets should contain, but not be limited to, the following:

Preparedness

•          Alert appropriate staff depending upon the potential situation and activity required.

•          Take actions as necessary (issue warnings and disseminate public information, etc.).

•          Test communications.

•          Inventory equipment and supplies and alleviate shortages.

•          Establish contact with higher levels of government and neighboring jurisdictions.

•          Initiate EOC security procedures.

•          Alert participating organizations outside of government.

•          Conduct initial staff briefing and establish work and briefing schedule.

•          Maintain alert status until situation changes or stand-down is given.

Response

•          Coordinate actions as required by the situation.

•          Begin damage assessment operations to establish situations reports.

•          Conduct a regular situation briefing to include reports from operating departments/agencies.

•          Report situation to higher levels of government.

•          Maintain record of all actions taken to include messages received or sent.

•          Continue this level of activity until recovery begins.

•          Implement Incident Management System (IMS).

Recovery

•          Tabulate damage to include displaced persons and request outside assistance if necessary.

•          Assimilate expenditure data and cost figures for payment.

•          Repair equipment and replenish supplies.

•          Begin deactivation of the EOC as conditions permit.

•          Conduct critiques and initiate actions to improve capabilities.

•          Prepare and submit after-action reports to the State Emergency Management Agency.

ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Organization

Diagrams of the Direction and Control function for Saline County are shown in Appendix 1 to this Annex.

Responsibilities

•          The responsibility for overall direction and control of operations rests with the chief elected official of the jurisdiction (i.e., Presiding Commissioner, Mayor) and department heads.

•          The primary responsibility for activating the County's response personnel and directing emergency response operations in Saline County rests with the Presiding Commissioner. In their absence the line of succession will be as explained in the Basic Plan, Section VI.

•          The primary responsibility for activating response personnel and directing emergency response operations in each municipality rests with the chief elected official. In their absence the designated successor will assume this role. See municipal EOP and/or SOG.

•          The Emergency Management Director is responsible for serving as the key advisor to the chief elected official. The Director is also responsible for maintaining the operational readiness of the primary EOC (or alternate EOC if established).

•          Security for the EOC will be the responsibility of the law enforcement agency in each jurisdiction.

•          Supplies for the EOC will be the responsibility of the Emergency Management Coordinator with support from the Resource and Supply section as necessary.

DIRECTION AND CONTROL

•          Although the Emergency Management Director manages operations within the EOC during emergency periods, his authority does not exceed that of the department heads. In addition to his task as chief advisor to the elected officials and the department heads, he will be responsible for the following:

•          The on-scene commander will direct and control operations at the disaster site. He will maintain contact with the EOC and keep them informed of the situation.

•          Those emergency support services that do not operate from the EOC will designate and establish a work/control center to manage organizational resources and response personnel. During emergency situations they will maintain contact with the EOC through their designated representative.

•          Emergency response personnel provided by the various organizations/agencies to support emergency operations will remain under the direction and control of the sponsoring organization, but will be assigned by the EOC to respond to a specific disaster location.

•          State and/or Federal officials will support disaster operations as appropriate. A request for state and federal assistance can only be made by the chief elected official or his authorized successor. Space for them to operate will be provided in the EOC.

CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT

•          The elected officials and departments have established lines of succession and these are located in each appropriate annex. (See also Basic Plan, Section VI).

•          The line of succession to the Saline County Emergency Management Director will be as explained in the Basic Plan, Section VI.

•          If the primary EOC is not able to function (i.e., EOC is damaged, inaccessible, etc.), an alternate EOC will be established (See Section II of this annex). The Emergency Management Director will be responsible for managing the alternate EOC. The Director must provide for the relocation of staff members to the alternate EOC, transferring direction and control authority from the primary EOC to the alternate EOC, and advise all field personnel of the transfer from the primary to the alternate EOC.

•          Should it become necessary to evacuate the entire county, the EOC will be moved to the nearest safe location.

ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS

•          A central point for coordinating the operational, logistical, and administrative support needs of response personnel at the disaster site, public shelters, EOC, and agency work/control/dispatch centers will be established by the Emergency Management Coordinator at the EOC.

•          Provisions for collecting, analyzing, reporting, and disseminating information to, from, and between response personnel, State and Federal officials, and the public wil1 be developed.

•          Provide for logistical and administrative support to response personnel deployed to the disaster site(s).

•          Establish a procedure for acknowledging and authenticating reports. All information should be followed up on and checked with additional sources for accuracy.

•          Make provisions for the display of damage assessment information in the EOC. This could include providing maps to plot information and/or status boards to post data.

•          All requests for assistance, all general messages, and all reports will be handled using the procedures and forms found in Appendix 3 to this annex. The use of reports will vary according to the type of emergency involved.

•          A record of all persons entering and departing from the EOC will be maintained by security personnel at the entrance. All personnel will be issued a pass to be worn while in the EOC and to be returned when departing from the premises.

•          Media personnel will be provided telephones within an area adjacent to the EOC. Scheduled news conferences will be held at regular intervals. Media personnel will not be permitted to enter the EOC unless accompanied by appropriate personnel.

•          Personnel in the EOC will be protected from hazardous conditions as much as possible {i.e., use of dosimeters to detect radiation exposure; monitor air and water purity, etc.).

PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE

This annex will be maintained and updated regularly by the Saline County Emergency Management Director.

APPENDICES

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