Safety and Security | Emergency Management

Return to Resilient Communities Network Toolkit Page

Even the smallest communities need an Emergency Management Program. There are emergency roles that are not handled by Firefighters, EMTs and Law Enforcement that only Emergency Management fulfills.

Level 1

  1. Hire a qualified full-time Emergency Management Director. Local Emergency Management Document
  2. Encourage the establishment of a non-profit Civil Defense Organization. Sign an MOU with the CDO.
  3. Encourage the establishment of a Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) program.
  4. Provide regular training opportunities for residents in Disaster Preparedness. Civilian Preparedness Document
  5. Require EM staff to have a Family Care Plan in place so they can go to work during a major emergency.
  6. Ensure that the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has backup power. Generator Considerations Document
  7. Organize local neighborhood residents in programs like Map-Your-Neighborhood or Neighborhood Emergency Teams.
  8. Maintain a current and effective Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). Exercise the plan using Workshops, Table Top Exercises, Functional Exercises and Field Exercises.

Level 2

  1. Create and staff a volunteer (or paid) Emergency Management Department/Agency.
  2. Provide regular planning, training, education and exercise opportunities for the non-profit Civil Defense organization.
  3. Create a Citizens Corps Council. Citizens Corp Guide, Citizens Corp Document
  4. Provide regular training opportunities for local non-profits and NGOs in Disaster Preparedness. Organizations Preparing for Emergency Needs
  5. Educate EM staff in a Culture of preparedness to ensure they are comfortable going to work during a major disaster. Disaster Preparedness Powerpoint: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
  6. Build up a Transportation Fuel Reserve Supply that can be used to refuel EM vehicles and equipment. Fuel Storage Considerations Document, Emergency Fuel Supply Document
  7. Develop auxiliary Emergency Preparedness programs such as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) or Civil Defense Volunteers (CDV).
  8. Develop a Long Term Power Outage (LTPO) Plan. Exercise the plan using Workshops and Table Top Exercises. Local Long Term Power Outage Format Document

Level 3

  1. Create and staff Emergency Management or Civil Defense Teams.
  2. Formally incorporate the non-profit Civil Defense organization into the Community EM program efforts.
  3. Formally incorporate the COAD into the Community EM program efforts.
  4. Provide regular training opportunities for local businesses in Disaster Preparedness.
  5. EMP protect the EM facilities, vehicles and equipment. Public Facilities Prepared for EMP Document, EMP Mitigation Actions for Local Government Facilities Document, 2019 EMP Equipment and Facilities Guide (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Vehicle EMP Protection Document