DES

Located on the bottom floor of the Courthouse, the Disaster & Emergency Services office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5:00.

Cindy Mullaney, Coordinator

Clete Gregory, Deputy

271-4040

Emergency management in the United States is, by function and by law, a cooperative effort on the part of all levels of government and the private sector. Local, state and federal governments all have responsibilities in carrying out public safety. Private business and industry, voluntary organizations, and the general public have responsibilities to assure safe industrial practices and to maintain a level of awareness and understanding about the hazards and emergencies that exist in their communities.

The Office of Disaster & Emergency Services (DES) is responsible for maintaining an emergency services system which includes all four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Mitigation is defined as activities that prevent an emergency or disaster, reduce the chance of an emergency or disaster happening, or reduce the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies or disasters. Mitigation includes such things as building codes, fire codes, hazard and vulnerability analyses, zoning and land use management, dam construction/inspection, flood proof buildings, water purification and sanitary waste disposal. Mitigation activities take place before and after emergencies and disasters.

Preparedness is defined as development of plans and preparations made to save lives and to help response and rescue operations. Examples of preparedness activities are emergency exercises and training, evacuation plans, resource inventories, mutual aid agreements, public information/education, stream flow monitoring, fire drills, exit signs, automatic sprinkler installation, development of family emergency plans and kits. Preparedness activities take place before an emergency or disaster occurs.

Response is defined as actions taken to save lives and prevent further property damage in a disaster or emergency situation. Response is putting your preparedness plan into action. Mobilization of emergency responders, declaring a disaster/emergency, emergency public information, seeking shelter from a tornado, and turning off gas valves in an earthquake are all examples of response activities. Response activities take place during an emergency or disaster.

Recovery is defined as actions taken to return to a normal or an even safer situation following an emergency or disaster. Short term recovery returns vital life support systems to minimum operating standards. Long term recovery may continue for months or even several years after a disaster or emergency. Temporary housing, reconstruction and rebuilding, public information, counseling programs, decontamination of water sources, and reassessment of existing regulations are examples of recovery activities. Recovery often includes mitigation measures against repeat of the disaster. Recovery takes place after an emergency or disaster.