Emergency Planning
When disasters threaten or strike a jurisdiction, people expect their
elected officials and leaders to take immediate action to deal with the
problem. The government is expected to marshal it's resources,
channel the efforts of volunteer agencies and private enterprise in the
community and solicit assistance from outside of the jurisdiction if
necessary. Crucial to the fulfillment of these expectations, and
the ultimate protection of the citizens and property of our community,
is the development of emergency operations plans (EOPs), which describe
who will do what, as well as when, with what resources, and by what
authority - before, during, and immediately after an emergency.
In our country's system of emergency management, local government
must act first to attend to the public's emergency needs.
Depending on the nature and size of the emergency, state and federal
assistance may be provided to the local jurisdiction. The
Monongalia County Emergency Operations Plan focuses on the measures that
are essential to protecting the public. These include warning,
emergency public information, evacuation, and shelter.
The centerpiece of comprehensive emergency management is the EOP.
Please note that this does not mean that the EOP details all aspects of
emergency response in Monongalia County. Information and "how-to"
instructions that need to be known only by an individual or group are
left to each individual agency's operating procedures.
An EOP is a document that:
- Assigns responsibility to organizations and individuals for
carrying out specific actions at projected times and places in an
emergency that exceeds the capacity or routine responsibility of any
one agency (i.e., the fire department);
- Sets forth lines of authority and organizational relationships,
and shows how all actions will be coordinated;
- Describes how people and property will be protected in
emergencies and disasters, and;
- Indentifies personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies, and
other resources available - within the jurisdiction of by agreement
with other jurisdictions - for use during response and recovery
activities.
All plans are reviewed and updated annually and following any
exercise or disaster situation.
Due to the sensitive nature of planning documents, they will not be
posted on this website. If you have questions regarding what
initiatives have been undertaken in Monongalia County, please feel free
to contact our office at 304.598.0301.