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 Since Wisconsin is a “home rule” state, the responsibility for initiating action in a crisis comes from the lowest level of government affected. Elected officials should be aware of their emergency management responsibilities before a crisis happens.
Marinette County Emergency Management developed a Municipal Emergency Operations/Damage Assessment guide for municipalities. It provides an overview of elected officials' roles and responsibilities; guidance on conducting damage assessments, which are vital to recovering expenses incurred by responding to and recovering from a disaster; and forms to document damages that are acceptable for State and FEMA assistance programs. You can email the County EM Coordinator for digital copies of blank forms.
Emergency Response Plan
Municipalities should have their own plan which outlines roles and responsibilities and chain of command in the event of an emergency/disaster. Having a plan in writing helps ensure consistent action during times of crisis and is also part of being NIMS (National Incident Management System) compliant. Involve your local law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies in writing your plan as well. Of course, for any plan to succeed it should be practiced. Emergency Management can assist you with plan development and exercises.
Continuity of Operations
An important part of a preparedness plan is a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). How are you going to remain functional if your facilities are damaged by a tornado, or inaccessable due to flooding, or without power for a week or longer? This would include communicating with employees, citizens, and vendors; paying bills and employees, etc. FEMA's Guide to Continuity of Government can be downloaded below. Ready.gov offers a free Business Continuity Planning Suite (ZIP archive; PC compatible). This software was created for any business with the need to create, improve, or update its business continuity plan. The Suite is scalable for optimal use by organizations of any size. |
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