Emergency Management

Support Systems include administrative and technological processes and systems that support the remaining three focus areas – Stakeholder Readiness, Community Resilience, and Operations. In addition to human capital and program strategy, support systems include:

• Budget and Finance
• Facilities and Equipment 
• Technology
• Policies, Procedures and Processes
• Staff training and professional development

Stakeholder Readiness comprises anything that ensures the preparedness of the county’s emergency and disaster response organizations. This includes the development and maintenance of a comprehensive Local Emergency Operations Plan that establishes a coordinated response and recovery effort for any disaster that may occur or threaten Douglas County. Stakeholder Readiness also consists of:

• Training and Exercises (disaster simulations)
• Program Support
• Continuity of Operations Planning and other planning support for all phases of emergency management (preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery)
• Support and coordination of the Local Emergency Planning Committee

Community Resilience includes both the preparedness of our community individuals, families, and institutions, as well as the overall community’s capacity to respond to and recover from a disaster. Hazard mitigation, which is any effort to reduce the threat or impact of a disaster, is part of community resilience. Other areas in this focus include:

• Public Outreach and Education Events
• Capacity Building
• Sustainable Development
• Advocacy & Public Policy

Operations and operational readiness are supported by Support Systems, Stakeholder Readiness, and Community Resilience. For Emergency Management, Operations includes two areas: 

• Response: Response is event-driven and includes field operations and incident support, 24/7 watch, resource acquisition, and information coordination through the Emergency Operations Center.  
• Recovery: Actions taken to return a community to normal or near-normal conditions, including the restoration of basic services and the repair of physical, social and economic damages. Recovery includes  the coordination of state and federal resources and local volunteer efforts, as well as disaster documentation and the development and execution of a recovery plan for affected communities in the county.