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Emergency Management
It
is important work requiring unique skills and abilities, and is a challenging but critical role in the community!
Kingman County Emergency Management is in the stages of becoming a true Emergency Management Program and is covered with
a full-time Emergency Manager.
Emergency Management is defined as the coordination of local responders,
state and federal agencies, and volunteer organizations. An Emergency Management program should enhance protection of
the community and its citizens when disaster strikes through planning, training, and education.
The Department
of Emergency Management assists department heads in developing and maintaining operational plans as well as standard operating
guidelines. The department may also assist local industry in developing emergency plans and capabilities in support
of the local government plan. Additionally, the Emergency Manager is responsible for coordinating the maintenance and
revision of the Local Emergency Operations Plan, or LEOP as it is referred to, which is required by state statute.
Emergency Managers in the State of Kansas are tasked with guiding their jurisdictions toward National Incident Management
System(NIMS) compliance. This can be a challenging task as the requirements are constantly reviewed and updated.
The federal government is requiring more of the local jurisdictions every year and emergency managers (especially in rural
communities such as Kingman) face a number of challenges to achieve and maintain compliance.
Public education and
citizen preparedness plays a large roll in an effective Emergency Management program. It is important that the public
be aware of the power they posses to take care of themselves first, before a greater response is needed. This is accomplished
through efforts such as speaking to civic groups, distributing literature, and providing training.
The Emergency
Manager is expected to serve as the coordinator and advisor to local officials before, during, and following disaster emergencies.
In this role, the Emergency Manager brings awareness of potential, as well as existing, problems and suggests solutions based
on the needs of the community and the resources available. During times of crises the Emergency Manager keeps local
officials apprised of situations so they can make the best decisions possible for response and recovery efforts.
The past year's events in Kansas have made many counties aware of the crucial need for a full-time emergency manager.
The January ice storm in the west, the Greensburg tornado, the floods, and the recent ice storm that occurred locally and
across the eastern part of our state make 2007 a record breaking year for disasters in Kansas. Disasters such as these
are coordinated through the efforts of the local emergency manager, responders, the State Emergency Operations Center, and
the Federal government.
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