Promulgation Statement: The Butler County Emergency Management Agency Executive Board recognizes that preparedness to disasters consists of many diverse, but interrelated elements. Each one of these elements must be intrinsically linked together through local government agencies, private support agencies, and the public. The Butler County Emergency Operations Plan is an integral element in the effort to provide the mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery actions that will assure the public welfare is restored and preserved. Disasters create an abrupt escalation in the material needs of a community as well as the sudden need to reorganize resources and specific personnel. Disorganization of the necessary resources and personnel required to address an emergency situation can lead to many lives lost. Therefore, the failure to develop a sound emergency operations plan may lead to disorganized salvage type activities instead of the necessary structured and coordinated response efforts. Planning for a population’s protection must be a cooperative effort to mitigate or minimize the effects of natural, technological, including hazardous materials, civil, and/or attack related disasters, protect lives and property; and restore the damaged area to its pre-disaster status with a minimum of social and economic disruption. This emergency operations plan is a statement of policy that assigns tasks to specific personnel and agencies in the event of an emergency or disaster. In addition, this plan is consistent with the emergency planning requirements set forth in Chapters 5502 and 3750 of the Ohio Revised Code. The Butler County Emergency Management Agency is dedicated to the maintenance and preservation of this plan. ________________________________ ______________ Gary Salmon, Chairman, Date Butler County EMA Executive Board 1. Introduction Butler County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): Chapter 5502.22 of the Ohio Revised Code requires that all emergency management agencies develop an emergency operations plan (EOP) that is consistent with all federal regulations for such plans. The Butler County EOP is based on fifteen (15) Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) which are headed by lead agencies in coordination with support agencies that are selected based upon their authorities, knowledge, resources and capabilities. Emergency Support Functions are the primary ways that assistance to disasters and emergencies are managed at the local level. This plan will be activated at the discretion of the appropriate local authorities and/or the Butler County Emergency Management Director in the case of an emergency or disaster situation. 2. Purpose Ensure timely and efficient emergency response and recovery. Utilize the appropriate resources to protect the health, safety, and well-being of those affected by the event. Provide restoration and rehabilitation of persons and areas affected by the event in a judicious and timely manner. 3. Scope The EOP: Establishes a concept of operations spanning the emergency from the initial response through the post disaster recovery. Defines interagency coordination to facilitate delivery of local, state and federal assistance. Assigns specific functional responsibilities to appropriate government departments, private sector groups and volunteer organizations. 4. Situation a. Geography . Butler County is located in the southwestern portion of the State of Ohio. It lies north of Hamilton County, south of Preble County, southwest of Montgomery County, west of Warren County, and just east of the Indiana state line. The county covers a 467.27 square mile area. The 2010 census showed the population to be 368,130. It has six (6) cities, thirteen (13) townships, and six (6) villages. The majority of the population resides in the six cities located within the county. The highest populated city is Hamilton followed by Middletown, Fairfield, Oxford, Monroe, and Trenton. The highest populated village is New Miami while West Chester accounts for the highest population among townships. The county is at its peak population when Miami University, located in the City of Oxford, is in session from late August through early May. The climate in Butler County is considered mild. The average rainfall is about 40 inches annually while snowfall averages about 24 inches annually. During the warmer months of the year, the area is usually under the influences of warm moist air that can attribute to the development of many storms such as windstorms, thunderstorms, heavy rain storms, hailstorms, and tornadoes. b. Hazards . Butler County and its political subdivisions are vulnerable to the many hazards identified in the State of Ohio Hazards Analysis and the Butler County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan developed in 2011 and currently under revision. Due to its location and geological features, Butler County is vulnerable to the damaging effects of certain hazards that include, but are not limited to: Natural: Severe storms (summer and winter), flooding, tornadoes, droughts, earthquakes, epidemic (human/animal) Technological: Hazardous materials (fixed facility, transportation), fire/explosion, building/structure collapse, dam/levee failure, power/utility outage, extreme air pollution, transportation accident (rail, aircraft, motor vehicle) Civil/Political Disorder: Economic emergency, riot, strike, demonstration/special events, terrorism/sabotage, hostage situation, attack (conventional, nuclear, biological, chemical) 5. Assumptions The county and its political subdivisions have capabilities including manpower, equipment, supplies, and skills of public and private agencies and groups that will maximize preservation of lives and property in the event of an emergency. Emergencies may require coordination and cooperation among diverse governmental and private organizations in order to protect the lives and property of county residents. Emergencies may occur after the county has been alerted or they may occur with little or no warning. Organizations that have been assigned as either primary or support agencies are aware of their emergency responsibilities and will carry out their duties to the full extent. Local resources, available through public, volunteer and commercial means will be utilized first. State and federal support will augment ongoing disaster operations. Local jurisdictions will enter into mutual aid agreements with each other as necessary to use their resources most effectively in response to emergencies and disasters. 6. Concept of Operations a. Phases of Emergency Management The primary goals of emergency management are to protect lives and preserve property by developing appropriate operational capabilities. To reach these goals emergency management is divided up into the following four (4) phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. i. Mitigation Activities that eliminate or reduce the probability of a disaster occurring, or lessen the damaging effects of those that do. Mitigation falls within recognized time periods. Mitigation takes place in the pre-emergency time period ii. Preparedness Preparedness activities develop and improve response capabilities that are needed in an emergency. There are four primary activities associated with preparedness: o Training o Exercising o Planning o Resource identification (NIMS typing), acquisition, and management Preparedness falls within recognized time periods Preparedness takes place in the pre-emergency time period iii. Response Actions taken during or directly following the emergency that will protect lives, minimize damage to property, and also enhance the effectiveness of recovery. Response falls within recognized time periods iv. Recovery Activities that are on both a short-term and long-term scale Short-term activities return infrastructure systems at the site of an emergency to minimum operating standards Long-term activities return the devastated area to normal functioning conditions Recovery falls within recognized time periods Mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery all fall within recognized time periods. Mitigation and preparedness activities take place in the pre-emergency time frame. Response activities occur trans-emergency and recovery activities occur in the post-emergency time frame. Mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery are all addressed in the Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) of this plan to include the essence of planned arrangements for each time frame. 7. Emergency Activation a. Activation of the Emergency Operations Center Emergencies that occur in Butler County may require the immediate activation of the entire EOP and Emergency Operations Center (EOC, or may require merely monitoring by emergency management personnel. The following are the stages of activation: i. Monitoring 1. The Emergency Management Agency notifies the Executive Committee of the current situation as well as begins the process of coordinating with affected jurisdictions. 2. Emergency Management personnel report to the EOC for monitoring duties and assessment. 3. Information is continuously gathered from locally affected agencies. Depending on the event, the situation is either brought to a close or upgraded to the next activation level. ii. Partial 1. An Emergency Management Agency representative is sent to the emergency or disaster site to further evaluate the situation, provide information concerning the on-going incident and/or assess the needs of the jurisdiction(s). Emergency Management Agency personnel notify