Agenda - 10-03-2005-WS1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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WHAT IS 13 EM/ ER, M / ANAG M / NT? Orange County Emergency Management Department manages incidents relating to disasters or poten- tial disasters in addition to routine responses. Included in this department are the divisions of Emer- gency Medical Services, 9 -1 -1 Communications, Hazardous Materials response, county Fire Marshal's office, including traditional emergency management services.. The Department of Emergency Manage- ment uses a four -phase approach to emergencies: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery known as the emergency management cycle. Definitions of the four phases of the cycle are: Mitigation: activities designed to lessen, remove, prevent the impact, or minimize the poten- tially adverse effects of an emergency, including zoningibuilding code ordinances and enforcement of land use regulations. Preparedness: activities and programs that exist prior to an emergency and are used to support and enhance response to an emergency or disaster. This phase represents the largest portion of the du- ties of emergency management, Education, planning, and training are among the activities included in this phase, Response: activities and programs to address the immediate effects of the onset of an emer- gency or disaster and to help reduce casualties, damage, and to speed recovery. Coordination, warning, evacuation, and mass care are examples of response. Recovery: activities involving restoring systems to pre- incident conditions. Recovery actions are taken to assess damage and return vital life support systems to minimum operating standards; long- term recovery may take many years. The above information will, hopefully, help you to understand the function of the Department of'Emer- gency Management. For more information contact: Orange County Emergency Management 919 -968 -2050 Page 4