DIRECTION AND CONTROL 
BERTIE COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN
Reviewed / Updated: April 07, 2016

Primary Agency: Administration
 
Support Agencies: All
   
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Organizational Chart
Attachment 2: Incident Command Organization
Attachment 3: Direction and Control Checklist
Also see
Annex Emergency Operations Center
   

 
I. PURPOSE

This annex outlines the direction and control procedures for emergency operations and identifies the personnel, facilities and resources which will be utilized in the coordinated response activities.
 
II. SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS
 
  A.  Situation:
 
    1. Direction and control of normal day-to-day emergencies is performed by senior on-scene emergency response personnel (i.e., law enforcement, fire, rescue, EMS) in accordance with local ordinances, policies and procedures.
 
    2. Many hazards exist within or near the County which have the potential to cause disasters of such magnitude as to warrant centralization of the direction and control (Emergency Operations Center) function in order to conduct effective and efficient emergency operations.  
 
    3. Centralized county‑wide direction and control (Emergency Operations Center activation) is desirable when one or more of the following situations occur:
 
     
  • there exists an imminent threat to the safety or health of the public;
  • extensive multi‑agency/multi-jurisdiction response and coordination is necessary to resolve or recover from an emergency or disaster situation;
  • local resources are inadequate or depleted and significant mutual aid, state and/or federal resources must be utilized to resolve the emergency or disaster situation;
  • the disaster affects multiple political jurisdictions within the County which are relying on the same emergency resources to resolve the emergency or disaster situation;
  • local emergency ordinances are required and implemented to control the emergency situation.
    4. The type and magnitude of any emergency event occurring in Bertie County or a municipality within the County will dictate the need to activate the EOC.
 
    5. The County Emergency Operations Center serves as the central direction and control point for county‑wide emergency response activities.
 
    6. The primary County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is located at 106 Dundee Street in Windsor.
 
    7. In the event the primary Emergency Operations Center is inoperable, an alternate Emergency Operations Center may be established in the Windsor Fire Department or other appropriate location.
 
  B.

Assumptions:
 
    1. The designated Emergency Operations Center will be activated upon the threat or occurrence of a major emergency/disaster and designated personnel will report to the Emergency Operations Center in a timely fashion.
 
    2. The County Emergency Operations Center facility and equipment is adequate for coordinating county‑wide emergency operations.
 
    3. Sufficient procedures have been developed to effectively direct and control disaster operations/recovery.
 
    4. Emergency operations and coordination at all levels of government will be carried out according to plans and procedures.
 
    5. All Municipalities will probably not send a representative to the County EOC.
 
    6. Municipalities will maintain communications with the County EOC via telephone, radio or fax.
 
    7. Municipalities will act in unison with the County on such issues as proclamations, public information and evacuations.
 
III. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
 
  A. General
 
    1. Emergency operations shall include all activities which are directed toward reduction of the immediate hazard, establishing situation control and restoration of normal operations within the County.
 
    2. The responsibility for the direction and control of disaster situations is vested in the County Board of Commissioners and is routinely exercised through the Emergency Management Coordinator or the County Manager.
 
    3. The Emergency Management Coordinator will activate, organize and operate the Emergency Operations Center in a flexible manner based on the magnitude of the situation.
 
    4. The organizational structure of the Emergency Operations Center will be arranged according to the type of incident, agencies and/or jurisdictions involved, objectives and strategies selected to resolve the situation and the demands of the emergency. Municipalities, when needed, will provide representation in the County Emergency Operations Center for inter-jurisdictional coordination when the event severely affects the jurisdiction, or as requested.
 
    5. The Chairman of the Board of Commissioners and County Manager will be notified by the Emergency Management Coordinator when Emergency Operations Center activation is warranted to direct and control emergency operations.
 
    6. The Emergency Operations Center is the operational area from which emergency response activities can be directed, controlled and coordinated and utilizes the facilities of the County Communications Center. It will be managed in accordance with the County Emergency Operations Center Standard Operating Procedures. 
 
    7. On-scene activities of emergency response personnel will be managed utilizing the Incident Command System.
 
    8. Municipalities within the County may exercise independent direction and control of their own emergency resources, outside resources assigned to them by the County Emergency Operation Center and resources secured through existing mutual aid agreements with other jurisdictions. All requests for state or federal assistance will be directed to the County Emergency Management Coordinator.
 
    9. The Bertie County EOC may be activated by the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners or his designee, the County Manager or his designee, or the Emergency Management Coordinator.
 
    10. Municipal EOCs will be activated by the Mayor or Mayor�s designee, or the Emergency Management Coordinator.
 
    11. Emergency operations and coordination at all levels of local government will be carried out according to existing standard operating procedures.
 
    12. Notification of County EOC personnel is the responsibility of the Emergency Management Coordinator.
 
    13. Operational readiness of the County EOC is the joint responsibility of the Emergency Management Coordinator and the Chief of the Windsor Fire Department.
 
    14. Notification of Municipal EOC personnel is the responsibility of the Mayor or Mayor's designee.
 
    15. Operational readiness of Municipal EOCs is the responsibility of the Mayor or Mayor's designee.
 
    16. Administrative decisions regarding food, supplies and other incidental needs for the County EOC during activation is the responsibility of the Operations Officer. Similar administrative decisions regarding municipalities will be the responsibility of the Mayor or Chief elected official.
 
    17. Upon activation of any Municipal EOC, the Municipality will establish communications with the County EOC and/or Communications Center, who will in turn notify the Emergency Management Coordinator.
 
    18. Whenever an EOC is activated or activation of an EOC appears imminent, the County Emergency Management Coordinator will in turn notify the Division of Emergency Management.
 
    19. Frequent staff briefings will be conducted for EOC staff.
 
  B. Staffing

The name of the group may change as well as its' composition, but the functions will remain the same. "Groups" will also work in close association with one another, often sharing the same physical space and often crossing groups to work with and coordinate with others.

Personnel reporting to the County EOC will operate in one of two functional sections assigned or predetermined by the Operations Officer.
 
    1. The Control Group, under the direction of the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, or his designee, consists of the decision makers of the jurisdiction and others as decided by the Chairman. This group is responsible for:

  1. The approval of policies and strategies pertinent to the emergency situation.
     

  2. Leadership and decision-making (for implementation by the Support Group).
     

  3. Preparation and release of statements to the general public in coordination with the Public Information Officer.
     

  4. Maintaining a line of communication with their respective administrators and County/Municipal elected officials utilizing communications equipment available.
     

  5. Upon activation, maintaining a presence in the EOC to carry out the direction and control function.
     

  6. Maintaining an awareness of the overall actions being taken in response to the emergency situation.

    2. The Support Group, under the direction of the Control Group is responsible for on-scene operations including the allocation of resources. The Support Group may consist of the following Sub Groups (Emergency Support Functions) and state agency representatives:

  1. Information: Sheriff, Emergency Management Coordinator, Public Information Officer and County Manager.
    Group Leader:     County Manager.
     

  2. Communications/Notification and Warning: Bertie County Communications, Amateur Radio and Sheriff's Office.
    Group Leader:     Sheriff's Office.
     

  3. Traffic Control/Law Enforcement/Emergency Transportation: Sheriff's Office, N.C. Highway Patrol, Municipal Police Departments and N.C. Department of Transportation.
    Group Leader:     Sheriff's Office.
     

  4. Fire and EMS: Fire Association President and Emergency Medical Service.
    Group Leader:     Fire Association President.
     

  5. Shelter/Mass Care: Department of Social Services, Health Department, Emergency Medical Service, Superintendent of Schools and American Red Cross.
    Group Leader:     Department of Social Services.
     

  6. Medical Emergency/Mass Casualty: Health Department, Emergency Medical Service and Sheriff's Office.
    Group Leader: Health Department.
     

  7. Utilities: Operations Officer, Public Works, North Carolina Power, Rural Electric Association (REA), and Sprint-Carolina Telephone.
    Group Leader: Operations Officer.
     

  8. Damage Assessment: Operations Officer, Tax Officer, Finance Officer, Red Cross, Forest Ranger, U.S.D.A. Emergency Board Member and Management Information Systems.
    Group Leader: Tax Officer.
     

  9. HazMat: Fire Service Representative, Sheriff's Office, Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Management Coordinator.
    Group Leader: Emergency Management Coordinator.
     

  10. Donated Goods/Unmet Needs: Donated Goods Committee, Council on Aging Director and Volunteers.
    Group Leader:     Council on Aging Director.
     

  11. Volunteers:  Volunteer Coordinator, Operations Officer, Forestry, Fire Association President and Rescue Association President.
    Group Leader:     Volunteer Coordinator
     

  12. Recovery:  Volunteer Coordinator, Unmet Needs Chairmen, Debris Coordinator, Donated Goods Coordinator, Emergency Management Coordinator, Finance Officer and Tax Officer.
    Group Leader: Emergency Management Coordinator.

IV. CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT
  A. Staffing assignments for positions in the Emergency Operations Center will allow for continuous 24-hour operations. Selection and assignment of personnel will be the responsibility of the agency.
 
  B. In the event that the primary Emergency Operations Center is not functional, an alternate Emergency Operations Center will be activated.
       

Attachment 1
Direction and Control Organization Chart
 
 
 

Attachment 2
Incident Command Structure
 
 


 
Attachment 3
Direction and Control Checklist
 
         
  Implement Incident Command, using the most current level (i.e., ICS 200, ICS 300, etc.).
    Incident Commander assumes command until relieved
    Liaison Officer
    Safety Officer
    Communications Officer
     
  Activate the Emergency Operations Center as appropriate to the incident.
  Notify EOC staff to report.
    Chairman of the Board assumes command or delegates the EOC Incident Commander who assumes command.
 
  Establish direction and control.
 
  Establish EOC groups.
    Control (Command)
    Support
 
  Establish communications with Field Incident Commander(s) and advise them when the EOC is activated / operational.
 
  Determine immediate needs.
 
  Establish displays (i.e. white boards, computer projections, etc.).
 
  Assign group leaders if not already established.
 
  Assign duties to the various group leaders.
 
  Develop an incident action plan.
 
  Establish communications with the State EOC.
 
  Establish communications with municipal EOCs.
 
  Establish communications with neighboring EOCs.
 
  Review Mutual Aid agreements.
 
  Follow Emergency Operations Center guidelines and/or modify guidelines as necessary.
 
  Provide support to field Incident Commander(s).

 
 

Bertie County Emergency Management - PO Box 530 - Windsor, NC 27983-0530