To provide guidance for the direction, control and coordination of emergency management activities; the preparation of proclamations and making requests for assistance.
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A. Direction and control of emergency management activities within Pierce County government rests with the Executive or the mayors of the cities and towns. The emergency powers of the Executive and the Director, Department of Emergency Management (DEM) are outlined in County Code 2.118.
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B. The following list of management priorities, listed in order of importance, are provided to guide Pierce County policy making before, during and after an emergency or disaster:
1. Protect health and life.
2. Protect the environment.
3. Protect public and private property.
4. Assess the situation.
5. Alert and inform citizens.
6. Evacuate citizens to a safe place.
7. Restore essential services.
8. Document and record decisions, costs, lessons learned, etc.
9. Provide support and guidance for rebuilding.
10. Take steps to mitigate future disasters.
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C. It is the policy of Pierce County to establish overall direction, control and coordination through an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to support the community response to a disaster. This will include coordination among the Executive, legislative and judicial branches of Pierce County government for the continuity of operations of essential government services. The DEM is responsible for designating alternate sites for the EOC.
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D. The Executive, through the Director of the DEM, is responsible for the direction and control of the organization, administration and operation of the emergency management program of Pierce County government. (RCW 38.52.070 and 38.52.110).
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E. The Executive's emergency management responsibilities include providing overall direction and control, issuing the proclamation of a state of emergency, requesting assistance from and through the Governor, coordinating with the County Council concerning disaster legislative needs, and providing emergency public information.
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F. The Pierce County Council's emergency management responsibilities include filling vacancies of elected officials as provided in the Pierce County Charter, appropriating money to meet emergency expenditure needs, and coordinating with the Executive with respect to these responsibilities (see Appendix 3).
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A. The DEM is the lead agency for facilitating coordination among local, state, Federal and private sector agencies and groups in Pierce County.
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B. To facilitate coordination among county departments, each department shall appoint a liaison and alternates to work with the DEM on mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery issues. Each department shall also make staff available, at the request of the DEM, to assist in emergency operations in the EOC. This shall include, but not be limited to, appropriate training for such activities as public information support, documentation, operations, and damage assessment. All costs for these activities shall be the responsibility of the respective departments (also see Basic Plan).
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C. The Pierce County Government Relations Office is responsible for coordinating with and providing information to local, state and Congressional elected officials from Pierce County.
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D. To assist the Executive in maintaining overall direction and control, each department will keep the EOC informed of what has happened, what the department can do about it, and what the department needs are, whenever the department is supporting an EOC activation.
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A. Room B-36 in the basement of the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Avenue South, is the primary EOC for Pierce County. Alternate EOCs may be identified as needed.
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B. The EOC will operate under the EOC plan guidelines.
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A. A Proclamation of Emergency is the legal method which authorizes extraordinary measures to solve disaster problems. A proclamation allows for the emergency use of resources, by-passing hearings and the competitive bid process, and activates extraordinary measures as outlined in this plan. It is a prerequisite for state assistance.
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B. It is the policy of Pierce County that all Proclamations of Emergency for Pierce County be prepared by or coordinated with the DEM (see RCW 35.33.081).
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C. In preparing a proclamation, a description of the event and the necessary emergency authorizations need to be documented. The state Emergency Management Division should also be informed and provided a copy of the proclamation, and a news release made as soon as possible when a Proclamation of Emergency is signed.
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D. Chapter 2.118, Pierce County Code, authorizes the Executive, or in the absence of the Executive, the Executive Pro Tempore of the County Council and then the Chairman of the County Council, in that order, to make a Proclamation of Emergency. If the situation warrants, the Director of the DEM is authorized to also make such declaration and to report the facts of the situation to the above at the earliest practical time.
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A. If the situation is beyond local capability, a second proclamation is issued, requesting state assistance or requesting the Governor request Federal Assistance. The 'Proclamation of Emergency' and the 'Request for Assistance' are two separate actions, although they may be combined. Part of this proclamation includes the Executive proclaiming the county 'a disaster area'. Although there is no statutory basis for this designation, it is suggested by the state Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and fulfills public expectations that local leadership is responding to the situation. Cities or towns in Pierce County may enact their own request proclamation or may request the Executive, through the DEM, to proclaim it on their behalf.
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B. There are some forms of assistance which due to an immediate need may be obtained without this proclamation; however, there are many ramifications involving state expenditures, Federal Assistance, and audit trails which make obtaining one advisable.
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C. This proclamation is prepared by the DEM, signed by the Executive, then sent to the state Emergency Management Division for consideration and presentation to the Governor. Under Chapter 2.118 of the Pierce County Code, in the absence of the Executive, the Executive Pro Tempore of the County Council, the Chairman of the County Council or the Director of the DEM, in that order, may also make this request.
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A. When the situation which required a proclamation is over, County Code 2.118.050 authorizes the Director of the DEM to request the Executive to terminate the emergency by a Termination Proclamation.
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B. The decision to terminate a proclamation should be coordinated with all of the departments which were part of the emergency operation. They may have different response needs which will influence the decision.
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A. Pierce County Executive
1. Provide overall direction and control of county emergency management activities.
2. Proclaim State of Emergency when necessary.
3. Proclaim the county a disaster area and request state and Federal Assistance when necessary.
4. Provide emergency information to the public.
5. Provide liaison with local, state and Congressional elected officials.
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B. Pierce County Council
1. Fill vacancies caused by a disaster in accordance with the County Charter.
2. Appropriate money to meet disaster related expenditures.
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C. Pierce County Department of Emergency Management
1. Develop and maintain EOC readiness.
2. Prepare Proclamations of Emergency and requests for state and Federal Assistance.
3. Provide mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery coordination among county departments and other agencies and organizations.
4. Coordinate with the Executive and other county departments for terminating Proclamations of Emergency.
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D. Pierce County Departments
1. Appoint liaisons to work with the DEM.
2. Designate locations(s) from which to manage departmental disaster activities.
3. Provide staffing support to the EOC when requested.
4. Develop departmental specific procedures and checklists (SOPs).
5. Provide initial notification of incidents to the DEM and keep it, or the EOC informed as events progress.
6. Coordinate information flow to local, state and Congressional elected officials from Pierce County.
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