Vision Statement
The vision of Douglas County Emergency Management is that Douglas County, Kansas will be a community of cities and citizens who are disaster aware and disaster prepared.
Mission Statement
The mission of Douglas County Emergency Management is to provide a comprehensive emergency management program to effectively mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all types of major emergencies or disasters; and to educate and train Douglas County citizens, responders, and governing officials so that a disaster’s impact on people, property, and communities is minimized.
This comprehensive emergency management program includes all four phases of emergency management:
Mitigation is any effort that reduces the threat or the impact of a disaster. Emergency Management maintains a hazard analysis and monitors occurrence of threats and risks to Douglas County. We also work with local government officials on ways to minimize the impact on disasters on Douglas County cities and citizens.
Emergency Management maintains a hazard analysis and monitors occurrence of threats and risks to Douglas County, and works with local governmental officials on ways to minimize the impact of disasters on Douglas County residents and communities.
Mitigation efforts can include the following:
- Floodplain regulations
- Zoning and building codes
- In your own home, building a storm shelter
Emergency Management is responsible for the development and maintenance of a comprehensive Local Emergency Operations Plan that establishes a coordinated response and recovery effort for any disaster that may occur or threaten Douglas County, Kansas including regular exercises of this plan.
Preparedness also includes educating the public on the protective measures to take before, during and after a disaster, as well as working with public and private agencies on business continuity or emergency action plans. Emergency Management works with local first responders to ensure training for effective coordinated response occurs.
Emergency Management serves as the point of contact for the Local Emergency Planning Committee that oversees the manufacture, storage and use of hazardous chemicals in Douglas County under the federal SARA Title III legislation. They are also responsible for the development, maintenance and activation of the Local Emergency Operations Plan, the development of a trained network of Skywarn weather spotters, and an emergency amateur radio network. Additionally, Emergency Management facilitates public warning and notification for weather and civil emergencies using the NOAA weather radio system and local media.
Emergency Management coordinates all disaster response and recovery efforts in the Emergency Operations Center. This includes coordination of all state and federal resources, liaison with state and federal support agencies, coordination of local disaster volunteer efforts, documentation of disaster operation and any federal financial assistance, as well as coordination with local officials on the development of recovery plan for each community in Douglas County.
