Tipton County Emergency Management
Emergency Management Defined
Emergency management is the process of coordinating available resources to deal with emergencies effectively, thereby saving lives, avoiding injury, and minimizing economic loss.
History of Emergency Management
It all started when Congress enacted the Civil Defense Act of 1950, which created the Civil Defense. The Act was amended in 1979 and created the Federal Emergency Management Agency. States likewise enacted laws that provided for disaster planning and response. Title 10 of the Indiana Code created a State Emergency Management Agency and mandates that every jurisdiction within the state be protected by a local (preferably a countywide) emergency management agency.
Emergency Management Agency Responsibilities
Day-to-day functions of Tipton County Emergency Management are performed by the executive director, deputy director, administrative assistant, emergency management coordinator/planner, and the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) coordinator. The office is located at 121 W. Madison Street, Suite A, Tipton, Indiana.
Tipton County Emergency Management assists public safety agencies in all types of disasters including natural (severe storms, tornadoes, floods, etc), technological/man-made (major fires, hazardous materials releases, etc.) and national security (enemy attack, terrorism, etc.). Tipton County Ordinance Title 10, Article 14 establishes and defines Tipton County Emergency Management to provide for all necessary and indispensable powers and procedures reasonably needed to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergency conditions.
Tipton County Emergency Management is the local link to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency, which assist in obtaining homeland security grant funding from state and federal agencies and provide financial assistance in the event of a significant disaster.
Working Partnership
The task of disaster management requires a close working partnership among all levels of government (federal, regional, state, county and local) and the private sector (business, industry, voluntary organizations and the general public). Planning is a key component of emergency management. Planning to deal with emergencies occurs at each government level and should take place at the personal or family level as well.
We are here to serve the citizens of Tipton County through:
A. Prevention
- Conduct a risk assessment for county
- Review and update the county risk assessment yearly
- Update the CEMP, based upon the risk assessment, to prevent/lessen the effects of a manmade or natural disaster
- Monitor and inform on incoming weather
B. Protection
- Conduct a comprehensive planning assessment; develop single, countywide strategic, operational and tactical plans; and support local entities through planning and grants assistance
- Conduct training with local responder, negotiate mutual aid agreement, and designate, in advance, evacuation routes that could be used and provide information to the public to help them protect themselves appropriately
- Work with local business to develop disaster and continuity of operations plansProtection
C. Response
- Activate the county Emergency Operations Center to provide officials with real-time information and resource support to save lives and prevent/reduce harm to people and property during an emergency.
- Activate central coordination point for requesting mutual aid from surrounding counties, as well as state and federal resources.
- Support local law enforcement by providing traffic control resources.
D. Recovery
- Include both short- and long-term activities that restore vital services to minimum operating standards.
- Provide technical assistance for local government, small business, and individual property owners.
- Provide information on various grant/funding sources during the recovery phase.
- Conduct damage assessments of the area and provide information to IDHS and FEMA