MISSION
The mission of the Mahaska County Emergency Management Agency is to serve the citizens of the county through effective planning for natural, man-made, and technological disasters. Our goal is to save lives and to protect property through coordination of an integrated emergency management system with all emergency response organizations, support services and volunteers. We will be an advocate for greater community efforts to mitigate and prepare for potential emergencies. We will support efforts to train and exercise emergency responders in both the public and private sectors. We will manage and coordinate efforts toward a rapid recovery from disasters with an effective disaster assistance program.
This agency is committed to effective actions to prevent some disasters and to reduce the impact of those over which we have no control.
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WHAT WE DO
The Mahaska County Office of Emergency Management:
- Develops and maintains the County's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan providing emergency management planning for the entire county
- Operates, maintains and enhances the Mahaska County Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
- Coordinates emergency management activities, services and programs within the county, including:
- Teaching people how to get through a disaster
- Helping equip local first responders
- Making disaster assistance available to our communities, businesses, and individuals
- Training and emergency simulations, including yearly drills and spotter training
- Serves as liaison to the State Division of Emergency Management and other local emergency management agencies and organizations
- Serves as the liaison and the coordinator of municipalities’ requests for State and Federal assistance during pre and post-disaster operation
The office of Emergency Management is responsible for work in the development, implementation and management of county-wide disaster prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. The EOC, when activated, is a central location where representatives of local government and private sector agencies convene during disaster situations to make decisions, set priorities and coordinate resources for response and recovery.
The role of emergency management as a service is ever expanding in scope and increasing in its commitment to the citizens of our county. Mahaska County Emergency Management will implement a comprehensive all hazards emergency management program using sound risk management principles that will improve quality of life and minimize effects after a disaster through mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities.
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WHAT ARE THE PHASES OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT?
Disasters do not just suddenly appear one day, but instead they have a life cycle. Realizing this, emergency management matches the disaster life cycle with a series of phases that include strategies to mitigate the hazards, prepare for and respond to emergencies and to finally recover from their effects. These four phases are not independent, but instead are integrated with each other phase in a continual evolution. The four phases are comprised of various functions and activities, some of which are independent, while others are dependent upon other functions.
Mitigation refers to activities which actually eliminate or reduce the chance of occurrence or the effects of a disaster. Examples include reinforcement of a roof to reduce structural damage from high winds, preventing use of hazardous areas such as flood plains, or adjusting the use of such areas by elevating structures to reduce the chance of flooded houses.
Preparation is planning how to respond in case an emergency or disaster occurs, and working to increase resources available to respond effectively to the disaster. Preparation activities are designed to help save lives and to reduce property damage by preparing people to respond appropriately when an emergency is imminent. The development of the city emergency operations plan is a preparation activity, such as assembling an individual disaster kit.
Response activities occur during and immediately following a disaster. They are designed to provide emergency assistance to victims of the event and reduce the likelihood of secondary damage. Police, fire and rescue services are the primary responders during the response phase.
Recovery is the final phase of the emergency management cycle. Recovery continues until all systems return to normal, or near normal. Short-term recovery returns vital life support systems to minimum operating standards. Long-term recovery from a disaster may go on for years until the entire disaster area is completely redeveloped, either as it was in the past or for entirely new purposes that are less disaster-prone. Relocation of portions of a flood-prone town and turning the area into an open space or parkland is a recovery example. Recovery planning should include a review of ways to avoid future emergencies.
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