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Facts About EMA
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What is the Emergency Management?Emergency Management is a systematic, organized approach to analyzing, planning, decision making, and assigning resources to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all hazards, man-made or natural. Back to TopGoal of Emergency Management:The goal of emergency management is to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect property and the environment if an emergency occurs. Back to TopErie County Emergency Management Agency/Office of Homeland Security:The Erie County Emergency Management Agency is responsible for planning, mitigation, response, and recovery for both natural and man-made disasters in the County. This includes nuclear attack, terrorism, weather phenomena, nuclear power plant accidents, hazardous materials accidents, and any other occurrence deemed a disaster or emergency. With mutual aid agreements, we have also responded to situations in surrounding counties when requested. To accomplish this task, the EMA constantly coordinates with fire, law enforcement, and EMS throughout the County to insure taskings are compatible. We also coordinate plans with other support and relief agencies such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, area hospitals, local amateur radio and civic/volunteer groups. We respond to community emergencies and disasters such as: tornados, floods, severe winter storms, earthquakes, and hazardous material (chemical) events and terrorist incidents. The Agency insures our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This facility provides emergency communications, radio and telephone, along with other features designed to allow EOC members to help manage any disaster that may befall our county. Our Emergency Response vehicle is also outfitted with communications, and other response type equipment, allowing us the capability of a mobile EOC. Emergency Management is also tasked with maintaining the Erie County 9-1-1 service. Our telecommunications individual provides this service, along with helping to maintain all telephones within the county government umbrella. In 2007, our eight (8) 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP's) located throughout the County, handled over 18,500 regular 9-1-1 calls, and close to 18,100 cellular 9-1-1 calls. Back to TopEmergency Management Staff:The Agency employs three full time staff members, a 9-1-1 Specialist/Secretary, a 9-1-1 Telecommunications Coordinator, and the Agency Director. Marianne Cheetham serves as the Emergency Management Agency secretary and 9-1-1 Specialist, and has been with the Agency for over twelve years. She also serves as the Information Coordinator for the Local Emergency Planning Committee. Marianne is responsible for all correspondence and financial requirements for the Agency. She also assists Mr. Hall with 9-1-1 issues. Robert C. Hall has been with the Agency for over eight years. Prior to working for Erie County, Bob worked as a 9-1-1 Coordinator and as a Local Manager for Verizon Communications Company for thirty years. Bob is responsible for all telephone issues such as repairing telephones, programming features on telephones, and assisting all county offices with communications requirements. He is also responsible for maintenance and functionality of Erie County's Enhanced 9-1-1 system. This includes updating the Master Street Address Guide, tabulating daily 9-1-1 calls for all eight Public Safety Answering Points, and resolving all discrepancies that may occur with customer information. Bill Walker has been the Director of the Agency for eighteen years. Prior to working for the county, Bill was a Disaster Preparedness Specialist/Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Warfare Instructor in the U.S. Air Force for over twenty-two years. Back to TopFunding for the Agency consists of a 25 cent per capita fee for Emergency Management, and a 7 cent per capata fee for Hazardous Materials, for each Erie County Subdivision. We maintain an Emergency Management Performance Grant with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and a Partnership Agreement with the Davis Besse Nuclear Power Station. We also receive a grant from the State Emergency Response Commission for hazardous material planning and exercises. For the last few years, we have received Federal Homeland Security Grants to better prepare the county for acts of terrorism. Back to Top
This agency responded to over 52 requests for
assistance in 2007, covering hazardous materials spills, flooding, disposal of
household hazardous materials, and mercury recovery/releases.
Boards/Committees/Associations: The Agency chairs, or is a member of, the following Boards, Councils, and Associations:
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