RESOLUTION NO. R06-07
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN

I. AUTHORITY
The Commonwealth Emergency Management Service Act of 1978, Public Law 1332.

II. PURPOSE
To provide an effective plan for East Hempfield Township designed to safeguard life and property by making use of available manpower, equipment and other resources in order to minimize the effects of disasters.

III. SCOPE
The provisions of this plan are applicable to all of the areas within the political boundaries of East Hempfield Township.

IV. SITUATION
East Hempfield Township lies within the Central Western section of Lancaster County and has a resident population of approximately 21,399, with a summer peak period including tourists and other transient persons.

There are railways, including high-speed railways, several cross-country pipelines, high voltage transmission lines, and highways that pass through the Township. Flood plain areas are not extensive and very little of the population resides within these flood plains. The Conestoga Creek, the Chiques Creek and tributaries provide natural avenues for concentration and distribution of unexpected pollution resulting from spills.

Although the economy is based upon industry and agriculture, there are numerous commercial businesses operating within the Township.

East Hempfield Township has various resources in both public and the private sectors that are available during emergency situations. Industrial and commercial facilities, wholesale/retail outlets, emergency service organizations, public works equipment, skilled manpower, volunteer agencies and other special assets are available and provide a capability, however limited, to the Township.

V. ASSUMPTIONS
East Hempfield Township is subject to the following natural or man-made disasters.

1. Natural disasters likely to occur include limited flooding, drought, severe ice and snow conditions and winter storms, hurricanes, and other severe windstorms.
2. Man-made disasters likely to occur include sudden or unexpected environmental pollution,
Hazardous materials incidents, industrial or transportation accidents, pipeline rupture, conflagration, potable water shortage and prolonged failure of electrical energy supply and communications.
3. There is also the possibility of terrorist events with several different industries as well as several different schools that lie in the Township.

Maximum damage and destruction may result from disaster level emergencies. There will be an initial delay in federal and state aid that will require the local government to bear the initial impact of a disaster. Mutual aid agreements, both written and unwritten, with adjacent municipalities and their emergency response organizations will enhance disaster response capabilities.

VI. RESPONSIBILITIES
The elected officials of East Hempfield Township have the overall responsibility for the welfare, safety and well being of the public and the protection of their property.

The local elected officials can request or recommend the evacuation of a disaster area, but only the Governor can direct or order an evacuation.

The Emergency Management Coordinator is responsible for assisting the elected officials to prepare, test and when directed, to implement this plan and to oversee all police, fire, and EMS personnel at any such event.

VII. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
Direction of emergency operations and administration of disaster relief will be exercised by the local level of government affected.

All appropriate locally available forces and resources will be fully committed by the local government before requesting assistance from a higher level of government.

Support furnished local government from outside sources will be assigned on a mission-type basis and will be under the operational control of the department, agency or office requesting the support.

When two or more local political subdivisions are affected, the County will exercise responsibility for coordination and support to the area of operations.

Whenever the Governor has proclaimed a state of emergency, each political subdivision within the disaster area may enter into contracts and incur obligations necessary to combat such threatened or actual disaster, protect the health and safety of persons and property and provide emergency assistance to the victims of such disaster. In exercising this authority, the political subdivision may proceed without regard to time consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law (except for mandatory constitutional requirements) pertaining to the performance of public works, entering into contracts, incurring obligations, employment of temporary workers, rental of equipment, purchase of supplies and materials, levying of taxes and appropriation and expenditure of public funds.

Local governing bodies legally may adopt ordinances relating to emergency actions necessary to minimize disaster effects or facilitate disaster recover.

Emergencies occurring in the geographic area of a political subdivision will be reported by Emergency Management Coordinators through the operational chain of authority.

Emergency Operations Plans will be developed and actions taken to improve overall Emergency capabilities. Training and test exercises will be conducted on a recurring basis

All records, reports and informational data will be maintained, up-to-date to provide a continual means of assessing operational readiness.

Emergency Operations will be conducted from the Emergency Operations Center, (EOC) located at 1700 Nissley Road, Landisville, Pa. 17538.

Increased Readiness Phases – When threat of emergency exits, all county agencies having emergency operations responsibilities and all political subdivisions will alert their personnel and take those preliminary actions necessary to establish control and conduct emergency operations.

Emergency Response Phase – This phase emphasizes activities and actions to sustain life and property. Preliminary damage assessment and planning for recovery (operations) will be accomplished. Officials having emergency responsibilities will coordinate their actions in order to achieve maximum utilization of resources.

Recovery Phase – This phase requires that priority be given to recovery operations, assessment of damage effects, and restoration of essential facilities, economic stabilization and utilization of resources. Priorities must be established and coordinated regarding the order of emergency actions to be taken to achieve mutual survival and recovery goals.

VIII. EXECUTION
This plan is effective this date as a basis for planning response and recovery in situations.

APPROVED:

Elected Officials:
________________________
Neil R. Kinsey

________________________
John D. Bingham

________________________
Bernard J. Krutsick

________________________
Brett R. Miller

_________________________
Heidi F. Wheaton

Coordinator: ________________________
Michael S. Fitzgibbons

ANNEXES
A – Emergency Notification List
B – Organization Chart
C – Alert and Warning
D – Communications
E – Residents Requiring Special Needs
F – Public Information
G – Evacuation & Mass Care
H – Transportation
I – Fire Services
J – Police Services
K – Medical Services
L – Mutual Aid Agreements
M – Function Responsibility Descriptions
N – Available Resource List
O – School Emergency Operation Plans
P – Hazardous Material Areas
Q – Regional Mass Casualty Plan.
R – Biological and Chemical Threats
S – Water Authority Plan.

ANNEX A
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION LIST

COORDINATOR: Michael S. Fitzgibbons
Home: 681-9714
Work: 653-6619 or 629-6244

ELECTED OFFICIALS: Neil R. Kinsey, Chairman
Home: 898-1845
Work: 717-720-7371

John D. Bingham, Vice Chairman
Home: 898-7334

Bernard J. Krutsick
Home: (Unlisted)

Brett R. Miller
Home: 291-4630

Heidi F. Wheaton
Home: 898-6088

TRANSPORTATION: Laidlaw Transit, Inc.
3871 Harrisburg Pike, Mount Joy
Phone: 898-0067

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICIAL: Chairman of Board of Supervisors

DEPUTY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER: Township Manager

FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE: Hempfield Fire Department
Brian Rhodes, Chief
Home: 898-2411
Pager: 390-1175

Rohrerstown Fire Department
Scott Porman, Chief
Home: 207-0213
Cell: 314-3208

POLICE SERVICES: East Hempfield Township Police Department
Douglas D. Bagnoli, Chief of Police
Work: 898-3103

MEDICAL SERVICES: Susquehanna Valley EMS
Michael Fitzgibbons
Home: 681-9714
Work: 653-6619 or 629-6244

ANNEX B
Organization Chart

Coordinator

Deputy Coordinators

Chairman, Board of Supervisors

Board of Supervisors

Township Manager

ANNEX C
ALERT AND WARNING

Depending on the extent and situation of the incident will drive the direction of how the public will be notified in the event of an emergency. Listed below are some forms of communications and the associated contact numbers.

Sirens will also be used as a means of alert and warning.
(Designation of who will activate system) - 911 County Control

Radio: The Lancaster Emergency Alert Systems Stations: Contacted through the Lancaster EMA Office.

Television: The Lancaster Emergency Alert System: Contacted through the Lancaster EMA Office. Also communication can be done on a face-to-face basis without the alert of system being activated.

Traffic: All traffic problems should be referred to trafax for the broadcast of traffic information.

Mobile PA units (police and fire equipment) bull horns and house-to-house notification will be used if required.

ANNEX D
COMMUNICATIONS

The primary means of communications will be the telephone. There are two telephone lines available in the municipal EOC. Usual fire/police radio nets will be operational. In addition to these types of communications, a Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) operator will provide a backup radio means of communications to the County EOC.

BACKUP COMMUNICATIONS

The East Hempfield Fire Departments will be utilized as the back up EOC if needed and dependant on the location of the incident.

A rumor control center has been established by Lancaster County at the County EOC. The County Public Information Officer is responsible for staffing and operation of the rumor control telephone (s). The rumor control number for Lancaster County (717) 299-8378, will be published as the primary number for responding to questions from the public.

ANNEX E
RESIDENTS REQUIRING SPECIAL ATTENTION

In an emergency requiring evacuation, consideration must be given to residents having special requirements. The first group, non-ambulatory or invalids, may require special medical equipment or an ambulance to be moved from their homes. The second group is the hearing impaired who would require special notification procedures. These individuals will be assigned to route alert teams for individual contact.

The names and addresses of these residents should be made part of this annex.

ANNEX F
PUBLIC INFORMATION

The PIO will be designated by the EMA Director or by his or her designate.

The purpose of this annex is to prescribe procedures for the dissemination of official information to the public. The elected officials are responsible for releasing information to all news media. This will include periodic updates of the situation to keep the public informed.

The Public Information Officer shall have a well prepared program to include all altering methods such as siren sounding and the meanings of different signals.

The PIO shall release emergency bulletins to the media for special announcements during all phases of a disaster emergency. It is important that all information be released only by the PIO or other designated officials.

Any information that is given out needs to be cleared by the parties that are involved.

The dissemination of information will be given out on an hourly basis and several question and answer sessions will be held throughout the event.

AT NO TIME WILL ANY INFORMATION BE GIVEN OUT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE EMA DIRECTOR OR HIS/HER DESIGNEE.

ANNEX G
EVACUATION AND MASS CARE

HASTY

Any evacuation of residents can only be done with the knowledge of the EMA Director. At the time when there is a call for an evacuation it will be done in a swift and orderly manner. The proper information will be given out and the plan will be followed. Listed in this section are maps and evacuation sites. Depending on where the incident is located is where the evacuation point will be.

Evacuations will be under the control of the evacuation officer who will be determined at the time of the event.

Depending on the scale of the event will determine the level of response from outside agencies.

Anytime an evacuation is called the following will be notified and put on standby to determine where the event is going to head.

FULL SCALE

All long term evacuations will be coordinated at the County level. These mass care centers will be activated and managed by the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross.

ANNEX H
TRANSPORTATION

Privately owned vehicles will be used to the maximum extent possible. If additional transportation resources are required, school buses and/or commercial buses will be requested directly from the school districts or bus companies. The County will coordinate additional resources.

ANNEX I
FIRE SERVICES

The fire companies of Lancaster County are the first line of defense for all emergencies, whether fire related or not. During disaster emergencies, fire companies will have the primary responsibility to provide fire-fighting services. Additional responsibilities include:

1. Supplemental alert and warning

2. Search and rescue

3. Route alerting

4. Supplemental Communications

ANNEX J
POLICE SERVICES

The police services of Lancaster County are generally the first source of detailed information during a disaster emergency. In addition to the normal law enforcement and security responsibilities, police services will be expanded during emergency situations to include:

1. Supplemental alert and warning

2. Traffic control

3. Route alerting

4. Supplemental communications

ANNEX K
MEDICAL SERVICES

It is the responsibility of the ambulance service of Lancaster County to provide prehospital care to the sick and injured and transport victims to the designated health care facility.
Additional responsibilities include:

1. Assess the scene of the incident to determine the number and type of casualties and report to
the County.

2. Initiate triage

3. Supplemental communications

Response to a mass casualty incident will be initiated by the County upon receiving an emergency call or after receiving updated information from emergency response personnel on the scene. The local coordinator should maintain a list of all private sector health care personnel to provide assistance as may be required.

ANNEX L
MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS

This annex will contain all mutual aid agreements executed by the local municipality. The following are examples of agreements that can significantly reduce the effects of a disaster emergency:

1. Neighboring Township and Boroughs

2. Area school districts

3. Local merchants

ANNEX M
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY DESCRIPTIONS

Elected Officials

Decision making
Appointment of Emergency Management Coordinator
Spokesperson for Public Information

Emergency Management Coordinator

Overall planning and control of emergency operations
Disseminate alert/notification information
Coordinate operations with the County Emergency Management Coordinator
Provide manpower where and when needed
Determine personnel and equipment unmet needs and report to County
Establish emergency responsibilities of available municipal forces
Provide for the reentry of evacuees after the emergency situation is secured and reentry is ordered
Participate in training, drills and exercises as programmed by the County Emergency Management Coordinator
Provide training for volunteers operating in the Emergency Management Agency of the Municipality
Conduct annual reviews and update plan as required

Police Service

Traffic control on local roads and streets
Security and law enforcement in Municipality
Assist in access and reentry control
Coordinate efforts with law enforcement personnel

Fire Services

Assist in direct notification of residents using local alert teams
Provide fire and rescue operations
Relocate fire and rescue equipment when necessary
Coordinate efforts with fire/rescue personnel

ANNEX N
AVAILABLE RESOURCE LIST

SEE ATTACHED SHEETS ANNEX N - 1 THROUGH 10

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