Josephine County Emergency Management coordinates and maintains a number of plans to help keep our citizens safe. These plans cover the four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Here is a brief description of how these plans work together:
Every five years, Josephine County conducts a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) to determine which disasters are likely to impact us, and to what extent we would be impacted by their effects. The next HVA will be conducted in 2021. This information guides the following two plans:
The Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) was developed in an effort to reduce future loss of life and damage to property resulting from natural hazards. It is impossible to predict exactly when natural hazard events will occur, or the extent to which they will affect community assets. However, with careful planning and collaboration among public agencies, private sector organizations, and citizens within the community, it is possible to minimize the losses that can result from natural hazards.
The Josephine County Integrated Fire Plan seeks to reduce the risk of wildfire to life, property and natural resources in Josephine County by coordinating public agencies, community organizations, private landowners, and the public to increase their awareness of and responsibility for fire issues. The Josephine County Integrated Fire Plan is the wildfire chapter of the County’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, however it also meets the national definition of a Community Wildfire Protection plan (CWPP).
The Josephine County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) discusses how disasters will be managed in Josephine County. It details the who, when and how local, state and federal agencies and partners will work together. The plan also contains annexes for each hazard likely to impact Josephine County (identified in the Hazard Vulnerability Assessment) which contain more specific information about planned management activities, as well as more specific agency roles and responsibilities.
Additionally, Josephine County departments (such as Public Works, the Airport, Public Health and many others) maintain and practice their own departmental plans to be sure that they are ready to respond to disasters.
Continuity of Operations Planning helps ensure that Josephine County government can continue to deliver services to our citizens during disasters, or anytime that our normal way of doing business is disrupted. Josephine County Emergency Management coordinates continuity planning for the county, and works with individual departments to develop and maintain their plans.