ERIC WISEMAN, DIRECTOR Phone Number: (828) 688-2139, ext. 328 Fax Number: (828) 688-4443 E-mail: mitem@mitchell.main.nc.us

OFFICE HOURS OF OPERATION

8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday; On Call 24 Hours a Day

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Emergency Management is an office of Mitchell County and is headed by the Mitchell County Emergency Management Coordinator, Eric Wiseman. The division was reorganized in 1984 in order to align with the State of North Carolina and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) concept of comprehensive emergency management. FEMA was formed as an umbrella organization in which all agencies responsible for response and relief activities in both natural and man-made disaster situations were brought together.

Emergency Management has four principal functions: preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. The division is responsible for planning for and responding to emergency needs in the event of a disaster. If the damages are extensive, the Emergency Management Coordinator will recommend to the County Commissioners that they request through the Governor of North Carolina a Presidential Disaster Declaration thus entitling affected citizens to all federal disaster assistance programs.

The Office of Emergency Management assists units in the county and city governments in the planning for natural disasters, such as floods or tornadoes, or man-made disasters, such as chemical spills, transportation accidents or nuclear attack.

Training and education programs conducted by the North Carolina division of Emergency Management in support of emergency planning are coordinated by the Mitchell County Emergency Management Coordinator.

Exercises ranging from tabletop versions to full-scale mock accidents involving Mitchell and surrounding counties are staged to assure that proposed plans will work. These exercises are the primary means for determining the effectiveness and appropriateness of the plans. The County Emergency Management Coordinator also assists in the development of communications systems which will allow the safety and well-being of the citizens. Communication systems among emergency works will be designed to relay what has happened and what must be done to assure the safety and well-being of the citizens. Communication systems among emergency services, elected officials and citizens are interrelated and must be coordinated with commercial broadcast stations.

The Mitchell County office of Emergency Management also makes state and federal engineer consultants available to local governments in designing Emergency Operation Centers where public officials meet and discuss emergency situations. An Emergency Operation Center promotes rapid decision-making and prompt public information during emergency situations.

In support of their efforts to reduce the loss of life and property, the Mitchell County Office of Emergency Management is closely aligned with all the Mitchell County Fire Departments in the areas of planning, training and providing emergency equipment such as radiation monitoring detectors and federal excess property.

The Mitchell County Emergency Management Coordinator response functions include the operation of the County Emergency Operation Centers in support of county and municipal emergency response teams during emergency situations. Everyday activities include monitoring the capability of counties and municipalities to respond to emergencies and to assist in improving their levels of readiness.

The Mitchell County Emergency Management Coordinator serves as county liasion to the State Emergency Response Team (SERT). The SERT directs on-site state response activities when more than one state agency is involved and will, upon request, direct the total response, including local, state, federal and private resources. The SERT is composed of representatives from each state agency involved in the response and its composition and operating procedures are flexible enough to provide the core of the management organization for recovery efforts under a Presidential Disaster Declaration.

Recovery activities are those which are necessary to return life to normal in a disaster-stricken community of Mitchell County.

Immediately following a Presidential Disaster Declaration, One-Stop Disaster Assistance Centers will be established within each affected community. The centers will assist victims in obtaining temporary housing and financial assistance to replace damaged belongings. Disaster loans and grants will be administered by the Office of Emergency Management to assist businesses and local governments within Mitchell County to recover from damages.

Mitigation is the effort of government within Mitchell County which includes and activies that reduce or eliminate the problems associated with disasters. The mitigation process includes the encouragement of local participation in flood insurance programs and long-range planning by county and municipal governments, as well as monetary assistance provided by the federal government.