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Department
Information
- Hazard Mitigation
- In coordination with a variety of partner organizations, we analyze
the natural and man-made hazards that the county faces, determine our
vulnerability to those threats, and develop ways to minimize or eliminate
the damage they pose. In some cases, this may involve the construction of
physical barriers (dams to protect an area from flooding, brush removal to
prevent the spread of a wildland fire, etc.). In other cases, it may be
accomplished by rules and regulations (prohibition of certain construction
activities in designated floodplains, designation of routes for transportation
of hazardous materials, etc.). This planning is documented in the
Maricopa
County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. As a part of this
planning effort, hazard mitigation plans were developed for all of the 24
incorporated cities and towns in the county.
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- Maricopa County Emergency Operations Plan
- We develop the county’s overall plan for response to, and recovery
from, major emergencies. In doing so, we closely follow the National
Incident Management System (NIMS), which was established by the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security to ensure a common disaster response
framework throughout the nation. The plan has been carefully coordinated
with the State of Arizona Emergency Response and Recovery Plan and the
emergency operations plans of the cities and towns in the county. To
view the plan, please visit our office at 2035 North 52nd Street in
Phoenix.
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- Homeland Security
- We assist in the development of the Central Region (Maricopa County)
homeland security strategy and help the various cities, towns, tribes,
and independent fire districts integrate their efforts into that strategy.
We also assist them in complying with the rules and procedures they
need to follow to receive the U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant
funds that are so critical to establishing and maintaining a capability
to prevent or respond to terrorist events.
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- Communications and Warning
- We maintain, monitor and test a variety of fixed, mobile and portable
radios; monitor and test a warning siren system within a 10-mile radius
surrounding the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station.
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- Hospitals and Nursing Homes
- We provide assistance in disaster planning and mass casualty management
exercises and drills for hospitals and nursing homes in the county.
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- Schools
- We provide assistance in emergency planning to approximately 1000
schools and school districts in Maricopa County.
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- Public Awareness
- We provide speakers to organizations on various themes concerning
Emergency Preparedness: Desert Survival, Palo Verde Planning, Flood
Hazard Response, Weapons of Mass Destruction, etc. We provide tours
of the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and instructions in
disaster preparedness.
- Disaster Assistance
- We provide damage assessment support following a disaster to teams
that are surveying areas to determine eligibility for state and federal
assistance. Affected county and city/town agencies are briefed and Local
Assistance Centers are opened, if necessary, to aid local jurisdictions
and individuals in recovering from losses incurred during the disaster.
- Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- We have been using GIS for several years to support all aspects of
our operations. We have access to hundreds of spatial databases and
aerial photograph catalogs. GIS is used to perform hazard analyses before
an incident, as a response tool to provide an integrated view of the
incident in our EOC, and as a tool to aid our post-disaster recovery
efforts.
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- Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)
- We serve as the administrative agency for the Maricopa County LEPC,
established under the authority of the Superfund Amendments and Re-authorization
Act (SARA) of 1986. Additionally, we serve as the repository and point
of contact for information submitted in accordance with the Community
Right-to-Know provision of SARA.
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- Citizen Corps
- We coordinate the establishment of, and assist in the maintenance
of, the Arizona Central Region Citizen Corps Council (ACRCCC). The ACRCCC
is the umbrella group for local Citizen Corps councils throughout the
county and for the five citizens' volunteer program affiliated with
them:
- Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
- Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS)
- Medical Reserve Corps
- Neighborhood Watch
- Fire Corps
- Assistance to Incorporated Jurisdictions
- Assist cities and towns with which the county has an intergovernmental
agreement in developing their own emergency plans and training programs.
NOTE: Through Intergovernmental Agreements (IGA), staff members are assigned
as liaisons to incorporated cities and towns to provide assistance in
the preparation of local emergency plans and training programs.
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