[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Newark
Valley 1-27-1981, as revised through 12-15-1993.
Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this plan is to cite the authority, to formulate procedures
and to provide guidance for coordinated action in rendering assistance to
the citizens within the Village of Newark Valley in the event of a disaster.
Disaster planning is based on the New York State Defense
Emergency Act,[1] the regulations and orders of the State Defense Council and the
State Civil Defense Commission, the Emergency Plan for the Natural Disaster
of the State of New York and the National Plan for Natural Disaster Mobilization.
The Village of Newark Valley recognizes that planning
and preparatory actions are required before an emergency. Emergency preparedness
allows the Village of Newark Valley to prepare and react to emergency situations
to save life and property if the Village is threatened or affected by a disaster
and/or major emergency.
The Village Board shall have the primary responsibility
to see that everything possible is done to prepare for any disaster and to
provide for the safety and security of the community during a disaster.
Designate Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The Emergency
Operations Center for the Village will be in the Municipal Building/Fire Station,
9 Park Street, Village of Newark Valley, New York, or an alternate location
specified by the Mayor or his/her designee. Once the Mayor or next in line
has declared that an emergency exists, the Emergency Operations Center will
be staffed on a twenty-four-hour basis until the declared emergency subsides.
The Emergency Operations Center will forward all warnings, directives, information,
etc., to various local departments as appropriate. This will be done through
the use of department representatives, telephones (located in the Emergency
Operations Center) and radios in the Fire and Public Works Departments and
in the offices of cooperating agencies. Each member assigned to the Emergency
Operations Center will be familiar with this plan, particularly with the section
pertaining to each responsible person's service duties.[1]
Essential emergency operations records. The Mayor and
the Village Clerk-Treasurer, functioning at the Emergency Operations Center,
are responsible for the maintenance and availability of records, documents,
plans and other materials required to discharge their and others' functions
during an emergency.
Members of the Village of Newark Valley Board and other
designated personnel will assemble as soon as possible at the Emergency Operations
Center upon notification of the existence of an emergency.
To cope with the effects of an emergency, appropriate
steps will be taken at the Emergency Operations Center to mobilize fully the
available personnel, resources, facilities, supplies and materials in the
Village of Newark Valley according to the guidelines set forth in this plan.
Each department head in the Village of Newark Valley
is responsible for assuring maximum effectiveness and utilization of all personnel
and equipment of the department to accomplish the Village's responsibilities.
Each department head will retain control of the assigned department and implement
orders received from the Emergency Operations Center.
The Village of Newark Valley shall seek the cooperation
and aid of any or all surrounding communities in the event of an emergency
or disaster. Arrangements for mutual aid shall be made prior to any emergency
or disaster.
The Village of Newark Valley shall contact the Tioga
County Emergency Management Office regarding any major emergency or disaster
situation. Assistance shall be requested when local or mutual aid resources
are exhausted. All requests for assistance of any nature by any department
will be approved by the Mayor or the Village Clerk-Treasurer and will be made
to the County Emergency Management Office Director by direct phone contact
or by radio network.
Military assistance requests will be made by the Mayor
of the Village of Newark Valley to the Tioga County Emergency Management Office,
which in turn will forward them to the State Civil Defense Commission.[1]
The American Red Cross is recognized as the agency responsible
for mass care to persons immediately following a disaster. Local Red Cross
chapters can extend natural disaster relief assistance to individuals and
families, and the Red Cross can assume administrative and financial responsibility
in providing such assistance. The American National Red Cross has been assigned
this responsibility by the Congress of the United States. The Red Cross chapter
responsible for the Village of Newark Valley is the Tioga County Chapter,
173 Main Street, Owego, New York, telephone number 687-1413.
The Mayor of the Village of Newark Valley shall use any
and all facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel and other resources of
the Village of Newark Valley in such a manner as may be necessary or appropriate
to cope with the disaster.
The Mayor shall direct the activities of all agencies
within the Village of Newark Valley against the effects of an emergency in
conformance with the approved plans for the rescue and relief of the people
and the recovery and the rehabilitation of the community of Newark Valley.
The Mayor will utilize services of the Emergency Operations Center and its
staff for implementation of necessary measures to achieve emergency operations.
The Village Board, as the elected body of the people,
shall take all appropriate steps to prepare for any disaster or emergency
and shall generally be responsible for the implementation of this and other
emergency preparedness plans.
The Village Clerk-Treasurer is responsible
for the maintenance and availability of essential records, documents and other
materials required during the emergency.
The Deputy Mayor (emergency coordinator) appointed by
the Mayor directs the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan for the Emergency
Operations Center, under the direction of the Mayor. Also, under the direction
of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor coordinates the emergency operations of the
Emergency Operations Center, prepares estimates of the situation, advises
the Mayor of operational priorities and recommends requests for assistance
from the Tioga County Emergency Management Office.
The Fire Chief will be responsible for the direction
of all action to contain and extinguish fires resulting from emergencies and
for the removal of trapped and injured persons from damaged buildings and
flooded areas. The local Fire Chief may call upon the Tioga County Fire Coordinator
under mutual aid for advice and/or assistance concerning fire-related emergencies,
relief operations and coordination of emergency shelter and feeding operations.
The Mayor may designate a traffic control officer to
be part of the Emergency Operations Center for the purpose of controlling
traffic and population movements. The Tioga County Sheriff's Department and/or
the New York State Police, assisted by the local Fire and Police Departments,
will direct all action to maintain order, prevent looting and help alleviate
panic, direct the injured to medical installations and assist handicapped
persons by obtaining transportation and directing them to the nearest Emergency
Operations Center.[1]
The Public Works Superintendent of the Village of Newark
Valley is responsible for the maintenance of streets and bridges and all official
trucks, cars and equipment. The Superintendent will direct action to check,
restore and maintain essential public facilities and services, such as streets,
bridges, public buildings, water service and any other vital community services,
calling upon all public works and engineering services of Tioga County for
such assistance. The Public Works Superintendent will work in conjunction
with the applicable electric and gas utility, the telephone company and any
other local utility in the restoration of the various essential services.
The Code Enforcement Officer of the Village will be responsible
for safety inspection of damaged homes and businesses before evacuees are
allowed to reoccupy such buildings.
The Public Information Officer, under the supervision
of the Mayor of the Village of Newark Valley, directs the local dissemination
of emergency information and the issuance of news reports to the public and
notifies the County Emergency Management Office on the status and development
of emergency measures, using all media of public communication.
The Emergency Squad Captain directs all action to render
health and medical services to the community. The officer or staff shall alert
hospitals and ambulances in the area regarding anticipated medical needs.
Additional responsibilities and functions. All department
heads and/or those responsible for carrying out parts of the emergency operations
for the Village of Newark Valley shall have their responsibilities and functions
listed within this plan. A supply officer shall be designated by the Mayor
at such time as is necessary to account for and provide any and all supplies
as needed.