[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Cortlandville 1-12-1994. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this plan is to cite the authority, formulate procedures and provide guidance for coordinated action in rendering assistance to the citizens within the Town of Cortlandville in the event of a disaster.
A. 
Disaster planning is based on the New York State Defense Emergency Act, 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.
B. 
The Town of Cortlandville recognizes that planning and preparatory actions are required before an emergency. Emergency preparedness allows the Town of Cortlandville to prepare and react to emergency situations to save life and property if the town is threatened or hit by a disaster and major emergency.
C. 
The Town 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.
A. 
Designation of emergency operations center (E.O.C.). The emergency operations center for the town will be in the Town of Cortlandville Highway Garage, 3801 Route 41, Cortland, New York. Once the supervisor 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. This will be done through the use of department representatives, telephones (located in the emergency operations center) and radios in the Police, Fire, Highway and Civil Defense 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.
B. 
Essential emergency operations records. Town Supervisor and Town Clerk, 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.
C. 
Sequence of action. Members of the Town of Cortlandville Board and other designated personnel will assemble as soon as possible at the emergency operations center upon notification of the existence of an emergency.
D. 
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 Town of Cortlandville according to the guidelines set forth in this plan.
(1) 
The Town Supervisor or the designated Emergency Coordinator is responsible for the notification and declaration of an emergency or disaster.
(2) 
Each department head in the Town of Cortlandville is responsible for assuring maximum effectiveness and utilization of all personnel and equipment of the department to accomplish the town's responsibilities. Each department head will retain control of the assigned department and implement orders received from the emergency operations center.
(3) 
The Town of Cortlandville should seek the cooperation and aid of any or all surrounding communities in the event of an emergency or disaster. Arrangements for mutual aid should be made prior to any emergency or disaster.
(4) 
The Town of Cortlandville should contact the County Civil Defense Office regarding any major emergency or disaster situation. Civil Defense assistance should be requested when local or mutual aid resources are exhausted. All requests for County Civil Defense assistance of any nature by any Department will be approved by the Town Supervisor or other designated person and will be made to the County Director of Civil Defense by direct phone contact or by the Civil Defense radio network.
(5) 
Military assistance requests will be made by the Supervisor of the town to the Cortland County Executive who will forward the request to the Cortland County Civil Defense Office and to the State Natural Disaster Commission.
(6) 
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 Town of Cortlandville is the Cortland County Chapter, 111 Port Watson Street Cortland, New York. Contact person is Bonnie Heath, Executive Director, phone number 753-1182.
The responsibilities and functions listed below recognize only basic duties. Each of the position descriptions may be altered or expanded to suit the needs of the individual town or village. One person may fill one or more of the below listed positions.
A. 
Town Supervisor.
(1) 
The Supervisor of the Town of Cortlandville is responsible for the conduct of disaster operations within the Town of Cortlandville.
(2) 
The Supervisor of the Town of Cortlandville shall use any and all facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel and other resources of the Town of Cortlandville in such a manner as may be necessary or appropriate to cope with the disaster.
(3) 
The Supervisor shall direct the activities of all agencies within the Town of Cortlandville against the effects of 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 the town. The Supervisor will utilize services of the emergency operations center and its staff for implementation of necessary measures to achieve emergency operations.
B. 
Town Board. The Town 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.
C. 
Town Clerk. The Town Clerk is responsible for the maintenance and availability of essential records, documents and other materials required during the emergency.
D. 
Emergency Coordinator. The Emergency Coordinator appointed by the Supervisor directs the implementation of the comprehensive plan for the emergency operations center, under the direction of the Town Supervisor. Also, under the direction of the Town Supervisor, the Emergency Coordinator coordinates the emergency operations of the emergency operations center, prepares estimates of the situation, advises the Supervisor of operational priorities and recommends requests for assistance from Cortland County Civil Defense.
E. 
Fire Chief and fire officers. The Fire Chief and fire officers will be responsible for the direction of all action to contain and extinguish fires resulting from emergencies and the removal of trapped and injured persons from damaged buildings and flooded areas. The local Fire Chief may call upon James LeFaver, the County Fire Coordinator, or the County Civil Defense, under mutual aid, for advice and/or assistance concerning fire-related emergencies, relief operations and coordination of emergency shelter and feeding operations.
F. 
Local police. The local police may designate a traffic control officer to be part of the emergency operations center for the purpose of controlling traffic and population movements. The local police will direct all action to maintain order, prevent looting and help alleviate panic; direct injured to medical installations, and assist handicapped persons by obtaining transportation and directing them to the nearest emergency operating center. The Police Chief may call upon the Cortland County Sheriff's Department and/or New York State Police for advice and/or assistance.
G. 
Superintendent of Highways. The Local Superintendent of Highways 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 and other vital community services, calling upon all public works and engineering services of Cortland County for such assistance. The Highway Director will work in conjunction with the New York State Electric and Gas Corporation, the New York Telephone Company, the local Water and Sewer Board and any other local utility in the restoration of the various essential services.
H. 
Building Inspector. The Building Inspector of the town will be responsible for safety inspection of damaged homes and businesses before evacuees are allowed to reoccupy such buildings.
I. 
Public Information Officer. The Public Information Officer, under the direction of the Supervisor of the Town of Cortlandville, directs the local dissemination of emergency information, the issuance of news reports to the public and notifies the County Civil Defense office on the status and development of emergency measures, using all media of public communication.
J. 
Communications Officer. The Communications Officer or staff supervises, directs, arranges and restores communications for all emergency purposes using available communication means and methods. Maximum use of all available forms of communications will be planned by all departments to aid the communications staff in carrying out its duties.
K. 
Medical Officer. The Medical Officer or staff directs all action to render health and medical services to the community. The Officer or staff should alert hospitals and ambulances in the area regarding anticipated medical needs.
L. 
Supply Officer. The Supply Officer (Resources and Production) carries out measures necessary to the emergency handling of all local resources.
M. 
Manpower Officer. The Manpower Officer directs the assignment of personnel to the various emergency services as requested.
N. 
Transportation Officer. The Transportation Officer carries out measures necessary to the utilization of all transportation modes for support and rescue operations.
O. 
School representative. The school representatives direct the action related to care for school students in school during an emergency situation.
P. 
Additional responsibilities and functions. All department heads and/or those responsible for carrying out parts of the emergency operations for the Town of Cortlandville shall have their responsibilities and functions listed within this plan. (List below any additional responsibilities and functions.)
The Town of Cortlandville identifies the following chain of command flow chart that outlines major positions as those which can be used in the event of an emergency.
Local State of Emergency or Proclamation Declaration
A State of Emergency is hereby declared in the Town of Cortlandville for a period of time beginning at _________ hours on the date of ________________ and continuing in effect for a period not to exceed five days and ending at _______ hours on the date of ___________________ .
The State of Emergency has been declared due to emergency conditions produced by:
_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
Such conditions threaten or imperil the public safety of the citizens of the Town of Cortlandville.
As SUPERVISOR of the Town of Cortlandville, I, ________________, have exercised the authority given to me under New York State Executive Law, Article 2-B, to preserve the public safety and hereby render all required and available assistance vital to the security, well-being and health of the citizens of the community.
I hereby direct the Department of __________________________ to take whatever steps necessary to protect life and property, public infrastructure and other such emergency assistance as deemed necessary.
Signed:
Title
Date
Once an emergency has been proclaimed, local emergency orders can be issued. A local emergency order shall be effective from the time and in the manner prescribed in the order and shall be published as soon as practicable in the news of general circulation in the area affected by such order. Such orders shall cease to be in effect five days after promulgation or upon declaration by the Chief Executive that the state of emergency no longer exists, whichever occurs sooner. The Chief Executive may extend such orders for additional periods not to exceed five days each during the pendency of the local state of emergency. Local emergency orders shall be executed in triplicate and shall be filed within 72 hours, or as soon thereafter as practicable, in the office of the Clerk of the governing board of the county, the office of the County Clerk and the office of the Secretary of State.