All Hazards Plan - Executive Summary:
The following information serves as an explanation of the Charlotte- Mecklenburg County Integrated Response Plan for All Hazards. This document represents the culmination of more than two years of work by the staff of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office (CMEMO) as well as other city and county departments.
The most positive aspects of improvement over the existing plans are in the areas of accountability, liability, and the enhancement of public safety and welfare. The issue of enhanced public safety results from a more expeditious and uniform response brought about by a clearer understanding of responsibilities and roles as well as a more defined line of authority and control. The All Hazards plan clearly delineates these elements, thereby ensuring a rapid decision-making process that translates into prompt incident mitigation.
The All Hazards plan can be used in isolated incidents or for emergencies that affect an entire municipality or multi county area. The flexibility of the plan allows it to be used in a field operation setting without the activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or in harmony with EOC operations.
In summary, the All Hazards plan provides a guide for use in emergency operations which does not eliminate the quality of personal initiative which is often necessary in the mitigation of a rapidly evolving incident. The plan also maintains a sense of continuity between elected representatives, city/county management and emergency response organizations which is imperative in a disaster/emergency setting that threatens the safety and well-being of our community.
