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Why Plan for Disasters?
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Why Plan for Disasters?
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Natural and man-made disasters strike with little or no warning and with affects that are unpredictable and far reaching. While most communities are prepared for even large scale emergencies, disasters overwhelm the ability for emergency services and local support organizations to respond in an effective manner for a significant period of time. Disasters usually result in multiple incidents that threaten lives and property while limiting emergency response functions by disrupting communications and transportation. Individuals and organizations that fail to plan and prepare for disasters are most vulnerable in the first few hours and remain so for up to several days without assistance. Even families that survive disasters must often face the loss of their homes, property, source of income and fragmentation of families and sometimes entire communities.
Local governments’ preparedness to cope with the effects of a disaster include many diverse but interrelated elements, which must be woven into an Integrated Emergency Management System involving all departments and jurisdictions including private support agencies and the individual citizen. Planning for population protection must be a cooperative effort to avert or minimize the effects of natural or technological disasters protect lives and property; and restore the stricken area to its pre-disaster status with a minimum of social and economic disruption.
The Lucas County Emergency Operations Plan is a commitment of policy regarding emergency management. It assigns tasks and responsibilities to officials and department heads, specifying their roles during an emergency or disaster situation. The Plan is developed pursuant to Section 5502 of the Ohio Revised Code and a Resolution of the Board of Lucas County Commissioners assigning emergency responsibilities. Portions of the Emergency Plan are available for viewing within each sub-division of Lucas County or at the offices of Lucas County Department of Emergency Services.
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