EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

W. John Mitchell II, Chairman

Carl Rogers, Director & Town Manager

P.O. Box 116, Websterville, VT 05678

P: 1-(802)-479-9331 F: 1-(802)-479-9332

E: offices@barretown.org & crogers@barretown.org

                Emergency management, formerly known as civil defense, is the local government function that helps assure the many town departments and officials have a coordinated preparedness plan for the response to and recovery from emergencies.  An emergency is any event, natural, man-made or technological, which threatens or actually does damage property or injures people.  The emergency management function becomes involved when the response to an emergency requires more resources than the responding department(s) have available.  A fire is an emergency but emergency management does not become involved until the situation grows beyond the fire department’s capability, even after mutual aid support, to manage the situation.  Emergency management may be activated for a fire emergency when mass evacuation, sheltering, response actions are needed.

                Emergency management is not a service the public would call for. Instead department heads would call for assistance from the Division of Emergency Management.

                The Barre Town Selectboard, many years ago, adopted an emergency management (civil defense) ordinance signifying that protection of town residents and their property was a priority in Barre Town. As required by the ordinance the Town has appointed an emergency management chairman and adopted a written emergency operation plan (EOP). The EOP is an all hazards plan meaning it establishes the framework for response to any emergency and identifies resources that may be required for any emergency. An emergency operation center (EOC) had been established and equipped in the municipal building. Briefings with staff and the selectboard are conducted periodically to maintain awareness of the EOP and roles. Training exercises including a full-scale (simulation with vehicles responding) exercise have been conducted.

                Only town emergency management officials may contact the VT Division of Emergency Management.

                Residents interested in learning more about the emergency operations plan and volunteering to help with response may contact the officials listed above.