HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Preparedness Emergency Preparedness Plan
Town of Ithaca, New York
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Section I General Considerations and Planning Guidelines
A. Purpose and Basis
B. Policy Regarding Comprehensive Emergency Management
C. Purpose and Objectives of the Plan
D. Legal Authority
E. Plan Maintenance and Updating
F. Identification and Analysis of Potential Hazards
G. Emergency Response Capability Assessment
H. Training Emergency Personnel
Section 11 Town Hazard Mitigation Planning.
A. Town Hazard Mitigation Planning
B. Identification and Analysis of Potential Hazards
C. Risk Reduction Policies, Programs and Reports
D. Emergency Response Capability Assessment
E. Training of Emergency Personnel
F. Monitoring of Identified Hazard Areas
Section III Mobilization
A. Notification and Activation
B. Assessment and Evaluation
C. Declaration of Local State of Emergency and Promulgation of Local Emergency Orders
D. Sequence of Actions
Section IV Responsibilities and Functions
Section V Managing Emergency Response
A. Incident Command Post and Emergency Operations Center
B. Notification and Activation
C. Assessment and Evaluation
D. Declaration of Local State of Emergency and Promulgation of Local Emergency Orders
E. Public Warning and Emergency Information
F. Restoring Public Services
G. Resource Management
H. Animals
I. Standard Operating Guides and Other Supporting Plans
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Section VI Recovery
A. Overview
B. Damage Assessment
C. Planning for Recovery
D. Reconstruction
E. Public Information on Recovery Assistance
Appendices
a. Inventory Resource—listing of equipment and other resources
b. Inventory of Critical Infrastructure- listing of facilities and other infrastructure for use
c. Continuity of Operations Plan—town functions to be re-established priority listing
d. Instructions for Declaring a State of Emergency and Issuing Orders
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Executive Summary
Introduction
This plan results from the recognition on the part of local government and county (state) officials
that a comprehensive plan is needed to enhance the Town's ability to mitigate and manage
emergency/disaster situations. This plan constitutes an integral part of a county and statewide
emergency management program and contributes to its effectiveness. Authority to undertake this
effort is provided by both Article 2-13 of State Executive Law and New York State Defense
Emergency Act.
Comprehensive Approach
Dealing with disasters is an ongoing and complex undertaking. Through implementation of risk
reduction measures before a disaster or emergency occurs, timely and effective response during
an actual occurrence, and provision of both short and long term recovery assistance after the
occurrence of a disaster, lives can be saved and property damage minimized.
This process is called Comprehensive Emergency Management to emphasize the
interrelationship of activities, functions, and expertise required to deal with emergencies. The
National Incident Management System (NIMS) will be used.
Management Responsibilities
The emergency management responsibilities of the Town departments are outlined in this plan.
Assignments are made within the structure of the present Town capability and existing
organizational responsibilities. The Town Supervisor is designated to coordinate all emergency
management activities of the Town.
The Town of Ithaca intends to use the Incident Command System (ICS) (unified command) to
respond to emergencies. ICS is a management tool for the command, control, and coordination
of resources and personnel in an emergency.
Town responsibilities are closely related to the responsibility of the county government to
manage all phases of an emergency. The Town may be called to assist other local governments
in the county in the event that other towns or villages have fully committed their resources and
require additional assistance.
Conclusion
This plan provides general hazard management guidance, using existing organizations, to allow
the Town to meet its responsibilities before, during, and after an emergency. The National
Incident Management System (NIMS) will be used.
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SECTION I:
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND PLANNING GUIDELINES
A. Purpose and Basis
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 Ithaca in the event
of an emergency This plan will be reviewed annually by the Town Board.
Disaster planning is based n the NYS 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.
The Town of Ithaca recognizes that planning and preparatory actions are required before an
emergency. Emergency preparedness allows the Town of Ithaca 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. This also includes being prepared to react to State and Federal health and
safety emergencies.
The Town's Management Team, working in partnership with 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.
B. Policy Regarding Comprehensive Emergency Management
A wide variety of emergencies caused by nature, diseases or technology,result in loss of life,
property and income, and disrupts the normal functions of government, communities and
families, and cause human suffering.
The Town government must provide leadership and direction to prevent, mitigate,respond to,
and recover from dangers and problems arising from emergencies in the Town.
Under authority of, Article 2-13, Section 23 of the New York State Executive Law, The Town is
authorized to develop a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan to prevent, mitigate,
respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters, to meet this responsibility.
This concept of Comprehensive Emergency Management includes three phases:
1. Risk Reduction (prevention and mitigation)
• Prevention refers to those short or long term activities which eliminate or reduce the
number of occurrences of disasters.
• Mitigation refers to all activities which reduce the effects of disasters when they do
occur.
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2. Response
• Response operations may start before the emergency materializes, for example, on
receipt of advisories that floods,blizzards, or ice storms could impact the jurisdiction.
This increased readiness response phase may include such pre-impact operations as:
➢ Detecting, monitoring, and assessment of the hazard
➢ Alerting and warning of endangered populations
➢ Protective actions for the public
➢ Allocating/distributing of equipment/resources
➢ Most response activities follow the immediate impact of an emergency.
Generally, they are designed to minimize casualties and protect property to the
extent possible through emergency assistance. They seek to reduce the probability
of secondary damage and speed recovery operations.
3. Recovery
• Recovery activities are those following a disaster to restore the community to its pre-
emergency state, to correct adverse conditions that may have led to the damage, and
to protect and improve the quality of life in the community. It includes risk reduction
actions to prevent or mitigate a recurrence of the emergency.
C. Purpose and Objectives of the Plan
This Plan sets forth the basic requirements for managing emergencies in the Town:
1. The objectives of the Plan are:
a. To identify, assess and prioritize vulnerabilities to emergencies or disasters and the
resources available to prevent or mitigate, respond to, and recover from them.
b. To outline short, medium and long range measures to improve the Town's capability
to manage hazards.
c. To provide that the Town government, in concert with County government, will take
appropriate actions to prevent or mitigate effects of hazards and be prepared to
respond to and recover from them when an emergency or disaster occurs.
d. To provide for the efficient utilization of all available resources during an emergency.
e. To provide for the utilization and coordination of County, State, and federal programs
to assist disaster victims, and to prioritize the response to needs of the elderly,
disabled, and other groups which may be inordinately affected.
£ Provide for the utilization and coordination of state and federal programs for recovery
from a disaster with attention to the development of mitigative programs.
D. Legal Authority
In this Plan, in whole or in part, may rely upon the following laws for the power necessary for its
development and implementation:
1. New York State Executive Law, Article 2-13
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2. New York State Defense Emergency Act, as amended
3. Federal Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
By NYS Law, the primary responsibility for responding to emergencies rests with town
Government, and with the Town Supervisor. The Town Supervisor will work with the Town's
Management Team to address emergencies while maintaining communication with the Town
Board elected officials.
In responding to a disaster, the Town is required to utilize its own facilities, equipment, supplies,
personnel and resources first.
E. Plan Maintenance and Updating
The Town Board is responsible for maintaining and updating this Plan and will adopt same at its
annual organizational meeting.
All Town departments and agencies are responsible for annual review of their emergency
response role and procedures and provide any changes to the Town Supervisor by December 1 st
each year. Changes will be considered by the Town Board at the Organizational meeting
annually.
Town staff are expected to complete required regular trainings, offered by the state and the
county,pertaining to their respective department's responsibilities.
F. Identification and Reduction of Potential Hazards
1. Tompkins County maintains a county-wide Hazard Mitigation Plan that is mandated by
FEMA to be updated every 5 years. The Town of Ithaca provides input as the plan is
reevaluated and updated.
2. The Public Works department maintains a list of hazardous materials stored at our Seven
Mile Drive facility.
3. Town of Ithaca Management Team and the Town Board will promote policies,programs
and activities to reduce hazard risks.
Examples of the above might include:
a. to encourage the review of zoning ordinances and building codes to take into account
significant hazards in the Town
b. promote compliance with and enforcement of existing laws,regulations, and codes that
are related to hazard risks, e. g., building and fire codes, flood plain regulations
c. encourage Town(and County and State) Public Works Department to address dangerous
conditions on roads used by hazardous materials carriers.
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G. Emergency Response Capability Assessment
1. The Town's Management Team will annually assess the Town's capability for dealing
training, preparedness, warning systems, and Town's means to respond to a range of
potential disasters and emergencies.
2. The Town's Management Team will annually review with all employees the town's
capabilities. This may happen at departmental meetings or at All Staff meetings.
3. The Management Team will identify emergency response shortfalls and make
recommendations for implementing corrective actions to the Town Board.
H. Training of Emergency Personnel
1. The Town's Management Team will:
a. encourage and support training for town emergencies. Such training programs might:
i. include information on the characteristics of disasters and their consequences
and the implementation of emergency response actions including protective
measures, notification procedures, and available resources
ii. include Incident Command System (ICS) training, focusing on individual and
departmental roles
iii. provide town staff with the skills necessary to help reduce or eliminate
hazards and increase their response capability
SECTION II
MOBILIZATION
A. Notification and Activation
l. An initial notification of an emergency situation may originate from the public,police,
fire or Town agencies, or from Tompkins County, and will usually be received at the
Tompkins County Emergency Communications Center.
2. Upon receiving initial notification of an emergency impacting the Town, the agency
which received the notification will contact the Town Supervisor or Deputy Supervisor.
If required, an emergency will be declared and an appropriate response level determined.
3. The Town of Ithaca will utilize the Unified Incident Command System (ICS) to manage
all emergencies requiring multi-agency response.
4. If warranted, a request for County assistance will be made to the Tompkins County
Emergency Management Office, through the Town Supervisor. The Tompkins County
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Emergency Management Director has the authority to direct and coordinate County
disaster operations, and may coordinate response to requests for assistance from the local
governments.
5. When the disaster is beyond the management capability of Tompkins County, the
Tompkins County Director of Emergency Management may request State assistance
through the State Emergency Management Office. Direction and control of State risk
reduction,response and recovery actions is exercised by New York State Disaster
Preparedness Commission (DPC), coordinated by the State Emergency Management
Office.
6. Upon the occurrence of an emergency or disaster clearly beyond the management
capability and emergency resources of State and local governments, the Governor may
find that federal assistance is required and may request assistance from the President by
requesting a declaration of a major disaster or emergency.
7. Each emergency is to be classified into one of three Town Response Levels according to
the scope and magnitude of the incident.
a. Response Level l: Controlled emergency situation without serious threat to life,
health, or property, which requires no assistance beyond initial first responders.
b. Response Level 2: Limited emergency situation with some threat to life, health, or
property, but confined to limited area, usually within the Town, or involving small
population.
c. Response Level 3: Full emergency situation with major threat to life, health, or
property involving large population, County and possibly State involvement.
B. Assessment and Evaluation
1. The Town's Management Team will:
a. analyze the best available data and information on the emergency
b. explore alternative actions and consequences
c. select and direct specific response actions.
C. Declaration of Local State of Emergency and Promulgation of Local Emergency
Orders
1. In response to an emergency, or its likelihood, upon a finding that public safety is
imperiled, the Town Supervisor or Deputy Supervisor may proclaim a state of emergency
pursue article 213, section 24 of the State Executive Law.
2. Such a proclamation authorizes the Town Supervisor to deal with the emergency situation
with the full executive and legislative powers of Town government.
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3. This power is realized only through the promulgation of local emergency orders. For
example, emergency orders can be issued for actions such as:
a. establishing curfews
b. restrictions on travel
c. evacuation of facilities and areas
d. closing of places of amusement or assembly
D. Sequence of Actions
1. Designate Emergency Operations Center(E.O.C)
For many emergences. the Emergency Operations Center for the Town will be in the Public
Works Facility, 11.4 Seven Mile Drive, Ithaca. Once the Town Supervisor or next in line has
declared an emergency exists, the Emergency Operations Center will be staffed on a twenty-four
hour basis until the declared emergency subsides. The members of the EOC will vary depending
on the nature of the emergency. The Emergency Operations Center will forward all warnings,
directives, information, etc., to various local departments as appropriate.
2. Members of the Town Board selected to be part of EOC in any given year and other
designated personnel will assemble as soon as possible at the Emergency Operations
Center upon notification of the existence of an emergency.
3. 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 Ithaca according to the guidelines set
forth in this plan.
4. The Town Supervisor or designated emergency coordinator is responsible for the
notification and declaration of an emergency or disaster. The expectation is that the
Director of Public Works will act in concert with the Town Supervisor.
5. Each department head in the Town of Ithaca is responsible for assuring maximum
effectiveness and utilization of all personnel and equipment of the department to
accomplish the Town's responsibilities. Depending on the nature of the emergency we
may form cross-department teams during the nature of the disaster otherwise each
department head will retain control of the assigned department and implement orders
received from the Emergency Operations Center.
6. The Town of Ithaca should seek the cooperation and aid of any of all surrounding
communities in the event of an emergency or disaster. To the extent possible,
arrangements for mutual aid should be made prior to any emergency or disaster and be
readily available.
7. The Town of Ithaca should contact the Tompkins County Department of Emergency
Response regarding any major emergency or disaster situation. Emergency Response
assistance should be requested when local or mutual aid resources are exhausted. All
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requests for County Emergency Response assistance of any nature by any Department
will be approved by the Town Supervisor and will be made to the County Director of
Emergency Response.
8. Military Assistance requests will be made by the Town Supervisor of the Town of Ithaca
to the Tompkins County Administrator who will forward the request to the Tompkins
County Department of Emergency Response to the State's Natural Disaster Commission.
9. 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. 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 Ithaca is American Red Cross
of Tompkins County, 618 W. State Street, Ithaca, NY, 607-273-6684.
10. The Town of Ithaca, if determined to be applicable, should contact the Department of
State Division of Code Enforcement and Administration's Code Enforcement Disaster
Assistance Response (CEDAR) Program in the event that assistance is needed for Rapid
Evaluation Safety Assessments of damaged structures in affected areas of the Town.
Section IV
RESPONSIBILITIES & FUNCTIONS
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 Town. One person may fill one
or more of the below listed positions.
A. Town Supervisor/Deputy Supervisor
1. The Town Supervisor is responsible for overseeing emergency/disaster operations within
the Town of Ithaca.
2. The Town Supervisor shall use any and all facilities, equipment, supplies, and personnel
of the Town of Ithaca in such a manner as may be necessary.
3. The Town Supervisor shall direct the activities of all departments within the Town of
Ithaca against the effects of emergency in conformance with the approved plans for the
rescue and relief of the people, the recovery and the rehabilitation of the community of
the Town of Ithaca. The Town Supervisor will utilize services of the Emergency
Operations Center and its staff for implementation of necessary measures to achieve
emergency operations.
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a. In the event of the immediate unavailability of the Town Supervisor, the following
line of command and succession has been established to ensure continuity of
government and the direction of emergency operations:
i. The Deputy Town Supervisor will assume the duties and responsibilities until the
Supervisor is available.
ii. The Emergency Management Coordinator will assume the duties and
responsibilities delegated by the Town Supervisor or Deputy Town Supervisonis
available.
B. Essential Emergency Operations Records—The Town Supervisor and the 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. 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.
D. The Town Clerk is responsible for the maintenance and availability of essential records,
documents and other materials, required during the emergency.
E. The Emergency Management Coordinator appointed by the Town 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 Town
Supervisor of operational priorities and recommends requests for assistance from
Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response.
F. The Ithaca City Fire Chief and Fire Officers and or Cayuga Heights Fire Department
Chief 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 Fire Chief may call upon the Tompkins
County Department of Emergency Response, under mutual aid, for advice and/or
assistance concerning fire related emergencies,relief operations, and coordination of
emergency shelter and feeding operations.
G. The Tompkins County Sheriff may designate a Traffic Control Officer to be part of the
Emergency Operations Center for the purpose of controlling traffic and population
movements. The Sheriff will direct all action to maintain order, prevent looting and help
alleviate panic; direct injured to medical installations, and assist handicapped persons to
obtaining transportation and direction them to the nearest Emergency Operating Center.
The Tompkins County Sheriff's Department may call upon the New York State Police
and/or other local police agencies for advice and/or assistance.
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H. The Director of Public Works has overall responsibility for the maintenance of streets
and bridges and all official trucks, cars and equipment. The Highway 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 services of Tompkins County for such assistance. The Highway
Superintendent will work in conjunction with all local utilities in the restoration of the
various essential services for electricity, water, sewer and phone.
I. The Director of Code Enforcement for the Town of Ithaca will be responsible for safety
inspection of damaged homes and businesses before individuals are allowed to reoccupy
such buildings. The Director of Code Enforcement shall also be responsible for
responding to other emergencies, as designed by the Town of Ithaca Town Supervisor or
the Governor of New York State, for items such as, but not limited to,pandemics.
J. The Public Information Officer {Town Clerk}under the direction of the Town
Supervisor directs the local dissemination of emergency information, the issuance of
news reports to the public and notifies the Tompkins County Department of Emergency
Response on the status and development of emergency measures, using all media of
public communication. The Town may choose to utilize and/or coordinate with the
Tompkins County Public Information Officer in some circumstances.
K. The Network Specialist 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 their duties. The specialist will follow the IT
Disaster Recovery Plan.
L. The Supply Officer {Finance Officer} (Resources & Production) carries out measures
necessary to the emergency handling of all local resources.
M. The Human Resources Manager, in concert with Department Heads,helps coordinate
the assignment of personnel to the various emergency services as requested.
All Town Employees may be required to report to the Emergency Operations Center to provide
any necessary backup during the emergency. Duties assigned may be outside their normal job
descriptions.
SECTION V
RECOVERY
Recovery is both a short-term and long-term process. It involves detailed damage assessments,
complete restoration of vital systems, financial assistance, and long-term reconstruction. There is
no definite point at which response ends and recovery begins. Most recovery efforts will occur
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after the emergency organization is deactivated and departments/agencies have returned to pre-
disaster operation and will be integrated with day-to-day functions.
Managing post-disaster recovery and reconstruction involves understanding lines of authority,
interagency and intergovernmental coordination measures,processes for expedited review,
permitting, and inspection of repair and reconstruction of buildings and structures damaged.
A. Damage Assessment(this will depend a great deal on the nature of the emergency or
disaster)
1. The Town will participate in and cooperate in damage assessment activities as needed
and appropriate that might include:
a. Coordinating damage assessment activities in the Town during and following
an emergency.
b. Designating a Town official to coordinate with the Damage Assessment
Officer from the County.
c. Maintain detailed records of emergency expenditures.
2. It is essential that, from the outset of emergency response actions, Town response
personnel keep detailed records of expenditures for:
a. labor used
b. use of owned equipment
c. use of borrowed or rented equipment
d. use of materials from existing stock
e. contracted services for emergency response
3. Damage assessment will be conducted by Town employees. When necessary, non-
government personnel from the fields of engineering, construction, insurance;
property evaluation and related fields, may supplement the effort.
a. Damage Assessment Reports may include:
i. damage to private property in dollar loss to the extent not covered by
insurance:
• homes
• businesses
• industries
• utilities
• hospitals, institutions and private schools
iii. damage to public property in dollar loss to the extent not covered by insurance
• road systems
• storm drainage systems
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• bridges
• water control facilities such as dikes, levees, channels
• public buildings, equipment, and vehicles
• publicly owned utilities
• parks and recreational facilities
iv. debris clearance and protective measures taken such as pumping, sand-bagging,
construction of warning signs &barricades, emergency levees, etc.
v. financing overtime and labor required for emergency operations.
B. Planning for Recovery—Recovery includes community development and
redevelopment (recovery will depend heavily on the nature of the disaster or emergency)
1. If required, a recovery task force will be developed by Town of Ithaca, and will:
a. Direct the recovery with the assistance of Town departments coordinated by
the Emergency Management Coordinator.
b. Prepare a local recovery and redevelopment plan, if appropriate, unless
deemed unnecessary,pursuant to article 213, section 28-A of the State
Executive Law. The recovery and redevelopment plan shall include:
i. Replacement, reconstruction,removal, relocation of damaged/destroyed
infrastructures/buildings
ii. Establishment of priorities for emergency repairs to facilities, buildings and
infrastructures
iii.Economic recovery and community development
iv.Proposed new or amendments to zoning, subdivision,building, sanitary or
fire prevention regulations
c. The Recovery and Redevelopment plan will account for and incorporate to the
extent practical, relevant existing plans and policies
d. Prevention and mitigation measures should be incorporated into all recovery
planning where possible.
e. Responsibilities for recovery assigned to local governments depend on
whether or not a State disaster emergency has been declared pursuant to
Article 2-13 of the State Executive Law.
C. Reconstruction
1. Reconstruction consists of two phases:
a. Phase I-short term reconstruction to return vital life support systems to minimum
operating standards;
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b. Phase 2-long term reconstruction and development which may continue for years
after a disaster and will implement the officially adopted plans,policies and
programs for redevelopment including risk reduction projects to avoid the
conditions which contributed to the disaster and after a disaster and will
implement officially adopted plans and policies, including risk reduction projects,
to avoid conditions and circumstances that led to the disaster.
2. Reconstruction operations must conform to existing State/Federal laws and
regulations concerning environmental impact.
3. Reconstruction operations in and around designated historical sites must conform to
existing State and FEMA guidelines.
4. Reconstruction operations must conform the current edition of the New York State
Uniform.Code and the Town of Ithaca Flood Damage Prevention Law
D. Public Information on Recovery Assistance
1. Public Information Officers are responsible for making arrangements with the
broadcast media and press to obtain their cooperation in adequately reporting to the
public on:
a. What kind of emergency assistance is available to the public
b. Who provides the assistance
c. Who is eligible for assistance
d. What kinds of records are needed to document items which are damaged or
destroyed by the disaster
e. What actions to take to apply for assistance
f. Where to apply for assistance.
All the above information will be prepared jointly by the federal, State, County, and Town PIOs
as appropriate and furnished to the media for reporting to public.
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Appendices:
1. Inventory Resource—listing of equipment and other resources
2. Inventory of Critical Infrastructure- listing of facilities and other infrastructure for use
3. Continuity of Operations Plan—town functions to be re-established priority listing
4. Instructions for Declaring a State of Emergency and Issuing Orders
Addendum A
Inventory Resource - Refer to Public Works Administration for listing of equipment available.
Addendum B
Inventory Critical Resources Including Critical Infrastructure
Town Hall, 215 N. Tioga Street
Public Works Facility, 114 Seven Mile Drive
Including:
Salt Storage Building,
Pole Barn,
Material Storage Annex,
Pole Barn (wood shop)
East Shore Park Pavilion, East Shore Drive
Tutelo Park Pavilion and restroom, Bostwick Road
Addendum C
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN
This list is used as a means of prioritizing which operations of the Town would need to be put
back into operations as quickly as possible. This list is subjective based on the emergency at
hand and the threat of danger involving health, safety and security of the residents and staff.
Public Works and Engineering Departments
Town Clerk Department
Code Enforcement Department
Courts Department
Finance and Human Resources
Planning Department
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Appendix D
Instructions for Declaring a State of Emergency and Issuing Emergency Orders
1. Instructions for declaring a local State of Emergency
• The Town Supervisor, or a person acting for the Town Supervisor pursuant to this plan,
can declare a local State of Emergency for all of, or anywhere in, the Town. The County
Executive can declare a State of Emergency for anywhere in Tompkins County, including
the Town of Ithaca.
• A local State of Emergency is declared pursuant to article 213, section 24 of the State
Executive Law.
• It can be declared in response to, or anticipation of, a threat to public safety.
• A declaration of a local State of Emergency may be verbal or written.
• If it is verbal, it must be followed with a written format within a reasonable amount of
time.
• The declaration should include the time and date, the reason for the declaration, the area
involved, and the expected duration.
• The written declaration should be kept on file in the Town Clerk's Office, with copies to
the Town Clerk and the New York Secretary of State.
• A local State of Emergency must be declared BEFORE Emergency Orders are issued.
• A local State of Emergency should be formally rescinded when the declaration is no
longer needed.
• Only the Town Supervisor, or person acting for, may rescind a local State of Emergency.
• Though a rescission may be verbal or written, if the declaration was written, the
rescission should also be written.
• The rescission should include the time and date of the original declaration, the reason for
the local State of Emergency, and the time and date the State of Emergency is rescinded.
The State of Emergency will be in effect for five (5) days unless rescinded or extended by
the Town Supervisor.
• The written rescission should be kept on file in the Town Clerk's Office with copies to
the Town Clerk and the New York Secretary of State.
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Sample Declaration of a local State of Emergency
A State of Emergency is hereby declared in effective at
(area within the Town or entire Town)
on
(time) (date)
This State of Emergency has been declared due to
(Description of situation) This situation threatens the public safety.
This State of Emergency will remain in effect until rescinded by a subsequent order.
As the Chief Executive of the Town of Ithaca, 1, (name of Chief Executive)
exercise the authority given me under section 24 of the New York State Executive Law, 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 this Town.
I hereby direct all departments and agencies of the Town of Ithaca to take whatever steps
necessary to protect life and property,public infrastructure, and provide such emergency
assistance deemed necessary.
(Signature) (Name)
(title) (date)
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2. Instructions for issuing local Emergency Orders
• Local Emergency Orders can be issued only if there is a State of Emergency in effect
pursuant to article 213, section 24 of the State Executive Law (see section A. above).
• Local Emergency Orders can be issued at the Town level only by the Town Supervisor
and or a person acting for the Supervisor pursuant to this plan. The County Executive can
issue emergency orders for anywhere in Tompkins County, including the Town of Ithaca,
following the declaration of a local State of Emergency by the County Executive. All
Town and Village Mayors in the County can also issue emergency orders for their
jurisdiction following the declaration of a local State of Emergency by that same
executive.
• Local Emergency Orders must be written.
• Local Emergency Orders should include the time and date they take effect, the reason for
the declaration, the area involved, and the duration.
• A Local Emergency Order expires automatically after five (5) days. It can be rescinded
before that by its own terms, or by a rescission by the County Executive. It is also
automatically rescinded when the State of Emergency is rescinded.
• The Town Supervisor may extend Local Emergency Orders for periods not to exceed five
(5) days each during the State of Emergency.
• Local Emergency Orders must be published as soon as practicable in a newspaper of
general circulation and provided to radio and television media for broadcast.
• Local Emergency Orders must be executed in triplicate and filed within 72 hours or as
soon as practicable in the Office of the Town Clerk, County Clerk, and the Office of the
Secretary of State.
• Local Emergency Orders must be refiled if they are extended.
Policy Approved by TB: 1/1.1/2021 Revised/Reapproved:
Sample Local Emergency
Local Emergency Order Evacuating Vulnerable Areas:
1, , the Town Supervisor of the Town of Ithaca, in accordance with a declaration of
a State of Emergency issued on , 20_, and pursuant to article 213, Section 24 of the State
Executive Law, hereby order the evacuation of all persons from the following zones: (locales)
Zone 1.
Zone 2.
This evacuation is necessary to protect the public from:
This order is effective immediately and shall apply until removed by order of the Chief
Executive. Failure to obey this order is a criminal offense.
Signed this day of , 20
at o'clock, in (municipality),New York
Signed: Title:
Witness: Title:
Policy Approved by TB: 1/11/2021 Revised/Reapproved: