Disasters are major events that can strike anywhere and at any time. In a disaster, traditional 9-1-1 and First Responder capabilities such as fire, police, medics, and utility personnel will be overwhelmed and unable to immediately assist individuals.
The Mission of the Emergency Management program is to minimize the effect of disasters in Bellingham. Specific program goals:
| Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Communications Interoperability | Work to support communications interoperability so that all emergency responders in Whatcom County can communicate in the event of a disaster. |
| Disaster training and exercise participation | Participate in and/or lead training drills and exercises each
year, with participation from city departments and other community
partners. Organize training to City departments to improve readiness and awareness. As of September 2007, over 500 City employees have participated in training prescribed by the National Incident Management System. Plan for participation in the May 2008 National level exercise, Ardent Sentry, which will test the community capabilities in hazardous materials response, mass casualty management, and large-scale incident management. Participate in the prestigious Integrated Emergency Management Course in the Washington, D.C. area in summer of 2008. |
| Emergency Operations Planning | Provide ongoing updates and maintenance of City Emergency Operations plan including implementation of a state-of-art incident management software program. Provide support for development and maintenance of specific department plans. |
| Neighborhood Preparedness | Support disaster preparations for individuals and families via the Map Your Neighborhood program. |
| Pandemic Flu Preparations | Update city policies have been to facilitate purchasing and
staffing in the event of a Pandemic Flu outbreak – Completed in
2006. Serve as part of the Unified Command structure for the Whatcom County Pandemic Preparedness Plan. |
| Preparation for 2010 Olympics | Maintain active partnership with State and regional organizations to prepare plans and facilities for this upcoming event. |
| Public/Private Partnerships | Coordinate with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of
Emergency Management on issues ranging from emergency incidents to
long-term planning efforts. Develop a planning committee to promote coordination and cooperation between agencies with a high stake in disaster preparedness. Representatives include those from Whatcom County, the American Red Cross, St. Joseph Hospital, Bellingham School District, Western Washington University, and the Port of Bellingham. Participate in the development of a local Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) chapter to harness the involvement of volunteer and faith-based organizations during a disaster. Collaborate with Western Washington University’s Disaster Reduction and Emergency Planning undergraduate degree program. Support Bellingham Food Bank expansion to provide building improvements for distribution of food and supplies during a disaster. |
| Regional Incident Management Team Participation | Continue participation in the Northwest Incident Management Team, to support regional incident response preparation. See the Northwest Incident Management Team for more information about this important regional resource. |
