Emergency Management
The Kiowa County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) plans, coordinates and supports a wide range of activities that help prepare for, respond to, and recover from all natural, technological, intentional, and terrorism risks, while also reducing vulnerabilities to hazards.
Mission Statement
The Mission of the Kiowa County Office of Emergency Management is to continually build and support levels of preparedness for the citizens of Kiowa County.
- We will support our colleagues and our responders while preparing for and responding to man-made and natural emergencies. We will support our stakeholders while making informed decisions and when rebuilding from disasters. Our office will aid in mitigating loss of life and property prior to and during disasters.
Community Partnership
Kiowa County Emergency Management will coordinate and prepare response plans while fostering partnerships and shared vision with our local, state, and federal partners.
- We will continually work to identify vulnerabilities and work to build continuity of government and business to secure them. We will effectively manage the tools and resources provided to work in times of crisis. We will support our Emergency Operations Center with care and due diligence as a vital resource for all who work, live, and play in Kiowa County.
Education & Professionalism
The Kiowa County Office of Emergency Management will strive to always educate and inform the public with accurate, timely, and valuable information to ensure everyone can make informed decisions in times of action and in times of local affairs.
- This Office will continuously strive for professionalism and ethical conduct while partnering with our community, emergency response organizations, volunteers, and government stakeholders.
Emergency Planning provides comprehensive, interagency planning for emergency operations, hazard mitigation, prevention and protection activities, and recovery operations, including the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), and supporting annexes and appendices.
Community Preparedness provides outreach, training, education, and exercises to support emergency preparedness of employees, residents, businesses, and non-governmental organizations.
Post-Disaster Recovery Coordination provides comprehensive, interagency capabilities and capacity for managing recovery operations and support community recovery, including the coordination of Federal, State, and Local assistance programs.
The OEM works very closely with the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and coordinates all efforts that require state and federal assistance.
What is the EOC
An Emergency Operations Center (EOC) provides a centralized location where public safety, emergency response, and support agencies coordinate planning, preparedness, and response activities.
The EOC is responsible for the strategic overview, or “big picture”, of the disaster, and does not directly control field assets or tactics. Instead, the Emergency Support Functions (ESF’s) make operational decisions and leave tactical decisions to the on-scene Incident Commander.
The common functions of all EOC’s are to:
- Coordinates and supports decisions that protect life and property and disseminate those decisions to all concerned agencies and individuals
- Works with elected and appointed officials to set priorities and give guidance to Incident Management Teams
- Collect gather and analyze data to provide an overall situational awareness
- Maintain continuity of government within the scope of applicable laws• Manage, prioritize, and procure resource requests
