Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Tracy Jackson
Department: Regional Emerg Svcs & Comm Division: Emergency Management
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution No. 2020-680 adopting the State required four-year update to the Broward County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, valid through the year 2024; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date.
body
Why Action is Necessary
Section 27P-6.006, Florida Administrative Code, requires Board update and adoption of the Broward County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan every four years.
What Action Accomplishes
Reaffirms and updates a detailed plan preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies Countywide.
Is this Action Goal Related
No
Previous Action Taken
On March 15, 2016 (Item No. 16), the Board of County Commissioners approved changes to the 2015 Broward County CEMP- Basic Plan.
Summary Explanation/Background
REGIONAL EMERGENCY SERVICES AND COMMUNICATIONS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
In accordance with Section 27P-6.006, Florida Administrative Code (FAC), the Broward County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) (see Exhibit 1) has been updated to reflect organizational and operational changes from the 2015 CEMP as delineated in the 2020 CEMP Change Summary (Exhibit 3). The State requires update of the CEMP every four years. Approval of this item would ensure the CEMP is valid through the year 2024.
The CEMP establishes official emergency management policies for all County agencies in response to and recovery from emergencies and disasters within the County. The 2020 CEMP has been revised to require the County Mayor, during a declared emergency, to consult with and receive direction from the Board at a publicly noticed meeting, whenever possible, prior to taking any action that substantially affects the health, safety, or economic wellbeing of the County’s residents, and authorizes the Mayor to act on behalf of the Board to carry out the Board’s direction. The CEMP also preserves the existing policy that when action must be taken to protect the public before a public meeting of the Board may reasonably be convened, the County Administrator is authorized to take the required action, and adding that the Administrator shall provide written notice thereof to the Board either in advance of such action or as soon as practicable after such action is taken.
The intent of the CEMP is to provide an organized system for preparedness, response, and recovery by which County officials are guided in applying their statutory responsibilities of direction and control during a disaster event. The backbone of the CEMP is its use of the Incident Command System structure and application in a manner that is consistent with the Florida Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and the Federal National Response Framework. The CEMP provides a local framework for the effective management of any emergency situation within Broward County in coordination with the state and federal government.
The FAC requires that a comprehensive review and revision of the CEMP’s Basic Plan be conducted every four years. During the four years prior to the revision, tabletop (discussion) exercises, full-scale exercises, as well as actual emergencies and disasters, were employed to evaluate the Broward CEMP. Following each exercise and activation of the Emergency Operations Center, events were critiqued and appropriate changes incorporated into the CEMP. The CEMP was also revised to delineate any changes in operational roles and responsibilities of the County’s major departments and agencies. The Emergency Management Division coordinated any changes which impacted County departments and supporting agencies of the Broward Emergency Response Team. Those agencies have verified their responsibilities.
In accordance with the FAC, the Emergency Management Division submitted Broward County’s updated CEMP to the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) for review. On March 9, 2020, the Emergency Management Division received a letter of approval (see Exhibit 4) from FDEM that the 2020 Broward County CEMP met the State’s criteria, as outlined in FAC Chapter 27P-6, and requires Board adoption by resolution (see Exhibit 2) in accordance with Section 27P-6.006, FAC.
Source of Additional Information
Tracy L. Jackson, Director, Regional Emergency Services and Communications, (954) 831-3908
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
There is no fiscal impact.