SARATOGA COUNTY
COMPREHENSIVE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN
Office of Emergency Services
6012 County Farm Road
Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Advisory
This plan represents general guidelines, which can be modified by emergency personnel as appropriate.
This plan does not create any right or duty that is enforceable in a court of law.
This document and all associated annexes, appendices, and supplemental documents should be
safeguarded, handled, transmitted, and stored in accordance with appropriate security directives.
Reproduction of this document, in whole or in part, without prior approval from the Saratoga County
Board of Supervisors (BOS) or Office of Emergency Services (OES) is prohibited.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan
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Revision Page
CEMP
Date
Update
Name
11/2016
New Plan Submitted
Carl Zeilman,
Commissioner OES
03/2017
Plan Revised
Mike Stanley, OES
04/2018
Plan Reviewed and Revised
Mike Stanley, OES
03/2019
Updates to Mitigation Portion to show new Hazard
Analysis
Mike Stanley, OES
2/2021
Contact, Address updates
Carl Zeilman,
Commissioner
HAZNY
Date
Update
Name
12/2015
New Analysis
State OEM
8/2018
Updated Analysis
State OEM
12/2021
12/2024
CEPA Review
Date
Description
Name
12/2015
Creation
State OEM
08/2018
Update
State OEM
12/2021
12/2024
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Emergency Management Plan
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Revision Page 1
Contact List 2
Table of Contents 3
Appendices 5
Annex List 6
Executive Summary 7
Section I: General Considerations and Planning Guidelines
A. Policy Regarding Comprehensive Emergency Management 8
B. Purpose and Objectives of the Plan 9
C. Legal Authority 10
D. Concept of Operations 10
E. Plan Maintenance and Updating 11
Section II: Mitigation
A. Designation of County Hazard Mitigation Coordinator 12
B. Identification and Analysis of Potential Hazards 12
C. Risk Reduction Policies, Programs and Reports 13
D. Emergency Response Capability Assessment 17
E. Training of Emergency Personnel 17
F. Education and Public Awareness 18
G. Monitoring of Identified Hazard Areas 19
Attachment 1 Hazard Assessment 21
Attachment 2 Saratoga County Drill and Exercise Schedule 22-25
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Emergency Management Plan
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Section III: Response
A. Response Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities 26
B. The Role of the Commissioner of Emergency Services 26
Section III: Response (continued)
C. All Saratoga County Emergency Response Organizations 27
II. Managing Emergency Response
A. Incident Command Post and Emergency Operations Center 29
Table 1 – ICS Function and Response Activities by Agency 31
B. Notification and Activation 32
C. Assessment and Evaluation 32
D. Declaration of Local State of Emergency and Promulgation
of Local Emergency Orders 32
E. Public Warning and Emergency Information 33
F. Public Health 35
G. Emergency Medical Services 35
H. Fire 36
I. Law Enforcement 36
J. Animal Services 36
K. Human Services 36
L. Restoring Public Services 37
M. Resource Management 37
N. Donation Management 38
Section IV: Recovery
A. Damage Assessment 40
B. Planning for Recovery 43
C. Reconstruction 45
D. Public Information on Recovery Assistance 46
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APPENDICES
Appendix A- NIMS Incident Command System Position Description A-1
Appendix B- Standard Operating Guide for the Saratoga County Emergency
Operations Center (EOC). B-1
Appendix C – Disaster Declaration Kit C-1
Appendix D – Saratoga County Facts D-1
Appendix E – Acronym List E-1
Appendix F – Saratoga County Cooling Center Locations F-1
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Emergency Management Plan
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ANNEX LIST
CHEMPACK Operational Guide
Communications Annex
COOP Annex
Damage Assessment Annex
Debris Management Annex
Evacuation Annex
Fire Annex
Flooding Annex
Hazardous Materials Response Annex
Health and Medical Services Annex
Isolation and Quarantine Operational Guide
Joint Information Center Annex
Law Enforcement and Security Annex
Mass Care and Sheltering Annex
Mass Fatality Annex
Pandemic Flu Annex
Public Affairs Annex
Public Health Emergency Response and Preparedness Plan
Saratoga County Emergency Operations Center Guidelines
Search and Rescue Annex
Severe Weather Annex
Strategic National Stockpile Operational Guide
Tri-County CART Annex
Volunteer Management Annex
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
This plan results from the recognition on the part of local government and state officials that a comprehensive plan is
needed to enhance the County's ability to manage emergency/disaster situations. It was prepared by County officials
working as a team in a planning process recommended by the New York State Office of Emergency Management.
This plan constitutes an integral part of a statewide emergency management program and contributes to its
effectiveness. Authority to undertake this effort is provided by both Article 2-B of State Executive Law and the New
York State Defense Emergency Act.
The development of this plan included an analysis of potential hazards that could affect the county and an
assessment of the capabilities existing in the county to deal with potential hazards.
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 necessary to deal with emergencies. The plan contains
sections (within this document) to deal separately with each part of this ongoing process.
Management Responsibilities
County departments' and agencies' emergency management responsibilities are outlined in this plan. Assignments
are made within the framework of the present County capability and existing organizational responsibilities. The
Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services is designated to coordinate all emergency management activities of
the County. Saratoga County supports the use of the Incident Command System (ICS) to respond to emergencies.
ICS is a management tool for the command, control, and coordination of resources and personnel in an emergency.
County responsibilities are closely related to the responsibility of the local levels of government within the County
(city, towns and village) to manage all phases of an emergency. The County has the responsibility to assist the local
governments in the event that they have fully committed their resources and are still unable to cope with any
disaster. Similarly, New York State is obligated to provide assistance to the County after resources have been fully
committed and the County is unable to cope with the disaster.
The plan describes in detail the centralized direction of requests for assistance and the understanding that the
governmental jurisdiction most affected by an emergency is required to fully involve itself in the emergency prior to
requesting assistance. Specific emergency management guidance for situations requiring special knowledge,
technical expertise, and resources are addressed in separate annexes. Examples of this type of situation are
emergencies resulting from hazardous chemical releases, dam failures, or power outages.
Conclusion
The plan provides general all-hazards management guidance, using existing organizations, to allow Saratoga County
to meet its responsibilities before, during and after an emergency.
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Emergency Management Plan
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Section I: GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND PLANNING GUIDELINES
A. Policy Regarding Comprehensive Emergency Management
1. A wide variety of emergencies, caused by nature or technology, result in loss of life, property and income,
disrupt the normal functions of government, communities and families, and cause human suffering.
2. County government must provide leadership and direction to prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from
dangers and problems arising from emergencies in Saratoga County.
3. Under authority of Section 23 of the New York State Executive Law Article 2B, a county is authorized to
develop a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from
emergencies and disasters. To meet this responsibility, Saratoga County has developed this Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan.
4. This concept of Comprehensive Emergency Management includes four phases:
a) Mitigation
b) Prevention
c) Response
d) Recovery
5. Mitigation
a) Mitigation refers to all activities which reduce the effects of disasters when they do occur.
Section II of this Plan, describes activities to prevent or minimize the impact of hazards in
Saratoga County. Saratoga County has developed a FEMA-Approved Mitigation Plan, which is
updated every five years.
6. Prevention
a) Prevention refers to those short or long term activities which eliminate or reduce the number of
occurrences of disasters.
7. Response
a) Response operations may start before the emergency materializes. For example, on receipt of
advisories that a flood, blizzard, or ice storm is approaching. This increased readiness response
phase may include such pre-impact operations as:
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Detecting, monitoring, and assessment of the hazard
Alerting and warning of endangered populations
Protective actions for the public
Allocating/distributing of equipment/resources
b) 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.
c) Response operations in the affected area are the responsibility of and controlled
by the local municipalities, supported by the county emergency operations as
appropriate.
d) If a municipality is unable to adequately respond, County response operations
may be asked to assume a leadership role.
8. 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 mitigation actions to prevent or lessen a recurrence of
the emergency.
B. Purpose and Objectives of the Plan
1. This Plan sets forth the basic requirements for managing emergencies in Saratoga County:
2. The objectives of the Plan are:
a) To identify, assess and prioritize local and regional 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 County's capability to
manage hazards.
c) To show that County and local governments 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 local government, state and federal
programs to assist disaster victims, and to prioritize the response to the needs of the
elderly, disabled, low income, and other groups which may be inordinately affected.
f) Provide for the utilization and coordination of state and federal programs for recovery
from a disaster with attention to the development of mitigation programs.
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C. Legal Authority
This Plan, in whole or in part, may rely upon the following laws for the authority necessary
for its development and implementation.
1. New York State Executive Law, Article 2-B
2. New York State Defense Emergency Act, as amended
3. Saratoga County Local Law No. 1 of 1963
4. Federal Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
5. Saratoga County Executive Order No. 1 of 2017
D. Concept of Operations
1. The primary responsibility for responding to emergencies rests with the local governments of
towns, villages and cities, and with their Chief Executive.
2. Local governments and the emergency response organizations play an essential role as the
first line of defense.
3. Responding to a disaster, local jurisdictions are required to utilize their own facilities,
equipment, supplies, personnel and resources first.
4. The local Chief Executive has the authority to direct and coordinate disaster operations and
may delegate this authority to a local coordinator.
5. When local resources are inadequate, the Chief Executive of a town, village or city may
obtain assistance from other political subdivisions and the County government. To contact
OES, call 518-885-2232 or 518-885-6761.
6. The Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors may coordinate responses for
requests for assistance for the local governments.
7. The Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors has the authority to direct and
coordinate County disaster operations.
8. The Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors may obtain assistance from other
counties or the State when the emergency disaster is beyond the resources of Saratoga
County. Contact Saratoga County OES commissioner at 885-2232 or a NYS DHSES OEM
field representative.
9. The Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors has assigned to the Office of
Emergency Services the responsibility to coordinate county emergency management
activities.
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10. Saratoga County will utilize the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident
Command System (ICS) to manage all emergencies requiring multi-agency response.
Saratoga County recommends and encourages all local governments in Saratoga County to
utilize ICS.
11. A request for assistance to the State will be submitted through the New York State
Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Emergency
Management (NYS DHSES OEM) located in Albany, New York, and presupposes the
utilization and expenditure of personnel and resources at the local level.
12. State assistance is supplemental to local emergency efforts.
13. A State-level, multi-agency response may include risk reduction, response and recovery
activities coordinated by NYS DHSES OEM, which serves as the administrative agency of
the New York State Disaster Preparedness Commission (DPC).
14. 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
preemptive declaration of emergency and/or declaration of a major disaster or emergency.
E. Plan Maintenance and Updating
1. The Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services is responsible for maintaining and
updating this Plan.
2. All County departments and agencies are responsible for annual review of their emergency
response role and procedures, and should provide any changes to the Emergency Manager by
February 1 of each year.
3. The Plan should be reviewed and updated annually with revised pages distributed by
December 31
st
of each year. A copy shall be submitted to NYS DHSES OEM for annual
review.
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Emergency Management Plan
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Section II
Mitigation
A. Designation of County Hazard Mitigation Coordinator
1. The District Manager of the Saratoga County Soil & Water Conservation District has been
designated by the Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, as the County
Hazard Mitigation Coordinator.
2. The County Hazard Mitigation Coordinator is responsible for coordinating County efforts in
reducing the effects of hazards in Saratoga County.
3. All County agencies will participate in risk reduction activities with the County Hazard
Mitigation Coordinator.
4. The Hazard Mitigation Coordinator will be the lead member of the Saratoga County Hazard
Mitigation Planning Team.
B. Identification and Analysis of Potential Hazards
1. The Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services will convene a team to:
a) Identify potential hazards in the County
b) Determine the probable impact each of those hazards could have on people and
property
c) Delineate the geographic areas affected by potential hazards and designate them as
hazard areas
2. Significant potential hazards to be identified and analyzed include natural, technological, and
human-caused hazards.
3. Recommended disaster prevention and mitigation projects, policies, priorities and programs,
with suggested implementation schedules, which outline federal, state, and local roles are
identified in the County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
4. To comply with the items above, hazards that pose a potential threat have been identified and
analyzed using the program HAZNY, provided by the State Office of Emergency
Management. This assessment is to be completed by involving representatives from County
Departments, State departments, and representatives from various private businesses and
non-profit organizations.
5. This hazard analysis:
a) Provides a basic method for analyzing and ranking the identified hazards, including
identification of geographic areas and populations at risk to specific hazards
b) Establishes priorities for planning for those hazards receiving a high ranking of
significance
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c) Is conducted in accordance with guidance from the NYS DHSES OEM.
d) After completion on August 28, 2018, was submitted to the NYS DHSES OEM. On
August 28, 2018 Saratoga County had a County Emergency Preparedness
Assessment (CEPA) review. This assessment covers the hazard analysis and
capabilities and will be conducted every three years.
e) Is to be reviewed and updated regularly to capture changes in infrastructure,
population change, new capabilities or new hazards or risks that have come to light.
6. The rating and ranking results of the hazard analysis are found in Attachment 1 on page 21.
7. The complete Hazard Analysis results identifying the location of hazard areas are located in
the Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services.
C. Risk Reduction Policies, Programs and Reports
1. County agencies are authorized to promote policies, programs and activities to reduce hazard
risks in their area of responsibility. Examples of the above are:
a) Encourage municipalities to adopt comprehensive community development plans, zoning
ordinances, subdivision regulations, and building codes that are cognizant of and take
into account significant hazards in the county.
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 and assist water and wastewater treatment plants to replace chlorine use with a
safer disinfectant.
d) Encourage and participate in municipal stream channel maintenance programs.
e) Encourage State DOT and local highway departments to address dangerous conditions on
roads used by hazardous materials carriers.
f) Such other measures as reasonably can be taken to protect lives, prevent disasters, and
reduce their impact.
2. The Saratoga County Planning Department is an appointed Agency established by the Board
of Supervisors that is responsible for the review of certain classes of local land use and
zoning actions as defined by Section 239 of NYS General Municipal Law. The following
plans and zoning actions are referred to the County Planning Department by local
municipalities for review and recommendation, where required.
a) Adoption or amendment of a comprehensive plan pursuant to section two hundred
seventy-two-a of the town law, section 7-722 of the village law or section twenty-eight-a
of the general city law.
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b) Adoption or amendment of a zoning ordinance or local law.
c) Issuance of special use permits.
d) Approval of site plans.
e) Granting of use or area variances.
f) Other authorization, which a referring body may issue under the provisions of any zoning
ordinance or local law.
3. The review of projects referred to the Saratoga County Planning Department, with assistance
provided by the staff planners from the Saratoga County Department of Planning, takes into
account the potential impact from significant hazards in Saratoga County communities.
4. It is the intention of Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) representatives to
incorporate mitigation planning as an integral component of daily government operations.
HMPC representatives will work with local government officials to integrate the newly
adopted hazard mitigation goals and actions into the general operations of government and
partner organizations. A sample adoption resolution includes a resolution item stating the
intent of the local governing body to incorporate mitigation planning as an integral
component of government and partner operations. By doing so, the HMPC anticipates that:
a) Hazard mitigation planning will be formally recognized as an integral part of overall
emergency management efforts;
b) The Hazard Mitigation Plan, Comprehensive Plans, Emergency Management Plans and
other relevant planning mechanisms will become mutually supportive documents that
work in concert to meet the goals and needs of County residents.
5. During the annual plan evaluation process, the HMPC representatives will identify additional
policies, programs, practices, and procedures that could be modified to accommodate hazard
mitigation actions, and include these findings and recommendations in the Annual Hazard
Mitigation Plan (HMP) Progress Report.
6. The HMPC shall be responsible for monitoring progress on, and evaluating the effectiveness
of, the plan, and documenting annual progress. Each year, beginning one year after plan
development, County and HMPC representatives will collect and process information from
the departments, agencies and organizations involved in implementing mitigation projects or
activities identified in their jurisdictional annexes of the Hazard Mitigation plan, by
contacting persons responsible for initiating and/or overseeing the mitigation projects.
7. To standardize and facilitate collection of progress data and information on specific
mitigation actions, Saratoga County Soil and Water Conservation District (SC SWCD) shall
develop a progress matrix that will continue to be updated and distributed to the HMPC
members prior to the scheduled annual HMPC meeting. This information shall be provided
to the planning area HMP Coordinator prior to the annual HMPC meeting to be held
approximately one year from the date of local adoption of this update, and successively
thereafter. At least two weeks before the annual plan review meeting, the Saratoga County
HMP Coordinator will advise HMPC members of the meeting date, agenda and expectations
of the members.
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8. The information that HMPC representatives shall be expected to document, as needed and
appropriate include:
a) Any grant applications filed on behalf of any of the participating jurisdictions,
b) Hazard events and losses occurring in their jurisdiction,
c) Progress on the implementation of mitigation actions, including efforts to obtain outside
funding,
d) Obstacles or impediments to implementation of actions,
e) Additional mitigation actions believed to be appropriate and feasible,
f) Public and stakeholder input
9. The evaluation of the mitigation plan is an assessment of whether the planning process and
actions have been effective, if the Plan goals are being reached, and whether changes are
needed. The Plan will be evaluated on an annual basis to determine the effectiveness of the
programs, and to reflect changes that may affect mitigation priorities or available funding.
The status of the HMP will be discussed and documented at an annual plan review meeting of
the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee.
10. The Saratoga County HMP Coordinator will be responsible for calling and coordinating the
annual plan review meeting, and assessing progress toward meeting plan goals and
objectives. These evaluations will assess whether:
a) Goals and objectives address current and expected conditions
b) The nature or magnitude of the risks has changed
c) Current resources are appropriate for implementing the HMP and if different or
additional resources are now available
d) Actions were cost effective
e) Schedules and budgets are feasible
f) Implementation problems, such as technical, political, legal or coordination issues with
other agencies are presents
g) Outcomes have occurred as expected
h) Changes in County, City, Town or Village resources impacted plan implementation (e.g.,
funding, personnel, and equipment)
i) New agencies/departments/staff should be included, including other local governments as
defined under 44 CFR 201.6
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11. Specifically, the HMPC will review the mitigation goals, objectives, and activities using
performance based indicators, including:
a) New agencies/departments
b) Project completion
c) Under/over spending
d) Achievement of the goals and objectives
e) Resource allocation
f) Timeframes
g) Budgets
h) Lead/support agency commitment
i) Resources
j) Feasibility
12. Finally, the HMPC will evaluate how other programs and policies have conflicted or
augmented planned or implemented measures, and shall identify policies, programs,
practices, and procedures that could be modified to accommodate hazard mitigation actions
(see the “Implementation of Mitigation Plan through Existing Programs” subsection later in
this Section). Other programs and policies can include those that address:
a) Economic Development
b) Environmental Preservation
c) Historic Preservation
d) Redevelopment
e) Health and/or safety
f) Recreation
g) Land use/zoning
h) Public Education and Outreach
i) Transportation
13. The HMPC may refer to the evaluation forms, Worksheets #2 and #3 in the FEMA 386-4
guidance document, to assist in the evaluation process. Further, the HMPC may refer to any
process and plan review deliverables developed by the County or participating jurisdictions
as a part of the plan review processes established for prior or existing local HMPs within the
County.
14. The HMPC Coordinator shall be responsible for preparing an Annual HMP Progress Report,
based on the provided local annual progress reports from each participant, information
presented at the annual HMPC meeting, and other information as appropriate and relevant.
These annual reports will provide data for the 5-year update of this HMP and will assist in
pinpointing implementation challenges. By monitoring the implementation of the Plan on an
annual basis, the HMPC will be able to assess which projects are completed, which are no
longer feasible, and what projects may require additional funding.
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15. This report shall apply to all planning partners, and as such, shall be developed according to
an agreed format and with adequate allowance for input and comment of each planning
partner prior to completion and submission to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer. Each
planning partner will be responsible for providing this report to its governing body for their
review. During the annual HMPC meeting, the planning partners shall establish a schedule
for the draft development, review, comment, amendment and submission of the Annual HMP
Progress Report to NYS DHSES OEM.
D. Emergency Response Capability Assessment
1. Periodic assessment of the County's capability to manage the emergencies that could be
caused by the hazards identified in the County is a critical part of Risk Reduction.
2. The Office of Emergency Services will, every three to five years, or more often as deemed
necessary:
a) Assess the county's current capability for dealing with those significant hazards that have
been identified and analyzed, including but not limited to:
The likely time of onset of the hazard
The impacted communities' preparedness levels
The existence of effective warning systems
The communities' means to respond to anticipated casualties and damage
3. To assist in its assessment, the Office of Emergency Services will conduct exercises based
upon specific hazards and hazard areas identified by the assessment.
4. An After Action Report with Improvement Plans will be developed after exercises are
conducted to document shortfalls and lay out a plan to correct them.
E. Training of Emergency Personnel
1. The Saratoga County NIMS Point of Contact, in coordination with the Saratoga County
Office of Emergency Services, has the responsibility to:
a) Arrange and provide, with the assistance of the New York State Department of Homeland
Security and Emergency Services and Division of Health, training programs for county
emergency response personnel and affiliated County volunteers, such as the Medical
Reserve Corps, RACES, etc., as designated by the Saratoga County Office of Emergency
Services Commissioner.
b) Encourage and support training for city, town and village emergency response personnel,
including volunteers;
c) Such training programs will:
Include information on the characteristics of hazards and their consequences
and the implementation of emergency response actions including protective
measures, notification procedures, and available resources
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Include Incident Command System (ICS) training, focusing on individual
roles
Conduct meetings as needed, but no less than yearly, with appropriate
personnel from county municipal governments concerning disaster interface
with county government, including ICS for Executives training.
Provide emergency personnel with the variety of skills necessary to help
reduce or eliminate hazards and increase their effectiveness to respond to and
recover from emergencies of all types.
Be provided in crisis situations, that requires additional specialized training
and refresher training
d) Conduct periodic exercises and drills to evaluate local capabilities and preparedness,
including a full scale operational exercise that tests a major portion of the elements and
responsibilities in the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, and regular drills to
test readiness of warning and communication equipment; see Attachment 2 (Page 22),
Multiyear Training and Exercise Plan;
e) Consult with the county departments and agencies, in developing training courses and
exercises;
f) Work with the local response community and education agencies to identify or develop,
and implement, training programs specific to mitigation, response, and recovery from the
identified hazards;
g) Receive technical guidance on latest techniques from state and federal sources as
appropriate and request assistance as needed.
2. All county departments and agencies assigned emergency functions are recommended to
develop an in-house training capability in order that departments and agencies further train
their employees in their duties and procedures.
3. Volunteers participating in emergency services such as fire and rescue operations, ambulance
services, first aid and other emergency medical services, the Medical Reserve Corps,
American Red Cross, RACES, should be trained by these services in accordance with
established procedures and standards.
F. Education and Public Awareness
1. The Cooperative Extension Educator and Saratoga County Public Health Services, Health
Educator, in cooperation with the Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services, is
responsible for:
a) Providing education on hazards to the young adult and general population in the county
b) Making the public aware of existing hazards in their communities
c) Familiarizing the public with the kinds of protective measures the county has developed
to respond to any emergency arising from the hazard
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2. This education will:
a) Cover all significant hazards
b) Be available free of charge
c) Be provided by the existing school systems in the county through arrangements with the
superintendent of schools
3. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) pamphlets, books and kits dealing
with all aspects of emergency management and materials developed by NYS DHSES OEM
and other State departments, as appropriate, will be made available for use in the program.
4. The following is a list of avenues used to educate the public:
Handouts
Presentations
Website
Social media
Staff
5. Saratoga County and participating jurisdictions are committed to the continued involvement
of the public in the hazard mitigation process. This Plan update will be posted on-line.
6. HMPC representatives and the Saratoga County HMP Coordinator will be responsible for
receiving, tracking, and filing public comments regarding this HMP. Contact information for
the County is included in the Point of Contact information at the end of the Revision Page of
this document.
7. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the plan via the hazard mitigation
website at any time. The HMP Coordinator will maintain this website, posting new
information and maintaining an active link to collect public comments.
8. The HMPC representatives shall be responsible to assure that:
a) Public comment and input on the plan, and hazard mitigation in general, are recorded and
addressed, as appropriate
b) Copies of the latest approved plan (or draft in the case that the five year update effort is
underway) are available for review at the town hall and public library, along with
instructions to facilitate public input and comment on the Plan
c) Appropriate links to the Saratoga County Hazard Mitigation Plan website are included on
municipal websites
d) Public notices are made as appropriate to inform the public of the availability of the plan,
particularly during Plan update cycles.
G. Monitoring of Identified Hazard Areas
1. In addition to the County Highway Department, all County Departments will develop, with
the necessary assistance of other local departments, the capability to monitor identified
hazard areas, in order to detect hazardous situations in their earliest stages.
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2. As a hazard's emergence is detected, this information is to be immediately provided to the
Office of Emergency Services or the Saratoga County 911 Communications Center, as
appropriate, and disseminated per protocol.
3. When appropriate, monitoring stations may be established regarding specific hazard areas
where individuals responsible to perform the monitoring tasks can be stationed.
4. Monitoring tasks include detecting the hazard potential and taking measurements or
observations of the hazard. Examples of such are:
Raising water levels,
Slope and ground movement,
The formation and breakup of ice jams,
Shore erosion and dam conditions.
5. All County hazard monitoring activity will be coordinated with, and make use of where
available, local governments, private industry, school districts, utility companies, and
volunteer agencies and individuals, as appropriate.
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Attachment 1
Hazard Assessment Results for Saratoga County
Assessment provided by the State Office of Emergency Management
August 28
th
, 2018
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Attachment 2
Multiyear Training and Exercise Plan
Saratoga County realizes the importance of training and exercises to develop effective plans and well
trained emergency responders. This multiyear plan has been developed by referencing After Action
Plans/Improvement Plans from exercises and real incidents that were in Saratoga County. We also
participate in private, as well as State and federal training and exercises as the occasion arises.
Priorities
Communications
County Radio Communications Infrastructure
HAM Radios – RACES
Mobile Command Post
Secure communications between EOC and on-scene operations
Mutualink
Capability
Volunteer Management
Trained responders to perform tasks as needed
Cross training
Unified Command; ICS/NIMS
Surge Capacity
Technology
Laptops
Sufficient internet service
Emergency Operations Center
Develop specific training
Exercise
Plans
Airport Emergency Plan
CHEMPACK
SNS
CART
HAZMAT
Dams (various locations)
Training and exercises in Saratoga County are developed through a variety of pushes. The Saratoga
County Hazard Analysis and the Saratoga Hospital annual hazard analysis are used to determine
what hazards we need to be prepared to defend against. The State of New York develops training and
exercise requirements that it pushes down to the County and local level; as such we will participate in
these as much as possible. Through real life incidents and revisions of plans, private partners reach
out to us to participate in training and exercises.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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Saratoga County traditionally participates in at least one full-scale exercise every year. The Saratoga
Hospital engages in monthly tabletop exercises that pertain directly to their hazard analysis, but they
involve the pertinent community partners. Saratoga County participates in multiple drills every
month. Each discipline evaluates its own, but commentary is freely given and received from across
all disciplines for the better of the exercise as a whole. We make changes after each exercise, and
then take special note as to the effectiveness of the changes.
Municipal emergency management personnel convene quarterly to discuss all County developed
training and exercises. This is a way for key partners in emergency services to stay informed and
provide feedback. At this time, alternative ideas and concerns can be voiced.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan
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SARATOGA COUNTY TRAINING CALENDAR
2021
Jurisdiction
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Saratoga Hospital
X
Saratoga County OES
X
X
X
X
X
X
Tri-Co (Sar & Albany)
X
County HAZMAT
X
County Comm.
X
X
X
X
RACES
X
NWS
X
ARES
X
Disaster Recovery Training
X
CART
X
X
Mutalink
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Tier III
X
X
X
Citizen Preparedness
X
X
X
County Public Health
X
X
X
X
X
Saratoga County Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan
25
2022
Jurisdiction
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Saratoga Hospital
X
Saratoga County OES
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Tri-Co (Sar & Albany)
County HAZMAT
County Comm.
X
X
X
X
RACES
X
NWS
X
ARES
X
Disaster Recovery Training
X
CART
X
X
Mutalink
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Tier III
X
X
X
Citizen Preparedness
X
County Public Health
X
X
X
***Dates Subject to Change***
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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Section III
RESPONSE
A. Response Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities
Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, Chairman Responsibilities, Powers, and Succession
1. The Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors is ultimately responsible for
County emergency response activities and:
a) May assume personal oversight of the County emergency response organization if the
scope and magnitude of the emergency indicates the necessity of personal management
and direction of the response and recovery operations.
b) Controls the use of all county owned resources and facilities for disaster response.
c) May declare a local state of emergency in consultation with the Office of Emergency
Services and the County Attorney, and may promulgate emergency orders and waive
local laws, ordinances, and regulations (see Appendix C)
d) May request assistance from other counties and the State when it appears that the incident
will escalate beyond the capability of County resources. For example, IMAP and NY
Responds may be utilized for requests.
e) May provide assistance to others at the request of other local governments both within
and outside Saratoga County.
2. In the event of the unavailability of the Chair, the following line of command and succession
has been established by County Law to ensure continuity of government and the direction of
emergency operations. County Administration receives Tier III training annually to facilitate
a comprehensive understanding of key personnel’s roles and responsibilities.
a) The Vice Chairman (Law & Finance Committee Chair) will assume the responsibilities
of the Chairman of the Board until the Chairman of the Board is available.
b) The Public Safety Chairman will assume the responsibilities of the Chairman of the
Board or the Vice Chairman until either is available.
B. The Role of the Commissioner of Emergency Services (CES)
1. The Commissioner of Emergency Services (DES) coordinates County emergency response
activities for the Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, and recommends to
the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors to declare a local state of emergency based on the
severity of the situation and the necessity to use additional executive power to respond
effectively to the emergency.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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2. The Commissioner of Emergency Services:
a) Activates the County's response organization and initiates County response activities.
b) Notifies and briefs County departments, agencies and other organizations involved in an
emergency response.
c) Maintains and manages an Emergency Operations Center.
d) Coordinates with LEPC.
e) Manages Saratoga County’s Tactical Interoperable Communication Plan and 800MHz
emergency radio network.
f) Facilitates coordination between the County and:
The Incident Commander
Towns, cities, and villages in the County
Local governments outside the County
The State of New York
Private emergency support organizations
Affiliated County Volunteers, such as the Medical Reserve Corps, RACES, Etc.
C. All Saratoga County Emergency Response Organizations
1. The Incident Command System (ICS)
a) Saratoga County endorses the use of the Incident Command System (ICS), as developed
by the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and formally adopted by the State
of New York, for emergencies requiring emergency response. ICS allows flexibility in
its implementation so that its structure can be tailored to the specific situation at hand.
ICS should be initiated by the emergency forces first responding to an incident. See
Appendix A, Incident Command System Position Descriptions.
b) ICS is organized by functions. There are five:
Command
Operations
Planning
Logistics
Finance
c) Under ICS, an Incident Commander (IC) has the overall responsibility for the effective
on-scene management of the incident, and must ensure that an adequate organization is in
place to carry out all emergency functions. The IC directs emergency operations from an
Incident Command Post. In the case of multiple emergencies, the EOC will serve to
support multiple Incident Command Posts.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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d) In minor incidents, the five ICS functions may all be managed directly by the IC. Larger
incidents usually require that one or more of the functions be set up as separate sections
under the IC.
e) Within the Command function, the IC has additional responsibilities for Safety, Public
Information, and Liaison. These activities can be assigned to staff under the IC.
f) An on-scene ICS with all five functions organized as sections is depicted as:
g) During an emergency, County response personnel must be cognizant of the Incident
Command System in place and their role in it. Some County personnel may be
responders to the scene and part of the on-scene ICS structure in a functional or staff role.
Other County personnel may be assigned by the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, to
the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or other locations where they will
provide support to the responders at the scene. All County response personnel not
assigned to the on-scene ICS will be coordinated by or through the County Commissioner
of Emergency Services.
h) The Incident Commander is selected due to being the most qualified responding officer at
the scene. The IC must be fully qualified to manage the incident. As an incident grows in
size or becomes more complex, a more highly qualified Incident Commander may be
assigned by the responsible jurisdiction. Thus, a County official could be designated as
the IC.
i) A major emergency encompassing a large geographic area may have more than one
emergency scene. In this situation, separate Incident Commanders may set up command
at multiple locations. In this case, an Area Command may be established. The Area
Command is structured similar to a normal ICS with one exception, the Incident
Commander is called the Incident Manager to whom all Incident Commanders report.
j) County response personnel operating at the EOC will be organized by ICS function, as
depicted below and interface with their on-scene counterparts, as appropriate.
Command
Operations
Planning
Logistics
Finance
Incident
Commander
Operations
Section Chief
Planning Section
Chief
Logistics
Section Chief
Finance/Admin
. Section Chief
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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k) Whenever the ICS is established, County response forces should be assigned to specific
ICS functions wherever they are needed, including at the scene, at the EOC in a support
role, or at an Area Command, if established. See Table 1 (page 31), for sample ICS
functional assignments by agency. Assignments may change as situation dictates or as
directed by the EOC Manager.
2. Agency Responsibilities
The Office of the Saratoga County Emergency Services shall exercise ultimate responsibility
and oversight for emergency response, and shall delegate ICS responsibilities as described in
Table 1, or as special circumstance warrants.
a. Saratoga County OES offers a variety of training to local government personnel
and volunteers in disaster response operations and maintains a training calendar
found on page 24.
b. For continued operation of governments of political subdivisions see the
Continuity of Operations Annex.
II. Managing Emergency Response
A. Incident Command Post and Emergency Operations Center
1. On-scene emergency response operations will be directed and controlled by the
Incident Commander from an Incident Command Post located at or near the
emergency site. This will be the only command post at the emergency scene. All
other facilities at the scene used by agencies for decision-making should not be
identified as a command post.
2. The County EOC will be used to support Incident Command Post activities and to
coordinate County resources and assistance.
3. Coordination of resources, manpower and services, using recognized practices in
incident management, utilizing existing organizations and lines of authority and
centralized direction of requests for assistance are listed in the EOC process, referred
to in Appendix B.
4. A Command Post will be selected by the Incident Commander based upon the
logistical needs of the situation and located at a safe distance from the emergency
site.
5. If a suitable building or structure cannot be identified and secured for use as an
Incident Command Post, a mobile unit or field trailer may be used.
6. The County EOC is located at the Saratoga County Public Safety Building, 6012
County Farm Road, Ballston Spa, NY 12020. A back-up EOC is located at the
Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, 6010 County Farm Road, Ballston Spa, NY 12020.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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7. If a disaster situation renders both EOCs inoperable, an auxiliary EOC may be
established at Momentive’s administrative site, 20 Solar Drive Clifton Park NY,
12065 or at another location designated at the time.
8. The EOC can provide for the centralized coordination of County and private
agencies' activities from a secure and functional location.
9. County agencies and other organizations represented at the EOC will be organized
according to ICS function under the direction of the EOC Manager.
10. Though organized by ICS function, each agency’s deputy representative at the EOC
will be responsible for directing or coordinating his or her agency’s personnel and
resources. Where the agency is also represented at the scene in an ICS structure, the
EOC representative will coordinate the application of resources with the agency’s
representative at the scene.
11. The Commissioner of Emergency Services is responsible for managing the EOC or
auxiliary EOC during emergencies.
12. If required, the EOC will be staffed to operate continuously on a twenty-four hour a
day basis. In the event of a 24-hour operation, two 12 ½ hour shifts will be utilized.
(The additional ½ hour is for shift change briefings.) Designation of shifts will be
established as conditions warrant by the Commissioner of Emergency Services.
13. Work areas will be assigned to each agency represented at the EOC.
14. Security, if necessary, at the EOC during an emergency will be provided by the
Saratoga County Sheriff's Office:
a) All persons entering the EOC will be required to check in at the security desk
located at the main entrance.
b) All emergency personnel will be issued a pass (permanent or temporary) to be
worn at all times while in the EOC.
c) Temporary passes will be returned to the security desk when departing from
the premises.
15. EOC space should be maintained in an emergency operating mode by the
Commissioner of Emergency Services at all times. During non-emergency periods,
the EOC can be used for meetings, training and conferences.
16. The ICS Planning function is responsible for emergency situation reporting at the
EOC and can use established procedures and daily forms.
17. The Commissioner of Emergency Services maintains a Standard Operation Guide for
activating, staffing and managing the EOC. The SOG can be found as Appendix B to
this section of the plan.
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TABLE 1 - ICS Function and Response Activities by Agency
AGENCY ICS FUNCTION RESPONSE ACTIVITIES
Chairman, Saratoga County Command Ultimate situation responsibility;
Board of Supervisor (Agency Administrator) Declaration
of State of Emergency; Promulgation
of Emergency Orders;
County Administrator Public Information Emergency Public Information.
County Attorney Command, Legal Legal support
Emergency Services Command, Liaison Activation and Coordination of the
(EOC Manager) EOC, Liaison and
Coordination with governments
and organizations.
Fire Coordinator Operations Fire Suppression and Control;
Search and Rescue; HAZMAT
Exposure Control.
EMS Coordinator Operations Coordinate the Treatment and
Transport of the sick and injured.
Sheriff’s Office Operations/Logistics Communications, Warning, Law
Enforcement, Security, Food.
Public Health Safety/Operations Disease Surveillance; Incident
Assessment; Epidemiologic
Investigation; Public Alert &
Education; POD Mass Vaccination;
functional medical shelters; alternate care sites; response to medical surge capacity and/or specialized medical response
needs of the community with assistance of the Medical Reserve Corps as appropriate.
Saratoga Hospital Operations Medical Care; Disease Surveillance
Public Works Dept. Operations/Logistics Debris Removal and Disposal;
Damage Assessment; Traffic
Control. Facilities,
Self-Insurance Finance Admin Comp/Claims.
Social Services Operations Human Needs Assessment.
Planning & Development Planning Situation Assessment and
Documentation Advance Planning.
Mental Health Services Operations Crisis Counseling.
Coroner Operations Identify/Handle Deceased.
American Red Cross Operations Housing, Shelter; Feeding, Clothing.
Purchasing Logistics Supply and Procurement.
Human Resources Logistics Human Resources.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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Treasurer/Auditor Finance/Admin Purchasing; Accounting; Record
keeping.
B. Notification and Communication
Upon initial notification of an emergency to the Saratoga County 911 Communications Center
(SCCC), the SCCC will immediately alert the appropriate County official(s) and emergency services
agencies as defined and outlined in the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office Operations Manual.
1. This initial notification sets into motion the activation of County emergency response
personnel.
2. The Commissioner of the Office of Emergency Services will activate appropriate resources
3. The Saratoga County Mutual Aid Plan references procedures for how county, city, town,
village or other political subdivision and emergency organization personnel and resources
will be used in the event of a disaster (see p.39). Activation of municipal and volunteer forces
shall be conducted through normal chains of command as far as possible. See the Fire/EMS
County Mutual Aid Plan, and the Search and Rescue Annex and the Public Health
Emergency Response and Preparedness Plan.
4. Guidelines for rapid and efficient communication, the integration of local communication
facilities during a disaster including the assignment of responsibilities and the establishment
of communication priorities and liaison with municipal, private, state and federal
communication facilities can be found in Saratoga County’s Tactical Interoperable
Communications Plan and the county 800MHz Communication Guide.
5. Saratoga County will follow NIMS guidelines for continued communication and reporting.
C. Assessment and Evaluation
As a result of information provided by the EOC Section Chiefs, the Command Staff will, as
appropriate, in coordination with the on-scene Incident Commander:
a) Develop policies by evaluating the safety, health, economic, environmental, social,
humanitarian, legal and political implications of a disaster or threat;
b) Analyze the best available data and information on the emergency;
c) Explore alternative actions and consequences;
d) Select and direct specific response actions.
e) The Damage Assessment Annex contains a system for obtaining and coordinating
disaster information including the centralized assessment of local disaster effects and
resultant needs.
D. Declaration of Local State of Emergency and Promulgation of Local Emergency Orders
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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1. In response to an emergency, or its likelihood, upon a finding that public safety is imperiled,
the Chairman, Saratoga County Board of Supervisors may proclaim a state of emergency
pursuant to section 24 of the State Executive Law Article 2-B.
2. Such a proclamation authorizes the County Administration to deal with the emergency
situation with the full executive and legislative powers of county government.
3. This power is realized only through the promulgation of local emergency orders. For
example, emergency orders can be issued for actions such as:
Establishing curfews
Restrictions on travel
Evacuation of facilities and areas
Closing of places of amusement or assembly
4. Appendix C describes the requirements for proclaiming a state of emergency and
promulgating emergency orders.
5. Chief executives of cities, towns and villages in Saratoga County have the same authority to
proclaim states of emergency and issue emergency orders within their jurisdiction.
6. Whenever a state of emergency is declared in Saratoga County or emergency orders issued,
such action will be coordinated, beforehand, with the affected municipality.
7. Emergency responders have implicit authority and powers to take reasonable immediate
action to protect lives and property absent an emergency declaration or emergency orders.
E. Public Warning and Emergency Information
1. In order to implement public protective actions there should be a timely, reliable and
effective method to warn and inform the public.
2. Activation and implementation of public warning is an Operations section responsibility.
Providing updates and other relevant emergency information to the public as it develops is a
function of the Public Information Officer. See the public affairs annex.
3. Information and warnings to the public that a threatening condition is imminent or exists can
be accomplished through the use of the following resources. Though public warning may, in
many cases, be implemented solely by on-scene personnel, the use of the systems in (a) and
(b) below require strict coordination with the County Office of Emergency Services:
a) Code RED, NY-Alert and IPAWS emergency notification systems can be utilized. Both
of these systems rely on the public telephone networks and servers. This form of
notification is quick and does not endanger the first responders. This can be initiated
through the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office or Office of Emergency Services.
b) Emergency Alert System (EAS) - formerly known as Emergency Broadcast System
(EBS), involves the use of the broadcast media including television, radio, and cable TV,
to issue emergency warnings. Can be activated by means of a telephone or encoder by
Saratoga County Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan
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select County officials including the Emergency Manager via the National Weather
Service.
c) NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is the “Voice of the National Weather Service” providing
continuous 24-hour radio broadcasts of the latest weather information including severe
weather warnings directly from the Weather Service office in Albany. NWR will also
broadcast non-weather-related emergency warnings. NWR broadcasts on select high-
band FM frequencies, not available on normal AM-FM radios. Radios with NWR
frequencies, automated alarm capabilities, and Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME)
technology are generally available. NWR broadcast signal can be received County-wide.
NWR is also a component of EAS. Emergency broadcasts on the NWR can also be
initiated by select County officials.
d) Emergency service vehicles with siren and public address capabilities - Many police and
fire vehicles in the County are equipped with siren and public address capabilities. These
vehicles may be available, in part, during an emergency for “route alerting” of the public.
e) Door-to-door public warning can be accomplished in some situations by the individual
alerting of each residence/business in a particular area. This can be undertaken by any
designated group such as auxiliary police, regular police, fire police, firefighters, and
highway personnel, visiting each dwelling in the affected area and relating the emergency
information to the building occupants. To achieve maximum effectiveness, the
individual delivering the warning message should be in official uniform.
f) General Public can be notified of emergency situations through several media channels to
include Facebook and Twitter. Accounts names are, Facebook: @SaratogaOES and
Twitter: @SaratogaOES.
4. County officials will advocate, as part of their normal dealing with special institutions such
as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, major industries and places of public assembly, that
they obtain and use tone-activated receivers/monitors with the capability to receive NOAA
Weather Radio (NWR) with SAME reception. They should also be encouraged to sign up for
NY-Alert messages.
5. Special arrangements have been made for providing warning information to the hearing
impaired (Code RED).
6. The Command Staff position of Public Information Officer, if established, or its function,
may, in coordination with on-scene Incident Command:
a) Establish and manage a Joint Information Center (JIC) from where to respond to inquiries
from the news media and coordinate all official announcements and media briefings
b) Authenticate all sources of information being received and verify accuracy
c) Provide essential information and instructions including the appropriate protective
actions to be taken by the public, to the broadcast media and press
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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d) Coordinate the release of all information with the key departments and agencies involved
both at the EOC and on-scene.
e) Check and control the spreading of rumors
f) Arrange and approve interviews with the news media and press by emergency personnel
involved in the response operation
g) Arrange any media tours of emergency sites
7. The JIC may be established near the EOC or at any location where information flow can be
maintained, without interfering with emergency operations. The JIC will be located 40
McMaster Street, Ballston Spa, NY 12020 in the Board Room of the Municipal Center or
outside if weather permitting.
a) A regional JIC may be formed for larger incidents encompassing multiple counties or
agencies.
8. A plan for coordinated evacuation procedures, including the establishment of temporary
housing and other necessary facilities, can be found in the Evacuation Annex.
F. Public Health
1. A high impact disaster can cause injury and death to large numbers of people and potentially
overwhelm existing medical infrastructure and/ or require specialized medical response not
available in traditional medical settings. In addition, damage to and destruction of homes,
special facilities, and vital utilities may place the public at substantial risk of food and water
contamination, communicable diseases, and exposure to extreme temperatures. Refer to the
Mass Fatality Annex, Mass Care Annex and the Public Health Emergency Response and
Preparedness Plan.
2. Plans for the utilization and coordination of programs to assist victims of disasters, with
particular attention to the needs of the poor, the elderly, individuals with disabilities and other
groups which may be especially affected can be found in the Mass Care Annex.
3. There may be established within the Operations section a Public Health Group to ensure that
health and medical problems are being addressed. This group will be led by the Saratoga
County Health Services.
G. Emergency Medical Services
There may be established within the Operations section an Emergency Medical Services Group.
1. The group will be led by the County EMS Coordinator.
2. The function of this group is to assist with the coordination of care and transportation of the
sick and injured, while preserving the overall integrity of the County EMS System.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan
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3. Mutual Aid Guidelines will be found in the County EMS Mutual Aid Plan.
4. At times this group may include representatives from the New York State Bureau of
Emergency Medical Services, or designated regional Medical Control Physicians.
5. At times pending the size and duration of an incident, it is possible that EMS Coordinators
from other counties may assist the operations of this group through the use of the mutual aid.
H. Fire
There may be established within the Operations section a Fire Group.
1. This group will be led by the Saratoga County Fire Coordinator or his/her designee.
2. The function of this group is to assist with the coordination of fire department response
while preserving the overall integrity of the County Fire System.
3. At times this group may include representatives from a variety of local, state and federal
resources.
4. Refer to the Fire Annex, Hazmat Annex and County Mutual Aid Plan.
I. Law Enforcement
There may be established within the Operations section a Law Enforcement Group.
1. This group will be led by the Saratoga County Sheriff or his/her designee.
2. The function of this group is to assist with public safety and security. This includes
controlling ingress and egress to and from the disaster area.
3. At times this group may include representatives from the New York State Police as well as
representatives of Village, Town, City and/or Federal law enforcement entities.
4. Refer to the Law Enforcement and Security Annex.
J. Animal Services
1. Utilization and coordination of programs to assist individuals with household pets and service
animals following a disaster, with particular attention to means of evacuation, shelter and
transportation options can be found in the County Animal Response Team Annex.
K. Human Services
1. The Planning and Operations functions are responsible for ascertaining what human needs
have been particularly affected by an emergency and responding to those unmet needs with
the available resources of County and local government and with the assistance of affiliated
County volunteers, volunteer agencies and the private sector.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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2. There may be established within the Operations section a Human Needs Branch to perform
the tasks associated with (1) above.
3. Human services response is coordinated through the Saratoga County Social Services
departments, comprised of various County departments, in conjunction with local agencies,
volunteer groups and the private sector, whose purpose is to assist in the coordination of the
delivery of human services in Saratoga County, and to advise the EOC Manager on human
needs issues.
4. Whenever a Human Needs Branch is not established by the Operations section, the
Operations section will confer with the Saratoga County Social Services Commissioner on
human needs issues.
L. Restoring Public Services
1. The Operations and Planning sections are responsible for ascertaining the emergency's effect
on the infrastructure and the resultant impact on public services including transportation,
electric power, fuel distribution, public water, telephone, and sewage treatment and ensuring
that restoration of services is accomplished without undue delay.
2. There may be established within the Operations section a Public Infrastructure Group to
perform the tasks associated with (1) above.
3. In the event of a major power outage, the Operations Section will request that National Grid
and NYSEG assign a representative to the Saratoga County EOC to facilitate
communications and information flow between the utility and the Operations Section.
4. The Operations section may request assigning a representative from other utilities (telephone,
water, cable) as appropriate with the consent of the utility.
5. During response operations relating to debris clearance and disposal, Saratoga County should
act in cognizance of and in cooperation with the State.
6. Criteria for establishing priorities with respect to the restoration of vital services and debris
removal are found in the Debris Management Annex.
7. Plans for the continued effective operation of the civil and criminal justice systems are found
in Saratoga County’s Continuity of Operations Plan.
M. Resource Management
1. The Planning function is responsible for the identification and allocation of additional
resources needed to respond to the emergency situation.
2. Resources owned by the municipality in which the emergency exists should be used first in
responding to the emergency.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan
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3. All County-owned resources are under the control of the Chairman of the Board of
Supervisors during an emergency and can be utilized as necessary.
4. Resources owned by other municipalities in and outside of Saratoga County can be utilized
upon agreement between the requesting and offering government the State system IMAP.
5. Resources owned privately cannot be commandeered or confiscated by government during an
emergency. However, purchases and leases of privately owned resources can be expedited
during a declared emergency. In addition, it is not uncommon for the private sector to donate
certain resources in an emergency.
6. Guidelines pertaining to the location, procurement, construction, processing, transportation,
storing, maintenance, renovation, distribution, disposal or use of materials, including those
donated, and facilities and services which may be required in time of disaster can be found in
the Donation Management Annex.
N. Donation Management
1. During times of disaster, Saratoga County may experience a surge of donated goods from the
general public.
2. The Logistics function will be responsible for coordinating the receiving, sorting,
inventorying and packing of donated goods. There exists a memorandum of understanding
(MOU) between Saratoga County OES and the Franklin Community Center for managing
donated goods in the event of a State declared disaster. This MOU is on file with OES.
3. The donation manager should work with the Public Information Officer to ensure that
information regarding donations is conveyed to the public.
Saratoga County Comprehensive
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SARATOGA COUNTY INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Chairman of BOS
Logistics Section Coordinator
Purchasing Director
EOC Manager
OES Commissioner
Legal Advisor
County Attorney
PIO
County Administrator
Safety Officer
Personnel
Liaison
OES Deputy Director
Finance/Admin. Section Chief
Treasurer/Auditor
Planning Section Chief
Planning Director
Operations Section Chief
Sheriff
Human Needs Branch
DSS/OFA
Health/Medical Branch
Health Services/Coroner
Public Safety Branch
Dep. Fire Coordinator
Infrastructure Branch
Comm. Public Works
Fire/HAZMAT
Group
Law Enforcement
Group
EMS Group
Roads/Bridges Group
Dep. Comm. DPW
Utility Group
Utility Reps.
Situation Unit
Planning Dep. Director
Resource Unit
Human Resources
PersoPersonnel Service
Documentation Unit
County Clerk Office
Technical Specialists
Support Branch
DPW Staff
Supply Unit
Purchasing Dept.
Facilities Unit
Buildings &
Grounds Office
Ground Support Unit
DPW Staff
Service Branch
Sheriff’s Office
Food Unit
Sheriff’s Office
Communications Unit
Director of 911
Communications
Time Cost Unit
Treasurer’s Office
Procurement Unit
Auditor’s Office
Comp/Claims Unit
Self-Insurance Office
Home Care Group
Public Health
PODS
Public Health
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Emergency Management Plan
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Section IV
RECOVERY
A. Damage Assessment
1. All local governments (towns, villages, and cities) in Saratoga County must participate in
damage assessment activities.
2. The Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services is responsible for:
a) Developing a damage assessment program with local governments
b) Coordinating damage assessment activities in the County during and following an
emergency
c) Designating a Damage Assessment Officer for each emergency
d) The Commissioner of Emergency Services will advise the Chief Executive Officers of
affected cities, towns, and villages to maintain similar detailed records of emergency
expenditures, and supply them with standard documentation forms via FEMA.
3. All County departments and agencies, as well as local municipalities in the county, will
cooperate fully with the Commissioner of Emergency Services in damage assessment
activities including:
a) Pre-emergency:
Identifying county agencies, personnel, and resources to assist and support
damage assessment activities
Identifying non-government groups such as non-profit organizations, trade
organizations and professional people that could provide damage assessment
assistance
Fostering agreements between local government and the private sector for
technical support
Utilizing geographic information systems (GIS) in damage assessment
Saratoga County will collaborate with NYS DHSES Disaster Recovery Unit to
provide training. A schedule for training and educating local disaster officials or
organizations in the preparation of applications for federal and state disaster
recovery assistance can be found on page 24.
b) Emergency:
Obtaining and maintaining documents, maps, photos and video tapes of damage
Obtaining and reviewing procedures and forms for reporting damage to higher
levels of government
Determining if State assistance is required in the damage assessment process
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Emergency Management Plan
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c) Post-emergency:
Advise county departments and local municipalities of assessment requirements
Selecting personnel to participate in damage assessment survey teams
Arrange for training of personnel in damage assessment survey techniques
Identify and prioritize areas to survey damage
Assigning survey teams to selected areas
Complete damage assessment survey reports and maintaining records of the
reports
4. It is essential that, from the outset of emergency response actions, local 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
f) Submitting damage assessment reports to the NYS DHSES OEM via the Saratoga
County Office of Emergency Services.
5. Damage assessment will be conducted by county and local government employees, such as
Public Works engineers, highway workers, building inspectors, safety officers, code
enforcement, risk managers and assessors. When necessary, non-government personnel from
the fields of engineering, construction, insurance, purchasing, property evaluation and related
fields may supplement the effort.
6. There will be two types of damage assessment: Public Infrastructure (PI) (damage to public
property and the infrastructure); Individual assistance (IA) teams (impact on individuals and
families, agriculture, private sector).
7. County and local municipality’s damage assessment information will be reported to the
Damage Assessment Officer and to the Saratoga County OES.
8. Personnel from county departments and agencies, assigned damage assessment
responsibilities, will remain under the control of their own departments, but will function
under the technical supervision of the Damage Assessment Officer during emergency
conditions.
9. All assessment activities in the disaster area will be coordinated with the on-site Incident
Commander and his/her designee (when appropriate) and the EOC Manager.
10. The Emergency Manager, in conjunction with the Damage Assessment Offices, will prepare
a) Damage Assessment Report which will contain information on:
Destroyed property
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Emergency Management Plan
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Property sustaining major damage
Property sustaining minor damage
b) Damage to private property in dollar loss to the extent not covered by insurance:
Homes
Businesses
Industries
Hospitals, institutions and private schools
c) Damage to public property in dollar loss to the extent not covered by insurance:
Road systems
Bridges
Water control facilities such as dikes, levees, channels, dams, spillways
Public buildings, equipment, and vehicles
Publicly-owned utilities
Parks and recreational facilities
Any other infrastructure not listed
d) Damage to agriculture in dollar loss to the extent not covered by insurance:
Farm buildings
Machinery and equipment
Crop losses
Livestock
e) Cost in dollar value will be calculated for individual assistance in the areas of mass care,
housing, and individual family grants
f) Community services provided beyond normal needs
g) Debris clearance and protective measures taken such as pumping, sandbagging,
construction of warning signs and barricades, emergency levees, etc.
h) Financing overtime and labor required for emergency operations.
11. The Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, through the Office of
Emergency Services, will submit the Damage Assessment Report to the NYS DHSES OEM.
It is required for establishing the eligibility for any state and/or federal assistance.
12. Unless otherwise designated by the County Administration, the Office of Emergency
Services will serve as the County's authorized agent in disaster assistance applications to
State and Federal government.
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Emergency Management Plan
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13. The County's authorized agent will:
a) Attend public assistance applicant briefing conducted by Federal and State Emergency
officials
b) Obtain from the Damage Assessment Officer maps showing disaster damage locations
documented with photographs and video tapes
c) Prepare and submit Request for Public Assistance in applying for Federal Disaster
Assistance
d) Assign local representative(s) who will accompany the Federal/State Survey Teams(s).
e) Follow up with governor's authorized representative and FEMA
f) Submit Proof of Insurance, if required
g) Prepare and submit project listing if small project grant
h) Follow eligibility regarding categorical or flexibly funded grant
i) Maintain accurate and adequate documentation for costs on each project
j) Observe FEMA time limits for project completion
k) Request final inspection of completed work or provide appropriate certificates
l) Prepare and submit final claim for reimbursement
m) Assist in the required state audit
n) Consult with Governor's Authorized Representative (GAR) for assistance
o) Maintain summary of damage suffered and recovery actions taken
B. Planning for Recovery
1. Recovery risk mitigation efforts shall include community development and redevelopment.
2. Community development is based on a comprehensive community development plan
prepared under direction of local planning boards with technical assistance provided by the
Saratoga County Department of Planning Development.
3. Comprehensive community development plans are officially adopted by local government as
the official policy for development of the community.
4. Localities with public and political support for land use planning and the corresponding plan
implementation tools such as zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, building codes, etc.
have pre-disaster prevention and mitigation capability by applying these methods
successfully after disasters.
5. A central focal point of analytical and coordinative planning skills, which could obtain the
necessary political leadership and backing when needed, is required to coordinate the
programs and agencies necessary to bring about a high quality level of recovery and
community redevelopment.
6. County Government shall decide whether the recovery will be managed through existing
organizations with planning and coordinative skills or by a recovery task force created
exclusively for this purpose.
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Emergency Management Plan
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7. A recovery task force will:
a) Direct the recovery with the assistance of county departments and agencies coordinated
by the Office of Emergency Services
b) Prepare a local recovery and redevelopment plan, unless deemed unnecessary
8. The recovery and redevelopment plan shall include:
a) Replacement, reconstruction, removal, and/or relocation of damaged/destroyed
infrastructure and/or buildings and their contents.
b) Establishment of priorities for emergency repairs to facilities, buildings and
infrastructures.
c) Economic recovery and community development.
d) New or amended zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, building and sanitary
codes.
9. The Recovery and redevelopment plan will account for and incorporate to the extent
practical, relevant existing plans and policies.
10. Risk Prevention and mitigation measures should be incorporated into all recovery planning
where possible.
11. Responsibilities for recovery assigned to local governments shall depend on whether or not a
state disaster emergency has been declared pursuant to Article 2-B of the State Executive
Law.
12. If the governor declares a state disaster emergency, then under Section 28-A the local
governments shall have the following responsibilities:
a) Any county, city, town or village included in a disaster area shall prepare a local
recovery and redevelopment plan, unless the legislative body of the municipality shall
determine such a plan to be unnecessary or impractical.
b) Within 15 days after the declaration of a state disaster, any county, city, town or
village included in such disaster area, shall report to the State Disaster Preparedness
Commission (DPC) through DHSES, whether the preparation of a recovery and
redevelopment plan has been started and, if not, the reasons for not preparing the
plan.
c) Proposed plans shall be presented at a public hearing upon five (5) days’ notice
published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area affected and transmitted to
the radio and television media for publications and broadcast.
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Emergency Management Plan
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d) The local recovery and redevelopment plan shall be prepared within 45 days after the
declaration of a state disaster and shall be transmitted to the DPC. The DPC shall
provide its comments on the plan within 10 days after receiving the plan.
e) A plan shall be adopted by such county, city, town or village within 10 days after
receiving the comments of the DPC.
f) The adopted plan:
May be amended at any time in the same manner as originally prepared,
revised and adopted; and
Shall be the official policy for recovery and redevelopment within the
municipality.
C. Reconstruction
1. Reconstruction consists of two phases:
a) Phase 1-short term reconstruction to return vital life support systems to minimum
operating standards;
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 and
circumstances that led to the disaster.
2. Long term reconstruction and recovery may include but not limited to the following duties:
a) Scheduling planning for redevelopment;
b) Analyzing existing State and Federal programs to determine how they may be
modified or applied to reconstruction;
c) Conducting of public meetings and hearings;
d) Providing temporary housing and facilities;
e) Public assistance;
f) Coordinating State/Federal recovery assistance;
g) Monitoring of reconstruction progress; and
h) Preparation of periodic progress reports to be submitted to NYS DHSES OEM.
3. Reconstruction operations must conform to existing State/Federal laws and regulations
concerning environmental impact.
4. The Debris Management Annex provides recommendations for replacement, reconstruction,
removal or relocation of damaged or destroyed public or private facilities, proposed new or
amendments to zoning, subdivision, building, sanitary or fire prevention regulations and
recommendations for economic development and community development in order to
minimize the impact of any potential future disasters on the community.
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5. Reconstruction operations in and around designated historical sites must conform to existing
State and FEMA guidelines.
a. Saratoga County has provisions for cooperation with state and federal agencies in
recovery efforts.
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) The emergency assistance available to the public;
b) The agency providing 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 are needed to apply for assistance; and
f) Where to apply for assistance.
2. The following types of assistance may be available:
a) Food stamps (regular and/or emergency);
b) Temporary housing (rental, mobile home, motel);
c) Unemployment assistance and job placement (regular and disaster unemployment);
d) Veteran's benefits;
e) Social Security benefits
f) Disaster and emergency loans (Small Business Administration, Farmers Home
Administration);
g) Tax refund;
h) Individual and family grants; and
i) Legal assistance.
3. All the above information will be jointly prepared jointly by the Federal, State, County and
local PIOs as appropriate and furnished to the media for reporting to the public.
