Emergency Management

The Emergency Management Office is a dynamic work area. Each task that is being performed is for the greater good of the entire County. Each day, the office works to answer the question what if.

Preparation

Critical incidents and events happen all around us every day. Every local community and citizen needs to be prepared for the many potential man-made and natural hazard threats.

Every event that occurs locally, in the State, in the Nation and across the Globe, guides us to plan for something or anything similar here. Does this mean that we are ready for everything? Not for everything, but we strive to stay ahead of the threats.

When incidents/events do occur, the Emergency Management Office is a driving force in response and recovery.

Collaboration

The Emergency Management Office works collaboratively with our communities and our local, state, and federal partners in emergency preparedness and mitigation planning, and engages those same partners to strengthen our collective ability to respond to and recover from any event that may occur.

Comprehensive Emergency Planning

Responding to and recovering from disasters is a complex undertaking. A comprehensive approach to emergency management saves lives and minimizes property damage. It emphasizes the interrelationship of activities, functions, and expertise necessary to deal with emergencies. The Cayuga County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan ensures that the County can efficiently and effectively manage emergency/disaster situations.

Review the Cayuga County CEMP

Cayuga County CEMP (Base Plan) Updated September 2022

The Cayuga County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) is a sectional management tool based on four operational concepts that aid our office in efficiently dealing with emergencies or disasters. These Operational Concepts of emergency management are:

1. Preparedness: The act of getting or being prepared. Individuals and communities should take the necessary steps that will best provide early awareness and sustained (72-hour) self-sufficiency before an emergency or disaster occurs.
2. Mitigation (Risk Reduction): The act of planning or predetermining preventative and mitigation actions that can minimize the impacts of an emergency or disaster prior to their occurrence.
3. Response: The act of taking steps or immediate actions when, and in some cases shortly before an emergency materializes. For example, receipt of advisories regarding floods, blizzards, or ice storms that could impact the jurisdiction may begin an increased readiness response phase.
4. Recovery: The act of taking steps necessary to restore a local community or the County to the pre-disaster state.

Along with the CEMP, are many annexes, which are functional and hazard-specific operational guides. These annexes are designed as stand-alone plans that work in concert with the overriding management tool (the CEMP).

The CEMP and annexes are living documents. As conditions change or emergencies and disasters occur in the County, State, and Nation, the CEMP and Annexes are modified to meet the evolving emergency management needs of Cayuga County.

Emergency / Disaster Preparedness

Public awareness of emergency situations and the ability of the public to appropriately react in a prompt and effective manner is of the utmost importance. When a disaster or large emergency occurs, Emergency Responders cannot be everywhere at once. We rely on the residents of Cayuga County to be self-sufficient for up to three days.

See more information on how to prepare for an emergency or disaster:

• FEMA Ready.gov
• National Weather Service Preparedness
• New York - Alert Notification and Warning System
• New York Citizens Preparedness Corps

Pre-Planning for Emergencies / Disaster

Pre-planning and being prepared in the event of an emergency is important for every citizen. A serious weather event, such as an ice storm could result in a power outage. Each household should be prepared to be self-sufficient for 72 hours.

Things to consider...a power outage means:

• No ATM machines
• No cordless phones
• No gasoline pumps
• No power for home health care equipment
• No water pumps (especially if using well water)

Be prepared, create a Family Emergency Plan and a Disaster Supply Kit. Reach out to neighbors and friends before an emergency. Volunteer within your communities to help before the time comes

Family Emergency Plan

Make sure your family has a plan in case of an emergency. Before an emergency happens, sit down together and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go and what you will do in an emergency.

Keep a copy of the plan in your emergency supply kit or another safe place where you can access it in the event of a disaster. Fill out and save an editable Family Emergency Plan (PDF) and please, keep it up to date.

Disaster Supplies Kit

Every family should build a Disaster Supply Kit. It is part of your family emergency plan and should have the essential items necessary to, in simplest terms sustain your family for a minimum of 72 hours.

It is likely, in a Disaster with high demands being placed on public safety and public service agencies, that you may have to maintain self-sufficient for a period of time. Open a list of essential components of a Disaster Supply Kit (PDF). You can save it, update it, and keep it with your Family Emergency Plan.

Discussion Points Checklist

In addition to the Family Emergency Plan and Disaster Supply Kit, a checklist has been compiled to assist you in furthering discussion with your family regarding the Family Emergency Plan and Emergency Preparedness. Please keep in mind that these are suggested talking points and should not be considered all-inclusive or required. 

The Cayuga County Office of Emergency Service did not intend this list to be required or to replace parental judgment. It is intended to be a support tool, and to keep our communities thinking about the need to continue family emergency planning. The checklist of Discussion Points is located on the final page of the Family Emergency Plan (PDF).