Emergency Operations Planning

Why Update the Emergency Operations Plan?

Purpose:  To assist communities in developing local emergency operations plans in order to initiate, coordinate, and sustain an effective local response to disasters and emergency situations.

Goal:  To provide a plan that provides leadership roles during a hazardous event and makes efficient use of resources to reduce or alleviate the losses of life, injuries and property resulting from natural, human and technological hazards.  This is done through establishing a concept of operations built upon interagency coordination, assigning specific functional responsibilities to appropriate departments and agencies, coordinating response actions between appropriate departments and agencies, and unify efforts of government, volunteers, and the private sector.

Benefits: 

  • SWRPC works with towns and the NH Department of Safety, Homeland Security and Emergency Management to create and update local emergency operations plans. 
  • The plans are funded by FEMA through a grant that is administered by NH Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). 
  • These funds cover the cost of plan preparation and are eligible to the town every 5 years. 
  • Towns are required to maintain an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan to remain eligible to receive funding through various federal assistance programs. Examples of potential funding include the purchasing of equipment and resources to keep the emergency operations functioning during severe events such as base radios and generators for the Emergency Operations Center.

Towns form Emergency Operations Plan Work Groups consisting of emergency responders, road agents, elected leaders and others.  SWRPC has guided approximately 20 towns in the Southwest Region through the process since 2004.


Resources & Helpful Links

Contact Information

Southwest Region Planning Commission - Staff

loading..