Directives Issued by the State Office of Emergency Management

DIRECTIVE NO. 103

August 7, 1987

SUBJECT: ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COUNCILS

1. PURPOSE:
   
   To establish the requirement for the designation of County Emergency Management Councils and to provide guidance on council membership and activities.
   
   
2. LEGAL AUTHORITY:
   
   The requirement to establish a County Emergency Management Council is based on State law, Federal law, and Governor's proclamation.
   
   
   1. State Law: New Jersey Statues Annotated (NJSA) Appendix A:9-33 et seq. (Chapter 251 P.L. 1942, as amended by Chapter 438, P.L. 1953). This law requires that every county, through it's emergency management coordinator, develop a county wide emergency operations plan.
      
      
   2. Federal Law: "The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986" (P.L. 99-499) requires that each State appoint a State EmergencyResponse Commission; that the Commission designate emergency planning districts and local emergency planning committees for each district; and that the local committees prepare emergency response plans.
      
      
   3. Governor's proclamation: Executive Order #161, signed on February 12, 1987, establishes New Jersey's State Emergency Response Commission and assigns responsibility for the emergency planning provisions of the Federal law to the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management. The Executive Order also specifies that emergency planning will accomplish in a manner consistent with the provisions of NJSA Appendix A:9-33.
      
      
3. Implementation
   
   In order to facilitate the preparation of the required County Emergency Operations Plan, the County Emergency Management coordinator id directed to establish a County Emergency Management Council. This body will be structured to include representatives of those public, private sector, and volunteer organizations with a legitimate interest in planning for and responding to emergency situations.
   
   Membership should include, at a minimum, representatives with appropriate experience and experience from the following groups:
   
   
   1. Elected Officials
      
   2. Emergency Management
      
   3. Emergency Medical Service
      
   4. Fire Service
      
   5. Health Agency/Environmentalists
      
   6. Industry Groups
      
   7. Law Enforcement
      
   8. Public Works
      
   9. Volunteer Organizations/Community Groups
      
   10. Media
       
       
   The County Emergency Management Coordinator shall serve as chairperson of the Council.
   
   The Council is responsible to:
   
   
   1. Establish rules of operation including provisions for:
      
      
      1. Public notification of committee activities
         
      2. Public meetings
         
      3. Public comments
         
      4. Response to public comments
         
      5. Plan distribution
         
      6. Public requests for identification
         
         
   2. Designate an official as coordinator of information.
      
      
   3. Evaluate the need for resources to develop, implement, and exercise the emergency operations plan.
      
      
   4. Make recommendations regarding what resources are required and how they can be provided.
      
      
   5. Prepare and submit an emergency plan in conformance with the guidance materials provided by this office
      
      
   6. Provide assistance to municipal emergency management councils in the preparation of their emergency operations plans.

Membership on the council is to be reported in writing to the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management upon appointment and annually thereafter.

This Directive supplements Directive 100, Section V and shall be effective immediately.
Clinton L. Pagano