Emergency Management

Email: emd@aikencountysc.gov

Mission:

The Aiken County Emergency Management Division coordinates the county's integrated emergency management system through partnerships with all emergency response organizations, voluntary agencies, private non –profit organizations and other support services, to ensure efficient preparation for, effective response to, and timely recovery from emergencies and disasters to reduce human suffering and property loss.

Functions and Responsibilities:

 All Hazards Planning - Natural and Technological

 Hazard Mitigation

 Coordination of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) which is tasked with emergency planning in order to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies

 Coordination of the Emergency Preparedness Committee

 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operation during activation, training, drills and exercises as well as maintenance of the facility

Notable Accomplishments:

 Installation of a NOAA Weather Transmitter (162.450 MHz) which has greatly improved radio coverage throughout Aiken County facilitating improved National Weather Service severe weather watch and warning distribution

 National Weather Service Storm Ready designation

 Coordination of emergency communications through ham radio, following a severe thunderstorm which damaged the EMS communications system, which resulted in Aiken County Council Resolution 03-08-145

Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

The Aiken County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) provides a central location from which government at any level (local, state, Federal) can provide interagency coordination and executive decision-making in support of the incident response.
The EOC is the central command and control facility charged with carrying out the mission of the Aiken County Emergency Management Division.

The EOC is located in a secure hardened facility to ensure protection from severe weather and other natural and manmade threats. The EOC has emergency backup power and interoperable emergency communications.

The following Operational Conditions (Op cons) determine the level of activation of the EOC:

		Disaster or emergency situation in effect; full-fledged emergency response operations on-going; highest state of emergency operations.
		Disaster or emergency situation in effect; maximum preparedness level; full activation of the EOC
		Disaster or emergency situation likely or imminent. Full or partial activation of EOC; activate Aiken County Emergency Operations Plan and the appropriate specific impact hazard emergency plan.
		Possibility of an emergency or disaster situation that may require a partial or full activation of the Aiken County Operations Center (EOC).
		Day-to-day operations to include normal training and exercises