4.2 Roles and Responsibilities
The activation and mobilization phase is when the evacuation procedures are executed. Ideally, by the beginning of this phase, first responders are being dispatched and positioned to aid and guide the general public through the actual evacuation. All affected agencies should be operating under the ICS to gather and disseminate information relating to specific evacuation routes and procedures that can be relayed to the media and to the public.
Table 5 describes some of the roles and responsibilities of various agencies involved in the activation and mobilization phase.
Table 5: Phase 3 Activation and Mobilization Roles and Responsibilities
Agency Type |
Agency |
Roles and Responsibilities |
Local Agencies |
Emergency Management |
- Coordinate the evacuation decision with the decision-maker (e.g., mayor and governor)
- Determine the evacuation area perimeter
- Activate the emergency alert system
- Activate the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and/or back-up facilities if necessary (e.g., alternate EOC and mobile command center)
- Coordinate dissemination of information regarding the evacuation order to the media via the agency’s PIO
- Identify and contact other response agencies that will support evacuation
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Coordinate resources of agencies to support evacuation needs, and move resources to where they are needed including shelters
- Estimate number of evacuees within the jurisdiction, including those with special mobility needs, at the time of incident and evacuation clearance times
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
Transportation |
- Activate Traffic Management Center if incident occurs outside of normal operating hours
- Prepare to activate back-up facilities if necessary (e.g., alternate TMC and mobile command center)
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Provide road condition information gathered from traffic signal systems, vehicle detection systems, and closed-caption television (CCTV) surveillance system to lead and affected agency emergency management personnel
- Evaluate evacuation route alternatives for this scenario, determine feasibility of using each evacuation route, and implement appropriate evacuation traffic control measures (including provisions for enabling the movement of emergency vehicles and personnel into the affected area)
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
Law Enforcement/ Public Safety |
- Establish Incident Command/Unified Command/Area Command, as appropriate
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
Fire Department |
- Establish Incident Command/Unified Command/Area Command, as appropriate
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
Transit |
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Make all vehicles available to support mobilization of evacuees necessary, including special needs evacuees
- Provide and coordinate/manage transit resources
- Coordinate with lead emergency management agency through dispatch/operations center
- Establish park-and-ride assembly points
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
County and State Agencies |
County Emergency Management |
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Activate the EOC and/or back-up facilities if necessary (e.g., alternate EOC and mobile command center)
- Coordinate resources of agencies to support evacuation needs of lead and affected agencies
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
State Emergency Management/Office of Homeland Security |
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Activate the EOC and/or back-up facilities if necessary (e.g., alternate EOC and mobile command center)
- Coordinate resources of agencies to support evacuation needs of lead and affected agencies
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
- Coordinate intra-state, out of state, and federal resources
- Provide lead role in the event of a multi-state evacuation or if evacuees are evacuated to other states
|
County Department of Transportation |
- Assume roles and responsibilities for evacuations originating within unincorporated areas, otherwise assume roles and responsibilities of a neighboring agency
- Activate traffic operations/management center if incident occurs outside of normal operating hours
- Prepare to activate back-up facilities if necessary (e.g., alternate Traffic Management Center and mobile command center)
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
State Department of Transportation |
- Activate Traffic Management Center if incident occurs outside of normal operating hours
- Prepare to activate back-up facilities if necessary (e.g., alternate Traffic Management Center and mobile command center)
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Provide road condition information gathered from traffic signal systems, vehicle detection systems, and CCTV surveillance system to lead and affected agency emergency management personnel
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
County Law Enforcement/Public Safety |
- Assume roles and responsibilities for evacuations originating within unincorporated areas, otherwise assume roles and responsibilities of a neighboring agency
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
State Law Enforcement/Public Safety |
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
Other Agencies |
Media |
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
Private Support Agencies (e.g., Red Cross and Salvation Army) |
- Recall and deploy agency personnel as needed
- Coordinate with lead emergency management agency
- Anticipate shelter needs, and provide reception and shelter locations to lead agency emergency management personnel
- Establish evacuee and responder support (rest stations, food, water, etc.)
- Maintain expenditure records to facilitate reimbursement
|
June 26, 2006
Publication #FHWA-HOP-08-020
