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Welcome to Benton County Emergency Services

Benton County Emergency Management

(BCEM)

Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force an evacuation of a community or confine residents to their homes. Communities can and do cope with disasters by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Benton County Emergency Management (BCEM) staff members are continually planning and working proactively to help ensure the safety of Benton County residents will be safe in case of an emergency. The goals of emergency management are to save lives, prevent injuries and protect animals, property and the environment if an emergency occurs.

BCEM Manager Bob Spencer 

The Emergency Operations Center                                                                    at the 2009  Benton-Franklin Fair

 

BCEM is responsible for carrying out emergency management and coordination functions, disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts in the event of an emergency in the county.  BCEM is also responsible for maintaining the Benton County  Emergency Operations Center (EOC), located in Richland, to provide for a coordinated emergency response.

The EOC provides workspace, communications and information systems, maps, displays and decision aids to support the direction and control of emergency response activities. BCEM provides emergency preparedness planning and information, as well as coordination of emergency response and recovery efforts.

BCEM supports several programs countywide. BCEM planners for the Radiological Emergency Program coordinate with Department of Energy emergency officials to prepare for an emergency on the Hanford Site, and Energy Northwest emergency officials for an emergency at Columbia Generating Station. The Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program planner prepares for an emergency at the Umatilla Chemical Depot, near Hermiston.

Frequent drills and full-scale exercises with these programs create opportunities for both BCEM staff and outside agency representatives to practice for the real thing. BCEM is equipped to deal with any type of emergency, whether it is man-made emergency scenarios or natural disasters.

A key tool in emergency response is the ability to alert local residents as quickly as possible about emergency conditions.  The primary component used to alert Benton County residents is the Emergency Alert System (EAS).  This system was previously known as the EBS or Emergency Broadcast System.  The primary EAS radio station for Benton County is KONA AM 610 or FM 105.3  KONA will broadcast the specific instructions for residents of Benton County.

Benton County also has a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).  The BCEM staff provides coordinating support to this organization.

BCEM supports the Benton City COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disasters).  COADs provide another avenue for residents to assist their communities in preparing for and responding to local disasters.

What is Emergency Management?

County emergency management agencies across the nation are responsible for coordinating the emergency and disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts of the county.

  • Mitigation is defined as "sustained action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards and their effects." It describes the ongoing effort at the federal, state, local and individual levels to lesson the impact of disasters upon our families, homes, communities and economy.  Benton County and the incorporated cities within the county developed and approved a Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2004

  • Preparedness means to have plans or preparations already made for reacting promptly and effectively to save lives and help response-and-rescue operations, before an emergency. Preparedness includes having evacuation plans, designating a family meeting place after an emergency and having a disaster supply kit.

  • Response begins as soon as a disaster is detected or threatens. It involves mobilizing and positioning emergency equipment and personnel, and getting people out of danger. It also means providing needed food, water, shelter, medical services and bringing damaged services and systems back on line. Local responders, government agencies and private organizations take action.

  • Recovery is the effort to restore infrastructure and social and economic life of a community to normal, or even safer situation, following an emergency or disaster. Recovery can be short-term or long-term.

What Emergencies or Hazards do Emergency Management Agencies Plan for?

Benton County Emergency Management agencies create and test plans and procedures for both natural and man-made disasters on a regular basis.
 

 

  • Natural hazards are those caused by natural events, often weather related, that pose threats to lives and property. Some natural hazards include: droughts, floods, wildfires, landslides, sleet and ice storms, high winds, tornados, blizzards and earthquakes.
 

  • Man-made or technological emergencies are those caused by tools, machines and substances that we use in our every day life. Some examples of these types of hazards are large-scale power outages, explosions, airplane crashes, electrical fires, chemical spills and nuclear emergencies.  They can be accidental or intentional.

 
 
 

 

 
 

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