CIVIL DEFENSE/DISASTER PREPAREDNESS DIVISION

Dean Messing
Deputy Commissioner
716/858-8477
FAX/858-7937
messingd@erie.gov

James T. Glass
Emergency Services Coordinator
716/858-6287
glassj@erie.gov

Emergency Contact: 716/898-3696

The Civil Defense/Disaster Preparedness Division executes the County plan for civil defense and disaster relief before, during and after any type of natural, man-made disaster or war time situation. The activities of this Division are mandated by State Law, with the County maintaining control over certain levels of services.

GOALS:

• Identify, assess and prioritize local and regional vulnerabilities to emergencies or disasters and the resources available to mitigate, respond to or recover from them.

• Provide that the County and local governments will take necessary actions to prevent and mitigate the effects of disasters and be prepared to respond to and recover from them when an emergency or disaster occur.

• Provide for the utilization of all available public and private resources to protect against and deal with an emergency or threatening situation.

• Provide for the utilization and coordination of state and federal programs to assist victim of disaster and prioritize responding to the need of the elderly, disabled, poor and other groups that may be especially affected.

• Provide for the utilization and coordination of state and federal programs for recovery from emergency or disaster situations with particular attention to the development of mitigation action programs.

AFFILIATIONS:

• Erie County Disaster Preparedness Advisory Board
• Erie County Disaster Coordinators Association
• Local Emergency Planning Committee
• International Joint Committee on Emergency Planning (Erie County, Niagara County and Region Niagara of Canada)
• Great Lakes Oil Pollution Area Committee (U.S. Coast Guard)
• Buffalo Emergency Response Group
• Local Environmental Coordinating Committee (U.S. Attorney's Office)
• Hazardous Materials Advisory Council (Town of Tonawanda)
• HAZ WEST (Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Teams from 13 Counties in Western New York)
• Domestic Preparedness Task Force (Haz Mat Teams and law enforcement agencies in Erie County)
• Human Needs Task Force
• Fema PROJECT IMAPCT in the Towns of Eden and Amherst; City of Buffalo. And State SEMO designation to the Village of Gowanda

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• Obtained several Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs for Erie County departments and local governments totaling well over $3 million dollars.

• Obtained a Department of Justice Grant to address Domestic Preparedness (acts of terrorism) issues in Erie County totaling $300,000 for the purchase of equipment for the Domestic Preparedness Task Force which is all the Haz Mat Teams in Erie County

• Obtained several grants to enhance communications for Erie County dealing with HAM radio and the ARES/RACES organizations. These grants totaled over $100,000.

• Obtained millions of dollars in federal aid for Erie County, its municipalities, non-profit organizations and individuals as a result of federal disaster declarations.

• Obtained a grant from the Federal Housing Administration for aid to Erie County, its municipalities and individuals as a result of the floods in 1998 totaling over $1 million dollars.

• Submitted a grant application to the Federal Highway Administration in conjunction with the Department of Public Works for Federal grants to assist in Highway Incident Management and Clear Roadway Polices.

• Assisted Various Volunteer Fire Companies in writing a FEMA Grants for personal protective equipment, training, apparatus, physical fitness and wellness, fire equipment, and fire prevention. From a pot of $100million available this year in this program

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