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ABOUT WICHITA
COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Emergency Management is responsible for coordinating Wichita County's
preparation for and response to emergency situations.
Wichita County is exposed to many hazards, which have the potential for
disrupting the community, causing damage and creating casualties. Natural
hazards include tornadoes, floods, and severe storms. As a major manufacturing
and distribution center, Wichita County also faces the threat of hazardous
material accidents involving the transportation, manufacture and storage of
chemicals on the highways and in the industrial areas.
To address these potential threats, the Emergency Management Office maintains
the county’s emergency management plan. This plan provides the framework upon
which Wichita County prepares for, responds to and performs its emergency
response functions during times of natural or man-made disasters or national
emergencies. The plan is based on the four phases of Emergency Management which
are:
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Mitigation - Those activities which eliminate or reduce the probability of
disaster.
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Preparedness - Those activities which governments, organizations and
individuals develop to save lives and minimize damage.
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Response - Those actions to minimize loss of life and property damage and
provide emergency assistance.
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Recovery - Those short and long-term activities which restore city
operations and help return the community to a normal state.
When the County faces an emergency and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is
activated, the emergency management office works with appropriate county
departments as well as various city, state, and federal agencies to respond
effectively and quickly and provide for the continuity of services to the
public. In addition, should it become necessary to establish a command post at
the site of a major incident, the County will deploy a specially equipped
vehicle known as the
Mobile Incident Command Post (MICP)
This specialized vehicle has been designed to be an extension of the emergency
operations center. It is a state-of-the-art mobile command post equipped with
radio equipment, computers, telephones, video systems, and other specialized
equipment to assist in the management of a major incident at or near the
incident location.
Since severe weather emergencies could be caused by tornadoes, severe
thunderstorms, floods, extreme cold and ice, and extreme heat, we monitor the
County area radar on a continual basis. The emergency management office can
communicate with local amateur radio operators throughout the area as part of
the Regional Skywarn Network, as well as emergency operations centers in
adjacent counties and the state.
Emergency management personnel, working with the National Weather Service,
monitor regional and national weather information for its potential impact on
the County. This is particularly true during the tornado season (March -
June). The emergency management office also provides public education and
training. We plan and hold training exercises with county departments and
outside agencies. We advise the public through the media, and the Emergency
Alert System (EAS), about the severity of the situation and the response and
recovery under way. In addition we are available to make presentations to civic
and business groups on emergency preparedness.
For more information, call (940) 763-0820 during normal business hours.
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