Technical Services & Planning
Timothy Genovese, Director.
989-790-5434
We are located at:
111 S. Michigan Ave.
Courthouse Basement
Saginaw Michigan 48602
The Saginaw County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is responsible for disaster preparedness and homeland defense initiatives for all communities in Saginaw County. Disaster preparedness involves planning for, responding to, and recovering from a major emergency or disaster. It also involves disaster mitigation or projects that lessen the effect of or prevent disasters. Goals adopted by Saginaw County Emergency Management and Homeland Security are saving lives, preventing injuries, and protecting property and the environment. The Emergency Management function is responsible for maintaining a current County Emergency Operation Plan. An Emergency Operations Center is maintained by the division and can be activated in time of emergency, disaster, or other significant occurrence that affects broad areas of Saginaw County. This division is actively involved with many projects and various emergency service providers and volunteer groups. Federal funding for disaster planning and equipment is directed through this division and has met significant needs for major equipment and specialized training for the Saginaw Fire Department. This close working relationship is crucial for emergency service delivery in the city of Saginaw.
Saginaw County Citizen Corps
Benefits to the Community
Major disasters in a community can overload the capability of first responders, especially during the first 12 to 72 hours of an incident. Having citizens who are better prepared to take care of themselves and others during times of crisis allows first responders to focus their efforts on the most critical, life threatening situations.
There are many tasks that a well-trained and organized group of volunteers could perform on an ongoing basis that would free up professional firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and licensed health professionals so they can focus more on immediate emergency response needs and less on the routine or administrative aspects of their responsibilities. Successful models of such activity exist throughout the United States.
Citizen Corps provides an opportunity for citizens to take a more active role in crime prevention, risk reduction, and emergency preparedness. It brings together all sectors of the community allowing citizen involvement in first responder issues while enabling them to establish ongoing working relationships to work together in times of crisis. As a component of President Bush's call to service, Citizen Corps also helps build a community's sense of pride and cohesion.
Local Emergency Planning Committee (L.E.P.C.)
Background/History
The original Superfund Act - the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)- was enacted by Congress in 1980 to clean up the nation's hazardous waste storage/dump sites. In response to continuing community concern regarding hazardous materials and chemical release tragedies such as the incident in Bhopal, India, a reauthorization and expansion of Superfund was signed into law on October17, 1986. It is known as the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). Title III of SARA created a new, nationwide program known as Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA). The law was designed to improve local hazardous materials emergency response capabilities and provide the public with information concerning hazardous and toxic chemicals in their community.
SARA TITLE III FACT SHEET
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 establishes requirements for federal, state, and local government and industry regarding emergency planning and "community right-to-know" reporting concerning hazardous and toxic chemicals.
To learn more about these 2 sections, go to the DEQ website: www.deq.state.mi.us/ead/sara
To obtain SARA Title III reports and information, visit the Michigan SARA Title III Web page: www.michigan.gov/deq/
SERCs and LEPCs?
The Governor of each state designated a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The SERCs, in turn, designated about 3,500 local emergency planning districts nationwide and appointed Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) for each district. The SERC supervises and coordinates the activities of the LEPC, establishes procedures for receiving and processing public requests for information collected under EPCRA.