Town of Buckfield Select Board adopts updated Emergency Operations Plan

The Town of Buckfield Select Board on a vote approved a revised Town of Buckfield Emergency Operations Plan, with the emergency management director authorized to update resource and contact information without returning each change to the board.

The move followed a presentation from the emergency management director and the town manager, who explained the plan’s structure, what parts remain unimplemented and how the town will continue to update and test portions such as digital file backups and volunteer rosters. The board recorded the motion to adopt and then took a roll-call-style vote in which members present voiced approval.

The plan described continuity procedures for critical town functions (for example, what to do if the town office is destroyed), a local volunteer survey form to gather skills during a disaster, and a list of local contractors and suppliers to call for resources. The emergency management director said the volunteer form is intended for use during active incidents and could be circulated at the time of an emergency; the director also asked the board to allow routine updates to phone numbers and vendor lists so posted information remains current.

Town Manager Cameron (identified in the meeting as the town manager) told the board the plan would be reviewed annually and updated when contacts or responsibilities change. The plan contains a page the board will sign to record initial approval and supersede prior versions.

The board’s action was procedural: adopting the operations plan and approving the emergency management director’s authority to maintain contact/resource listings. No budgetary appropriation was included in the motion.