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Commission endorses Douglas County Emergency Operations Plan and Region K hazard mitigation update
Summary
The commission adopted three resolutions to adopt the Douglas County Emergency Operations Plan, the Kansas Homeland Security Region K Hazard Mitigation Plan and to reaffirm the joint cities-county emergency management resolution, formalizing cooperation across jurisdictions.
The Lawrence City Commission unanimously adopted three related resolutions on Tuesday to adopt the Douglas County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), the Kansas Homeland Security Region K Hazard Mitigation Plan, and a revised Joint Cities-County Emergency Management Resolution.
Robert Binecki, Douglas County director of emergency management, told the commission the EOP integrates local jurisdictions and emergency support function annexes, and the Region K mitigation plan covers a nine-county area organized by the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. The joint resolution updates the bylaws and code language for the emergency management board, which also serves as the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).
Binecki said the county and member cities update these plans every five years to meet state standards and to maintain coordination among primary agencies and special districts. He described the emergency management board’s quarterly and executive-level meeting cadence and noted Lawrence staff participation; Kathy Porsche is the city’s designee to the board. Commissioners asked about the relationship between the plans and the Incident Command System; Binecki explained ICS is part of the National Incident Management System and provides a common organizational structure used during incidents such as the COVID-19 response and for World Cup planning.
Commissioners expressed appreciation for the county’s collaborative planning and the volume of partnership work that underlies the plans. The commission moved and seconded a single motion adopting Resolution Nos. 7579, 7580 and the Joint Cities-County emergency management resolution; the motion passed 5-0.
