City staff briefs council on emergency planning: COOP, HMP and EOP work ongoing
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Summary
City staff and Spokane County emergency management updated the council on progress drafting the continuity of operations plan (COOP), the county hazard mitigation plan (HMP) chapter for Spokane Valley, and the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). Outreach and a COOP exercise in 2026 were discussed.
City staff on Tuesday gave the Spokane Valley City Council an administrative update on the city’s emergency-planning work, including the continuity of operations plan (COOP), the hazard mitigation plan (HMP) chapter for Spokane Valley and the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).
Virginia Club (legislative policy coordinator and project manager) and Mark Conrad of Spokane County Emergency Management described progress and next steps. Club said the COOP was adopted last November; department notebooks with COOP appendices have been prepared and staff orientation meetings are under way. Staff are identifying essential services, securing essential records, and planning NIMS/ICS training so city departments can operate with a shared incident-management structure during an emergency. A COOP training exercise is planned for 2026, taking into account wildfire season and emergency-management scheduling.
The county HMP update — a countywide plan with local chapters updated every five years — is moving forward after FEMA funding delays delayed the county consultant. Club said outreach, including presence at the farmers market and joint communications with the county and city, is planned for the summer and fall. The draft county plan is expected in the fall, with additional public comment opportunities then.
The EOP will be developed on a parallel track with county emergency management. Club listed public preparedness steps residents can take — subscribe to the city’s weekly email, sign up for Alert Spokane/Code Red, consult ready.gov and redcross.org, and consider volunteer opportunities such as search and rescue or SCOPE via Spokane County Emergency Management.
Councilmembers asked about public input opportunities and how the plans address procurement of contractors and mutual-aid resources. Staff said the HMP update is a county-led effort and that the city’s chapter will be updated; procurement of contractors is not addressed in the HMP but is handled operationally through the city’s COOP and Public Works processes. Club said citizens may email City Hall or staff for more information and that city staff will publicize outreach events online and via the city’s communication channels.
No council action was required; the presentation was informational and staff said they would return with outreach schedules and draft plan copies when available.
