City updates Emergency Operations Plan, emphasizes ESF structure and shelter coordination

Laura Smith, the city's emergency management coordinator, presented an updated Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that shifts the city's framework to an Emergency Support Function (ESF) model, aligning local procedures with state and federal response structures. "It gives us a common language and operating procedure to work on whether we're getting assets from the state or the National Guard," Smith said.

Smith described the EOP's four phases—2 preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation—and explained that the document is a "living, breathing" plan reviewed after exercises and real-world incidents. She noted the county emergency management office leads mass care and sheltering as the health and human services branch, and that the city conducts shelter surveys and partners with the Red Cross to determine shelter capacity and ADA compliance.

Council members thanked Smith and raised a small organizational-chart concern (a council member requested the city organizational chart explicitly show residents at the top); Smith confirmed the EOP does not require agencies to perform tasks outside their scope and that activation is tailored to incident needs.

Council received the report and asked staff to continue outreach and to return with any adjustments following exercises. The updated plan is intended to improve coordination, clarify roles and reduce confusion during incidents while preserving decision-making authority for policy leaders.