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Durham emergency manager outlines when local disaster declarations are used and how county will warn and assist residents
Summary
The county's emergency management chief reviewed statutory authority for local disaster declarations, what they enable (curfew, evacuations, closures) and the role of the Emergency Operations Plan, and commissioners pressed for better pre-disaster communication and targeted outreach for vulnerable areas.
Elizabeth Schroeder, who serves as chief of emergency management for both Durham County and the city of Durham, explained the legal standard for a local state of emergency under North Carolina law and described operational functions the county's emergency management team performs, including sheltering, EOC activation and reimbursement considerations tied to declarations. Schroeder emphasized that a county declaration applies to unincorporated areas unless adopted by a city and that declarations are often needed to secure reimbursement for emergency-related expenditures.
Commissioners asked how the county can better identify vulnerable places and improve outreach so residents know how to apply for individual assistance after storms. Schroeder said the office is developing a joint crisis‑communications plan, relying on Alert Durham and VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) partnerships for sheltering and feeding, and updating sheltering plans and exercises. Commissioners pressed for more proactive, plain‑language instructions for residents about who to contact and what information to gather after localized flooding and other events.
