Douglas County Emergency Management Memo
Date: October 5, 2004
To: Lawrence City Commission
From: Paula A. Phillips, Director
RE: Integrated Emergency Management Course
In April 2004, the Douglas County Emergency Management Board encouraged the City of Lawrence and Douglas County to submit an application to participate in FEMA’s Community Specific Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC).
The IEMC is a 4.5-day exercise based training activity that places public officials and emergency personnel in a realistic crisis situation within a structured learning environment. The course builds the awareness and skills needed to develop and implement policies, plans, and procedures to protect life and property through applications of sound emergency management principles in all phases of emergency management. The exercise scenario is based on the Emergency Management Plan of Douglas County, Kansas and on the threats and risks of our community.
A September 24, 2004 letter from FEMA confirms the acceptance of Douglas County/Lawrence as one of the ten communities selected to participate during FFY 2005. Douglas County and Lawrence officials will go to Emmitsburg, MD December 6-10, 2004 for the course.
The confirmation letter (sent to the Mayor) details the specifics about the course and expected participants. I have met with the management teams from the City of Lawrence and Douglas County to begin the participant recruitment process, and to put together the requested documents. FEMA officials will be in Lawrence the week of October 18 to visit our community and gather information for the exercise scenario. The confirmation letter also includes a “Letter of Agreement” that must be signed by the Mayor and by the Chair of the Douglas County Commission.
RECOMMENDATION: I am requesting that the Lawrence City Commission support and encourage the participation of city personnel in attending the IEMC; and that the Commission determine which Commissioners will attend the IEMC; and that the Mayor sign the Letter of Agreement.