|
Office of Emergency Management
Darien's new website for road closures visit http://municipalclosures.com/darien/
Emergency Management is planning for, responding to, as well as recovery from disasters either man-made or natural emergencies. In conjunction with the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security; working with the common goal of maximizing survival, minimizing injuries, and the preservation of property. This is done utilizing the concept of managing and coordination of large scale emergency operations. The office is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of The Town of Darien Emergency Operations Plan. Working with the State of Connecticut Area One Coordinator to assure the coordination and conformance of the plan meets the terms and conditions set forth in the State of Connecticut General Statutes Title 28 chapter 517 as well as Federal Acts and Regulations that also apply.
Planning is conducted with all of the towns' departments in an effort to coordinate the preparation of the town. The town also conducts training exercises to verify our readiness efforts. Past exercises have been done simulating; weather related events, hazardous chemical releases, and even biological events. These exercises have even proven effective and very meaningful for the town and all of the staff involved. Utilizing the National Incident Management System and the National Response Plans to effectively respond to, and recover from disasters of any type.
This is all done to keep our community safe. We also work in an effort to mitigate hazards. The Town of Darien recently adopted a Pre-Disaster Mitigation Strategy to further enhance the towns' abilities to lessen a disaster impacts.
We have assembled a fairly comprehensive list of websites for the community to better educate and prepare themselves. These are in the left column of this page. Any interest in further offering of assistance maybe directed to the American Red Cross Darien Chapter, which is looking for additional volunteers for their disaster assistance team or Darien CERT team members.
March 2009
March 25, 2009 the Town of Darien executed a full town-wide emergency notification calling utilizing the new service CodeRed™. The planned exercise was initiated at 10:00 in the morning and the entire phone list of approximately 7,000 phone numbers was called in less than 11minutes.
The town recently contracted with Emergency Communications Network for broadcasting emergency message notifications. CodeRed™ as the system is referred to; gives the town the ability to provide an emergent message outward to the community in high volumes very quikly. The system gives responders a way to target the community either with a single recorded message to residents and businesses affected in a small geographically area or the entire town. Currently the database for the system contains only listed phone numbers from a commercial source. Please submit your unlisted, VOIP, or cellular mobile device phone number click on the link in the left margin or " Click here to Register for Emergency Notifications from CodeRed™" or you can learn more about the system. It is imperative that this contact information be kept up to date, expecially if one were to move and maintains their old phone number, phone numbers are matched to geographical informational data. Accurate data is important please help us to help you!
March 2008
The town and emergency management is working towards the new state legislative directive from last session that requires Pet Sheltering and Accessible Shelters.
The town and the emergency management team introduces the website for road closures to the responders and the general public. This is a tool that was used in-house prior for severe storms that closed streets from downed power lines and tree limbs. We are moving forward to make this a tool for residents to see the state of town roads in times of storms, to eventually providing daily construction activities. Visit: http://municipalclosures.com/darien/
May 2007
Town officials meet with residents on May 16th to discuss some of the issues and what is being done in the effort to work on the recurring flooding problem. For more information for residents visit.. http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/floodins/infocon.shtm
Darien Preparedness Guide
Delivered to all homes in town as of October 2006. Please make a correction to the town's emergency public information line on that document. The number was recently changed due to an update to the phone system at town hall. The new number is 203.656.7472 and will make announcements when an event occurs.
Friday March 2, 2007
Region experiences flash flooding. Many neighborhoods suffer extensive flooding from approximately 4" of rain in a short period of time. This was complicated by the frozen ground sending run off overland and into already taxed waterways. Three sections of town involved small evacuations as well as several motorist stranded in vehicles in high water conditions.
Monday April 9, 2007
Board of Selectmen meeting included CT Department of Environmental Protection State Hazard Mitigation Officer Art Christian discussing the town's flooding issues. Discussion consisted of the CT DEP's involvement in grants for flood control studies and projects. Included discussion on pre-disaster mitigation grants used for these purposes as well.
Board of Selectmen voted to support the purchase of an emergency telephone notification system. Using approximately 33% DHS grant money and a town share of $31,000 to purchase Reverse 911 ® hardware and software for the purpose of notifying the general public of an emergency and effectively provide information and action steps from the town's public safety answering point. This item will be forwarded to the Board of Finance for their action.
Sunday April 15, 2007
The region is pounded again with extremely heavy downpours. The rainfall accumulation is beyond the forecasted amount, approximately 8" of rain fell in town. Leaving a second pounding of some homes that haven't recovered from the March 2nd storm. April 24 and 25th FEMA assessment teams reviewed damage locally. This in an effort to determine if the state will meet the threshold for a Presidential Declaration. IF , a declaration is declared then the town and individuals as well as business owners would possibly be eligible for aid. They could also request money to elevate their homes to prevent future damages from similar events. Aid is the form of low interest loans at approximately 3%. FEMA is looking for uninsured losses, since it cannot duplicate assistance. Please take pictures and keep all receipts for damage, and associated costs.
For prompt all-hazard warning consider purchasing a National Weather Service-NOAA Weather Radio for more information go to: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrrcvr.htm
Home ,
2 Renshaw Road, Darien, CT 06820 • Phone: 203.656.7300
email: webmaster@oem
|