4092: Comprehensive Plan Response
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Raymond,
As the comprehensive plan is a complete plan with many components toward the same mission, its components will include other types of mitigation plans. These plans are more specific concerning different areas or entities of the jurisdiction. As a whole community concept entails the entire jurisdiction, there are specifics that officials, stakeholders, business leaders and citizens must prepare for to ensure the preparation, efficiency and resiliency of their area of concern to reduce and limit the amount of damage or loss in the event of a disaster.
Three types of plans that can be part of the comprehensive plan are the area, functional and operational plans. These plans focus on specific areas of concern to the planner and Emergency Manager. In which when combine, will make a completed plan for a jurisdiction in the event of a disaster whether man-made or natural to be resilient and recover in a timely manner.
Area Plan
This plan is focused on a portion of a jurisdiction that may need special attention whether it is a heavily dense area such as a city or an area that may be in need of special attention due to hazards such as a flood prone community. The area plan gives the area’s specific issues more direct attention, with the concern and advisement of those that it mostly affect such as stake holders, leaders and residents (Schwab, 2010, p. 43).
Functional Plan
The functional plan is a plan that focuses on a specific public service and function (Schwab, 2010, p. 43). As in public utilities, the functional plan can focus on an electrical power facility or the storm water system ensuring the ability to restore power or ensure accumulated water properly drains into the proper areas (reservoirs, streams, rivers, and ocean). These plans will probably be made by independent agencies such as parks and recreation, public utilities or a district office.
Operational Plan
Operational plans provide a description of roles and responsibilities, tasks, integration, and actions required of a jurisdiction or its departments and agencies during emergencies, focusing on coordinating and integrating the activities of the organizations within a jurisdiction (Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 2010, p. 1-5). These plans are the who, what, where details in the occurrence of an event. The designated or instructed actions that must be taken by agencies and organizations before during and after a disaster (Schwab, 2010, p. 44). This can also be related to the continuity of operations. For example, on a small scale, a gas station/convenience store combo wants to ensure that they are available immediately after a hurricane to ensure that fuel, food and supplies are readily available for the aid in recovery for the community. An operational plan can detail what needs to be done prior to the storm such as ensuring fuel tanks are filled, having generators for power, personnel assigned to work or other functions to ensure minimal out of operations time occurs.
I believe the Operational Plan as the most significant since it is the direction in which those involved prepare, and response. It is the playbook and along with rehearsals and drills ensures the effectiveness or resiliency of the community facilities and members.
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Demarius,
Different types of local plans
Beyond the local comprehensive plan, there are three other types of local plans: area plans, functional plans, and operational plans. Area plans are small area or sector plans that focus on parts of the community which includes the business district, neighborhoods and traffic corridors. Functional plans focus on community functions which includes sewer and water, transit, park development, and stormwater management. Operational plans are emergency operations or continuity of operations for government agencies. Emergency operations are commonly the responsibility of emergency managers while continuity of operation plans lay out how an entity plans to maintain its functionality in the event of an emergency.
Most significant local plan
I believe the most significant plan of all local plans is the operational plan. Operational plans deal with the coordination and management of certain functions of local or regional government. If a plan is not coordinated properly it could cost lives or millions of dollars in damage of property or equipment. A mismanaged plan is as bad as not having a plan. It could lead to confusion between different government agencies and emergency response. An emergency operations plan “predetermines actions to be taken by government agencies and private organizations in response to an emergency or disaster event” (Schwab, Eschelbach, and Brower 2007). An example of poor coordination of an operation dates back to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center when the NYPD and FDNY chiefs did not work together in a case known as “the battle of the badges”. It was a battle in which both emergency response departments battled for position in the midst of chaos causing confusion on the ground between both agencies. In order to effectively execute a plan the operation must go smooth.