Emergency Operations Plan

The primary role of government is to provide for the welfare of its citizens. The welfare of Ohio citizens is never more threatened than during disasters. The goal of emergency management is to provide for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery actions that ensure public welfare is restored and preserved. The ODNR EOP is an integral element of that emergency management effort.  The EOP shall be consistent with the National Response Plan (NRP), which is a comprehensive national, all-hazards approach to domestic incidents management across a spectrum of activities, including prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

The ODNR EOP provides a comprehensive framework for department emergency management. It addresses the functions and responsibilities of the divisions and offices.

The ODNR EOP provides a link with the state, federal, local and private organizations that may be activated to address emergencies in Ohio .

The ODNR EOP ensures consistency with current policy and describes the relationship between the agency and other levels of government. The EOP shall continue to evolve, reflecting lessons learned from actual experiences in disasters and ongoing planning, training exercise activities.

The ODNR EOP shall be consistent with the federal and State of Ohio EOPs, which consist of the following requirements:

• Define the scope of preparedness and incident management activities necessary of the agency.
• Describe organizational structures, roles and responsibilities, policies, and protocols for providing emergency support
• Facilitate response and short-term recovery activities
• Flexible enough to use in all emergencies
• Description of its purpose
• Describe the situation and assumptions
• Describe the concept of operations
• Describe the organization and assignment of responsibilities
• Describe administration and logistics
• Contain a section that covers the development and maintenance of your EOP
• Contain authorities and references
• Contain functional annexes
• Contain hazard-specific appendices
• Contain a glossary
• Pre-designate functional area representatives to the Emergency Operations Center/Multi-agency Coordination System
• Include pre-incident and post-incident public awareness, education, and communications plans and protocols
• ODNR ASAP Emergency Information Line is (866) 906-ASAP (2727)

Each ODNR office and division shall maintain its individual annex, employing the most current information available.

The department shall review and update the EOP yearly or as needed.

The department shall conduct a yearly tabletop or functional exercise to test the viability of the plan.

The Office of Law Enforcement is responsible for maintaining the plan for operational sections.

National Management Incident System

National Incident Management System (NIMS) was implemented with the signing of Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5 on February 28, 2003 . Executive Order 2004-14T was issued on July 30, 2004 , adopting NIMS for the State of Ohio , as prescribed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

It is the policy of ODNR that all employees will cooperate fully with NIMS and Incident Command System (ICS) doctrines and procedures that are compliant with law and agency procedures.

It is also the policy of the department that all members and employees will participate in the recommended ICS training programs developed and coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Furthermore, the policy of the department requires all employees to cooperate fully with designated public safety emergency responders in all strategic and tactical operations, including training.          

Facility Closure

Fountain Square:

The ODNR director (or the director’s designee) is the only person with the statutory authority to close a facility and place employees on administrative leave. The following is the proper method for closing the ODNR headquarters facility ( Fountain Square ) for health and safety concerns (e.g., weather conditions, loss of power, loss of heat or water, flood, etc.).

1. ODNR Security shall immediately notify the ODNR Communications Center ( Comm Center ) of the event.
2. ODNR Comm Center shall directly notify the ODNR director.
3. The director (or the director’s designee) shall be briefed on the situation and provided with available options. Based on the available options, the director may assign staff to alternate locations; or if other options are not available, the director may close the facility and place facility staff on administrative leave.
4. If the director closes the facility, the division chiefs or their designees shall receive notification from the Comm Center or the administration.
5. Upon receiving approval, employees may be released and informed they are to remain in a work-ready status until the end of their respective shifts.
6. Should this situation occur, the director (or the director’s designee) may approve and/or assign a temporary work location where feasible.

Field Locations:

The following is the proper method for closing an ODNR facility for health and safety concerns (e.g., weather conditions, loss of power, loss of heat or water, flood, etc.).

1. The chief of the affected division/office shall notify the ODNR Comm Center .
2. The Comm Center shall contact the department’s Law Enforcement Administrator (DLEA) or designee. If needed, DLEA shall consult the ODNR Office of Human Resources.
3. The director (or the director’s designee) shall be briefed on the situation and provided with available options. Based on the available options, the director may assign staff to alternate locations; or if other options are not available, the director may close the facility and place facility staff on administrative leave.
4. Upon receiving approval, employees may be released and informed they are to remain in a work-ready status until the end of their respective shifts.
5. Should this situation occur, the division chief (or the chief’s designee) may approve and/or assign a temporary work location where feasible.

Weather Emergency

Declaring the Weather Emergency:

Emergency is defined in section 5502.21(F) of the Ohio Revised Code as any period during which the Congress of the United States or a chief executive has declared or proclaimed that an emergency exists. This formal declaration or proclamation can be made by the chief executive of any political subdivision, including the governor, for natural disaster, man-made disaster, hazardous materials incidents or civil disturbance.

Weather emergency is a term that refers to all formal declarations or proclamations limiting a state employee's obligation to travel to and from work for a specific period of time due to severe weather conditions. A formal declaration or proclamation can only be made by the governor or the governor's designee. Emergency declarations made by chief executives other than the governor or the governor's designee do not affect a state employee's obligation to travel to and from work. An individual agency, department or director cannot declare a weather emergency.

The director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety is the governor's designee to declare a weather emergency, affecting the obligation of state employees to travel to and from work. The authority to declare a weather emergency rests solely with the governor in consultation with the director of public safety.

When a weather emergency is declared, the ODNR Comm Center shall:

1. Communicate the weather emergency to the priority call list maintained by the Office of Law Enforcement at the ODNR Comm Center .
2. Inform the priority call list of exact geographic area(s) of the state under the declared weather emergency and the effective date, time and expected duration of the weather emergency.

Designating Essential Employees:

The ODNR shall create and maintain a list of essential employees whose presence at the worksite is critical to maintain operations during any weather emergency or implementation of the ODNR EOP .  Each ODNR division/office chief is responsible for designating essential employees and maintaining the list of designated employees on-line in the emergency operations folder. This list must be updated by the first day of each month.  The department shall advise each division chief who shall notify each designated employee of work expectations during an emergency or implementation of the ODNR EOP .

Non-law enforcement essential employees shall have their state identification card updated to include the essential employee information on the backside.

Granting Leave to Non-Essential Employees:

During the year, extreme weather conditions may exist and roadway emergencies (level 1, 2, or 3) may be declared by local sheriffs in certain counties; yet, no formal weather emergency is declared by the governor and state public offices remain open. Should this situation occur, department heads are encouraged to exercise their judgment and discretion to permit non-essential employees to use any accrued vacation, personal or compensatory leave or any approved temporary work location if such employees choose not to come to work due to weather conditions. Non-essential employees with no or inadequate accrued leave may be granted leave without pay. Nothing in this policy prevents an appointing authority from using discretion to temporarily reassign non-essential employees to indoor job duties, consistent with their job classification, so that such employees are not performing unnecessary road or travel-related duties during days or shifts when the weather is bad.

Compensation:

Exempt & FOP employees shall receive compensation for the number of hours for which they were scheduled to work during the emergency period.  Employees required to report to work shall receive one hour of compensatory leave for every hour worked.

OCSEA employees directed to not report to work or sent home from work shall receive leave with pay at the regular rate for their scheduled work hours for the duration of the emergency period.  Employees required to report to work or required to stay at work shall receive their regular rate of pay and a stipend of $8 per hour worked.

Any employee not scheduled to work because of a scheduled vacation or continuing sick leave is charged for the leave, regardless of the declared emergency.  If the vacation or sick leave ends prior to the end of the declared emergency, no leave time is charged for the remainder of the emergency.

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