Mitigation
Gaston County Emergency Operations Plan

Coordinating Agencies: Emergency Management
  Public Works
  Code Enforcement Department
   
Cooperating Agencies: Fire Marshal
  County Administration
  Others as required or requested
   
   
I. PURPOSE

This section of the plan describes the function of mitigating emergencies and disasters within Gaston County prior to, during, and following emergency situations.
 
II. SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS
 
  A. Situation
 
    1. Historically, Gaston County's Code Enforcement Department in the unincorporated areas and within small municipalities, and Gastonia Code Enforcement in the municipal limits of Gastonia (plus their extra-territorial jurisdiction) have conducted activities directed at mitigation of impact affecting building construction and development by enforcing North Carolina's Building Code.
 
    2. Fire Code enforcement directed toward reducing hazards from fire and chemical release is conducted under the auspices of the local fire departments in Gastonia, Cherryville, Belmont, Bessemer City, Mount Holly, Stanley and McAdenville. The Fire Code enforcement in the unincorporated areas and remaining municipalities is conducted by the Gaston County Fire Marshal's Office.
 
    3. Zoning restrictions limit construction in certain areas such as flood planes. Zoning also limits new construction of variant occupancies within close proximity.
 
    4. Existing development and construction may be within hazard areas.
 
  B. Assumptions
 
    1. New construction meets codes intended to limit damage from natural forces such as wind and water. Development within close proximity to identified hazards will be consistent with the existing hazards.
 
    2. Existing construction and development may be within hazard areas; thus mitigation efforts will be required immediately prior to or during emergency responses.
 
    3. During emergency situations, responders will attempt to identify areas requiring fortification to prevent or reduce damage. Mitigation actions will be coordinated through the EOC.
 
III. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
 
  A. Several departments within local government have daily mitigation responsibilities related to their job duties.  These are:
 
    1. Code Enforcement and Community Development.
  • Zoning review
  • Minimum Housing
  • Building Code
  • Land Use Planning
  • Identification of grant programs to facilitate risk reduction
    2. Fire Marshal.
  • Fire Code Enforcement
    3. Emergency Management.
  • Public Education
  • Local Emergency Planning Committee
  • Hazard / Vulnerability analyses
  • Vital facility surveys
  • Preplanning responses to hazards at fixed facilities
  • Train responders consummate with hazards
  B. During disasters, each local government unit is responsible to identify situations where activities can preclude or reduce damage from the hazard.  Examples of such activities are:
 
    1. Installing sandbags to prevent flood waters from reaching a building.
 
    2. Evacuation of persons from harm's way.
 
    3. Security to prevent looting.
 
    4. Providing information to the public that promotes individual responsibility.
 
  C. Following disasters, local governments will identify high hazard areas and problems, which occurred in these areas in an effort to document activities, which can prevent recurrence. Such activities include:
 
    1. Preventing reconstruction in threatened areas.
 
    2. Facilitate government purchase of threatened areas to prevent reconstruction.
 
    3. Facilitate projects to elevate existing structures.
 
    4. Study areas to identify engineering controls that can preclude or reduce identified hazards.
 
    5. Evaluate construction methods and zoning restrictions to ensure acceptability within hazard area and recommend changes where prudent.
 
    6. Education and training of public, governmental leaders and responders with respect to historical experience.
 
IV. DIRECTION AND CONTROL
 
  A. Individual departments have responsibility to implement and enforce their programs under the statutes and local ordinances, which promulgate their program(s).
 
  B. During disaster response, the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management assumes the lead role in Hazard Mitigation. Coordination of efforts between key officials within the Emergency Operations Center is imperative.
 
  C. A task group consisting of all affected agencies will be appointed to coordinate post disaster mitigation efforts.
 
V. CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT

 The line of succession is:
 
  A. Office of Emergency Management
 
  B. Code Enforcement and Community Development
 
  C. Public Works