Cotton Howell, Director
York County Emergency Operations Center
PO Box 11706
155 Johnston St
Rock Hill, SC 29730
(803) 329-7270 phone
(803) 324-7420 fax

ycoem@yorkcountygov.com

Functions

Manage the activities of the 9-1-1 dispatch communication operations, emergency plan development, emergency response coordination, recovery operations, resource development and emergency public education.

Responsibilities

• 9-1-1 and emergency dispatch communication
• Emergency and Disaster Operations Planning
• Disaster consequence reduction programs
• Managing and maintaining the county radio communication systems
• Emergency Response Coordination
• Coordination of rescue/EMS system
• Hazardous materials coordination
• Catawba Nuclear Station emergency planning
• SARA Title III regulation and reporting

This Office Does Not:

• Manage fire fighting and fire safety programs
• Manage emergency health care
• Manage building code enforcement

Common Terms

Civil Defense - Emergency Management is the Civil Defense program, with additional functions such as Homeland Security, Natural Disaster planning, and other preparedness programs.

Emergency Management- Like Civil Defense, Emergency Management is the current terminology used to describe the comprehensive programs now used to protect the public.

Haz-Mat - Hazardous Materials

SARA Title III - Part of the laws that regulate hazardous materials.

Rescue Squad - A volunteer agency that is not a county government department but is funded in part by the county and provides emergency services as described in the Emergency Operations Plan.

EMS (Emergency Medical Service) -  Usually describes ambulance services whether provided by a rescue squad or a paid ambulance provider.

EAS - (Emergency Alert System) -  A voluntary service provided by radio and TV stations.  (Not all radio and television stations carry emergency messages.)

Watch - Used for weather situations to describe when conditions are favorable for the development of a specific weather system named in the watch. Examples: thunderstorm, tornado, flood, winter storm, hurricane, etc.

Warning - The term associated with the named weather system (National Weather Service) when a weather system has been spotted on radar or is imminent. (Thunderstorm, tornado, flood, winter storm, hurricane etc). Appropriate protective action should be taken when a warning is issued

The Emergency Management Office's mission is accomplished through to following:

 
MITIGATION programs or accident/injury prevention programs designed to reduce the consequences of emergencies.

 PLANNING for emergency/disaster situations, including the development of emergency plans and procedures, drills and exercises to evaluate response capabilities.

RESPONSE to emergencies/disasters to coordinate the most effective use of manpower and resources in the saving of lives and the reduction of property losses.

RECOVERY from emergencies/disasters to return the community to its pre-disaster condition including administration of assistance programs.

The Emergency Management Office is a function of County Government with responsibilities to all government entities in the county including municipal governments, the Catawba Indian Nation, and all county school districts. Although the scope and depth of programs has changed drastically since the pre-World War II days of Civil Defense, keeping our citizens safe from harm continues to be the fundamental element of Emergency Management.