Somerset County Emergency Management Agency

Roger Lightbody

Director of Emergency Management

Primary Responsibilities
Under the delegation of the County Commissioners, following guidelines established in the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Annual Work Plan, the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director plans, organizes and directs the EMA programs of the County and acts as chief county representative on all EMA matters. The Director coordinates activities of the County EMA with other Federal, State, County and local agencies that have EMA responsibilities.

I. Representative Duties and Responsibilities:

1. To plan, organize and carry out EMA activities, conferring as necessary with MEMA and with neighboring County and Local community Emergency Management Agencies to ensure its activities are an integral and coordinated part of the overall County, State and national programs;
2. To keep the County Commissioners fully and regularly informed on all EMA matters and acts as their personal representative with other governmental and private organizations concerned with EMA;
3. Directs a public information program to keep all citizens of the County informed as to the activities of the EMA, and of the part which each citizen should play in the EMA program;
4. Establishes and maintains an emergency warning system throughout the county, as well as an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with appropriate/adequate volunteer staff for the county;
5. Coordinates a training program to prepare the local EMA organizations within the county for emergency operations;
6. Coordinates participation of the local EMA’s within the county for National, state, County and local emergency exercises;
7. Develops and coordinates effective Emergency Operations Planning for each municipality within the county, conforming with State law and to assist departments, agencies and municipalities involved in EMA activities;
8. During emergencies, coordinates county resources, reports county and local emergency response activities conditions to the MEMA and requests assistance as needed;
9. Coordinates damage assessment activities throughout the county and promptly reports all damage assessment results to MEMA and assists FEMA/MEMA/Local preliminary damage assessment and damage survey activities;
10. Conducts annual review and update of the County Emergency Response Plan, the County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan, and provide copies to MEMA in accordance with the MEMA annual work plan;
11. As County Emergency Hazardous Materials Coordinator, is responsible to the Board of Commissioners and MEMA for decisions and actions taken, and coordinates county activity and participation in the Central Maine WMD/HAZMAT Regional Response Team (CMRT).
12. Advises the County Commissioners on the needs of EMA and is responsible for preparing the county EMA budget and participating in the Federal Financial Assistance Programs.
13. Responsible for the oversight of the Enhanced 911 (E-911) implementation in the 83 Unorganized Territories of Somerset County; responsible for reporting and updating the county commissioners on all E-911 Addressing activities and issues; serve as the supervisor of the Primary E-911 Addressing Agent for the Unorganized Territories while acting as the secondary Addressing Agent in his absence; and assists in the development and presentation of the E-911 Addressing portion of the Unorganized Territory budget requirements;
14. Serves as Chairman of the Somerset County Safety Committee to inform the County Commissioners of identified safety issues and ensures that the fire evacuation plans for each county building are reviewed and updated annually;
15. Coordinate the Somerset County Citizen Corps Council activities and efforts with the various programs of the National Citizen Corps and the State of Maine, through the Department of Homeland Security;
16. Responsible for coordination of mass feeding and sheltering requirements with MEMA and American Red Cross, required to meet County, Regional, and Local needs;
17. Coordinates and manages county agency activities between the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), MEMA, and the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) with supporting grants and stipends, for the annual review and update of the County LEPC Plan and the Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS) facility plans using the SERC/OSHA guidelines required by MEMA;
18. Coordinates technical planning assistance to county municipalities and facilities for “All-Hazard” vulnerability, to include “Homeland Security” vulnerability assessments, of identified potential threats areas;
19. As the State designated County National Incident Management System (NIMCAST) Assessment Coordinator, updates the county assessment tool as required, and ensures of designated community coordinator appointments and access to ensure community compliance;
20. Coordinates and provides accessibility and training, to the allowable county agencies, to the Emergency Management Agency access to the Department of Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN).
21. Coordinates Homeland Security planning and grant activities in the county, and monitors, processes and tracks all County of Somerset Homeland Security and Citizen Corps Grant Awards issued through the County Emergency Management Agency.
22. May serve as a representative in various capacities on various organizations and committees as appointed (examples: Eastern Maine Medical, Northeastern Regional Resource Center; and State of Maine Homeland Security Grant Review Committee, i.e.