Gaston County

Gaston County Ordinances – Chapter 5 ~ Emergency Management

The intent and purpose is to establish an office that will ensure the complete and efficient utilization of the resources of all of the cities of the county and the county to combat disaster resulting from enemy actions or other disasters.
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The Office of Emergency Management will be the coordinating agency for all activity in connection with emergency management. It will be the instrument through which the governing bodies of the cities and the county may exercise the authority and discharge the responsibilities vested in them during disaster emergencies.

When an emergency arises or disaster threatens, the county’s response is coordinated by activating and manning the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Representatives from the county and municipalities gather information and make decisions in the EOC and communicate to the proper authorities in the field and to the State and FEMA as required. The Office of Emergency Management is responsible for maintaining and ensuring readiness of the EOC.

The department administers and provides staff to the Local Emergency Planning Committee. The committee was formed as required by the Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act, known as S.A.R.A. This act concerns emergency planning and communityright-to-know laws for potentially harmful materials. This 23-member committee is responsible for helping develop local emergency response plans to handle these materials in the event of an accident at hazardous waste or chemical plants in the county.

Responsible and or tasked with planning response, notification and evacuation within 10 miles of two (2) nuclear power plants; Updating and yearly adoption of the Emergency Operations Plan and the Nuclear Response Plan; Homeland Security threats and funding; Chemical reporting/LEPC; Hazard Mitigation Plan; Public education on hazards; Charlotte area UASI Homeland Security planning and funding; Monitoring situations and or conditions; Keeping management and other elected officials and emergency responders informed of pending threats from hazards; Flood possibilities from lakes, rivers and streams and flood zone building restrictions; Work with many non-government agencies such as Red Cross, ARES, Duke Energy and United Way.