Emergency Management in Lincoln County
Director: Timothy E. Pellerin
Deputy Director: Laurie B. Benner
Assistant Director of Training and Operations: Kenneth Desmond
Phone: 207-882-7559
Fax: 207-882-7550
Mission Statement:
...to protect the lives and property of the citizens and visitors of Lincoln County ensuring mitigation of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from, the effects of natural and man-made disasters, consistent with the resources provided...
What Is Emergency Management?
Emergency Management is a community-wide effort to incorporate all available resources to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all emergencies and disasters.
While state and federal emergency response organizations exist, disasters impact local citizens and response is primarily performed by local orgnizations.
Lincoln County is subject to over 18 different situations involving response or coordination by the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency. Major classifications of these activities include:
Civil Disorders
Dam/Embankment Failures
Earthquakes
Emergency Repatriation
Energy Emergencies
Epidemics
Explosions
Hazardous Materials
Major Transportation Accidents
Nuclear Attack
Prison Escapes
Radiological Incidents
Resource Shortages
Search and Rescue
Severe Weather
Terrorism
Severe Fires
Utility Failures
Organizational Divisions
Administrative: The Administrative Post assists the Director in planning, staffing, and coordinating the Office's programs; administration of the county's emergency and disaster response operations; fiscal management and overseeing the county's interest.
Training: The role of the Training Officer is to provide proper instruction for any personnel involved in emergency response. This includes classes taught by Office personnel or by outside sources as needed. Training is provided in the areas of Hazardous Materials, Damage Assessment, Disaster Assistance, etc., to various response personnel in the county.
Communications: In 1994, the Lincoln County Fire Chiefs Association, in conjunction with the County Commissioners and Radiological Emergency Preparedness Committee, saw the implementation of a county-wide repeater system which is utilized by fire, ambulance and law enforcement departments. The repeater system allows for one-button paging to all departments saving time as well as having one frequency for everyone to communicate on. A complete duplication of the Sheriff's Department communication equipment is housed in the EOL.
Fire and Rescue: One of the primary missions of Lincoln County's Emergency Management Agency is the responsibility for county government's interests in fire and rescue services with the coordination of overall fire and rescue activities. Working with the Lincoln County Fire Chiefs Association, training has been provided to many individuals by sponsoring Firefighter I and II classes and training with Rockland County, NY, fire departments.
Operations: Operations involves the response to many incidents. This responsibility is met using full-time employees with dual roles and a volunteer staff of 20 individuals.
Hazardous Materials: Lincoln County is charged with the responsibility for the day-to-day response to such incidents or accidents. Hazardous Materials Awareness level training is provided on a yearly basis to fire, ambulance, law enforcement and public works personnel. The EMA office chairs the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) overseeing facility plans and training.
Radiological Defense: The Radiological Defense program focuses on collecting and evaluating radiological information, and preparing for the response to peacetime and war related radiological incidents. Resources are used in planning, training, technical assistance, and providing instrumentation to support the development of radiological protecting systems. Wiscasset, the shire town of Lincoln County, houses Maine's only nuclear power plant. Training is conducted yearly and federally mandated drills are held on a bi-yearly basis.