The Hot Spring County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) was established to serve as the countywide agency for the purpose of overseeing the planning, response, recovery, and mitigation of disasters or emergencies that may occur within the county.

 

The Hot Spring County Department of Emergency Management serves all political subdivisions within the county including all communities and municipalities. DEM has the responsibility for maintaining the county's Emergency Operation Center (EOC) and for establishing secondary EOCs as needed. The department is also charged with the establishment and updating of the county's Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). The EOP is the county's formal outline of emergency response to all types of disasters or emergencies that may occur here including floods, tornados, winter storms, drought, earthquakes, hazardous materials releases, transportation accidents, civil disorder, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and radiological emergencies. The department is staffed by a director and volunteer deputy directors.

 

Other examples of the role of Emergency Management include:

 

• Act as a conduit for local responders when requesting resources from the State of Arkansas.

• Manage grant funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

• Respond to hazardous materials incidents to coordinate resources and ensure proper cleanup.

• Monitor weather and river conditions and disseminate information/warnings via the Central Warning Point if necessary.

• Serve as the emergency coordination and public information arm of the Hot Spring County Local Emergency Planning Committee.

• Provide training assistance to local public safety agencies and responders.