Emergency Support Function (ESF) #9 Search and Rescue Lead Agency: Cleburne County Search and Rescue Support Agencies: Cleburne County Emergency Management Agency Cleburne County Emergency Medical Services Cleburne County Fire Departments: Hollis Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department Heflin Volunteer Fire Department Ranburne Volunteer Fire Department Fruithurst Volunteer Fire Department Abernathy Volunteer Fire Department Maceadonia Volunteer Fire Department Piney Woods Volunteer Fire Department Cane Creek Volunteer Fire Department Muscadine Volunteer Fire Department Borden Springs Volunteer Fire Department Turkey Heaven Volunteer Fire Department Micaville Volunteer Fire Department Cleburne County Law Enforcement Agencies: Cleburne County Sheriff s Office Heflin Police Department Ranburne Police Department I. Introduction A. Purpose This ESF details search and rescue efforts within Cleburne County including: Persons lost in woods, forests, caves, rural, and suburban areas Persons missing from downed aircraft Victims believed to have drowned in ponds, lakes, and rivers Medium search and rescue for people in collapsed structures. B. Scope This ESF is limited to searching for persons who are missing as a result of a natural or technological disaster.
II. Policies Volunteers and paid employees working in ESF #9 will only be given assignments commensurate with their level of training and experience. III. Situation and Assumptions A. Situation Various types of emergencies or disasters may result in the need for an organized search and rescue function. The specific resources required in such cases are determined by the nature of the incident. B. Assumptions Specialized resources may be required and available from agencies outside the county (e. g., cave rescue, high angle rescue, confined space rescue, dog search teams, and heavy rescue). State and/or federal agencies may have overall responsibility for some search and rescue operations. A terrorism incident may result in large numbers of missing people and may require Cleburne County ESF #9 to be augmented with state and federal resources. IV. Concept of Operations A. General The CCSO operates 24 hours a day. Requests for Search and Rescue will be evaluated by the Sheriff s Office, which has authority to execute this annex. The ICS will be used for any ESF #9 operations with a ranking member of the CCSO serving as the IC. A. Organization Although the CCSO is designated as the Lead Agency for ESF #9, with a ranking member of the CCSO designated as the IC, support agencies will perform a vast majority of command post and field functions.
CCEMA has the responsibility for coordinating the overall incident and may assist with public information. Volunteer Fire Departments may provide Incident Command Post aides, Safety Officers, Liaison Officers, and staging area management. Supporting agencies will furnish and accommodate their own personnel and equipment. C. Notification Upon notification, personnel at CCEMA will obtain all pertinent information and forward it to the CCSO. The CCSO will mobilize and advise CCEMA of any resource coordination requirements. CCSO will advise CCEMA of the ICP location and staging area locations (when known) and also advise reporting locations for arriving resources. Supporting agencies will be notified of search and rescue requirements, information received, and reporting location. D. Response Actions 1. Initial Actions After receiving notification, CCSO will mobilize and may request that CCEMA begin notification of support agencies. Upon reaching the scene CCSO will designate a staging area, staging area manager, ICP location, and notify CCEMA of these locations. Establish coordination with other ESFs, notably: o o o ESF #2 - Communications ESF #5 - Emergency Management Coordinates search area and resources ESF #14 - Volunteers and Donations Volunteers may be used in rural search settings
o ESF #13 - Public Safety and Security Investigates accidents and suspicious circumstances ICP staff will be appointed and planning will commence as operations for search and rescue continue. After receiving notification from CCEMA, supporting agencies will mobilize resources, with the senior officer of each agency reporting to the ICP. CCEMA will notify applicable local and state agencies, send CCEMA representatives to the scene as needed, and determine additional resources that may be needed. 2. Continuing Actions Continue to work in the IC or UC structure as appropriate (may be required to turn over IC to another agency) and request CCEMA function as part of the ICS (planning, finance/admin, logistics sections). Support Agencies will continue to support command structure and provide personnel for support functions and search and rescue. CCEMA will continue to monitor the incident scene, provide direction, assist with resources, coordinate with state and other agencies, and function as required. E. Recovery Actions 1. Initial Actions ESF #9 will coordinate with ESF #3 (Public Works and Engineering) and applicable building inspection departments to inspect structure and condemn if needed. ESF #9 will coordinate scene security with ESF #13 (Public Safety and Security), to prevent unauthorized access to damaged structures or other hazardous areas. If scene is a transportation accident, ESF #9 will turn the scene over to the appropriate ESF #13 (Public Safety and Security) agency to investigate the accident.
2. Continuing Actions Responding organizations will coordinate Critical Incident Stress Debriefing with ESF #8 (Health and Medical Services), if dictated by the incident. Responding organizations will evaluate their response operations and seek opportunities to improve. V. Responsibilities Agencies and Responsibilities for ESF #9. Agency Cleburne County Search and Rescue Cleburne County Sheriff s Office and Municipal Law Enforcement Departments Responsibilities Activate participating agencies. Establish command post. Identify and coordinate search area. Investigate missing person complaints. Investigate missing person complaints occurring within their jurisdiction. Assist in determining search area. Volunteer Fire Departments Provide personnel to conduct search and rescue. Provide specialized equipment to assist search and rescue. Emergency Medical Services Respond to calls for emergency medical service. Transport victims to treatment facilities. Cleburne County Emergency Management Agency Coordinate response among activated ESFs. Request mutual aid and state resources as needed. VI. Mitigation Activities Coordinate with parks and recreation areas to establish a check-in/checkout system, so search operations can begin in a timely fashion. Coordinate with parks and recreation areas to encourage boaters to check weather reports before leaving shore.
Recruit, train, and maintain a pool of qualified and equipped volunteers to conduct wilderness and specialized search operations. VII. Resources CCSO maintains a list of agencies and individuals who are qualified to assist with search and rescue operations.