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Executive Summary

The Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) establishes the framework to ensure that Palm Beach County will be adequately prepared to deal with all hazards threatening the lives and property of Palm Beach County citizens. The CEMP outlines the responsibilities and coordination mechanisms of County agencies, municipalities, and other taxing districts in a disaster. The CEMP also coordinates response and recovery activities with voluntary organizations active in disasters and the business community. The plan unifies the efforts of these groups for a comprehensive approach to reducing the effects of a disaster.

The Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management (DEM) extends its appreciation to all partner organizations who participated in the planning effort to create this document.  The Plan addresses the four phases of an emergency (preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation), parallels state activities outlined in the State of Florida CEMP, federal activities set forth in the “Federal Response Plan,” and describes how local, state, and national resources will be coordinated to supplement local response and recovery capability. The CEMP is in compliance with the criteria issued by the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM).

The CEMP is organized into five essential elements as follows:

1. The Basic Plan – outlines purpose, scope, organization, and methodology by which the Palm Beach County DEM will enable the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners to discharge their responsibilities for providing direction and control during any large scale disaster.
2. Annex I – Branches and Units (formerly referred to as Emergency Support Functions (ESF’s). These Branches and Units detail by name and organization the primary, support, and coordinating entities and their roles and responsibilities in the four phases of an emergency.
3. Annex II – Recovery. This annex details control, coordination, planning efforts, and policies within Palm Beach County designed to facilitate both immediate and long-term recovery after a disaster has occurred.
4. Annex III – Mitigation. The Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) includes the projects, policies, and programs that reduce the county’s vulnerability to the impact of disasters before they happen. The LMS also details requirements and the programs incorporated in post-disaster recovery efforts to prevent recurring losses from future disasters.
5. Annex IV – Hazard Specific Plans. These Plans provide a detailed overview of hazard specific roles and responsibilities for the following type hazards: Hurricane, Radiological, Flood, Wildland Fire, Cold Weather, Terrorism and Dike Breach.

Download the full Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan