Coordinator To Develop Emergency Management Plan

Watson Joins City Staff After Seven Years with County

— The size of the community and the complexities of planning and executing emergency management activities prompted city officials to create an emergency management coordinator position.

“We learned from the ice storm this year and other emergency situations that we need someone, besides me, to take over that responsibility,” said Mayor Steve Womack.

“It’s more than I can handle, it’s more than my chiefs can handle, because there are too many moving parts to most of these issues,” Womack said.

Marshal Watson, the director of the Benton Country emergency management office for seven years, was hired for the position and reported for duty Dec. 21.

Womack used the 2009 ice storm as an example of the complexity of an emergency situation.

“It had a FEMA, an Office of Emergency Management element; it had a connection to the county and it totally preoccupied the Street Department, Police and Fire Department,” Womack said.

The planning and the execution of the things that constituted the recovery effort fell on Womack’s shoulders, which he said was all right, but a situation that needs to change.

The emergency management coordinator position was added to the Fire Department’s 2010 budget.

“(Watson’s) job description is going to be pretty robust. I need someone to pull all the elements together,” Womack said. “He will eventually save this city money, but more importantly he will save lives.”

Watson has approximately 10 years of experience in emergency management and a degree in emergency management and administration from Arkansas Tech University.

“I’m directly responsible for seeing the needs of residents are met during an emergency, whatever that emergency might be,” Watson said.

He is starting almost from ground zero. The city has an emergency management plan, but it hasn’t been updated or used in years, Watson said.

“My biggest challenge will be pulling the emergency management plan together,” Watson said

He will have a great influence on how the program is designed and implemented but “there is not a lot of baseline information for me to start with,” Watson said.

“I will be working with the department heads over the next few months to ensure we all have a clear goal for the emergency management plan,” Watson said.

Watson said he wants to keep the lines of communication open, making sure that everyone is on the same page and that there are clear cut areas of responsibility for each city department.

Watson is quick to add no good plan is ever complete.

“The plan will never really be finished. We will constantly look at what we are doing and look at where we want to be. We will take corrective actions to meet that goal,” Watson said.

Fire Chief Tom Jenkins said having Watson as part of the Fire Department is a good fit.

The department is already an all-hazards organization; it’s not just fires but also medical emergencies, spills, rescues and natural disasters, Jenkins said.

“Watson will be able to expand not just our capabilities but other city departments as well. He will play a crucial role in ability of the city of Rogers to be resilient to disasters. It just makes sense for him to be here, ” Jenkins said.

Police Chief Steve Hamilton said Watson will make things better for residents.

“The caliber of talent that was attracted to that position is a real plus. Having a coordinator in that position will help us do our job better during an emergency,” Hamilton said.

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At A Glance

Emergency Management Coordinator

Emergency management coordinator primary job description, although other duties may be added:

- Develop emergency management plan.

- Take over the storm siren system and tracking storms to determine if sirens should be activated.

- Handle transportation coordination of getting key medical staff personnel to hospitals during snow and ice storms.

- Coordinate communications and other emergency services during a disaster.

- Find shelter and food for displaced residents during a disaster.

Source: Staff Report

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