The West Baton Rouge Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security is a department within the West Baton Rouge Parish Council. Riley "Pee Wee" Berthelot is the Parish President and Anthony " Deano" Moran is the Director of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security. The Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security have developed a parish wide Emergency Operations Plan in accordance with state federal guidelines. This plan provides guidance for the various agencies, municipalities and departments within West Baton Rouge Parish, and agencies outside of the Parish of West Baton Rouge. The plan details emergency assignments before, during and following any declared emergency. The plan details the overall responsibilities of local government as well as guidelines and organizational priorities necessary to insure a coordinated Federal, State and Local government response. This plan sets forth a detailed Parish program for preparation against, operation during, and relief and recovery following disasters as provided by Parish, State and Federal statues as well as other related or applicable emergency authorities or directives.

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Mission In time of an emergency the mission of West Baton Rouge Parish government is:

1). To plan and prepare for practicable response programs for the protection of life and property in the event of disasters.

2). During a disaster situation, to take immediate effective action to direct, mobilize, coordinate and determine utilization of local resources to support political subdivisions in the conduct of disaster operations to save lives, protect property, relieve human suffering, sustain survivors and repair essential facilities.

3). To coordinate and direct restoration and recovery operations in the disaster area.

4). To insure that each Parish Department will plan and provide for an emergency operations capability which conforms in principle with this plan.

5). To coordinate all disaster services with the West Baton Rouge Director of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security and direct restoration and recovery operations in the disaster area subject to governmental authority.

6). To provide each Parish Department with plans which conform to the guidelines and directions of the West Baton Rouge Operations Plan.

7) To coordinate with Local, State and Federal Officials to prepare for Disasters, Terrorist acts or other emergencies.

The Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security are also responsible to ensure that the public is protected during an emergency. It does this by being the lead agency that coordinates sheltering, evacuations and public alert notification of events that affect the safety and well being of the Residents of West Baton Rouge Parish.

LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE (L.E.P.C.):

In 1986 the federal government passed the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), also known as Sara Title III. The new law required communities across the country to set up Local Emergency Planning Committees (L.E.P.C.) to develop plans for responding to chemical emergencies. The law also requires certain manufacturing plants and other facilities to submit information about the chemicals they use, store and emit into the environment. Under EPCRA, you are guaranteed the right to information on chemicals in your area. That is where the LEPC comes into the picture and plays one of its most important roles. EPCRA is based on the idea of working partnerships. All parts of the community join forces to insure A Right-To-Know@. Each LEPC must include, at a minimum, state and local officials, police, fire emergency preparedness, public health professionals, environmental, hospital and transportation officials, as well as representatives of facilities subject to the emergency planning requirements, community groups, and the media. The LEPC must establish rules, give public notice of its activities and establish procedures for handling public requests for information. Additionally the LEPC must designate an emergency coordinator to receive emergency release notifications. The LEPC=s primary responsibility is to develop an emergency response plan. In developing this plan, available resources are evaluated for preparing for and responding to a potential chemical accident. The L.E.P.C. meeting is held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month, 2nd Floor Courthouse, Emergency Operations Center at 9:00AM. The public is invited to attend

. Click here to go to the LEPC WEBSITE

TASK FORCE:

The West Baton Rouge Task Force (W.B.R.T.F.) was formed in 1992. This is a group of fourteen (14) industries and parish emergency response organizations that has banned together to unite forces and donate monies to help any emergency response agency in West Baton Rouge Parish. This has been a highly beneficial joint venture. Agencies like the Sheriff’s Office (Reserves, Posse, Flotilla and Emergency Response Team); law enforcement and fire departments in all municipalities; emergency preparedness and the 9-1-1 departments are all agencies that have received emergency equipment and training assistance from the Task Force. The Task Force has provided money to purchase equipment such as: Air Packs; generators; binoculars; lighting; ropes; fire extinguishers; first aid kits; radios; life jackets; hose ramps; confined space rescue equipment and a power blower, just to name a few. The W.B.R.E.R.T.F. is an A dual help organization. Industry purchases or supplies needed equipment. In turn, when there is a disaster within an industry facility, the emergency response departments come and help with manpower, fire departments, law enforcement and traffic control. The members of industry also make available any needed emergency response equipment from their respective facilities. Their only goal is to help the community in the field of emergency response for the protection of life and property in West Baton Rouge Parish.

RIVER BEND:

West Baton Rouge Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security works closely with the River Bend Nuclear Plant as the north end of the parish is within the ten (10) mile Emergency Protection Zone (EPZ). There are two (2) exercises conducted each year with the five (5) parishes within the EPZ. They are Point Coupee; East and West Feliciana; East and West Baton Rouge. West Baton Rouge Parish has only approximately 90 residents in the Arbroth area that are included in the EPZ. One of these exercises is graded by the federal government. West Baton Rouge plays a vital role in that we would have to assist with the evacuation of Point Coupee Parish. Efforts would also be coordinated with Mississippi State Emergency Preparedness, LA Office of Emergency Preparedness, Louisiana Radiation Protection Division, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency. In the nuclear industry, emergencies are classified as: Notification of Unusual Event; Alert; Site Area Emergency or General Emergency.

Industrial Facilities: