Act 390 also defines the rights and liabilities of emergency workers and volunteers. It is the responsibility of Emergency Management to assist local Law Enforcement, Fire, and other Emergency Response agencies in the coordination of their response and recovery efforts during hazardous situations. Looking at past history, weather patterns, community characteristics, and transportation routes in a community, a Vulnerability Analysis can be prepared to help in the next step. Mitigation is the process of using the information in the Vulnerability Analysis to identify ways of preventing a hazard from happening, and identifies actions to be taken to reduce the affects of unavoidable hazards. In the event a hazard can not be avoided, plans are prepared to help save lives and to assist emergency personal in their response of planing is called Preparedness .
Response is the process of putting the preparedness plans into action in the event a hazard occurs.
The training of the community and emergency personal, using public service announcements, drills, exercises, and community information sessions, aids in making the proper response. Once a hazard has occurred, the process of returning the community back to a normal, safer situation takes place through the process of Recovery. Recovery includes the process of obtaining resources and financial assistance from Local, State, and Federal Agencies to assist the community in its recovery. Top Volunteer Resources Ottawa County Emergency Management has a long time, working relationship with many volunteer organizations and individuals from Ottawa and surrounding counties. These volunteers have given many resources and much personal time in order to make the Emergency Management program of Ottawa County one of the best programs in the State of Michigan.