Planning

Emergency planning for city government is a large task. Memphis OEM has created the comprehensive Emergency Response Plan (ERP), which is the city’s resource for any potential disaster. It is a framework on who will do what, when and how. This document is revised when needed, or every 5 years.

The ERP is just a small part of what is put into emergency planning. This page gives you some idea of what goes into emergency planning for the City of Memphis.

Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan

As part of the overall community planning effort for hazard mitigation, the City of Memphis in partnership with Shelby County and TEMA, has prepared a Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan pursuant to the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390). Hazard Mitigation is defined as any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to human life and property from hazards. Hazard Mitigation Planning is the process through which the natural hazards that threaten communities are identified, the likely impacts of those hazards are determined, mitigation goals are set, and appropriate strategies that would lessen the impacts are identified, prioritized, and implemented.

Hazard Mitigation Planning is a requirement for state and local governments in order to maintain eligibility for certain federal disaster assistance and hazard mitigation funding programs. Metro is both a community at risk and a community that has benefited from federal mitigation funding programs.

Hazard Analysis

The risk assessment process provides information that allows a community to better understand its potential risk and associated vulnerability to natural and man-made hazards. This information provides the framework for a community to develop and prioritize mitigation strategies and to implement plans to help reduce both the risk and vulnerability from future hazard events. This assessment process was conducted by the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee and select subject matter experts.

Risk from natural and man-made hazards is measured by a combination of impact, vulnerability and likelihood scores (Impact + Vulnerability x Likelihood = Risk). The impact and vulnerability scores were given the below parameters resulting from a hazard event:

• Geographic Extent
• Duration of the Event
• Environment
• Health Effects
• Displacement and Suffering
• Economy
• Infrastructure
• Transportation
• Critical Services
• Confidence in Government
• Cascading Effects

For each hazard identified, a score was given for each of the parameters, and then all the scores were added together to get a total Impact and Vulnerability Assessment Score.

Weighted scores were conducted where extra counts were given for the following lead agencies and associated hazards: National Weather Service for all weather-related hazards, Public Health for Communicable Diseases, TN Geological Survey for Landslides/sinkholes, Police for Man-made and Fire for Hazardous Materials and Wildfire.

Based on the most recent assessment (2020), the top 5 hazards for Shelby County are:

• Flooding
• Tornado
• Winter Storm
• Extreme Temperatures (Heat/Cold)
• Thunderstorm

Memphis – Shelby County Local Emergency Planning Committee

Listening and responding to the public’s concern about hazardous materials and providing accurate information to the citizens of Memphis-Shelby County are important roles of the Local Emergency Planning Committee.

The LEPC is a vital link between industry and the community when developing readiness and responding to chemical emergencies. Knowing what to do when a chemical emergency occurs can mean the difference between life and death.

The Memphis-Shelby County LEPC meets monthly.

Mid-South Emergency Planning Coalition

The Mid-South Emergency Planning Coalition represents a partnership between 23 area hospitals across a three-state, six-county region, the Shelby County Health Department’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program, and local Fire/Emergency Medical Services. The Coalition’s primary function is to work as a regional unit to create and implement effective frameworks to respond to local emergency incidents and public health issues that affect the residents of Shelby, Tipton, Fayette, and Lauderdale counties in Tennessee, DeSoto County, Mississippi and Crittenden County in Arkansas. To achieve this, the Coalition uses grant funds to identify healthcare emergency preparedness needs for the community and sets goals in which to meet those needs. As partners, the Coalition members work together on community hazard assessments, drills, exercises, resource sharing, and acquiring equipment and technology that can better serve them as healthcare providers and emergency responders.

Healthcare – Basic Healthcare Form

The CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule establishes national emergency preparedness standards for Medicare and Medicaid participating providers and suppliers. This program outlines medical facility and healthcare provider requirements relative to preparedness, response, and recovery during disasters.

These requirements are focused on essential elements necessary for maintaining all patients’ access to healthcare services during disasters or emergencies while safeguarding patients and staff.

Healthcare facilities are required to provide basic facility information to our partner agency, the Shelby County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. This information must include facility-specific information such as identified points of contact, number of beds, alternative care sites, etc. CMS Facilities should complete this submission annually to ensure compliance with specific requirements during the CMS survey. Incomplete, or inaccurate submissions will not be accepted.

Please submit your information here.

Additional survey guidance and resources are available here.

Child Care Facility Emergency Preparedness Law

T.C.A §71-3-517. Development of a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in emergencies;

All persons or entities operating a child care agency as defined in this part, excluding drop-in child care centers and those programs and facilities exempt from licensing as provided in § 71-3-503, shall, in consultation with appropriate local authorities and local emergency management, develop a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in the event of emergencies, including, but not limited to, fires, tornado’s, earthquakes, chemical spills, and floods. Such persons or entities shall also inform parents and guardians of children attending the child care agency of the plan. Entire Child Care Facility Emergency Preparedness Law.

Here is a publication by the TN Dept. of Human Services, to assist child care providers with developing their disaster plans. Preparing Child Care Programs for Emergencies, A Six Step Approach publication.

Here is a checklist that goes along with the above publication: TN Dept of Human Services Checklist .

Please submit your information here.

Please note, there is not a requirement for emergency management to physically come to your facility, or to ‘approve’ or ‘sign-off’ on your plan.