COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS

The Governors’ Executive Order Number 42, signed on 9/3/2019, updated the

Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operations Plan, naming Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) as the state agency responsible for the activation and maintenance of the Plan. This plan provides for state government’s response to emergencies and disasters wherein assistance is needed by affected state, tribal, and local governments in order to save lives, protect public health, safety, and property, restore essential services, and enable and assist with economic recovery.  A Revision Appendix was added in October 2021, adding a Recovery Section that houses Recovery Support Functions (RSFs), facilitating short, interim, and long-term recovery from a disaster to rebuild businesses and develop new economic opportunities with the goal of creating and sustaining more resilient, economically viable communities.   

Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) is the state agency that works with local government, state and federal agencies and voluntary organizations to provide resources and expertise through the five mission areas of emergency management:  Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response and Recovery. 

VDEM is responsible for maintaining the Emergency Operations Plan (COVEOP). The COVEOP is continually reviewed and periodically updated as required to incorporate federal policy changes, gubernatorial directives, legislative changes, and operational changes based on lessons learned from exercises and actual events. The COVEOP is reviewed and adopted in its entirety by the governor at least every four years.

The COVEOP lists Virginia Department of Health (VDH) as one of seven supporting agencies, and is assigned to seven emergency support functions (ESF) when activated. 

The Virginia Department of Health’s mission is to protect the health and promote the well-being of all people in Virginia.  To accomplish this mission, VDH must ensure its operations are performed with minimal disruption during all-hazards emergencies or other situations that disrupt normal operations. 

The COVEOP identifies five Emergency Support Function (ESF) areas in which Access and functional needs (AFN) are addressed.  Those ESF areas are:  maintaining independence, communication, transportation, supervision, and medical care. The assistance needs of individuals may occur as a result of a number of conditions, both temporary and permanent, that limit their ability to take action or access services. No diagnosis or specific evaluation is required to determine if an individual has access or a functional need. Individuals with access and functional needs may include individuals from diverse cultures, races, and national origins; people with limited English proficiency; those who do not read; and those who have physical, sensory, behavioral, mental health, intellectual, developmental, and cognitive disabilities including individuals who live in the community and individuals who are institutionalized; women who are in late or high-risk pregnancy; and individuals who have acute and chronic medical conditions.

OFFICE OF FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN:

Within VDH, however, there are mission essential functions (MEFs) that must continue with minimal disruption during all-hazards emergencies or other situations that disrupt normal operations.  The Office of Family Health Services (OFHS) implemented a continuity plan (COOP) to ensure that OFHS is capable of conducting its MEFs under all threats and conditions, while mutually responding to the Agency requirements as a supporting agency.  The OFHS COOP Plan establishes a line of succession for key leadership positions.  Three OFHS MEFs were identified:

• The Virginia Newborn Screening Program
• Food and Nutrition Programs – Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
• Food and Nutrition Programs – Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP)

All new VDH employees are required to complete Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Incident Management System (NIMS) basic level training courses (IS-700 and ICS100 levels), and all existing employees are expected to participate in periodic training updates.  Additionally, tabletop, functional, or full-scale exercises are conducted annually in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order Number 42.

Title V Leadership participates in the annual COOP update with VDH Leadership.  Title V Leadership is not involved in higher level Agency planning, as this is usually incident specific. In the event that a Declaration of Emergency is called and an Incident Command Structure is established, all Title V staff are eligible for assignment as indicated by need.

Link to Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operation Plan:

https://www.vaemergency.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-COVEOP-Final-APPROVED-102021-1.pdf