County Departments

Emergency Management

Civil Defense/Emergency Management acts as a coordinating agency during times of emergency or disaster.  It takes the combined efforts of all county departments and volunteer organizations to effectively manage these events.

Our mission involves the areas of:

• PREPAREDNESS
  Preparedness includes planning, resource management and training exercises
  
  
• RESPONSE
  Response takes place during or immediately following an event.
  
  
• RECOVERY
  Recovery occurs right after an event and can last for several days, even months depending on the severity of the emergency or disaster.
  
  
• MITIGATION
  Mitigation is the term used for actions taken to lessen the effects of a hazard.  Raising a house above flood stage or placing storm shutters on a home or business are two examples of mitigation.

TECHNICAL OR MAN-MADE HAZARDS  are those which involve things like chemicals, toxins, corrosives and explosives.  Things created by mankind to make our daily lives more convenient.  After all, polyester doesn't grow on trees.  These hazardous materials in their raw form can be dangerous to the public if you become exposed to them.  This exposure can occur at a fixed facility or on a transportation route.  A fixed facility is a plant site where chemicals are stored and used.  A transportation route incident can involve carriers on water, rail, highway, air and pipelines.

NATURAL HAZARDS  are those occurring in nature, and there is nothing that can be done to prevent them.  These include severe thunderstorms, winter storms, flooding, tornadoes, tropical storms and hurricanes, earthquakes, tidal waves and volcanoes.

Emergency Management Resources - Links

Agencies:

Federal Emergency Management:  http://www.fema.gov/

Agencia Federal para el Manajo de Emergencia:  http://www.fema.gov/spanish/index_spa.shtm

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency: http://www.msema.org/

Hurricane Information:

National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml

One Storm - Hurricane Planning Information: http://www.onestorm.org/ - (Free On-Line Hurricane Planning for Your Family)

FEMA Hurricane Information: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/index.shtm

Hurricane Evacuation Maps (see below)

Weather, Rivers and Tides:  

Live Weather Cam from EOC: http://www.hurricanetrack.com/jacksoneoc/

National Weather Service (local forcast): http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=MSZ082

River Stages -
Website: http://ahps.srh.noaa.gov/index.php?wfo=lix  
Phone: 228.769.6508 - Update daily (Mon-Fri)

Tides: http://tidesonline.nos.noaa.gov/coastline.shtml?region=ms

Hurricane Evacuation Maps