A Division Preparedness Perspective On The Key To A Successful Disaster Response

In a natural or man-made disaster, the public works staffs undertake a first responder role. The primary responsibility of the Orange County Public Works, Roads and Drainage Division after such an event is to provide roadway access for emergency traffic, debris removal, response to flooding issues and restoring standard operations. Emergency response planning is critical to the success of the response due to the extent of responsibilities involved. Planning Planning includes areas such as forecasting pre-disaster activities to mitigate potential damage, immediate response, communication, staffing support and recovery efforts. The roads and drainage division has eight maintenance units positioned throughout…