Vermont § 6 - Local and regional organization for emergency management

§ 6. Local and regional organization for emergency management

• (a) Each town and city of this State shall establish a local organization for emergency
  management in accordance with the State emergency management plan and program. The
  executive officer or legislative branch of the town or city shall appoint a town or
  city emergency management director who shall have direct responsibility for the organization,
  administration, and coordination of the local organization for emergency management,
  subject to the direction and control of the executive officer or legislative branch.
  If the town or city has not adopted the town manager form of government in accordance
  with 24 V.S.A. chapter 37 and the executive officer or legislative branch of the town
  or city has not appointed an emergency management director, the executive officer
  or legislative branch shall appoint a town or city emergency management director.
  The town or city emergency management director may appoint an emergency management
  coordinator and other staff as necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.
  In an instance of a vacancy of the position of a town or city emergency management
  director, the executive officer or the chair or president of the legislative branch
  shall be the emergency management director. (b) Each local organization for emergency management shall perform emergency management
  functions within the territorial limits of the town or city within which it is organized,
  which may include coordinating the utilization of first responders and other emergency
  management personnel pursuant to the all-hazards emergency management plan adopted
  pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. In addition, each local organization for
  emergency management shall conduct such functions outside of the territorial limits
  as may be required pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and in accord with rules
  adopted by the Governor. (c)(1) Each local organization shall develop and maintain an all-hazards emergency management
  plan in accordance with the State Emergency Management Plan and guidance set forth
  by the Division of Emergency Management. (2) The Division shall amend the local emergency plan template and any best management
  practices or guidance the Division issues to municipalities to address the need for
  the siting of local and regional emergency shelters in a manner that allows access
  by those in need during an all-hazards event. (3) The Division shall advise municipalities that when a shelter is sited under a local
  emergency plan, the municipality should work with the Agency of Human Services, the
  American Red Cross, and community-based emergency or charitable food providers, to
  assess the facility and the facility’s potential operations, including the characteristics
  of the surrounding area during an all-hazards event, multiple routes of travel and
  possible hazards that could prevent access to the shelter, and the need for immediate
  and sustained access to food and water for individuals using the shelter. (4) The Division, in coordination with the Agency of Human Services, shall advise municipalities,
  upon completion of a local emergency management plan, on how to conduct training and
  exercises pertaining to sheltering. (d) Regional emergency management committees shall be established by the Division of Emergency
  Management. (1) Regional emergency management committees shall coordinate emergency planning and preparedness
  activities to improve their regions’ ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover
  from all disasters. (2) The Division of Emergency Management shall establish geographic boundaries and guidance
  documents for regional emergency planning committees in coordination with regional
  planning commissions and mutual aid associations. (3) A regional emergency management committee shall consist of voting and nonvoting members. (A) Voting members. The local emergency management director or designee and one representative from each
  town and city in the region shall serve as the voting members of the committee. A
  representative from a town or city shall be a member of the town’s or city’s emergency
  services community and shall be appointed by the town’s or city’s executive or legislative
  branch. (B) Nonvoting members. Nonvoting members may include representatives from the following organizations serving
  within the region: fire departments, emergency medical services, law enforcement,
  other entities providing emergency response personnel, media, transportation, regional
  planning commissions, hospitals, the Department of Health’s district office, the Division
  of Emergency Management, organizations serving vulnerable populations, local libraries,
  arts and culture organizations, regional development corporations, local business
  organizations, community-based emergency or charitable food providers, and any other
  interested public or private individual or organization. (C) Meeting quorum requirement. A regional emergency management committee may vote annually, at the committee’s final
  meeting of the calendar year, to modify its quorum requirement for meetings in the
  subsequent year; provided, however, that the quorum shall be not fewer than 20 percent
  of voting members. (4) Voting members shall annually elect a chair and vice chair of the committee from the
  voting membership. The chair shall develop a meeting schedule, agenda, and facilitate
  each meeting. The vice chair shall fill in for the chair during the chair’s absence. (5) Committees shall develop and maintain a regional plan, consistent with guidance provided
  by the Division of Emergency Management in coordination with regional planning commissions,
  that describes regional coordination and regionally available resources. (Amended 1989, No. 252 (Adj. Sess.), § 8; 1993, No. 194 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 14, 1994; 2005, No. 209 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; 2021, No. 20, § 113; 2021, No. 52, § 12; 2023, No. 53, § 132a, eff. June 8, 2023; 2023, No. 143 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. July 1, 2024.)