Alert

An incident that currently does not affect the local or general population but has the potential to escalate to a more serious emergency.  The situation is unresolved and should be monitored closely.  Some limited protective actions may be implemented and additional assistance requested from MOHSEP.

Applicant

A State agency, local government, or private non-profit facility submitting a Project Application or request for direct Federal Assistance under the Act or on whose behalf the Governor's Authorized Representative takes such action.

Disaster

An event, the effects of which cause loss of life, human suffering, property damage, both public and private, and severe economic and social disruption.  Disasters can be natural or man-made events; major accidents, or enemy attacks.  Disasters are differentiated from those day-to-day emergencies and accidents that are routinely responded to by local emergency organizations, and may be of such magnitude or unusual circumstances as to require response by all levels of government - federal, state and local.

Disaster Recovery Center (DRC)

A facility established in a centralized location within or near the disaster area at which disaster victims (individuals, families, or businesses) apply for disaster aid.

Essential Personnel

An individual whose skills or services are required to continue operation of vital facilities and activities that will provide goods and services to the relocated population and host parish residents, or insure continuance of the nation’s production capabilities and preservation of the economic system.

Emergency

A disaster occurrence or a situation which seriously threatens loss of life and damage to property. It usually develops suddenly and unexpectedly and demands immediate, coordinated, and effective response by government and private sector organizations to protect lives and limit damage to property. Examples of emergency situations which could result in a disaster include: an accident involving hazardous materials which threatens to explode or rupture endangering the surrounding population; a period of time prior to the onset of a severe storm such as a hurricane; and a period of intense international crisis that could lead to nuclear warfare.

Any of the various types of catastrophe included in the definition of a "major disaster" which required Federal emergency assistance to supplement State and local efforts to save lives and protect property, public health and safety, or to avert or lessen the threat of a disaster.

Emergency Alert System (EAS)

A network of broadcast stations and interconnecting facilities which have been authorized by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate in a controlled manner during a war, state of public peril or disaster, or other natural emergency as provided by the Emergency Alert System Plan.

Emergency Preparedness

The judicious planning, assignment and coordination of all available resources in an integrated program of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery for emergencies of any kind, whether from enemy attack, man-made or natural sources.

Emergency Operation Center (EOC)

The protected site from which civil government officials (municipal, parish, state and federal) exercise direction and control in an emergency.

Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

A brief, clear and concise document which describes action to be taken and provides instructions to all individuals and local government services, and states what will be done in the event of an anticipated emergency.  The plan will state the method or scheme for taking coordinated action to meet the needs of the situation.  It will state what action is to be taken, when and where it is to take place, and who is responsible, based on pre-determined assumptions, objectives and capabilities.  Sometimes referred to as the Population Protection Plan by Federal agencies.

Emergency Public Information (EPI)

Information which is disseminated before, during and/or after an emergency designed to instruct and transmit direct orders to the public via the news media.

Emergency Support Function (ESF)

Used by the Federal Government and many State governments as the primary mechanism at the operational level to organize and provide assistance. ESF's align categories of resources and provide strategic objectives for their use. ESF's utilize standardized resource management concepts such as typing, inventorying, and tracking to facilitate the dispatch, deployment, and recovery of resources before, during, and after an incident.

Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ)

To facilitate a preplanned strategy for protective actions during an emergency, there are two emergency planning zones (EPZs) around each nuclear power plant. The exact size and shape of each EPZ is a result of detailed planning which includes consideration of the specific conditions at each site, unique geographical features of the area, and demographic information. The concept of zone-based emergency planning is common, perhaps best illustrated by the federal Radiological Emergency Preparedness program for fixed nuclear facilities, which uses two zones of 10 miles and 50 miles in radius.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

 The primary purpose is to coordinate the response to an event has occurred in the United States that overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities

Floodplain

The area adjoining a river, stream, watercourse, ocean, lake or other body of standing water that has been or may be covered by flood water.

Floodway

The channel of a river or stream and those parts of the flood plains adjoining the channel which are required to carry and discharge the floodwater or flood flow of any river or stream.

Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP)

State agency that has the responsibility to coordinate other state agencies in their efforts to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from, all natural and manmade emergencies and disasters in the State of Louisiana.

Governor

The Chief Executive or Acting Chief Executive of the State of Louisiana.

Hazard Area

Areas designated by the Federal government, or locally through a Hazard Vulnerability Analysis, which are relatively more likely to experience the direct efforts of certain natural or man-made disasters.

Hazard Mitigation

All methods and measures employed to eliminate or make less severe the effects of a major disaster or emergency and of future disasters in the affected area, including reduction and avoidance.

Homeland Security (HLS)

Homeland Security is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur.

Individual Assistance Officer (IAO)

A principal staff officer on the FCO's staff and directly responsible to the FCO for all matters relating to individual assistance, including the establishment, location and operation of DAC's and mobile teams.  The IAO is located with the FCO.

Joint Field Office (JFO)

A facility established within or adjacent to an affected area for the purpose of providing disaster victims with "one-stop" service in meeting their disaster or emergency needs.  It is usually staffed by representatives of Federal, State and local government agencies, volunteer organizations and certain representatives of the private sector.

Joint Information Center (JIC)

An interagency entity established to coordinate and disseminate information for the public and media concerning an incident. JICs may be established locally, regionally, or nationally depending on the size and magnitude of the incident.

Louisiana Capital Area Volunteer Organization Active in Disasters (LCAVOAD)

A non-profit organization that enhances the effectiveness of service providers and stakeholders who help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, with the overall purpose of lessening the impact of disasters on citizens. During emergencies, the East Baton Rouge chapter of the state VOAD organization is represented in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

National Terrorism Advisory System

A system designed to disseminate information regarding the risk of terrorist acts to federal, state and local authorities and to the American people. Under the National Terrorism Advisory System, there are three categories, “Bulletin,” “Elevated Alert,” and “Imminent Alert.” A Bulletin describes the current developments or general trends regarding threats of terrorism. An Elevated Alert warns of a credible terrorism threat against the United States. An Imminent Alert warns of a credible, specific and impending terrorism threat against the United States.

National Incident Management System (NIMS)

System that provides a proactive approach guiding government agencies at all levels, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations to work seamlessly to prepare for, prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of life or property and harm to the environment.

National Preparedness Goal

A Nation prepared with coordinated capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from all hazards in a way that balances risk with resources and need.

National Response Framework (NRF)

Guides how the Nation conducts all-hazards response. The Framework documents the key response principles, roles, and structures that organize national response. It describes how communities, States, the Federal Government, and private-sector and nongovernmental partners apply these principles for a coordinated, effective national response. And it describes special circumstances where the Federal Government exercises a larger role, including incidents where Federal interests are involved and catastrophic incidents where a State would require significant support. It allows first responders, decision makers, and supporting entities to provide a unified national response.

Points of Distribution (POD)

Centralized locations where the public picks up life sustaining commodities following a disaster or emergency.  Commodities may include ice, water, meals ready to eat, or tarps.  Commodities are provided often in the event of loss of electricity or decrease in availability of commodities (such as food). 

Points of Dispensing (POD)

During a public health emergency, such as a large scale disease outbreak or bioterrorism event, the Public Health Department may be tasked to provide antibiotics or vaccines to all members of our community potentially exposed to a disease. Point of Dispensing (POD) sites may be set up to accomplish this task. The sole purpose of a dispensing point is to quickly distribute preventive medication to large numbers of people during a public health emergency in an effort to prevent illness.

Radiological Protection

A program, including plans, procedures, and systems to monitor, report and evaluate the radiological hazards.  It supports preventive and remedial measures to minimize the effect of nuclear radiation on people and resources.

Reception Area

A specified area relatively unlikely to experience the direct effects of a particular natural disaster or nuclear attack, and designated for the reception, care and logistical support of the hazard area evacuees.

Resources

Manpower, raw or basic materials, finished goods and products, services and facilities.

Risk

The degree to which people, property, the environment, or social and economic activity -- in short, all elements-at-risk -- are susceptible to injury, damage, disruption, or loss of life.

Site Area Emergency

An emergency that either has already had some effect on near-site population or is anticipated to do so.  This classification would be used in situations where a limited number of people have been affected or a much larger number could possibly be affected.  Protective actions would be implemented and emergency preparedness assistance would be necessary.

Shelter Manager

A pre-trained individual who provides for internal organization, administration, and operation of a shelter facility.

Shelter, Access Functional Needs

Shelter whose population may have additional needs before, during, and after an incident in functional areas, including but not limited to: maintaining independence, communication, transportation, supervision, and medical care. Individuals in need of additional response assistance may include those who have disabilities; who live in institutionalized settings; who are elderly; who are children; who are from diverse cultures; who have limited English proficiency or are non-English speaking; or who are transportation disadvantaged.

State

State of Louisiana

State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC)

A Facility designated as the area of mobilization of all resources of the State during times of emergencies.  Other State EOC's may be designated as required in a disaster area.

State Emergency Plan

State plan which is designed specifically for state-level response to emergencies or major disasters and which sets forth actions to be taken by the state and local governments, including those for implementing federal disaster assistance.

Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) 

A set of instructions having the force of a directive, covering those features of operations which lend themselves to a definite or standardized procedure without loss of effectiveness.

Terrorism

The calculated use of violence or the threat of violence to attain goals that are political, religious, or ideological in nature.  Terrorism includes criminal act against persons or property that is intended to influence an audience beyond the immediate victims.

Traffic Control Points

Places along evacuation routes that are manned by law enforcement officials to direct and control movement to and from the area being evacuated.

Unusual Event

An incident that is out of the ordinary but does not present a current threat to persons or property even in the immediate vicinity.  The incident may have the potential to escalate to a more serious emergency but is not expected to do so.  No protective action will be implemented and no emergency preparedness assistance should be needed.

Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)

The UASI program focuses on enhancing regional preparedness in major metropolitan areas.  The UASI program directly supports the National Priority on expanding regional collaboration in the National Preparedness Guidelines and is intended to assist participating jurisdictions in developing integrated regional systems for prevention, protection, response and recovery.