Disaster and Emergency

DES Coordinator / Safety Director
Charles C. Farmer
1210 East Main Street – Courthouse Annex
Cut Bank, MT 59427
406.873.2084
disasterandemergency@bresnan.net
Disaster & Emergency Services

Deputy Coordinator
James Laidlaw

The Glacier County Office of Disaster and Emergency Services (DES) is the designated department for writing, reviewing, and maintaining an inter-jurisdictional plan and program. Specific plans would include, but not limited to, the Glacier County Emergency Operation Plan, Safety Program Plan, and the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Plan.

• The coordinator prepares for, coordinates, and implements emergency and disaster functions (preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation) to ensure continuity of government and operations, survival of the populace, and reduction of human suffering and property damage.
• Establishes, develops, and coordinates the county-wide DES program for emergency response.
• Establishes and manages the EOC, informs and advises the Glacier County Board of Commissioners and other entities responsible for Emergency Management.
• Conducts exercises and the testing of emergency plans and warning systems, provides public education and training programs, maintains shelters and radiological monitoring programs.
• Works alongside the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) in developing procedures for receiving and processing requests from regulated local facilities to provide public right-to-know notification of hazardous materials in accordance with Title III, SARA
• Prepares and manages funding grants with reporting requirements to the Glacier County Commissioners and the State of Montana DES.
• Acts as liaison related to Local, State, Tribal, and Federal Agencies, manages or acts as a media source through public information.
• Informs affected community of facts during emergency situations and initiates necessary documentation to declare emergencies and/or disasters upon commissioner and mayoral concurrence.
• Coordinates public, private and outside volunteer response organizations and provides presentations to civic groups.
• Assists the legal subdivisions and Tribal entities in Glacier County with emergency response planning.
• Responds to hazardous material releases and significant emergency incidents within Glacier County.