1. “Reaching Everyone” The Howard County Experience
Unlike most jurisdictions, the Howard County Department of Citizen Services, not the Department of Social Services has the responsibility for Care and Shelter (ESF 6)
Also responsible for ESF 15 (Volunteer Management) and ESF 17 (Donations Management).
Positives and negatives exist to having a local agency responsible for mass care and shelter
Careful and deliberate partnerships are necessary to ensure communication lines are kept open.

2. Partners Other County Agencies
 Office of Emergency Management/Fire and Rescue
Corrections
Recreation and Parks
Police Department
State Agencies
Department of Human Resources
Department of Social Services
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Local Health Department
Non-Profits Sector
Regional Red Cross
Grassroots
Volunteer Center of Howard County
Faith Community

3. What works well
Citizen Services staff works with functional needs populations on a daily basis
Member of County’s EMOG (Emergency Management Opperations Group)
Permanent seat in the Emergency Operations Center during disasters
Immediately available to assist with “human service” issues of county residents, including those with functional needs
Can respond rapidly to the need for shelter
Examples
Anticipating and pre-positioning staff, supplies and equipment in preparation for Sandy
Collaboration with the local Health Department during the Derecho.

4. Challenges
Lack of communication between local agencies and state agencies
Duplication of efforts
Unrealistic expectation of local capabilities
Examples:
Multiple calls to assisted living facilities
Availability of Red Cross preparation and assistance during Sandy

5. Communication and Coordination
Multi-agency Coordination System (MACS):
a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications integrated into a common system with responsibility for coordination of assisting agency resources and support to agency emergency operations.

6. MACS Functions
Evaluate and prioritize incidents
Ensure agency resource situation status is current
Determine specific incident and agency resource requirements
Determine agency resource availability for out-of-jurisdiction assignment at this time
Determine need and designate regional mobilization centers
Allocate resources to incidents based on priorities
Anticipate future agency/regional resource needs
Communicate MACS "decisions" back to agencies/incidents
Review policies/agreements for regional resource allocations
Review need for other agencies involvement in MACS
Provide necessary liaison with other coordinating facilities and agencies as appropriate

7. System Challenges
Limited and decreasing resources – budgetary and human
State and Federal Expectations
Adequate number of qualified staff to be effective with all functional needs populations
Resources for shelter residents who have no permanent home either due to homelessness or the result of the event ●
“Sometimes it feels like we are planning for
the invasion of flying monkeys”