Arlington Hts. emergency plan wins certification

Officials from the Cook County Emergency Management Agency presented Arlington Heights Village President Arlene J. Mulder and the village board July 6 with an Emergency Operations Plan certification.

CCEMA reviews, approves and certifies municipalities' emergency operations plans, designed to help first responders make decisions on how to provide assets in a catastrophic event or emergency response.

A municipal plan must plan for public safety threats across a range of scenarios - from a chemical spill or a factory explosion to a flood or tornado - and outline what first responders will do and how they will work with other agencies.

David R. Ramos of the Cook County Emergency Management Agency formally presented Arlington Heights' certification. Ramos and the village officials discussed the monumental scope of the Emergency Operation Plan, which involves the creation of planning teams made up of key Arlington Heights department heads and administrators.

"Emergency Operations Plans are designed to function as 'living' documents that require constant maintenance and updating to ensure that the best possible strategies area available for deployment to preserve life, property, and the well-being of all residents in the municipality," said Ramos.

"Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has made it clear that public safety is a top priority for his administration, and CCEMA's collaboration with municipalities like Arlington Heights is a key part of this commitment."