North Ogden City strives to be prepared for any possible emergency situation, with specific attention to disasters most likely to strike our area, and have plans in place for a timely and effective response to emergency situations.
The top priority in any disaster situation is always the preservation of life. The second priority is the stabilization of the incident to prevent further damage, followed third by disaster recovery. Throughout the emergency response, consideration will be taken by response workers to what actions will do the most good for the most people. We are also mindful that some of our residents, due to health, age or other circumstances, are less able to take care of their own emergency response needs. Unfortunately, this may mean that some needs in the city may take longer to respond to than others.
North Ogden City strives to train its employees on the National Incident Management System. This is a uniform standard throughout the nation, so in the event of our needing assistance from outside our immediate area, the incoming resources will be operating out of the same “playbook.” We also encourage residents to become trained through the Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) program, the Red Cross, or any of a number of other community, civic or religious organizations that provide emergency preparedness or response training. North Ogden City’s priorities will focus in large part on infrastructure stabilization and recovery, so any training the citizens have received will help not only their own friends and family but will also help the community as a whole. Documented volunteer hours by community members will also help the city when seeking federal disaster funding and will help alleviate the impact the disaster will have on the city’s financial resources.
Recent disasters have shown that the old standard of having a “72-hour kit” is often times insufficient. It is not uncommon for relief to take 96 or 120 hours to reach those affected by a disaster. Also, be mindful of the time of year. Your needs will be different in 20-degree winter weather than they will be when you are exerting yourself in 100-degree summer temperatures.
If you are interested in learning more about what you can do to prepare for a disaster, please contact Paul Rhoades with the North Ogden Police Department. His phone number is 801-737-9847.