Dear Mayor:

The League of Municipalities in cooperation with the State Office of Emergency Management conducted a series of three regional conferences in the early part of this year, to brief you on what was occurring in the State as a result of the events of September 11, 2001. As you are aware, as mayor, it is your legal responsibility to develop a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), which will assist you in the development of a municipal Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). You are required to conduct LEPC meetings, review and update the EOP and exercise you plan at least once a year. Planning, training and exercising are the hallmarks of a robust Emergency Management/ Domestic Preparedness Program. The management principles utilized in the events that occur each and every day throughout this state, are the same management principles we will use in the face of larger events.

On August 6, 2002 the League's Hometown Security Task Force, which I chair, met with representatives of the New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency Management and the Governor's Office of Counter Terrorism. The purpose of the meeting was to expand on the municipal planning process and to highlight the importance of developing a strategy for continuity of government operations. The recent worldwide events can be driven home easier, when one only looks at the recent events in Monmouth County, when a natural occurrence, left a large segment of government operations without power over a period of days.

The League has a long history of working with the State Office of Emergency Management. The State Office of Emergency Management has offered, in cooperation with the League, to host a series of planning seminars, for emergency managers, within their respective counties. The 21 County Offices of Emergency Management will assist us in this endeavor. We would request that you and your emergency management coordinator attend these sessions.

The League will be conducting seminars and disseminating various informational materials including surveys check lists, magazine articles, and action alerts on this issue in the near future. In the meantime you should do the following:

1. Evaluate your existing emergency management plans and determine as to whether or not the capability exists to continue essential governmental functions across a wide range of potential emergencies.
   
   

2. Involve your emergency management coordinator in these discussions and all other relevant personnel.

3. Assess your vulnerabilities and be prepared to respond to our requests for additional information we may be able to provide which can help you best respond to emergencies.

We are indeed delighted with the high degree of cooperation and assistance this Administration has provided the league in helping us deal with this new challenge confronting our communities and if you have any comments or suggestions on what else we can do to help please contact the League's Executive Director, Bill Dressel at (609) 695- 3481 ext 22.