Daniel Gellert, Director

Taylor County Emergency Management coordinates emergency response efforts and hazardous materials management throughout the county. We collaborate with cities, villages, towns, and partner agencies to strengthen community resilience and safety.

Using an all-hazards approach, we support a continuous cycle of Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery for emergencies and disasters. Our core responsibilities include:

• Developing and maintaining the Taylor County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
• Conducting preparedness exercises and supporting disaster response efforts
• Managing compliance with the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
• Overseeing the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)
• Administering the county's Emergency Notification System
• Maintaining a coordinated hazardous materials response capability

During a large-scale emergency, the Taylor County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) serves as the central hub for resource coordination and decision making. It also ensures a timely, efficient, and organized response.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Support

Emergency Management plays a vital role in coordinating and managing resources during low-frequency, high-risk incidents, while also supporting on-scene operations. The EOC brings together multiple departments, agencies, jurisdictions, and private and nonprofit partners. Within the EOC structure, these stakeholders collaborate to coordinate resources, information flow, and support for local incident command and response teams.

EOC Activation Levels:

• Level 5 – Daily Operations
• Level 4 – Enhanced Monitoring / Virtual
• Level 3 – Partial Activation
• Level 2 – Expanded Activation
• Level 1 – Full Activation

Consideration for Determining Event Levels

The following factors are considered in determining the level of the event and subsequent EOC activation:

• Extreme weather events
• Major special events
• Large evacuation
• Shelters opening in response to large evacuations
• Events that cause significant disruption to community activities and affect public safety
• Potential or actual impacts on critical facilities
• Resource request or need for involvement of multiple county agencies
• The number of municipalities affected
• Capabilities of individual municipalities to respond/recover
• Transportation and infrastructure affected
• Potential for extensive power outages

Planning, Preparedness & Mitigation

Outside of emergency events, our focus remains on planning, preparedness, and mitigation. We work alongside businesses, organizations, and government agencies to develop emergency response plans and strategies. Our team organizes and facilitates training drills and exercises to test and improve these plans. We also deliver presentations and sponsor specialized training on topics related to emergency and disaster preparedness.