Essential Staff During an Emergency Event

In the event that local government is closed during an emergency event, only essential staff should report to work. If government offices are closed the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator (EPC) or Department Directors may designate staff occupying specified positions as mandatory for duty in any emergency event.

The Division of Emergency Management has suggested a set of guidelines for determining whether state office buildings in a county will be closed entirely, closed to the public or open as usual. The determining guidelines are as follows:

Closure Protocol for State Offices

GREEN
Conditions:	No hurricane or tropical storm warnings or watches.
Directions:	Open state office buildings as usual.
Message:	State office buildings are open as usual.
YELLOW
Conditions:	County is under a tropical storm watch or warning.
Directions:	Close state office buildings to the general public, but open for employees. Managers by direction of their EPC can provide administrative leave or allow employees to work from home on a case-by-case basis. Upon making these determinations, consideration should be given to safety, school closings and evacuation orders in employees' home county as well as the impact to essential government functions and anticipated length of conditions.
Message:	State office buildings are closed to the public but state employees need to check with their managers about whether they need to go into their offices.
RED
Conditions:	County is under a hurricane watch or warning.
Directions:	Close state office buildings.
Message:	State office buildings are closed. State employees are required to fulfill their emergency responsibilities as directed by their (EPC) or stay home.

The Department of Management Services rule, as it pertains to emergency conditions in regard to state agencies, states in part: "In any other disaster or emergency condition that may necessitate the closing of facilities in an area, the agency shall have the authority and responsibility to determine whether agency offices or facilities, or any portion thereof, are effected by the emergency and are to be closed. The Department (DMS) must approve the closing of any facility or portion thereof for more than two consecutive work days."

The Secretary of the Department of Corrections or his designee may approve the closing of any facility for up to two consecutive work days without the approval of DMS.

Upon direction of the (EPC) regarding office closures, supervisors are to place non-essential staff in the affected area on administrative leave. Indicate a contact number or procedure for them to remain in touch regarding return to duty.

The following is a list of staff in Central Office identified as essential and expected to report to work during normal hours. These staff may be required to work other work schedules for the duration of the emergency.

Essential Staff

In the event that local government is closed during an emergency event, only essential staff should report to work. If government offices are closed the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator (EPC) or Department Directors may designate staff occupying specified positions as mandatory for duty in any emergency event.

The following is a list of staff in Central Office identified as essential and expected to report to work during normal hours. These staff may be required to work other work schedules for the duration of the emergency.

Office of the Secretary

Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Chief of Staff
Director of Communications

Inspector General

Inspector General

Legal

General Counsel
Deputy General Counsel

Community Corrections

Assistant Secretary of Community Corrections
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Community Corrections - Operations
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Community Corrections - Programs
Community Corrections Bureau Chiefs
Electronic Monitoring Administrators

Office of Institutions

Assistant Secretary of Institutions
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Institutions
Bureau Chief of Security Operations
Bureau Chief of Facility Services
Architect Supervisor
Assistant Bureau Chief of Facility Services
Professional Engineer III
Bureau Chief of Institutional Support
Assistant Bureau Chief of Institutional Support
Operations and Management Consultant Manager (Food Service)
General Service Manager (Canteen)
Operations and Management Consultant (Safety)

Emergency Operations Staff:

Central Office EOC Staff
State EOC Staff
Asst. Secretary of Institutions – Programs Covered under Institutions
Bureau Chief of Classification
Assistant Bureau Chiefs of Classification
Bureau Chief of Admissions and Release
Assistant Bureau Chief of Admissions and Release

Office of Administration

Director of Administration
Chief of Budget and Management Evaluation
Director – Human Resource Management
Chief Information Officer
Bureau Chief of Personnel
Bureau Chief of Systems Development
Bureau Chief of Computing Services
Bureau Chief of Technical Services
Data Center Staff
Bureau Chief of Procurement and Supply
Assistant Bureau Chief of Procurement and Supply (Purchasing)
General Services Purchasing Manager
Assistant Chief Procurement and Supply - Contracts
Bureau Chief of Finance and Accounting
Senior Management Analyst of Inmate Bank
Assistant Bureau Chief of Budget

Office of Health Services

Director of Health Services
Deputy Director of Health Services
Deputy Director of Health Services Administration
Deputy Director of Health Services – Clinical
Deputy Director of Health Services - Administrative

The following is a list of staff in Regional Offices, Circuit Offices, Institutions and Community Corrections Offices identified as essential and expected to report to work during normal hours. These staff may be required to work other work schedules for the duration of the emergency.

Institutions

Essential Staff refers to:

Regional Staff
Regional Directors of Institutions
Assistant Wardens
Correctional Services Administrators
Correctional Services Consultants
Regional Personnel Officer
Financial Services Director
Support Services Officer
Budget Manager
Warehouse Distribution Coordinator
Maintenance & Construction Officer
Purchasing Specialist Supervisor
Safety Program Consultant
Lead Chaplain
Education Program Manager
Automotive Maintenance Superintendent
Senior Management Analyst – Medical

   Institutional Staff

• Institutions - ALL staff assigned to an institution are considered "essential" and shall be required to report for duty. The local Warden is authorized to modify work schedules and responsibilities as appropriate to address the needs of the institution in responding to the emergency events. On a case-by-case basis, the Warden is also authorized to release staff from the requirement to work as essential staff in accordance with the specific needs of the institution.

• Medical - Contract and State Employees - All medical personnel assigned to an institution are considered "essential" and shall be required to report for duty. The local senior medical administrator, in coordination with the Warden, is authorized to modify work schedules and responsibilities as needed to address the needs of the institution in responding to the emergency events. On a case-by-case basis, the Warden is also authorized to release staff from the requirement to work as essential staff in accordance with the specific needs of the institution.

• Food Service - All contract food service staff are considered "essential" and are expected to report to duty notwithstanding any approaching emergency event.

• Contract Canteen Service - All contract canteen service staff are considered "essential" and are expected to report to duty notwithstanding any approaching emergency event. The local Warden is authorized to release the contractors staff from the requirement to work as essential staff in accordance with the specific needs of the institution. The contractors staff shall provide a contact number or procedure for them to remain in touch regarding return to duty.

Community Corrections

Essential Staff refers to:

Regional Staff
Regional Directors of Probation and Parole
Deputy Regional Directors of Probation and Parole
Government Operations Consultants II
Regional Program Managers

Circuit Staff
Circuit Administrators
Deputy Circuit Administrators

Office Staff
Correctional Probation Supervisors
Community Control Officers
Probation Officers with Electronic Monitoring Cases
Correctional Probation Specialists with Sex Offender and High Risk Cases

DC Employees that may be a victim of the emergency event may need counseling and employee assistance programs to assist them in coming to grips with the impact on their lives. Supervisors should also be alert to displaced employees that may be having difficulty in coping with changing medical or special needs, alternate travel arrangements and other issues that may impact their ability to be an effective employee. Referral to appropriate programs may be required.

Staffing - Delineation of Mission Essential Functions

Mission essential functions consist of those actions required to provide for public safety while at the same time maintaining inmates/offenders incarcerated in a safe and secure environment.

• Central Office
  • Ensure all key positions with support staff are available 24/7 either in person or by electronic contacts.
  • Each Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary is responsible for ensuring sufficient staff with authority to act on their behalf is available 24/7 throughout the emergency event. This may involve their physical presence at a command location or contact through electronic means. Each Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary is authorized to divert staff as needed to meet the emergency needs of the department.
• Regional Offices
  • Ensure regional Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) are staffed, or available 24/7 as the emergency events dictate.
  • Each Regional Office (Institutions and Community Corrections) shall ensure sufficient trained staff with authority to act on behalf of the Regional Director is available 24/7 throughout the emergency event. The regional office staff shall be supplemented by liaison staff from the Service Center as needed to meet the requirements of the emergency event. During an emergency event the regional Emergency Preparedness Coordinator shall serve in a "lead" capacity for the regional response.
• Institutions
  • Ensure an adequate number of correctional officers are available to supervise incarcerated inmates as well as any support staff required. The number of staff required may be impacted by the nature of the anticipated emergency.
  • Wardens are responsible for making personnel adjustments as appropriate to meet the emergency needs. Advance designation of essential institutional functions will be included in any local emergency operating plans. Staff will be trained in regard to their responsibilities in maintaining these essential functions. In the event the local Warden does not have sufficient personnel resources to meet the emergency needs, the institutional Regional Director is authorized to divert staff from a nearby facility to assist in addressing the emergency need.
• Community Corrections
  • Ensure an adequate number of Probation Officers are available to locate and monitor the high risk offenders, sex offenders, and community control offenders. The number of staff required may be impacted by the nature of the emergency and the length of time the office will be out of service.
  • Circuit Administrators are responsible for making personnel adjustments as appropriate to meet the emergency needs of community supervision during an emergency event. Certain cases may have reporting requirements suspended pending the passage of the emergency. Other more critical cases may be identified for some type of modified or alternate reporting requirements throughout the emergency. In the event the local administrator does not have sufficient personnel resources to meet the emergency needs, the Circuit Administrator may divert staff from other offices to assist in meeting emergency needs.
• Service Centers
  • Ensure all Service Center components (personnel, support services, warehouse, food service, maintenance, and business) are available 24/7 as the emergency event dictates. This may require the physical presence of a representative in the regional EOC while in other cases "on call" status may suffice.
• Medical
  • The Regional Medical Executive Director will ensure that sufficient staff and resources are available to respond to a medical emergency. Should additional resources be required the Regional Medical Executive Director, upon approval by the Director of Health Services, will coordinate staff movement among institutions. Contract medical staff will meet the same standard of emergency service as department medical staff.
  • The Regional Health Services Administrator is responsible to ensure that sufficient medical expertise is on duty and prepared to response to any medical emergency that could reasonably be anticipated during any pending emergency event. Should local resources be insufficient to meet this need, medical staff may be diverted from other nearby facilities. Contract medical staff is expected to meet the same standard of emergency service as department medical staff.
• Medical – Service Centers
  • Support Services shall ensure sufficient trained staff from all components (personnel, support services, warehouse, food service, maintenance, and business) are available 24/7 throughout the emergency event. This may involve their physical presence at the regional command location or contact through electronic means.
• Food Service
  • Ensure contract food service operations continue operating 24/7 throughout the emergency. Additionally, they need to remain alert to any changing requirements for delivery of additional meals to evacuated staff/inmates or rescue personnel during any emergency event.
  • Contract food service is responsible for being proactive in planning for and delivering food service operations throughout any emergency event that may impact the local area. Emergency needs may include expanded hours of operation to support a 24-hour emergency response, additional influx of inmates or emergency workers to be fed beyond the normal count, emergency acquisition of inventory, and other such contingencies.
• Utilities – Support Services
  • Is responsible to ensure sufficiently trained staff is available in the area of the emergency event to meet reasonably anticipated problems that would have a negative impact on the ability of the central office, regional office, institution, or P & P office to continue a safe and secure operation. P & P and other staff in leased or rented space should have contact names and numbers immediately available should they experience a disruption of utility service or other problems related to the leased/rented facility.
• Records
  • Each supervisor or administrator of a facility maintaining official records is responsible to ensure plans are in place for the safe and secure protection and retention of those official records. This may involve "in place" protection of the records or transfer of the records to a secure location. Backup computer tapes should be stored "off-site" to ensure their protection and ready accessibility should destroyed computer data banks need to be restored.

Guidance to Essential and Non-Essential Personnel

Staff shall be kept informed as to the changing circumstances surrounding the emergency event. This may be done through use of the toll-free hotline, press releases, communications through staff meetings, etc. "Essential" staff for the most part is pre-determined. However, the emergency events may dictate designation of additional staff as "essential". In such cases, they will be personally informed by their supervisors or designees.

Staff Coordination

The department's Information Services Office shall serve as the coordinator of information disseminated to public news media outlets as well as department staff. Press releases will be issued as appropriate to keep the general public abreast of the department's response to the emergency event. The department's toll free hotline (877-429-1270) will be activated for the purpose of providing pre-recorded information to staff regarding office closures, changes in work schedules, emergency needs, and other such information. Additionally, this line will have the capability to accept recorded information from the caller. This recording feature will permit staff to report the status of their well being, pose questions pertinent to the emergency, or relate emergency needs that may otherwise be unknown. This emergency contact line will be activated upon direction of the Secretary and maintained on a 24/7 basis throughout the emergency as needed. Depending upon the emergency event, the line may not be physically manned 24/7 but will be monitored. 

Last updated: 6/25/12