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Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

Benton County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) describes how Benton County organizes, coordinates, and responds to emergencies and disasters affecting our community.

The EOP provides an all-hazards framework for situations that are larger or more complex than routine operations can manage. It identifies roles, responsibilities, and coordination processes for County departments, cities, first responders, community organizations, service providers, and other response partners. Benton County uses the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) as the foundation for this work.

While the main EOP provides the overall framework, it is supported by operational annexes and supporting procedures that address specific community needs. These plans cover areas such as:

  • Evacuation and emergency public information
  • Mass care and sheltering
  • Reunification and family assistance
  • Animal and livestock sheltering
  • Recovery
  • Volunteers and donations
  • Debris management
  • Damage assessment
  • Other specialized response operations

These supporting plans go beyond County organizational structure. They identify local facilities, available resources, partner organizations, operational procedures, and ways to support people who may need additional assistance during an emergency.

Some operational annexes and supporting materials are not routinely posted online because they contain detailed contact information, facility capabilities, resource inventories, operational procedures, or other information that may change frequently or may be sensitive. Benton County reviews and updates these materials with the agencies and community partners responsible for carrying them out.

No plan can anticipate every situation or condition that may arise. Together, the EOP and its supporting annexes provide a flexible framework that helps the County and its partners make coordinated decisions and meet community needs during an emergency.

The latest version of the Benton County EOP was adopted in October 2024.

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