Directorates

Planning and Organization

The goal of the Planning and Organization Program is to support the development and/or enhance of interjurisdictional multidisciplinary response capabilities through planning and organization.

Planning is an integral part of the capability development cycle.  It encompasses needs assessment, research, development, and evaluation.  The Planning and Organization Program works with the Finance and Logistics Program to ensure precision of stakeholder spend plans and equipment acquisition to buildout their specific capabilities. The Planning and Organization Program also works with the Training and Exercise Program to identify areas where training is needed as it relates to specific capabilities and assists with the development and execution of training initiatives.

The Planning and Organization staff consists of the Program Manager and two Emergency Response Planning Specialists. The Planning and Organization Program Manager oversees capability development for MDERS and its stakeholders. The Emergency Response Planning Specialists are responsible for the drafting and execution of Capability Development Plans (CDPs) and related guides for MDERS and its stakeholders.

Training and Exercise

The goal of the Training and Exercise Program is to establish, maintain, and execute an effective training and exercise program to support the development and evaluation of targeted response capabilities for the MDERS stakeholder community.

The Training and Exercise Program is an integral part of the capability development cycle.  It leads the training, exercising, and evaluating phases of capability development and coordinates with other MDERS programs to assist in the planning, organizing, and equipping phases.

The Training and Exercise Program consists of the Program Manager, and two Training and Exercise Specialists. The Training and Exercise Program Manager oversees all MDERS training and exercise activities that include program and project management.  The Training and Exercise Specialists oversee, coordinate, and support the design, development, and delivery of MDERS-sponsored training and exercise initiatives and conferences.

Finance and Logistics

The goal of the Finance and Logistics Program is to develop, maintain, improve, and coordinate the fiscal, procurement, and resource management responsibilities of the MDERS staff and stakeholders.

Equipping and tracking assets is an integral part of the capability development cycle. The Finance and Logistics Program works with the Planning and Organization Program in the development of policies, procedures, guidance, and standards of use for all assets.  They also coordinate with the Training and Exercise Program for all necessary training needs. The Finance and Logistics Program directs all purchases of equipment and supplies required to fulfill the capabilities being developed or enhanced. It also assists stakeholder agencies with sustainment planning to ensure the developed capabilities can be maintained with their own agency funding. They also execute and facilitate the purchase of equipment and resources to support the MDERS staff and its mission, track expenditures within all MDERS-related grants; and tracks all finances and submit for grant reimbursement on behalf of MIEMSS.

The Finance and Logistics Program works closely with the other MDERS Programs, stakeholders, and partners to identify and fulfill appropriate resource needs throughout the capability development process. The Finance and Logistics Program makes an effort to base all resource-need determinations on the principles of the respective capability, and not be influenced by legacy trends or specific brand preference.

The Finance and Logistics Program staff consists of the Program Manager, a Project Manager, and a Financial Administrator. The Finance and Logistics Program Manager oversees the development of all grant-related administration documents, including Project Management Plans, Quarterly Status Reports, and Grant Closeout Reports. The Project Manager fulfills multiple responsibilities across both stakeholder counties, and a Financial Administrator fulfills multiple accounting, budgetary, and procurement responsibilities.