Flagler County Emergency Management

Flagler County Emergency Management

Agency overview
Formed	1988
Jurisdiction	Flagler County, Florida
Headquarters	Bunnell, Florida
Agency executive	Jonathan Lord, Emergency Management Director
Parent agency	Flagler County Board of County Commissioners
Website	https://www.flaglercounty.gov/emergency

Flagler County Emergency Management (FCEM) is the local government agency responsible for disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery in Flagler County, Florida. Established in 1962 as Civil Defense, with the modern Emergency Management designation adopted in 1995. The department operates under the legal authority of Chapter 12 of the Flagler County Code of Ordinances and Florida Statutes Chapter 252, which designate the Emergency Management Director as the official responsible for countywide emergency operations and maintenance of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP). FCEM manages the county's Emergency Operations Center (EOC), located at 1769 East Moody Boulevard, Bldg 3, in Bunnell, which serves as the central hub for interagency coordination, resource allocation, and public information during major incidents. The agency supports a professional staff of and relies on structured volunteer networks to augment operations during EOC activations.

History

Early Civil Defense Activities (1940s)

Flagler County's earliest organized emergency functions emerged during World War II. Coastal watch towers were constructed at Flagler Beach and Painter's Hill, blackout rules were enforced along the shoreline, and residents were issued passes to cross the canal due to Coast Guard security measures. Local volunteers served as plane spotters, reporting aircraft positions to military authorities by telephone. These activities represented early local civil defense operations that preceded modern emergency management practices.

During the same period, Flagler County supported Civil Defense aviation through Coastal patrol base No. 5, which relocated to the Flagler Beach Airport on October 28, 1942. The Civil Air Patrol conducted daily anti-submarine patrols along Florida's Atlantic coast under the Office of Civilian Defense, operating from facilities constructed by the City of Flagler Beach, including a hangar, administration building, radio shack, and weather station. Base personnel maintained guard posts, hurricane evacuation plans, and coordination with the U.S. Weather Bureau, reflecting the county's early involvement in organized coastal defense and emergency preparedness.

Transition from Civil Defense to Modern Emergency Management Preparedness (1950s-1980s)

Civil defense programs established during World War II expanded during the Cold War and laid the foundation for modern emergency management practices in the United States. The Office of Civilian Defense (OCD), founded in 1941, coordinated federal, state, and local civilian protection efforts, a similar mission in scope to today's emergency management agencies. Following World War II, Flagler County began improving emergency access and infrastructure. Rural electrification reached the county in 1945, and major transportation upgrades, including the paving of Route 100 in 1946 and construction of a raised roadbed to Flagler beach in 1948. These things helped to address the chronic flooding and hazardous travel conditions within the county. A deteriorating Intracoastal drawbridge prompted emergency safety procedures in the late 1940s, including requiring schoolchildren to walk across the bridge while the empty bus followed. A new electrically operated concrete drawbridge was completed in 1950, improving emergency access to Flagler Beach.

Emergency medical care was limited during the early 1950s, with the nearest hospitals located in St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. In 1953, Dr. John Canakaris established Flagler County's first ten-bed hospital in Bunnell, later expanding to a 55-bed facility in 1955 and an 81-bed modern hospital completed in 1980.

As Palm Coast developed in the 1970s and 1980s, emergency service needs increased. ITT Community Development Corporation (IDCD) funded an Emergency Services Building, fire trucks, and an emergency vehicle, significantly expanding county response capabilities and supporting the transition toward a coordinated emergency services system.

By the early 1980s, Flagler County was one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida, entering what local historians described as a "crucial decade" that set the stage for modern emergency management preparedness across the country.

Opening of the First Emergency Operations Center (1988)

Flagler County opened its first Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in 1988, following lessons learned from the 1985 wildfires. At the time, the county's emergency functions were still organized under Civil Defense, and the modern Emergency Management designation would not be adopted until 1995. The new EOC operated out of a 2,400 square-foot space in the former courthouse annex building in Bunnell and marked the county's first dedicated facility for coordinated disaster response.

Agency Reorganization (1999)

In 1999, under a plan approved by the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners, the county reorganized its emergency functions by consolidating multiple public safety programs into a new parent department known as Flagler County Emergency Services. As part of this restructuring, emergency management became a division within Emergency Services, rather than a standalone department.

This organizational change aligned the county's emergency preparedness, response, and fire-rescue coordination under a unified administrative structure, shaping how major incidents were managed throughout the early 2000s.

EOC Development (2004-2006)

Flagler County experienced three significant hurricanes during the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Charley made landfall in August and became the first hurricane to directly pass over the county since 1960, causing widespread wind damage and exposing major gaps in emergency communications. The report noted that the storm revealed "critical limitations in emergency communications and coordination capacity", and recommended construction of a hardened Emergency Operations Center and improvements to radio interoperability. In September, Hurricane Frances passed south of Flagler County but produced tropical storm-force conditions, storm surge flooding, heavy rainfall, and extensive cosmetic damage. Later that month, Hurricane Jeanne brough additional tropical storm conditions and storm surge flooding, further stressing the county response capabilities

Collectively, these storms revealed critical deficiencies in coordination, sheltering capabilities, and radio interoperability. In response, the Flagler County Commission approved construction of a dedicated, storm-hardened Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the April 2005. During construction, Emergency Services, with Emergency management operating as a division, worked out of the Flagler County Administration building, until the new EOC opened in April 2006. The current facility is located at 1769 East Moody Blvd, Building 3, in Bunnell.

The EOC houses the county’s 9-1-1 communications center and serves as the central hub for coordinating emergency response, resource allocation, and public information during major incidents.

Department Separation 2008

In 2008, Flagler County dissolved the consolidated Emergency Services department created in 1999. As part of this restructuring, the county re-established Flagler County Emergency Management as a standalone department, while Flagler County Fire rescue became an independent fire-rescue agency.

This change restored Emergency Management's direct administrative authority and clarified departmental responsibilities for preparedness, response, and recovery operations going into the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Major Incidents

1985 Wildfires

Undetermined-caused wildfires, later suspected to involve arson, burned more than 39,000 acres in Flagler County after weeks of dry conditions, destroying 131 homes and damaging more than 200. Civil Defense coordinated shelter operations at local schools, managed public information, and supported multi-agency response efforts involving the Florida Division of Forestry, the National Guard, and FEMA.

The fires exposed major gaps in evacuation planning, communications, and land-use regulation. These lessons directly led to construction of Flagler County's first Emergency Operations Center in 1988.

1998 Wildfires

FEMA photograph taken during the 1998 Florida wildfires.

In June and July 1998, extreme drought conditions produced a major wildfire outbreak that heavily impacted Flagler County and led to the first mandatory evacuation of an entire U.S. County due to wildfire. Flagler County Emergency Management operated at a full activation, coordinating incoming state and federal resources, including more than 10,000 firefighters, military support, and aerial suppression assets from across the country.

Emergency Management managed countywide evacuations logistics, shelter operations, emergency regulations, and disruptions to essential services, including transportation and postal operations. The incident underscored the need for expanded mitigation programs, improved interagency coordination, and long-term wildfire-risk reduction strategies.

2000 Prescribed Burning

In response to vulnerabilities exposed during the 1998 fires, Flagler County expanded its wildfire mitigation efforts in 2000. Early prescribed burn operations relied on volunteer and part-time personnel to reduce hazardous vegetation. These efforts laid the foundation for a formalized prescribed burn program and a transition toward specialized, career staffed wildfire mitigation operations.

2011 Wildfires

In June 2011, prolonged drought and record heat contributed to multiple large wildfires across Flagler County. Lightning ignitions produced two major incidents: the 5,136-acre Espanola Fire and the White Eagle Fire, which threatened homes in the Seminole Woods neighborhood.

The Emergency Operations Center coordinated multi-agency response efforts involving Flagler County Fire Rescue, the Palm Coast Fire Department, the Florida Division of Forestry’s Incident Management Teams, the National Guard, and state officials including Governor Rick Scott. Despite extensive fire activity, no homes were destroyed, due in part to coordinated structural protection and the deployment of specialized brush units operated by the Wildfire Mitigation Team.

2016-2024 Hurricanes

Between 2016 and 2024, Flagler County experienced significant impacts from multiple Atlantic hurricanes, resulting in millions of dollars in damages and requiring extensive Emergency management operations. Hurricanes Matthew (2016), Irma (2017), Michael (2018), Ian (2022), Nicole (2022), and Milton (2024) produced a combination of coastal erosion, inland flooding, high-wind damage, prolonged power outages, and disruptions to critical facilities across the county.

Flagler County Emergency Management coordinated preparedness, response, and recovery activities for each event through its Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) and Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS). These operations included evacuation planning, shelter activations, debris-management coordination, protection of critical infrastructure, and post-storm damage assessments. The cumulative impacts of these storms reinforced the county's long-term mitigation priorities, including storm-hardening of public buildings, drainage improvements, shoreline stabilization, and expanded shelter capacity.

Emergency Operations Center Activations

Flagler County Emergency Management activates its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during significant emergencies including wildfires, tropical cyclones, floods, public health incidents, and large-scale multi-agency responses. According to the county's Comprehensive Emergency management plan (CEMP), EOC staffing during activations includes representatives from municipalities, county departments, and key partner organizations, organized under the structure outlined in the EOC Organizational Chart. The CEMP defines three activation levels: Level III (Monitoring), Level II (Partial Activation), and Level I (Full Activation). The Emergency Management Director serves as the manager of the Emergency Operations Center and mobilizes the personnel and resources necessary to support significant incidents.

Activation Levels

Level 3 - Monitoring

Implemented when Emergency Management receives notice of an incident or developing event that may escalate to threaten public safety. Information is shared with EOC personnel through email, conference calls, and routine monitoring activities.

Level 2 - Partial Activation

Initiated by the Emergency Management Director or designee when only specific Sections, Branches, Groups, or Units impacted by the hazard need to be staffed.

Level 1 - Full Activation

Used for major incidents requiring full EOC staffing and 24-hour operations across all Sections, Branches, Groups, Units, and Command Staff.

1980s-1990s

• 1985 Wildfires - Countywide evacuations and multi-agency coordination.
• 1989 Wildfire Activity - Seasonal EOC activations for regional fire conditions
• 1998 Wildfires- countywide evacuations and the largest wildfire incident in Flagler County
• 1999 Tropical Storm Floyd, Irene, and Harvey - Activation for rain, wind, downed trees, and flooding.

2000s

• 2001 Tropical Storm Gabrielle - Activation for wind and rain impacts.
• 2002 West Nile Virus - Public health monitoring and coordination.
• 2004 Hurricane Season - Multiple activations for Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne, Ivan, and Tropical Storm Bonnie.
• 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia and Tropical Storm Tammy- Regional support, local readiness, and flooding impacts.
• 2006 Hurricane Ernesto and Tropical Storm Alberto - EOC activations for storm impacts.
• 2007 Fire Season - Wildfire smoke and public safety coordination.
• 2008 Hurricane Fay, wildfires, and USA-193 satellite re-entry - multi-hazard activations.
• 2009 Flooding, train crash, cold weather, and H1N1 - Multiple activations across hazard types.

2010s

• 2010 Fire Seasons and January Freeze - Activation for wildfire conditions and prolonged freezing temperatures.
• 2011 Hurricane Irene and wildfires - EOC activation for coastal impacts and multiple wildfire incidents.
• 2012 Hurricane Sandy, Tropical Debby, Tropical Isaac, Tropical Beryl, and fire season - multi-hazard activations for coastal erosion, flooding, and wildfire conditions.
• 2013 December Tornado - Activation for tornado response and damage assessment.
• 2014 Flooding, nor'easter, and cold weather - EOC activations for severe weather and winter impacts.
• 2015 Tropical Storm Erika - Activation for heavy rainfall and localized flooding.
• 2016 Hurricane Matthew - Full activation for evacuation zones, shelters, and post-storm recovery.
• 2017 Hurricane Irma - Full activation for countywide impacts, flooding, and prolonged power outages.
• 2019 Hurricane Dorian and December tornado response - Activation for hurricane and preparedness and tornado recovery operations.

2020s

• 2020 COVID-19, Hurricane Isaias, and Hurricane Eta - Extended EOC activations for pandemic response and multiple tropical cyclones.
• 2021 Tropical Storm Elsa - Activation for wind and rain impacts.
• 2022 Hurricanes Ian and Nicole - Full activations for flooding, coastal erosion, and widespread power outages.
• 2023 Hurricane Idalia and October Tornado - Activation for storm impacts and tornado response.
• 2024 Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton - Multiple activations for significant coastal and inland storm impacts.

Programs and Capabilities

ALERTFlagler

Emergency Management administers ALERTFlagler, a free emergency notification system used to deliver localized weather alerts, evacuation orders, and public safety messages.

Public Education programs

Flagler County Emergency Management offers public preparedness and volunteer training programs in partnership with local and national organizations. Courses are provided at no cost to residents and cover topics such as general disaster preparedness, emergency communications, medical triage, first aid, animal sheltering, evacuation shelter operations, and volunteer coordination during disaster response.

Administration

The department is organized under a professional public safety framework. Its full-time professional staff includes an Emergency management director, an Emergency management manager, and a team of Emergency management planners and specialists. Operational capabilities during major Emergency Operations Center activations are heavily supplemented by a structured network of local community volunteers.

Local Legal Authority (Flagler County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12)

Flagler County's Emergency management authority is established under Chapter 12 of the Flagler County Code of Ordinances, which outlines the county's responsibilities for disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. The ordinance designates the Emergency Management Director as the official responsible for coordinating countywide emergency operations, maintaining the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and implementing the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP). Chapter 12 also defines the county's emergency powers, continuity-of-government responsibilities, and coordination requirements with municipal, state, and federal agencies. These provisions form the legal foundation for local Emergency management operations and align Flagler County's program with statewide requirements under Florida Statutes Chapter 252.

State Legal Authority (Florida Statutes Chapter 252)

Florida Statutes Chapter 252, known as the State Emergency Management Act, establishes statewide framework for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. The act declares that "the state is vulnerable to a wide range of emergencies" and establishes the intent to reduce vulnerability, coordinate evacuation and shelter operations, support public health emergencies, and ensure transparent emergency preparedness and response activities. The statute defines the policy and purpose of the state's Emergency management system, including the creation of the Division of Emergency Management, the authorization of local Emergency management agencies, and the establishment of statewide mutual aid. Chapter 252 provides emergency powers to the Governor, the Division, and local governments; set limitations on the powers; and defines key Emergency management terms such as "disaster", "emergency', "local Emergency management agency", and "natural emergency". Chapter 252 also outlines extensive responsibilities for the Division of Emergency Management, including maintaining the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), coordinating with federal and local partners, adopting standards for county Emergency management plans, conducting statewide straining and exercise, maintaining inventories of critical emergency resources, and supporting local governments during major or catastrophic disasters. These provisions form the legal foundation for Emergency management operations across Florida and guide the planning, coordination, and disaster response activities carried about by county agencies such as Flagler County Emergency management.

Past Emergency Management Directors

1. Raymond Smith, (1962–1979) ~ Civil Defense Director
2. Bob Barzelogna, (1979–1996) ~ Civil Defense Director / Veterans Service Officer
3. Jerry Davis, (1996–1998) ~ Emergency Management Director
4. Ron Bolser, (1998-1999) ~ Emergency Management Director
5. Eric Gentry, (1999–2002) ~ Emergency Services Director
6. Doug Wright, (2002–2005) ~ Emergency Management Director
7. Nathan McCollum, (2006–2009) ~ Emergency Management Director
8. Troy Harper, (2009–2013) ~ Emergency Management Director
9. Kevin Guthrie, (2013–2016) ~ Emergency Management Chief / Director
10. Steve Garten, (2016–2017) ~ Emergency Management Director
11. Jonathan Lord, (2018–present) ~ Emergency Management Director

See also

• Emergency management
• Emergency operations center
• Flagler County, Florida

External links

• Emergency Management Flagler County
• https://www.flaglercounty.gov/County-Services/Public-Safety/Flagler-County-Fire-Rescue
• Chapter 12 - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT | Code of Ordinances | Flagler County, FL | Municode Library
• Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine