The purpose of this document is to provide the municipalities of Franklin County with a plan for regional sheltering so that they can provide the essential emergency services associated with regional emergency sheltering
operations. The objectives of this plan include:
- Meet the public health and safety jurisdictional roles
- Clearly outline the responsibilities of all participating entities
- Ensure the ability of participating entities to address the public health, medical, behavioral health and sheltering needs of the region
- Provide a tool for participating entities to use, review and revise as needed to provide essential regional shelter services during the event of a disaster
All Franklin County towns are signatories of the Western Massachusetts Intergovernmental Emergency Mutual Aid Agreement which provides the general authority for planning, opening, managing, and demobilizing Regional Emergency Shelters (see Appendix A). In addition, municipalities are encouraged to endorse the Franklin County Regional Shelter Plan Addendum to that Agreement to more clearly define their roles and responsibilities in the
event that a regional shelter is needed in their area.
