GOHSEP Elected_Officials_Manual_2015

• FEMA 9500 Policy Series and any disasterspecific
guidance issued by FEMA
• FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA)
Unified Guidance
Roles + Responsibilities
Under State law the Governor, GOHSEP, Director
of GOHSEP, Parish President, Director of the Parish
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency
Preparedness (OHSEP) and municipalities have roles
and responsibilities throughout the emergency
management cycle. Those duties are generally
described below. A comprehensive list of duties both
pre- and post-disaster can be found in the Disaster Act
(included in the Appendix in this Manual).
GOVERNOR
The Governor is responsible for protecting the citizens
of Louisiana from the dangers presented by threats,
emergencies or disasters. To meet this responsibility
and pursuant to the Disaster Act, the Governor is
empowered to:
• Declare a state of emergency for the State.
• Activate the State’s emergency response plan
and recovery program.
• Establish the Unified Command Group (UCG)
and serve as its Commander.
• Direct and compel evacuations.
• Control ingress, egress, the movement of
persons and occupancy of premises within
declared disaster areas.
• Suspend State regulatory statutes.
• Utilize all available resources of State
government to cope with the disaster.
• Transfer the direction, personnel or functions
of State departments and agencies.
• Commandeer or utilize private property.
1.3 Authorities + Responsibilities Page 2 of 6
• Prescribe routes, transportation and
destinations for evacuations.
• Suspend or limit the sale and dispensing of
alcoholic beverages, firearms, explosives and
combustibles.
• Provide for temporary housing.
GOHSEP Director
The Director of GOHSEP – as its executive head – is
responsible for homeland security and emergency
management for the State. In that role, the Director
has authority and responsibility to:
• Maintain liaisons and cooperate with homeland
security and emergency management
agencies from other states and with the Federal
government.
• Give directives to other State agencies and
departments relating to emergency planning
and operations.
• Direct the activities of the Office of
Interoperability.
• Serve as Deputy Director of UCG.
• Serve on the Regional Parish OHSEP Parish
Directors Subcommittee (Regional Directors
Subcommittee).
• Appoint Regional Coordinators (RCs).
• Promote mutual aid and interjurisdictional
agreements between Parishes.
• In addition to those items stated in the statute, do
other things, incidental or appropriate to fulfill the
responsibilities required under the Disaster Act.
Parish President
The term “Parish President” applies to Parish President
and Police Jury President. The Parish President is
responsible for homeland security and emergency
preparedness in the Parish. In that role he/she is
empowered to:
• Establish an office and maintain an agency
of homeland security and emergency
preparedness for the Parish.
Revised: December 21, 2014