CT State Animal Response Team

With a lack of county government structure in Connecticut, DEMHS developed with its local partners emergency preparedness regions in 2007. These regions were created to facilitate emergency management and homeland security planning and regional collaboration. The Regional Emergency Planning Team (REPT) in each Region operates under bylaws which address their mission, membership and procedures.  The multi-jurisdictional REPTs are supported by Regional Emergency Support Functions (RESF).  These RESFs are discipline oriented working groups that provide collaborative planning and resource support within each discipline. Each REPT is therefore made up of members from each municipality and tribal government in the DEMHS Region as well as each emergency management discipline.

The five DEMHS Regional Offices serve as direct points of contact to local jurisdictions to provide: distribution of warning and emergency information to local jurisdictions;  on-site monitoring of localized emergencies; collection, verification and consolidation of local emergency situation reports and requests for assistance; assistance to local jurisdictions in regional budget development and funding requests; assistance to local governments in requesting aid in training and exercise development; guidance and assistance to local governments in Local Emergency Operations Plan (LEOP) development, review, and revision including annexes such as school security planning; oversight of the development of Regional Emergency Support Plans; and coordinate a regional response to ongoing emergency situations.