Emergency Management

The zone system was created as a way for residents to manage emergency conditions occurring in their neighborhoods in an organized and effective way. The concept was developed after the floods of 2011. It is designed to be used under worse case conditions until professional help arrives at the scene. Zone reporters, zone captains and the emergency management team comprise the system.

This is a work-in-progress. Additional suggestions and comments from Duxbury residents are welcomed.

Zone Captains

Residents who have volunteered as zone captains are assigned to call the emergency management team or the town garage to report conditions in their zone. This presumes that they are unable to travel out of their zones because of unfavorable conditions. If all lines of communication are down, they should use their portable narrowband radios to make contact. If radios aren’t available, they should write down brief descriptions of conditions and needs in their zones and post them close to a likely point of contact. Once captains have made contact with the emergency management team. They should attempt to make contact with reporters who have not checked in. Follow up calls are then made to the management team.

Emergency Management Team

This team can be comprised of the selectboard chair, selectboard members, the road foreman, the emergency management coordinator, the service officer or others, depending on the type of emergency evolving. The team will field incoming calls from the zone captains and reporters then delegate resources to zones according to each zone’s need. If necessary they will activate the Emergency Operations Plan, coordinate response with teams from surrounding communities and follow National Incident Management System guidelines based on emerging conditions.

Purpose of The Zone System 

The purpose of the zone system is to limit confusion caused by emergencies and to expedite resources to manage the harmful effects caused by them. The system should act as reassurance to everyone that help is underway. Incoming information to the emergency management team from outlying regions may be less frantic and more comprehensible if delivered by residents who see what is happening and understand their roles in helping manage effective response in their neighborhoods. In turn, the team should be able to coordinate response in a way that is not random but adaptable based on accurate reporting of conditions. The Emergency Management team should then be able to formulate a zone-based response determined by accurate reports from the field.

Zone Descriptions

• Zone 1 - River Rd from 3621 River Rd to Bolton town line (including Power Plant Rd); Camel’s Hump Rd and all side roads.

• Zone 2 - Duxbury Village and River Rd to 3621 River Rd.

• Zone 3A - Crossett Hill Rd north of 1383 Crossett Hill Rd and all side roads.

• Zone 3B - Crossett Hill Rd south of 1383 Crossett Hill Rd and all side roads.

• Zone 4 - Rt 100 south of 3879 Rt 100 to Tobin Rd and all side roads.

• Zone 5 - Rt 100 south of Tobin Rd; Ward Hill Rd and all side roads; Dowsville Rd and all side roads.