2023-07-05 Preparedness coordinator request
Meja Handlen, Director
O 360.740.1223 F 360.740.1438 TDD 360.740.1480 Joseph Wiley, M.D. Health Officer
June, 16, 2023
To: BOCC
From: John Abplanalp
Read-ahead packet for Emergency Preparedness Coordinator reclassification
Request
This request is to reclassify the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator position. See the current
organizational chart as well as current and proposed job descriptions for reference.
Budget
The position is currently budgeted as a grade 121, step 3 with $60,566 in salary cost. The salary cost for
a grade 124, step 3 will be $69,362 for an increase of $8,796. Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS)
funding is available to offset the increased cost.
Background
When the position was created, it reported to the Community Services Manager and received a
significant amount of oversight. The position now reports directly to the Deputy Director and works
under limited supervision. This requires the ability to work independently and involves building and
maintaining relationships with an array of local, regional, and state-level partners.
The scope of work for this position is complex and requires an advanced understanding of public health
strategies and disaster response as well as the ability to create, interpret, and operationalize both public
health and emergency preparedness plans, guidance, and regulations.
The Emergency Preparedness Coordinator has a high level of responsibility to ensure that PHSS is
prepared for responding to emergency situations. This position serves as the subject matter expert in
our department for the incident command system (ICS). In that role, the Coordinator advises executive
leadership on departmental planning, training, and resource needs, ensures the leadership team is
trained in ICS and familiar with written plans and procedures, trains staff in the ICS system, and serves as
a Section Chief and mentors department leadership on their ICS roles during emergency activations.
The Human Resources Department conducted a salary study (included). Their analysis compared our
position to similar positions in other counties across the state and recommends an increase to grade 124
in order to attract, hire, and retain a qualified applicant.
tel: 360.740.1408 | fax: 360.740.1494 Amber Smith Daleyn Coleman, CLRP, CPO Rachel Lester
HR/Risk Director HR/Risk Deputy Director HR Generalist
HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE
Personnel | Labor Relations | FMLA | ADA | EEO
To: John Abplanalp, Deputy Director PHSS
From: Rachel Lester, HR Generalist
Date: March 7, 2023
Subject: Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Salary Analysis
The Emergency Preparedness Coordinator position is under review. This position, while titled similarly
amongst the twelve counties studied, serves different functions based on the department it is housed
under. Our Emergency Preparedness Coordinator serves under the Department of Public Health and
Social Services and is responsible for preparing Lewis County Public Health’s response to emergencies.
Additionally, our position works under limited supervision and develops, writes, exercises, evaluates
and collaborates response plans to public health threats, incidents and disasters.
In analyzing minimum requirements for this position, the average experience sought is a Bachelor’s
Degree along with three years’ experience, which is the same criteria Lewis County looks for. The range
of required qualifications between the studied positions begins at a high school diploma or GED and
ends at a Master’s Degree with two years’ experience. Seemingly, the scope of work outlined within
the coordinating job description defines the need for greater experience or education required of that
position. For example, Walla Walla’s position, titled Program Coordinator Emergency Preparedness,
must serve as the Local Emergency Response Coordinator for Walla Walla County as well as be the
primary point of contact for their Department of Health emergency response. On the other hand,
County Salary Low Salary High Additional Comments
Chelan $45,364 $63,828 AA and enough experience to perform the essential functions
Skamania $46,104 $54,980 HS Diploma or GED
Spokane $57,062 $79,855 BA or 6 years' experience
Lewis $57,657 $77,520 BA and 3 years' experience
Cowlitz $58,884 $69,288 No Job Description Available
Walla Walla $58,980 $79,080 MA and 2 years' experience or BA and 5 years' experience
Pacific $61,704 $81,300 BA and 2 years' experience or AA and 7 years' experience
Skagit $62,192 $79,186 BA and 3-5 years' exp. and specific certifications/courses by xx date
Thurston $67,548 $90,072 BA and 3 years' experience
Adams $68,676 $87,648 BA and 5 years' experience
Clark $70,380 $99,432 No Job Description Available
Jefferson $71,451 $93,229 BA and 5 years' experience
Emergency Management Coordinator
Lewis County Historic Courthouse
351 NW North Street, Suite #023
Chehalis, WA 98532-1900
Page 2 of 2
Chelan County’s Emergency Management Program Specialist position is that of a support role, assisting
in the design and execution of emergency management responses under the direction of the Sheriff’s
Office.
Upon reviewing the salary ranges of this position, our Emergency Preparedness Coordinator is
currently Graded at a 121 on our Lewis County Salary Scale. The data in the chart shown above is
arranged in order of lowest to highest by starting salary. That said, Lewis County is fourth from last out
of the 12 counties studied and at $57,657, is almost $3000 under the average starting wage of $60,500.
Additionally, Lewis County’s salary cap is also in eighth place at $77,520 and is more than $2000 under
the average max salary. In comparison, Jefferson County’s similar position requires a BA and five years’
experience and is the highest starting salary among those studied, at more than $11,000 over the
average starting wage. Likewise, their position is the second highest salary cap and it is over $13,000
above the average max salary. One might argue that County Population could have some impact on the
scope of responsibility expected of the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator resulting in a higher base
salary, but in this case, Jefferson County’s average population is about 50,000 souls less than our own.
The most reasonable explanation for Jefferson County’s position’s generous salary is that it is more in
line with that of Director.
Of the three positions that are paid less than ours, the two from Chelan and Skamania County require
their incumbents to possess an AA and a High School Diploma or GED, respectively. Like the Chelan
position, the Skamania Emergency Management Coordinator is also a support role, working through
the Sheriff’s Department and under the Director of Emergency Management. The third position is with
Spokane County. This position requires a BA or a combination of education and experience resulting in
six years’ experience. The starting wage for Spokane’s position is not quite $600 less than ours with
their max pay at more than $2000 over ours. The Emergency Planning Coordinator’s role in Spokane
County is non-supervisory, and is responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating, and
maintaining their comprehensive emergency management plan. This position, similar to Chelan’s and
Skamania’s, works through the Civil Service and is more of a support role. In comparison to these
positions, the scope of work required of our Emergency Preparedness Coordinator is on a larger scale.
It is my recommendation, based on the data available, the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator be
Graded at a 124 on our Lewis County Salary Scale. Placing this position at a 124 allows us to hire a
candidate with the skills, abilities, and knowledge we require from an incumbent in such an important
public health position. The starting salary for Grade 124 is $66,021 which would put us just behind
Thurston County for starting pay, giving us the advantage of offering similar pay in a more desirable
location to many of our applicants. The maximum salary for Grade 124 is $88,747, which is again, just
under Thurston County, and would put us at fourth highest rather than fourth lowest. By appropriately
grading this position, we can continue to attract, hire, and retain quality applicants to Lewis County.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
S:\103 Administrative Services Division\Organizational Charts\0a~ORG CHART working copy.xlsx
Filled
Vacant
Total
Salaries
Benefits
Total
613,408$ FTE 5.00
EH SPECIALIST I
FOOD INSPECTION
CASUAL .10 FTE
VETERANS BENEFITS
SERVICES
Capital Projects Manager
.05 FTE
Capital Projects Analyst
.05 FTE
SNAP OUTREACH
WORKER
EH SPECIALIST SR
FOOD INSPECTION
EH SPECIALIST I
FOOD INSPECTION
EH SPECIALIST SR.
OSS/LAND DEV
EH SPECIALIST II
SOLID/HAZARD WASTE
(FPHS)
CUSTOMER SERVICES
FOOD/WATER
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
WORKER SR.
TECHNICIAN ASSISTANT
.40 FTE
BREASTFEEDING PEER
COUNSELOR
.90 FTE
EH SPECIALIST I
OSS/LAND DEV
WATER LAB TECH
.80 FTE
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT
CUSTOMER SERVICES
VITAL RECORDS
CPWI CONTRACTS
COORDINATOR
CUSTOMER SERVICES
ENV. HEALTH CODE
TECHNICIAN ASSISTANT
.40 FTE
HEALTH SERVICES
WORKER
.30 FTE
EH SPECIALIST II WATER
QUALITY
PUBLIC HEALTH SENIOR
ADMIN ASSISTANT
CPWI CONTRACTS
COORDINATOR CODE COMPLIANCE TECHNICIAN ASSISTANT
.40 FTE
HEALTH SERVICES
WORKER
.80 FTE
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MANAGER
HEALTH PROMOTION
COORD LIFECOURSE
HEALTH PROMOTION
COORD LIFECOURSEACCOUNTING SPECIALIST DD CONTRACTS
COORDINATOR CODE COMPLIANCE
ANIMAL SHELTER
TECHNICIAN .50
FTE
HEALTH SERVICES
WORKER
OUTREACH WORKER
(.50 Life / .50 CD)
EPIDEMIOLOGIST II EPIDEMIOLOGIST IIACCOUNTING SPECIALIST COMMUNITY CONTRACTS
COORDINATOR CODE COMPLIANCE ANIMAL SHELTER
TECHNICIAN
HEALTH SERVICES
WORKER Public Health Nurse II
EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS
COORDINATOR
FISCAL/MGMT ANALYST HOUSING PROGRAM
COORDINATOR CODE COMPLIANCE ANIMAL TECHNICIAN DIETITIAN OUTREACH WORKER SR.EPIDEMIOLOGIST II
.80 EPI .20 WIC SNAP
FISCAL AND ADMIN SOCIAL SERVICES
SUPERVISOR
CODE
ENFORCEMENT
MANAGER
ANIMAL SHELTER
MANAGER
WIC PROGRAM
MANAGER COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER
DEPUTY DIRECTOR - PUBLIC HEALTH
107,124$ Unfilled New FPHS Positions
29,756$
4,790,951$
TOTAL ALL FTE INTERIM COUNTY MANAGER
Health Officer 39.30
13.40
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOARD OF HEALTH
LEWIS COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
JUNE 1, 2023
52.70
PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR Advisory Board 3,435,883$
1,355,068$
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
JOB DESCRIPTION
Page 1 of 2
Job Title: Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Pay Grade: 121
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Job Code: PH 250
Effective Date: May 2012
Revision Date: May 2021
NATURE OF WORK
Under the supervision of the Community Services Manager, the Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Coordinator will assist in planning, organizing, and coordinating activities for public health all-hazard response to
emergencies. These activities include developing, writing, and exercising response plans as well as collaborating
with outside agencies to prepare for an all-hazard response to public health threats. The coordinator will also
coordinate needs assessments and ensure that Lewis County Public Health & Social Services employees are
appropriately trained and knowledgeable about response plans. This is a grant-funded position and will remain in
effect as grant funds continue.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this
classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be
required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.
Prepare, update and exercise public health emergency preparedness plans, policies and procedures in
accordance with funding requirements.
Collaborate with other agencies, including but not limited to, local health care providers, Emergency Medical
Services (EMS), fire departments, hospitals, law enforcement agencies and emergency management, to
maintain and update public health emergency plans and to develop MOUs.
Facilitate community coordination and collaboration including recruiting, developing relationships with, and
maintaining a group of influential and relevant local and state partners and stakeholders to assure a
coordinated response to public health emergencies.
Represent the department in local, regional, and state-level emergency preparedness committees and groups.
Develop, organize, and coordinate in-house trainings and exercises.
Prepare a variety of reports related to departmental activities and operations.
Participate in table-top and functional exercises to test effectiveness of public health emergency response plans
as appropriate.
Communicate regularly with public health manager, co-workers and community partners.
Promote program through outreach and presentations.
Write grants as appropriate to the position.
Assist Public Information Officer in the strategic use of mass and social media to provide public information
and support community organizing and, if designated, serve as media liaison within assigned program areas.
Procure, organize, and create opportunities for public access to educational materials.
Job Title: Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Job Code: PH 250
Page 2 of 2
WORKING ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Work is performed in a standard office environment and involves light physical demands and frequent use of a
personal computer.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:
Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Public Health, Nursing, Communications or a closely related field; AND three (3)
years’ experience working in public health or other related field promoting education, outreach, media campaign,
public relations or other comparable experiences to successfully perform duties and responsibilities of
classification.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. Ability to prepare displays for
presentation of visual and written materials; ability to work in a team situation with individuals of varying
backgrounds; experience with interest-based facilitation; ability to establish and maintain cooperative working
relationships with individuals, whether members of the public, co-workers, or community groups, from diverse
groups and backgrounds; ability to recruit, train, and supervise volunteers.
Prefer two years of experience coordinating emergency planning, public policy, program planning, public health
or resource distribution or military medical experience in planning for or providing contingency medical services .
Must have the ability to travel around the county in the course of daily work, and to work outside normal business
hours (i.e., evenings, weekends). Position may require overnight and/or out of state travel.
A valid Driver’s License is required. Specific technical training and counseling certifications from the Washington
State Department of Health may be required. Must be able to acquire HSEEP certification within 6 months of hire.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:
Knowledge of:
County policies and procedures.
Applicable policies, procedures, along with state and federal laws and regulations covering public health
programs.
Principles of record keeping and records management.
Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects, and demands.
Business and personal computers, and standard software applications.
Skills in:
Presenting Public Health information to outside agencies and the public.
Interacting with people of all social, economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
Working effectively with others to develop solutions for public health problems.
Maintaining accurate records.
Operating a personal computer utilizing standard and specialized software.
Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with co-workers, other County employees, and
representatives from other City, County, State and Federal agencies.
Communicating effectively verbally and in writing.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Page 1 of 3
Job Title: Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Pay Grade: 124
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Job Code: PH250
Effective Date: May 2012
Revision Date: February 2023
NATURE OF WORK
Under limited supervision, the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator will be responsible for
preparing for public health response to emergencies. This will include developing, writing, exercising, and
evaluating response plans; collaborating with outside agencies to prepare for and respond to public health threats;
and coordinating the responses to public health incidents and disasters. The Coordinator will also conduct needs
assessments, develop training plans, and ensure that Lewis County Public Health & Social Services employees are
appropriately trained and knowledgeable about response plans.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this
classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be
required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position -specific duties.
Prepare, update, exercise, and implement public health emergency preparedness plans, policies and
procedures.
Assess hazards and keep informed of activities or changes that could affect the likelihood of an emergency, as
well as those that could affect response efforts.
Build and maintain relationships with other agencies, including but not limited to, local health care providers,
emergency medical services, fire departments, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and emergency
management, to maintain and update public health emergency plans and to develop agreements.
Represent the department in local, regional, and state-level emergency preparedness meetings, committees,
and groups.
Participate in county, regional, and statewide exercises to test effectiveness of public health emergency
response plans as appropriate.
Acquire and maintain up-to-date knowledge and competencies in public health, with a focus on public health
emergency response activities.
Participate in and facilitate staff and other meetings.
Serve as Department’s subject matter expert for the Incident Command System (ICS).
Advise Department executive leadership on procedures and practices to ensure maximal resource and
personnel utilization during emergencies; develop proposals to improve Department functions and services.
Develop, organize, facilitate, and evaluate in-house trainings and exercises.
Develop after action reports summarizing strengths and areas for improvement.
Identify and implement improvements based on after action report findings.
Ensure proper equipment, materials and supplies are available for Department’s response activities.
Promote program through outreach and presentations.
Assist Public Information Officer in the strategic use of mass and social media to provide public information
and, if designated, serve as media liaison within assigned program areas.
Research and identify grant opportunities; write grant proposals; manage the application process.
Prepare progress reports for fund or grant applications, and assist in grant management and compliance
activities. Review relevant agreements.
Report for assignment to County or Department Operations Center as instructed during an emergency
response; may be required to work extended workdays during a response, including weekends.
Job Title: Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Job Code: PH250
Page 2 of 3
WORKING ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Work is typically performed in an office work environment; may involve work outside the office which may be noisy
and which may involve biohazards. Exposure to communicable diseases is possible. May be required to lift and
carry items weighing up to 50 pounds. Moderate physical demands may require frequent sitting, standing, and
walking as well as infrequent kneeling, bending, and climbing.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:
Bachelor’s degree in education, emergency management, public health, nursing, sciences, social sciences,
communications or a closely related field; AND three (3) years of experience working in public health or other
related field promoting education, outreach, media campaigns, public relations or other comparable experience to
successfully perform duties and responsibilities of classification.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. Ability to prepare displays for presentation
of visual and written materials; ability to work as part of a team with individuals of varying backgrounds;
experience with interest-based facilitation; ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships
with individuals, including members of the public, co-workers, and community groups from diverse populations
and backgrounds.
Prefer two years of experience in emergency response and preparedness (e.g. coordinating emergency planning,
public policy, program planning, public health or resource distribution, or military medical experience in planning
for or providing contingency medical services). Prefer experience in project management as well as Master’s degree
in public health or related field.
Must have the ability to travel around the county in the course of daily work, and to work outside normal bu siness
hours (i.e., evenings, weekends). Position may require overnight and/or out of state travel.
A valid driver’s license is required. Specific technical training and certifications may be required. Must be able to
acquire Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) certification within 12 months of hire. Must
complete Federal Emergency Management Agency IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, and IS-800 courses within 60 days of hire.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Knowledge of:
County policies and procedures.
Applicable policies, procedures, along with state and federal laws and regulations covering public health
programs.
Emergency management principles.
Incident Command System
Principles of record keeping and records management.
Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects, and demands.
Personal computers and standard software applications.
Skills in:
Drafting and maintaining written plans, policies, and procedures.
Presenting public health information to outside agencies and the public.
Conveying very complex scientific and medical terms, regulations, guidelines, and processes both verbally
and in writing.
Job Title: Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Job Code: PH250
Page 3 of 3
Working with and providing services to a very diverse community.
Working effectively with others to develop solutions for public health problems.
Preparing and producing clear and concise reports, records, and case notes.
Collaborating with team members in a stressful environment.
Responding to and managing complex and time-sensitive issues.
Maintaining accurate records.
Operating a personal computer utilizing standard and specialized software.
Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external colleagues, partners,
clients, and the public, and on occasion managing a situation involving difficult or di sruptive customers.
Communicating professionally and effectively.
Current budget grade 121, step 3 60,566$
Proposed grade 124, step 3 69,362$
Difference 8,796$
Reclassifying the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator from 121 to 124
Budget Impact