Disaster and Emergency Procedures in Arkansas Prisons and Jails

Arkansas sits in a high-risk zone for tornadoes and severe storms, faces recurring flooding from the Arkansas, Mississippi, and White Rivers, and lies within the New Madrid Seismic Zone, one of the most significant earthquake threats in the central United States. When a tornado, flood, or other disaster threatens an Arkansas Division of Correction facility, inmates may be moved, communication can go offline, and families are often left uncertain about their loved one's status and location.

This article covers what happens during Arkansas disaster emergencies based on documented events, the state's published emergency regulation, how families can prepare, what to expect during a crisis, and what to do in the aftermath.

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PART 1 - ARKANSAS DOC DISASTER AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

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OFFICIAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES (PUBLISHED REGULATION)

Arkansas has a published administrative regulation addressing prison operations during disasters: AR 876 (Inmate Emergency Work Assignments During Disasters), part of the Arkansas Administrative Code, Agency 004 (Department of Corrections).

What AR 876 covers: This regulation primarily governs how the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC) provides inmate work crews to assist the state Office of Emergency Services and/or National Guard during disasters, at the request of the Governor. Key points:

- All requests for disaster assistance are referred to the Director (or Assistant Directors in the Director's absence), who has authority to approve or deny requests

- In life-threatening or extreme emergencies requiring immediate response, the Warden or Center Supervisor of the unit closest to the disaster site may authorize action while notifying the Director

- The Director determines which units participate, the security classification of eligible inmates, and the number of inmates needed

- The Department is subject to 24-hour call for disaster-related assistance, with institutional security and staff/inmate safety given top priority

- Inmate Emergency Work Crews are formed in accordance with each unit's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

Important distinction: AR 876 is about deploying inmate labor to help with disaster response in the community (debris removal, sandbagging). It is NOT a facility evacuation plan for moving inmates out of a threatened prison. The detailed facility evacuation procedures (SOPs) are maintained at the unit level and are not published publicly.

Recent example of AR 876 in action: During the March 2025 severe storms and tornadoes, the Arkansas Department of Corrections received a request through the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) for an inmate crew to assist with debris removal in Jackson and Stone Counties. Over twenty inmate personnel responded.

EVACUATION PROTOCOL

When a disaster threatens an ADC facility, decisions about evacuation or sheltering in place are made at the unit and director level. Factors include:

- Threat type and severity (tornado, flood, etc.)

- Facility location and vulnerability (floodplain, tornado path)

- Available capacity at receiving units statewide

Coordination: ADC coordinates with the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM), part of the Arkansas Department of Public Safety, which operates the state emergency management system and WebEOC.

Receiving facilities: With 20 facilities statewide, ADC can transfer inmates between units based on the location of the disaster and the security classification of inmates involved.

FAMILY NOTIFICATION

Arkansas does not have a publicized statewide family notification system comparable to Florida's VINE. Family notification depends on:

- ADC announcements and press releases

- ADEM statewide emergency updates (dps.arkansas.gov/emergency-management)

- Local media

- Direct contact with the facility or ADC

How to receive notification: Families must proactively monitor:

- ADC website (doc.arkansas.gov)

- ADEM (dps.arkansas.gov/emergency-management)

- Local news

- Direct phone contact with the facility or ADC

COMMUNICATION DURING EVACUATION

Phone systems: Typically offline during evacuation. Restored within 24-72 hours once inmates are processed into receiving facilities.

Finding your inmate after evacuation: Use the ADC inmate population search on doc.arkansas.gov, or call the facility directly. During an active disaster, the inmate search may lag by hours.

Visitation: Suspended during evacuation and for several days after; resumes once the facility is stabilized.

Email/messaging and deposits: ADC moved away from paper money orders (as of May 31, 2025) toward electronic Trust Account and prepaid phone deposits. These electronic systems typically go offline during evacuation and restore once inmates are processed into receiving facilities.

PERSONAL PROPERTY, COMMISSARY, COURT DATES

Personal property: Inmates take minimal belongings during evacuation; most property stays behind. Recovery can take weeks to months, with risk of loss or damage.

Trust/commissary and phone accounts: Freeze temporarily during evacuation; funds remain but are not accessible until receiving facility systems are operational.

Court dates and release dates: Release processing may pause and resume once the inmate is stabilized. Court dates are typically postponed and rescheduled with the court.

CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHIC VULNERABILITY

Arkansas's major disaster risks:

TORNADO-VULNERABLE FACILITIES (Arkansas is in a high tornado-frequency region):

- Wrightsville Unit and Hawkins Center (Wrightsville, Pulaski County) - central Arkansas, 10 miles south of Little Rock; tornado-prone corridor

- Tucker Unit and Maximum Security Unit (Tucker, Jefferson County) - central Arkansas tornado zone

- Cummins Unit and Varner/Varner Supermax (Grady, Lincoln County) - southeast-central Arkansas

- Grimes Unit and McPherson Unit (Newport, Jackson County) - northeast Arkansas, in regions hit by 2025 tornadoes

FLOOD-VULNERABLE FACILITIES (river valleys):

- Cummins and Varner Units (Grady, Lincoln County) - near the Arkansas River in low-lying delta farmland

- Tucker Unit (Jefferson County) - near the Arkansas River

- Delta Regional Unit (Dermott, Chicot County) - southeast Arkansas delta, flood-prone

- East Arkansas Regional Unit (Brickeys/Marianna, Lee County) - eastern delta near the Mississippi River floodplain

EARTHQUAKE-VULNERABLE FACILITIES (New Madrid Seismic Zone):

- Northeast Arkansas facilities (Grimes and McPherson Units, Newport, Jackson County) - closest to the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which threatens northeast Arkansas

- Arkansas is one of eight states in the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium

OTHER HAZARDS:

- Severe winter weather (ice storms) statewide

- Arkansas Nuclear One (nuclear plant near Russellville) - a recognized hazard in state planning

- Dam and levee failure, landslides, wildfires

NOTE: Tornadoes and severe storms are Arkansas's most frequent and damaging hazard for correctional facilities, with major declared disasters in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The New Madrid earthquake risk in the northeast is lower-frequency but potentially catastrophic.

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PART 2 - ARKANSAS COUNTY JAILS DURING DISASTERS

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Arkansas has 75 counties, each with a county jail operated by the county sheriff. County jails make their own evacuation decisions. Limited published information exists about county jail disaster procedures.

County jails are generally resource-constrained compared to state facilities and may not have detailed evacuation plans.

MAJOR ARKANSAS COUNTY JAIL EXAMPLES:

Pulaski County Detention Facility (Little Rock):

- Largest county jail in the state, central Arkansas

- Tornado-prone region

- Contact: Pulaski County Sheriff's Office, 501-340-6600

- Website: pulaskicountysheriff.net

Washington County Detention Center (Fayetteville):

- Northwest Arkansas; tornado and flood risk

- Contact: Washington County Sheriff's Office, 479-444-5700

Benton County Jail (Bentonville):

- Northwest Arkansas; tornado risk

- Contact: Benton County Sheriff's Office, 479-271-1009

Sebastian County Detention Center (Fort Smith):

- Western Arkansas near the Arkansas River; flood and tornado risk

- Contact: Sebastian County Sheriff's Office, 479-783-1051

For any other Arkansas county jail: Go to the county sheriff's website or call the non-emergency number to ask about emergency and disaster procedures.

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PART 3 - FEDERAL BOP FACILITIES IN ARKANSAS

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BOP FACILITIES IN ARKANSAS

One federal Bureau of Prisons facility operates in Arkansas:

1. FCI FORREST CITY (Federal Correctional Complex, Forrest City)

- Location: Forrest City, St. Francis County (eastern Arkansas)

- Security Levels: The complex includes FCI Forrest City Medium and FCI Forrest City Low, plus a satellite camp

- Institution Code: FOR (Medium), FOT (Low)

- Inmate population: Approximately 2,800-3,000 across the complex

- Vulnerability: Eastern Arkansas delta region; tornado risk, flood risk (Mississippi River floodplain influence), and within broader New Madrid Seismic Zone influence area

BOP EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

BOP operates under Department of Homeland Security guidelines. BOP facilities follow a national emergency protocol and can transfer inmates between federal facilities across state lines if needed.

BOP Inmate Transfer During Disasters:

- BOP can move inmates to any available federal facility in the country

- Families notified through the Federal Inmate Locator (typically within 24 hours)

- Trust Fund accounts follow the inmate to the new facility

BOP CONTACT FOR ARKANSAS FACILITIES

Federal Bureau of Prisons Emergency Operations: 202-307-3198

Inmate Locator: bop.gov/inmateloc/ or inmatelocator.bop.gov

FCC Forrest City direct: 870-630-6000

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PART 4 - WHAT FAMILIES SHOULD DO (BEFORE, DURING, AFTER)

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BEFORE DISASTER SEASON (TORNADOES: SPRING PEAK, YEAR-ROUND POSSIBLE; FLOODS: SPRING; WINTER STORMS: WINTER)

Register and update contact information:

- Call the facility your inmate is in and update your phone, email, and mailing address

- Sign up for county emergency alerts via your county emergency management office

- Monitor ADEM at dps.arkansas.gov/emergency-management

Know your inmate's current facility:

- ADC inmate population search: doc.arkansas.gov

- Write down: inmate name, ADC number, current facility name and location

Know receiving facilities:

- Ask the facility: "If there's an emergency evacuation, where would inmates be transferred?"

- Arkansas has 20 ADC facilities; transfers are based on disaster location and inmate classification

Create a family emergency communication plan:

- Assign one person to try reaching the inmate first

- Establish how to share information among family

- Write down ADC and facility phone numbers, county sheriff numbers

Save account information:

- Trust Account login/details (note: paper money orders discontinued after May 31, 2025)

- Prepaid phone account details

- Copies of legal documents

Understand Arkansas's disaster risks:

- Tornadoes: spring peak (March-May), but possible year-round; the most frequent damaging hazard

- Floods: spring and heavy rain events, especially in delta and river-valley facilities

- Earthquakes: New Madrid Seismic Zone threatens northeast Arkansas (low frequency, high potential impact)

- Winter storms/ice: statewide winter risk

DURING A DISASTER THREAT (TORNADO WATCHES/WARNINGS, FLOOD WATCHES)

Monitor official sources:

- National Weather Service (weather.gov) - Little Rock office covers most of Arkansas

- ADEM (dps.arkansas.gov/emergency-management)

- Local news (tornado coverage is extensive in Arkansas media)

Check if your inmate's facility is in the path:

- Tornadoes: monitor the warning polygon for the facility's county

- Floods: monitor river gauges and flood warnings for facilities near the Arkansas, White, or Mississippi Rivers

Do NOT call the facility repeatedly:

- Staff are preparing; lines will be overloaded

- Wait for official updates

DURING THE DISASTER

Do NOT contact the facility:

- All attention is on emergency response

- Communications may be offline

Monitor official channels only:

- ADC website

- ADEM

- Local news

Expect communication blackout:

- 24-72 hours typical before phones/email restore

- Tornadoes can cause sudden, severe local damage with extended power and communication outages

IMMEDIATELY AFTER (WITHIN 24-72 HOURS)

Use the ADC inmate population search:

- doc.arkansas.gov

- Search by inmate name or ADC number

- May lag during large disasters

Call the facility or ADC if the search isn't updated:

- Give them inmate name and ADC number

- Ask which facility the inmate is at and whether they are safe

For BOP inmates, use the federal locator:

- bop.gov/inmateloc/

- Or call 202-307-3198

Do NOT call the original facility if evacuated:

- Staff are managing damage assessment

- Your inmate may be elsewhere

SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM AFTERMATH

- Expect phone delays even after service is "restored"

- Ask about personal property location, shipping, and any loss

- Verify Trust Account and prepaid phone balances

- Confirm court date and release date status

- Document any property loss and file a claim through the facility

- Property recovery can take weeks to months

- Provide feedback to ADC if notification or procedures failed

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PART 5 - HISTORICAL CONTEXT: ARKANSAS DISASTERS AND PRISONS

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2025 SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING (MARCH-APRIL 2025)

Multiple tornado outbreaks and flooding | March and April 2025

In spring 2025, Arkansas experienced repeated severe weather. A major tornado outbreak in mid-March 2025 struck Independence, Jackson, Stone, Sharp, and Lawrence Counties, among others. The state activated its Mobile Command Vehicle (March 15-17) and requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. A separate severe storm/tornado/flooding event beginning April 2, 2025, produced a statewide Emergency Disaster Declaration (EM-3627-AR, declared April 5, 2025).

Prison/corrections involvement:

During the March 2025 tornadoes, the Arkansas Department of Corrections received a request through ADEM for an inmate work crew to assist with debris removal in Jackson and Stone Counties. Over twenty inmate personnel responded. This is a direct example of AR 876 (Inmate Emergency Work Assignments During Disasters) in action.

Relevance: The Grimes and McPherson Units are located in Newport (Jackson County), one of the counties hit by the March 2025 tornadoes. This placed major ADC facilities in or near the disaster zone.

Family impact:

- Tornadoes strike with minimal warning (minutes)

- Families of inmates in affected counties faced communication uncertainty

- Power and communication outages were widespread in affected areas

- Inmate work crews deployed to disaster sites were separated from normal facility routines

2024 SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES AND FLOODING (MAY 2024)

Major Disaster Declaration DR-4788-AR | May 24-27, 2024

In late May 2024, Arkansas experienced severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding over the Memorial Day weekend, resulting in a federal Major Disaster Declaration (DR-4788-AR).

Impact: Widespread wind and tornado damage and flooding across multiple counties. While specific ADC facility evacuations were not prominently documented, the event affected regions where ADC facilities are located and demonstrated the recurring tornado/flood threat.

Family impact:

- Holiday-weekend timing complicated communication and response

- Power outages affected facility operations and family contact

- Flooding affected road access in some areas

2023 TORNADOES (MARCH 31, 2023)

Major tornado outbreak | March 31, 2023

On March 31, 2023, a significant tornado outbreak struck Arkansas, including a destructive tornado that hit the Little Rock metropolitan area. This was one of the most damaging tornado events in recent Arkansas history.

Relevance to corrections:

The Little Rock metro area is home to the Wrightsville Unit and J. Aaron Hawkins Sr. Center (Wrightsville, 10 miles south of Little Rock), as well as the nearby Pulaski County Detention Facility. The 2023 tornado demonstrated the tornado vulnerability of central Arkansas facilities.

Family impact:

- Sudden, severe damage across the Little Rock area

- Widespread power and communication outages

- Families in the metro area faced their own emergencies while trying to confirm incarcerated loved ones' safety

NEW MADRID SEISMIC ZONE (ONGOING THREAT)

Arkansas is one of eight states in the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium because of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which runs through the central Mississippi River Valley and threatens northeast Arkansas. The zone produced some of the most powerful earthquakes in U.S. history in 1811-1812.

Relevance to corrections:

- Northeast Arkansas facilities (Grimes and McPherson Units in Newport, Jackson County) are closest to the New Madrid zone

- A major New Madrid earthquake would cause widespread infrastructure damage across the region

- Earthquakes provide no warning, so sheltering in place and facility structural integrity are the key factors

- This is a low-frequency, high-consequence threat that state emergency planning takes seriously

ARKANSAS FLOOD HISTORY

Arkansas's river systems (Arkansas River, White River, Mississippi River, and tributaries) regularly produce flooding. Delta-region facilities (Delta Regional Unit in Dermott, East Arkansas Regional Unit near the Mississippi floodplain) and river-valley facilities (Cummins, Varner, Tucker near the Arkansas River) face recurring flood risk during spring snowmelt and heavy rain events.

BROADER ARKANSAS DISASTER CONTEXT

State emergency management: The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM), part of the Arkansas Department of Public Safety, coordinates statewide disaster response from Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock. ADEM uses WebEOC and maintains the State of Arkansas Disaster Recovery Plan covering tornadoes, floods, drought, earthquakes, severe winter weather, dam/levee failure, landslides, severe thunderstorms, and wildfires.

Tornado reality: Arkansas is in a high tornado-frequency region with major declared disasters in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Tornadoes are the most frequent and damaging hazard for Arkansas correctional facilities.

Published regulation: AR 876 governs inmate emergency work crews during disasters, demonstrating that the state has a formal framework for corrections involvement in disaster response, even though facility evacuation SOPs are not public.

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