Office of Emergency Management
Encyclopedia
In the United States, an Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is an agency at the local, state or national level that holds responsibility of comprehensively planning for and responding to all manner of disaster
s, whether man-made or natural. An OEM may also be requested to provide consequence management for large special events such as major gatherings, visiting dignitaries et al.
organizations often hold different names, such as "office of emergency preparedness" or "emergency management", but perform the same function. In the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) is the agency responsible for emergency management on the national level. Examples of state and local agencies are listed below. Large federal and state agencies, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) as well as private companies often maintain OEMs as discrete departments responsible for handling organizational emergency preparations and response plans.
The principal reasons for the increased interest in and support for emergency management policies and programs are an increase in the numbers of major disasters in the recent years, the increased exposure of people and property to natural and technological hazards, and perhaps, most important, the critical nature of the function. Emergency management is the quintessential governmental role, because it is the role for which communities were formed and constituted in the first place – to provide support and assistances when the resources of individuals and families are overwhelmed. An entire series of documents known as the Civil Preparedness Guides (CPGs), were developed by FEMA and its predecessor the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency for the purpose of providing emergency management information and direction to state and local governments.
Emergency management is better described as the management of risk, so civilizations are able to live with environmental and technical hazards and deal with the disasters that they cause. Emergency management is not solely a governmental responsibility. Individuals are responsible for protecting their own lives and property, as well as the safety of family members and neighbors. When they do not have the means to protect themselves as individuals and families, they can rely on the resources and capabilities of the community. In some cases, the support of a few neighbors or a single community is sufficient; however, in more extreme cases, the support of a broad network of public, nonprofit, and private organizations is necessary to respond to and recover from major disasters.
The national emergency system is a complex network of public, private, nonprofit organizations, and individuals. It is composed of federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as special districts and quasi-governmental bodies. It can include nonprofit services and charitable organizations, as well as certain volunteer groups and individuals. It can also private sector firms that provide governmental services by contract; services and products not needed by enough victims, responders, or other participants to justify their provision by government agencies. However, because catastrophic disasters can overwhelm the largest communities and private organizations, the ultimate guarantor of aid is the government.
The governmental divisions in the national system include emergency management agencies, scientific agencies with expertise in areas such as meteorology and geology, public safety and emergency response agencies, public health agencies, and regulatory agencies. There are office of emergency management agencies with very specific responsibilities, for example FEMA and its state and local counterparts.
EPA Official Site
Disaster
A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment...
s, whether man-made or natural. An OEM may also be requested to provide consequence management for large special events such as major gatherings, visiting dignitaries et al.
Overview
Emergency managementEmergency management
Emergency management is the generic name of an interdisciplinary field dealing with the strategic organizational management processes used to protect critical assets of an organization from hazard risks that can cause events like disasters or catastrophes and to ensure the continuance of the...
organizations often hold different names, such as "office of emergency preparedness" or "emergency management", but perform the same function. In the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) is the agency responsible for emergency management on the national level. Examples of state and local agencies are listed below. Large federal and state agencies, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) as well as private companies often maintain OEMs as discrete departments responsible for handling organizational emergency preparations and response plans.
The principal reasons for the increased interest in and support for emergency management policies and programs are an increase in the numbers of major disasters in the recent years, the increased exposure of people and property to natural and technological hazards, and perhaps, most important, the critical nature of the function. Emergency management is the quintessential governmental role, because it is the role for which communities were formed and constituted in the first place – to provide support and assistances when the resources of individuals and families are overwhelmed. An entire series of documents known as the Civil Preparedness Guides (CPGs), were developed by FEMA and its predecessor the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency for the purpose of providing emergency management information and direction to state and local governments.
Emergency management is better described as the management of risk, so civilizations are able to live with environmental and technical hazards and deal with the disasters that they cause. Emergency management is not solely a governmental responsibility. Individuals are responsible for protecting their own lives and property, as well as the safety of family members and neighbors. When they do not have the means to protect themselves as individuals and families, they can rely on the resources and capabilities of the community. In some cases, the support of a few neighbors or a single community is sufficient; however, in more extreme cases, the support of a broad network of public, nonprofit, and private organizations is necessary to respond to and recover from major disasters.
The national emergency system is a complex network of public, private, nonprofit organizations, and individuals. It is composed of federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as special districts and quasi-governmental bodies. It can include nonprofit services and charitable organizations, as well as certain volunteer groups and individuals. It can also private sector firms that provide governmental services by contract; services and products not needed by enough victims, responders, or other participants to justify their provision by government agencies. However, because catastrophic disasters can overwhelm the largest communities and private organizations, the ultimate guarantor of aid is the government.
The governmental divisions in the national system include emergency management agencies, scientific agencies with expertise in areas such as meteorology and geology, public safety and emergency response agencies, public health agencies, and regulatory agencies. There are office of emergency management agencies with very specific responsibilities, for example FEMA and its state and local counterparts.
Local
- ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Local Emergency Responses: Colorado counties - New York City Office of Emergency Management (website)
State
- CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Office of Emergency Services (OES) - ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Division of Emergency Management (CDEM) - New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) (web site)
- OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
Department of Emergency ManagementOklahoma Department of Emergency ManagementThe Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is a department of the government of Oklahoma responsible for coordinating the response to a natural disaster that has occurred in the State and that has overwhelmed the abilities of local authorities. This is achieved primarily through the...
(OEM) (web site) - VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Department of Emergency Management (web site) - WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
Emergency Management (web site) - U.S. Territory of Guam Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense (GHS/OCD)
Federal
- EPA Office of Emergency Management (website)
- The Office for Emergency ManagementOffice for Emergency ManagementThe Office for Emergency Management was an office within the Executive Office of the United States President. It was established by administrative order, May 25, 1940, in accordance with EO 8248, September 8, 1939....
was a World War II office in the Executive Office of the United States Government.
See also
- Civil protection
- Hazard preventionHazard preventionHazard prevention refers to the prevention of risks. The first and most effective stage of hazard prevention and emergency management is the elimination of hazards...
- Federal Emergency Management AgencyFederal Emergency Management AgencyThe Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
- United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
- Emergency managementEmergency managementEmergency management is the generic name of an interdisciplinary field dealing with the strategic organizational management processes used to protect critical assets of an organization from hazard risks that can cause events like disasters or catastrophes and to ensure the continuance of the...
External links
FEMA Official SiteEPA Official Site