Office of Emergency Management (OEM)

The Office of Emergency Management is one of the agencies under the Office of Homeland Security and as such, it is responsible for the coordination of all County agencies, private organizations, businesses, persons, and other counties, cities and political subdivisions, to ensure the complete utilization of all available resources to effectively and efficiently mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from any natural, technological or manmade emergency or disaster, regardless of size or complexity, including acts of terrorism.

The Office of Emergency Management:

• Provides effective and orderly governmental control and coordination of the County's emergency response during times of crisis or disaster to reduce the impact such events may have on Prince George's County residents.
• Prepares and maintains the County's comprehensive Emergency Response Plan providing emergency management planning for the entire County.
• Provides Prince George's County residents, businesses, and non-profit organizations with emergency preparedness education and training necessary to reduce loss of life, minimize property damage, and protect the environment from emergencies and disasters regardless of cause.
• Serves as the liaison and coordinator of State/Federal financial assistance for municipalities and County residents following County declared disasters.
• Staffs and operates the Emergency Operations Center which is the County's command post during serious incidents and severe weather occurrences.
• Serves as the liaison to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and other local emergency management agencies and organizations.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) coordinates a volunteer program whose members, in addition to working closely with the American Red Cross, assist the OEM staff with its responsibilities during emergencies and disasters.

OEM also coordinates the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services and Amateur Radio Emergency Services (RACES/ARES) Unit. When called upon, this group of volunteer ham radio operators provides emergency communications when normal communications are out of service.

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