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About Us

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management coordinates and maintains a statewide emergency services system for emergency and disaster communications. OEM is made up of four Sections: Director’s Office, Technology and Response, Operations and Preparedness, and Mitigation and Recovery Services. 
 
 
OEM awards grant funding to local governments, coordinates search and rescue efforts, and the State 9-1-1 Program.  The Drought Council and Oregon Seismic Safety Advisory Commission (OSSPAC) also operate out of OEM. Our responsibilities are defined and authorized in ORS 401
 
Response to emergencies or disasters that affect all or part of the state takes place at the local level, in the city or county in which the emergency or disaster occurs. In a large incident or one that affects multiple jurisdictions, OEM may support a coordinated response. The State Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) may be activated in a multi-jurisdictional emergency or disaster, and serve as a communications hub to ensure all participating response agencies are coordinated.
 
OEM supports 18 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) and more than 50 county, city and tribal local emergency management offices around the state.

Our Mission

It is the mission of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to lead collaborative statewide efforts, inclusive of all partners and the communities we serve, to ensure the capability to get help in an emergency and to protect, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies or disasters regardless of cause. 

Our Vision

Our vision is an established, equitable culture of preparedness that empowers Oregonians to thrive in times of crisis.

We embrace four core values:

  • Advocacy – We value the perspectives of our team, our partners and those we serve, and support their efforts to advance our shared interests.
  • Collaboration – We value sincere, communicative and supportive partnerships that encourage trust and make us better than we are on our own. 
  • Innovation – We value ideas that challenge current practices while we seek out and leverage new opportunities to improve our ability to serve.
  • Leadership We value opportunities to lead our emergency management and 9-1-1 communities with integrity, respect, courage and accountability, and to foster the development of leaders within our organization.