Mission, Vision, and Values

About Us

Oregon Department of Emergency Management coordinates and maintains a statewide emergency services system for emergency and disaster communications. 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, Vision and Values

These statements and values serve as a foundation for how OEM supports communities, coordinates with partners and delivers emergency management programs statewide. They shape our work and efforts across Oregon. Together, these guiding principles help position OEM to continue advancing preparedness, strengthening partnerships and supporting a ready and resilient Oregon.

Mission

Lead collaborative, statewide efforts to support Oregon's communities before, during and after emergencies.

Vision

A ready and resilient Oregon.

Values

OEM’s values represent the principles that guide how we work with each other, our partners and the communities we serve:

Service - Committed to excellence in stewarding public resources and serving partners with professionalism, timely and dependable support.

Collaboration - Actively connect people, ideas and resources across agencies, jurisdictions, sectors and communities, with inclusive engagement that strengthens partnerships and delivers equitable results.

Communication - Strive for clear, accessible and timely communication, sharing information openly, reliably and consistently to support Oregonians before, during and after disasters and emergencies.

Integrity - Act with transparency and accountability in all we do, recognizing that trust is earned through our actions and is essential to advancing whole-community resilience.

Leadership - Foster shared purpose and coordinated action, cultivate growth and continuous learning, and advocate for innovative solutions that strengthen our teams, partnerships and Oregon’s communities.