Mission

“To promote a community that is more resilient, less susceptible, better prepared, and quick to recover from all hazards, natural or man-made, and to enhance life safety and protection of property through progressive and holistic design.”

Who We Are

The Department of Emergency Management, informally referred to as "EM", is a department directly responsible to the Town Manager and Council.

The Department of Emergency Management is the central point of contact for local government for all major emergencies and disasters. 

What We Do

Provide Citizen Preparedness Information - A well informed community is a far more resilient community, and for that reason, we strive to offer the best information possible as it relates to personal and family preparedness to our citizens. This comes in the form of one-on-one discussions with concerned citizens, public informational sessions, and access to important information under the "Helpful Links" section of the EM webpage.

Emergency Planning - One of the keystones of preparedness, EM offers planning services not only for the Town in general, but also to individual town departments. EM is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Town's planning package as well, with regular reviews and modifications implemented on an as-needed basis, ensuring the package is relevant and current.

Emergency Operations Training - Continual training of town staff in emergency management related topics is key to overall mission success. With that, EM effectuates the delivery of appropriate training to town government staff via online platforms, traditional class settings, and hybrid courses. The majority of training opportunities are supported and provided by the NC Department of Public Safety - Emergency Management Division's training section.

On-scene Response: During major, specialized, or technical incidents, EM deploys to support the requesting agency through a variety of ways, such as establishment of an Incident Command structure, logistical support for the acquisition and allocation of resources from outside entities, and strategic operational guidance. A few of examples of when EM may be requested are:  

• Destructive weather incidents
• Wildland-Urban Interface fires
• Large scale structural fires involving multiple structures
• Hazardous Material (Haz-Mat) incidents
• Search and Rescue / Missing Persons
• Active Assailant Incidents (Command and Control)
• Other incidents on request from the subject matter agency