Northern New England Emergency Managers Group

Northern New England Emergency Managers Group
Name	Northern New England Emergency Managers Group
Formation	20th century
Type	Regional emergency management consortium
Region served	Northern New England
Membership	State, county, municipal emergency management offices; tribal authorities; utilities; hospitals
Leader title	Chair
Headquarters	Concord, New Hampshire (regional coordination hub)

Northern New England Emergency Managers Group is a regional consortium that coordinates disaster preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery across northern New England states. The Group connects state and local agencies with Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, tribal authorities, critical infrastructure operators, and non-governmental organizations to harmonize planning for hazards such as hurricanes, Nor'easter, Ice storm, Flood, and pandemics. Its activities intersect with regional programs led by entities like the National Weather Service, American Red Cross, and United States Geological Survey.

History

The consortium originated from interstate cooperation initiatives following high-impact events such as the 1970s energy crisis, the 1998 ice storm, and the 1999 New England floods, when coordination among New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont emergency officials proved essential. Early convenings included representatives from National Guard state commands, county emergency management agencies, and major utilities such as Eversource Energy and Central Maine Power. Over time the Group formalized working relationships with federal partners including FEMA Region I, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Environmental Protection Agency Region 1. The Group has since expanded to integrate lessons from events like Hurricane Irene and the COVID-19 pandemic, influencing statewide hazard mitigation plans and mutual aid compacts such as the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

Organization and Membership

Membership comprises chief officers and planners from state-level agencies such as the New Hampshire Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Maine Emergency Management Agency, and the Vermont Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, along with county emergency management directors from counties including Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Cumberland County, Maine, and Chittenden County, Vermont. Municipal representatives from cities like Portland, Maine, Burlington, Vermont, and Manchester, New Hampshire participate alongside representatives from tribal nations, hospital systems such as MaineHealth, utilities, and transportation authorities including Amtrak and state departments of transportation. Advisory membership often includes liaisons from United States Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and academic institutions such as University of New Hampshire and University of Vermont.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Group develops regional hazard mitigation strategies, interoperable communications plans, and supply chain continuity guidance while coordinating mutual aid during incidents. Responsibilities include maintaining situational awareness with inputs from National Weather Service, coordinating medical surge support with Department of Health and Human Services grantees and Federally Qualified Health Center partners, and aligning evacuation and sheltering policies with organizations like American Red Cross and Salvation Army. The Group also advises on infrastructure resilience projects involving stakeholders such as ISO New England, Federal Highway Administration, and electric utilities, and supports compliance with federal statutes including the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Training and Exercises

Training programs administered or coordinated by the Group draw on curricula from FEMA Emergency Management Institute, Center for Domestic Preparedness, and National Fire Academy. Regular multi-jurisdictional exercises simulate scenarios modeled on past incidents such as Hurricane Bob, Superstorm Sandy, and pandemic influenza, and include tabletop exercises, functional drills, and full-scale exercises that integrate National Incident Management System and Incident Command System protocols. Partner organizations—American Red Cross, Department of Veterans Affairs, regional hospital coalitions, and Massachusetts General Hospital’s disaster medicine programs—participate in medical surge and mass-care training, while law enforcement training involves coordination with Federal Bureau of Investigation field offices and state police.

Interagency Coordination and Partnerships

The Group operates formal liaison channels with federal partners including FEMA Region I, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EPA Region 1, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. It maintains mutual aid relationships with neighboring regional bodies and national networks such as the Emergency Management Assistance Compact and collaborates with non-governmental organizations including American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, and Feeding America member food banks. Partnerships extend to private sector stakeholders such as Xcel Energy, telecommunications firms, and supply-chain entities, and to academic research centers including Dartmouth College and the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station.

Notable Operations and Incidents

The Group has coordinated multi-state responses during events like the 1998 North American ice storm, the 2011 Halloween nor'easter, and the region-wide impacts of Hurricane Irene. During the COVID-19 pandemic the Group facilitated cross-jurisdictional allocation of medical supplies, coordination of alternate care sites, and vaccine distribution support in collaboration with Department of Health and Human Services regional offices, state health departments, and hospital coalitions. The consortium also participated in recovery and mitigation efforts following major winter storms and significant flooding events tied to nor'easters and tropical cyclone remnants.

Funding and Resources

Funding derives from a mix of federal grants such as FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, FEMA Homeland Security Grant Program, state appropriations from New Hampshire Legislature, Maine Legislature, and Vermont General Assembly, and in-kind contributions from partner institutions including utilities and hospital systems. The Group leverages logistical assets from National Guard state commands, mutual aid through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, and technical resources from federal partners including USGS and NOAA for hazard modeling and situational awareness. Resource prioritization aligns with federally required hazard mitigation plans, state emergency operation plans, and regional continuity of operations frameworks.

Category:Emergency management in the United States Category:Organizations based in New England