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| Onondaga County Office of Emergency Management | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Onondaga County Office of Emergency Management |
| Abbreviation | OCOEM |
| Formed | 1980s |
| Jurisdiction | Onondaga County, New York |
| Headquarters | Syracuse, New York |
| Chief1 position | Director |
| Parent agency | Onondaga County Executive |
Onondaga County Office of Emergency Management is the primary emergency management agency for Onondaga County, New York, coordinating disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery across municipal, tribal, and regional partners. It works with local municipalities such as the City of Syracuse, Town of Salina, and Village of Skaneateles, and with state and federal partners including the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Department of Homeland Security to plan for hazards ranging from severe weather to hazardous materials incidents. The office integrates with public safety organizations like the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, and Syracuse Fire Department and engages with infrastructure stakeholders such as National Grid and New York State Thruway Authority.
The office traces its origins to Cold War civil defense initiatives and the post-1970s shift toward local emergency management models exemplified by agencies in Albany, Buffalo, and Rochester. Influenced by federal legislation including the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and programs administered by FEMA, the office was formalized amid the expansion of emergency management networks that included coordination with the New York State Emergency Operations Center and regional planning bodies. Major events that shaped its evolution include responses to Hurricane Agnes-era flooding precedents, the 1998 Ice Storm that affected the Northeast, the 2001 national security mobilization after the September 11 attacks, regional pandemic planning informed by the 2009 H1N1 influenza, and local activations during Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene. Interactions with tribal governments such as the Onondaga Nation and partnerships with institutions including Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate Medical University have also driven organizational changes and mutual aid agreements.
The office operates under the authority of the Onondaga County Executive and coordinates with the Onondaga County Legislature, with leadership roles analogous to emergency managers in other New York counties like Westchester and Monroe. The director liaises with county agencies including the Onondaga County Department of Health, Onondaga County Department of Transportation, and Onondaga County Department of Social Services, and maintains operational ties to municipal emergency managers from towns such as Clay and Cicero. The organizational structure includes divisions for planning, operations, logistics, communications, volunteer coordination, and finance, and interfaces with volunteer organizations like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Community Emergency Response Team affiliates. Regional interoperability is enhanced through systems used by New York State Police, National Weather Service offices, and the Syracuse Office of Emergency Communications.
Core responsibilities mirror those of county emergency management agencies nationwide: hazards identification and risk assessment in coordination with New York State hazards mitigation frameworks, maintenance of the county emergency operations plan consistent with FEMA guidance, coordination of mass care and sheltering with the Red Cross and faith-based organizations, and management of public alerting systems including Wireless Emergency Alerts and reverse 911 collaborations with telecommunications providers. The office administers grant programs funded through FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, and New York State grants, supports continuity of operations planning for critical entities like Onondaga County Courts and Syracuse Hancock International Airport, and manages hazardous materials response coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and regional Hazardous Materials Response Teams.
Planning activities include development of all-hazards plans, continuity plans, evacuation routing in cooperation with New York State Department of Transportation and the New York State Thruway Authority, and special event planning for large venues such as the Carrier Dome and regional fairs. Preparedness initiatives involve tabletop and full-scale exercises conducted with partners like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York State Department of Health, National Incident Management System trainers, and mutual aid networks including the New York State Mutual Aid Program. The office facilitates hazard mitigation planning aligned with the Federal Highway Administration and Army Corps of Engineers flood risk management studies, and engages critical infrastructure owners such as National Grid, CSX Transportation, and Ontario International Pipeline stakeholders.
During incidents the office activates the Onondaga County Emergency Operations Center to coordinate multiagency response among the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Syracuse Fire Department, Onondaga County Department of Health, New York State Police, and federal partners like FEMA Region II and the Environmental Protection Agency. It implements the National Incident Management System and Incident Command System structures to manage response to floods, winter storms, hazardous materials releases, and public health emergencies, and works with healthcare systems including SUNY Upstate Medical University, Crouse Hospital, and St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center for medical surge and patient movement coordination. Post-incident recovery coordination includes interaction with the Small Business Administration, New York State Department of Labor, and nonprofit recovery organizations.
The office delivers training programs in collaboration with the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, FEMA Emergency Management Institute, and local fire academies, offering courses in incident command, shelter management, volunteer coordination, and hazardous materials awareness. Public outreach campaigns target residents of Syracuse, North Syracuse, and suburban townships using partnerships with media outlets such as The Post-Standard, local television affiliates, and community organizations including United Way and area faith-based networks. It supports Community Emergency Response Team programs, school safety coordination with Syracuse City School District, and preparedness initiatives with institutions such as Syracuse University and local colleges.
Facilities include an Emergency Operations Center, staging areas coordinated with Onondaga County Parks and the Onondaga County Fairgrounds, and logistics warehouses that store supplies for mass care and debris management in coordination with private contractors and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Equipment inventories feature communications systems interoperable with New York State Police and National Weather Service alerts, generators, light towers, mass shelter supplies provided in partnership with the American Red Cross, and specialized hazardous materials detection assets used alongside regional HAZMAT teams and New York State Department of Health laboratory resources.
Category:Emergency management in New York (state) Category:Onondaga County, New York