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| Vermont Emergency Management | |
|---|---|
| Name | Vermont Emergency Management |
| Formation | 1980s |
| Headquarters | Waterbury, Vermont |
| Jurisdiction | State of Vermont |
| Parent agency | Vermont Department of Public Safety |
| Chief1 name | Director |
| Website | Official website |
Vermont Emergency Management is the state-level emergency management agency responsible for coordinating preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery activities across the State of Vermont. It integrates planning and operations with state, regional, and federal partners to manage natural disasters, hazardous materials incidents, technological hazards, and civil emergencies. The agency maintains operational coordination with emergency services, public health, infrastructure operators, and volunteer organizations during events such as floods, winter storms, and pandemics.
Vermont Emergency Management traces its lineage to earlier civil defense efforts evident during the Cold War era and to state responses to floods like the Flood of 1927, which influenced statewide emergency planning. Later statutory developments in the 1970s and 1980s paralleled federal shifts following the creation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the passage of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The agency evolved through interactions with the Vermont National Guard, Vermont State Police, and municipal emergency management offices, adapting after incidents such as Hurricane Irene (2011) in Vermont and statewide responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Interactions with organizations like the American Red Cross, United States Geological Survey, and National Weather Service shaped its hazard assessment and response doctrine. Legislative changes in the Vermont General Assembly and influence from the National Incident Management System further professionalized its operations.
The agency is embedded within the Vermont Agency of Administration and collaborates with the Vermont Department of Public Safety and the Governor of Vermont for emergency declarations and executive actions. Leadership includes a director who coordinates with the Adjutant General of Vermont and the senior staff of the Vermont Emergency Operations Center. Operational command uses frameworks influenced by the Incident Command System and the National Response Framework. The leadership maintains liaisons with federal entities such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 1 and the Department of Homeland Security as well as state-level counterparts like the Vermont Department of Health, Vermont Agency of Transportation, and Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.
Core responsibilities include statewide emergency planning, hazard mitigation planning under the Stafford Act guidelines, disaster recovery coordination, and administering federal grant programs such as Homeland Security Grant Program and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The agency manages emergency alerting systems that interface with the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System and supports continuity planning tied to the State Emergency Operations Plan. Programs address floods, winter storms, wildfires linked to the Vermont Forests, Parks, and Recreation Department, hazardous materials incidents involving the Environmental Protection Agency, and public health emergencies coordinated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Vermont Department of Health. Grants and planning efforts link to the National Flood Insurance Program and resilience initiatives influenced by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
During activations, Vermont Emergency Management staffs the State Emergency Operations Center and coordinates multi-agency responses including the Vermont National Guard, Vermont State Police, Vermont Department of Corrections when needed, and local emergency management directors from towns such as Montpelier, Burlington, Vermont, and Rutland, Vermont. The agency integrates assets provided under mutual aid agreements like the Emergency Management Assistance Compact and works with federal responders including FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces, the National Guard Bureau, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for incidents that require specialized capabilities. Operations often involve coordination with utility companies influenced by Vermont Electric Cooperative policies, transit agencies such as Vermont Agency of Transportation, and health systems including University of Vermont Medical Center.
Preparedness efforts include hazard identification and risk assessment drawing on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Geological Survey, and the National Interagency Fire Center for wildfire planning. Mitigation projects often partner with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Vermont Housing Finance Agency, and municipal planners to elevate homes from floodplains or reinforce critical infrastructure. Recovery processes use protocols from the Stafford Act and coordination with the Small Business Administration for disaster loans, the Federal Highway Administration for infrastructure repair, and the Environmental Protection Agency for hazardous site remediation. Long-term resilience planning integrates goals from the Vermont Climate Council and regional bodies like the Northeast States Emergency Consortium.
The agency administers training aligned with the Emergency Management Institute and National Training and Education Division courses, conducts exercises equivalent to National Level Exercise series, and participates in joint drills with the Vermont State Police, Vermont National Guard, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and hospital networks. Public awareness campaigns engage organizations such as the American Red Cross, VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster), and local schools including University of Vermont outreach programs. Community preparedness efforts reference national campaigns like Ready.gov and coordinate with media outlets and municipalities including Burlington, Vermont to promote evacuation planning and sheltering.
Interagency coordination spans federal partners like Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Health and Human Services as well as regional coalitions such as the New England Governors' Conference and the National Governors Association. The agency works with non-governmental organizations including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities USA, and volunteer networks like Community Emergency Response Team. Academic partnerships include the University of Vermont and research entities like the Vermont Center for Geographic Information to support mapping and situational awareness. Cross-border collaboration involves Canadian counterparts such as agencies in Quebec for transboundary incidents. Coordination mechanisms draw on standards and protocols from the National Incident Management System, Incident Command System, and the National Response Framework.
Category:Emergency management in Vermont