Emergency Management Division 

Regional Offices Planning Guides Public Assistance Natural Hazards 911 Special Needs Registration Chief Elected Officials/Chief Executive Officers Local Emergency Management Public Contacts

The Emergency Management Division is lead

by the State Emergency Management Director, and is comprised of four sections:

• Operations                                                
• Radiological Emergency Preparedness
• Communications
• Urban Search & Rescue

The Operations Section is supervised by an Emergency Preparedness Program Supervisor and consists of an Emergency Preparedness Program Specialist and five Regional Offices.  Each DEMHS region is under the direction of a Regional Coordinator and is assigned a Secretary, Planner, and Trainer.  These Regional Offices serve as a single direct point of contact for the jurisdictions they serve on all administrative and emergency matters.

The Regional Coordinators are all available via pager on a 24/7 basis and are responsible for coordinating all requests for assistance between the requesting jurisdiction and the state or the assisting jurisdiction.  They are also responsible for administrative reporting, data collection, and emergency situation reporting.

The Operations Section, in cooperation with the Communications Section, is responsible for maintaining and operating the State Emergency Operations Center, (EOC). During emergencies, the EOC serves as the Governor’s Command Center and is responsible for disseminating warning information, collecting and consolidating emergency situation data from the impacted jurisdictions, briefing the Policy Group on local impacts, reporting to the FEMA Federal Regional Coordinating Center, responding to requests for assistance, coordinating a comprehensive State response involving all State agencies and assets, and submitting requests for State mutual aid and Federal assistance.

The Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) section consists of an Emergency Preparedness Program Supervisor and four (4) Emergency Preparedness Program Specialists.  REP is responsible for training, exercises, public information, plan development and review, and other special projects concerning off-site emergency preparedness for the Millstone Station nuclear power plant in Waterford, CT.  REP partners with Dominion Nuclear, local municipalities, and federal agencies in these preparedness efforts with the goal of protecting the health and safety of the public.

The Communications Unit is headed by an Emergency Telecommunications Manager and along with a Telecommunications Engineer and Clerk; maintain all current daily agency interoperable communications systems, including video teleconferencing and emergency notification systems utilized at the State Emergency Operations Center during activations. The Communications Unit serves as a critical interoperability communications link to every DEMHS region and to our State and Federal partners.

The Connecticut Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) is headed by the State Director of Emergency Management and its mission is to provide a coordinated effort of personnel and resources to locate, extricate and provide immediate medical treatment to victims trapped within collapsed structures or areas. The team also assists local fires responders with other technical rescue incidents when requested. The team consists of volunteers from a variety of disciplines including, firefighting, law enforcement, emergency medical services, other government agencies and the private sector. The current team is divided into eight components; Search, Rescue, Planning, Logistics, Medical, HazMat, Safety, and Law Enforcement serving under a command staff and structure.