Office of Emergency Management

The Office of Emergency Management develops interconnected and complementary systems for emergency response that are reinforcing rather than duplicating. This includes critical training for emergency response personnel, including citizen volunteers; supporting state and local emergency response exercises, and providing technical assistance to state and local emergency response agencies and public officials. In essence, the Office is prepared to assist in all hazards, not just domestic terrorism. It is in direct communication with the Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP), a component of the State’s Department of Emergency Management responsible for enhancing the capabilities of local and state jurisdictions to prepare for and respond to incidents of all sorts. About the Office of Emergency Management The Director of Emergency Management is a volunteer position. The Town of Sherman Office of Emergency Management aims to provide citizens with the highest level of emergency preparedness. OEM ensures interagency coordination before, during, and after disasters or emergencies, whether it is a small water main break in our school, bridge breakdown, or an event as catastrophic as the September 11th tragedy. To accomplish this mission, OEM maintains a disciplined corps of emergency management personnel, including responders, planners, incident commanders, and administrative and support staff, to identify and respond to various hazards. OEM assists Town, State, and Federal officials and their respective constituents with disaster response and mitigation. Because a close working relationship with elected officials is crucial to the success of OEM’s mission, the agency serves as a repository of information for the First Selectman concerning hazard identification and mitigation procedures. Through its public information arm, OEM provides the public and media organizations with accurate, timely information regarding emergency management planning, response, and hazard mitigation in Sherman. Our regional partner in this training and planning is WECOG, Western Connecticut Council of Governments. The Town is Prepared The Town of Sherman has plans for emergencies and dedicates important resources to emergency preparedness. Plans include information on sheltering, evacuation, public safety, public information, transportation, and other issues which ensure that the Town recovers from disasters (all hazards) quickly and safely. During an emergency, the Town activates the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC is an emergency facility staffed by representatives from Town, State, and Federal agencies as well as private and non-profit organizations. These representatives coordinate the most effective response to emergencies.
 

The First Selectman oversees all aspects of the Town’s response to emergencies. The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) secures resources and facilitates communication between all participating agencies before, during, and after emergencies. OEM creates contingency plans to respond quickly and efficiently to a variety of situations (all hazards). In response to emergency situations, OEM will activate the Town’s Emergency Operations Center to facilitate coordination between agencies during large incidents. Town agencies, businesses, and non-profits assess the emergency situation and make decisions to ensure continuity of government and provide services for those affected. The also send representatives to the EOC to foster coordination. The Board of Selectmen and community boards and commissions: Elected officials provide leadership and valuable information concerning possible damage to the area. They also can pass emergency legislation to deal with the situation at hand. Residents You have a responsibility. Disasters can affect everyone. It is important that you are prepared and understand your responsibilities during a disaster. When you are prepared, you become part of the solution.