Nevada's Division of Emergency Management Overview

 Emergency Notifications – DEM Duty Officers   
 Duty Officers rotate on a weekly schedule and are available 24/7/365 
 Primary Emergency Contact Number – 775-687-0498   
 Secondary Number – DPS Dispatch – 775-687-0400 

Staff is on call 24/7/365 to assist local and tribal authorities in response to emergencies and incidents in their jurisdiction. In addition, DEM staffs the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) when a disaster or emergency threatens the state, as well as prior to, during and after large scale events. Depending on the complexity of the incident, the SEOC is activated when local capabilities are overwhelmed and request assistance or when there is an operational need for the resource. When activated the SEOC is staffed by DEM and representatives from other appropriate state agencies and volunteers, with responsibility for disaster response and recovery efforts. 

Section Responsibilities

Administrative/Fiscal Section     
Our administrative/fiscal staff handles, budgets, fiscal accounting, personnel, payroll, travel and all other functions that support all facets of our agency.

Grants & Recovery Section  
Grants Management– State Homeland Security Grant Program(SHSP), Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), Office of Domestic Preparedness (ODP) funding, Emergency Management Planning Grant (EMPG) funding, Department of Energy (DOE) funding, and Waste Isolation/Project Plant (WIPP) funding.  
Hazard Mitigation - Hazard analysis and risk assessment, and grants. Public Assistance - Mutual aid, coordination of financial assistance for state of emergencies and Presidential declarations.   

Interoperability Communications Section   
This section is responsible for managing emergency management programs that provide for interoperability activities and response capabilities; ensure assistance is provided to local governments and other state agencies in sustaining emergency management capabilities; ensure that funding levels can support programs; and prepare, review, submit required fiscal reports and expenditures. This position manages resources that must satisfy the emergency preparedness mandates and initiatives associated with federal grant programs as well as operational functions of the State Emergency Operations Center.   

Preparedness Section  
Operations and Planning - Statewide planning, operations support and communications.  
Training and Exercise - Training, anti-terrorism planning, critical infrastructure analysis. 
Southern Nevada Office - Regional Preparedness staff and Statewide Interoperable Communications Coordinator.    

Homeland Security Section  
In 2003 the Nevada Legislature created the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security as a response to the terror attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. As described in Chapter 239C of the Nevada Revised Statues (NRS 239C), the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security is tasked with several responsibilities directed toward making recommendations to the Governor, the Legislature, local governments, private business, and citizens about actions and measures that may be taken to protect the citizens and visitors to this State from potential acts of terrorism and related emergencies. 

 

Governance

Mission & Vision Statements

Vision: Building Nevada resilience through coordination and partnerships.  

Mission: Coordinating mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery programs and resources through partnerships to build resilient communities for Nevada’s residents and visitors.  

Values: Leadership, Accountability, and Teamwork

Division Goals

 Goal 1: Efficient teamwork, strengthened by collaboration, communication, and leadership. 

 Goal 2: Accountable partnerships in coordinating emergency and disaster resources for the Whole Community. 

 Goal 3: Effective leadership in building and maintaining statewide emergency and disaster capacity.

Strategic Planning Framework

The strategic planning framework was built upon over 18 months of effort and establishes a roadmap for the Nevada Division of Emergency Management (DEM) to evolve over the next five years. It is based on previous DEM strategic planning efforts with input from the statewide community, and it aims to provide a vision for emergency management throughout the state, and not just a vision for DEM.   

Annual Report

This report does provide significant detail of DEM’s daily activities over the last year, it is primarily intended to provide a high level overview to partners and decision makers throughout the state.

Nevada State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (SCEMP)

The objective of the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (SCEMP) is to reduce the possible consequences of an emergency by preventing loss of life and injuries; reducing damage to infrastructure, buildings, and homes; thus accelerating the resumption of normal daily life activities; and to the maximum extent possible, protect the environment.

Pursuant to Chapter 414 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, the SCEMP is the master emergency operations document for the State of Nevada in the prevention of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from an emergency or disaster. The SCEMP describes strategies, assumptions, operational objectives, and mechanisms through which the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) will mobilize resources and conduct activities to guide and support local emergency management efforts through preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Continuity of Operations Plan

The Continuity of Government (COG) Plan of the State of Nevada provides that each of the three branches of government (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial) will establish and maintain a viable Branch Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan that assures the performance of essential functions during emergency or other situations that disrupt normal operations. This document is updated annually. 

Continuity of Government is paramount in the event of a crisis or emergency within, or affecting the State of Nevada. The State is vulnerable to a variety of hazards that threaten its citizens, communities, businesses, economy and the environment.  The September 11, 2001 attack on our nation emphasized this point and increased the urgency to strengthen plans and procedures that provide for the continuation of civil government and a capability to perform essential functions over a wide range of contingencies.

Statewide Resilience Strategy

The Statewide Resilience Strategy provides a general overview for how and why Nevada should transition to a resilience paradigm for its emergency management and  homeland security initiatives. It examines the existing efforts and provides proposals for how to reinforce existing systems, and more important, how to coordinate all of these systems in the most efficient and productive way possible. 

EMAP Accreditation

The State of Nevada-Division of Emergency Management/Homeland Security (DEM) has achieved full accreditation and exhibits “best practices” in the management of emergencies by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP).

EMAP is a voluntary accreditation process for state, territorial and local governments’ emergency management programs that coordinate preparedness and response activities for all disaster types based on national standards. It recognizes the ability of emergency management programs to bring together personnel, resources and communications from a variety of agencies and organizations in preparation for and in response to an emergency, in addition to obtaining the ability to measure those capabilities.

DEM was the lead agency responsible for ensuring the state’s accreditation, which is a means of demonstrating through program examination, documentation and on-site assessment by an independent team that a program meets national standards.

DEM met stringent criteria and went through a rigorous yearlong program of evaluation, documentation and review. The EMAP process evaluates emergency management programs on compliance with 64 national standards in 16 functional areas, including: planning; resource management; training; exercises; evaluations and corrective actions; and communications and warning. 

History of DEM

  • Nov. 28th, 1861, territorial Gov. James Nye signed off on the “An Act in relation to the Militia of the Territory of Nevada” and established the Nevada National Guard.
  • The Nevada Territory acquired statehood in 1864
  • The Nevada Division of Emergency Management was established in 1953.
  • From 1953 to 1967 DEM was under the Nevada department of Defense before converting into the Nevada Department of the Military in 1967.
  • In 1993 the Nevada Department of the Military was renamed the Nevada Office of the Military
  • DEM was under the Nevada Department/Office of the Military from 1967 to 1999. In March 24th, 1999, Governor Guinn approved NRS 414.040 which states: 
     “A division of emergency management is hereby created within the department of motor vehicles and public safety.”  
     “The chief of the division is appointed by and holds office at the pleasure of the director of the department of motor vehicles and public safety.” 
     “The division is the state agency for emergency management and the state agency for civil defense for the purposes of the compact ratified by the legislature pursuant to NRS 415.010.” 
     “The chief is the state’s director of emergency management and the state’s director of civil defense for the purposes of the compact.”  
  •  In January 2010, Office of Homeland Security merged with the Division of Emergency Management.

Past Legislative Actions

  • AB 715 (9/01/1988)
    Require division of emergency management to establish procedures of reports of spills or accidents involving hazardous materials.  
  • SB 533 (9/01/1988)
    Allow funding of local emergency response planning committees.  
  • AB 445 (9/01/1988)
    Authorize employment of additional deputy director of department of motor vehicles and public safety.  
  • BDR 53-1007 (9/01/1988)
    Allow emergency response commission to have access to certain records of employment security department.  
  • SB 329 (01/13/1989)
    Various changes concerning board of Search and Rescue.  
  • AB 351 (02/07/1989)
    Create funds for division of emergency management.
  • Ch. 269 (02/07/1989)
    Appropriation to the division of emergency management to update state’s disaster preparedness plan.
  • AB 933 (06/09/1989)
    Appropriation for support of Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety.  
  • AB 124 Ch. 483 (08/14/1990)
    Required consideration of certain hazards to populated areas in planning and zoning.
  •  SB 458 (01/24/1991)
    Require division of emergency management to establish program for earthquakes education for school children.
  • AB 109 (06/11/1992)
    Create a State Emergency Operations Center within Division of Emergency Management of Department of the Military.  
  • BDR 43 (02/13/1995)
    Creates Divisionof Special Services within the Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety.  
  • AB 626 (08/19/1998)
    Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety- Emergency Management; Makes changes concerning emergency management.  
  • SB 193 (10/16/1998)
    Revises procedures under which local government may receive services related to emergency management.  
  • SB 441 (2001)
    In 2001, a NRS was passed to determine that the division of emergency management is created within the department of public safety.  
  • AB 441 (2003)
    Legislature passed Assembly Bill 441 which created the Office of Homeland Security and the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security
  • SB 39 (12/20/12)
    Revises provisions governing the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security. (BDR 19-342)
  • SB 44(12/20/12)
    Revises provisions relating to allocations from the Disaster Relief Account.

DEM Chief's

  • David W. Fogerson: October 2020
  • Justin Luna: August 2019 to October 2020
  • Caleb S. Cage: July 2015 to July 2019
  • Christopher B. Smith: October 2011 to April 2015
  • James Wright: Interim Chief March 2011 to October 2011
  • Frank Siracusa: 1997- 2011 
  • Tom Manning: Deputy Chief in 1997 
  • Charles W. Owen: 1997
  • James P Hawke: May 1993-1997
  • Bill Langley: April 1993 
  • Joe Quinn: March 1993
  • David McNinch
  • Bob King
  • Bob Andrews: Executive Director of SERC
  • General Tony Clark
  • Major General James May: 1953 to 1967