Mission

The Department of Emergency Management (DEM) exists to help the islands prepare for, respond to, and recover from disaster and large scale emergencies of all kinds.

Goals

. Maintain a workable emergency management plan.
. Encourage and facilitate interagency cooperation and coordination.
. Maintain and staff an effective emergency operations center.
. Disseminate warning information to first responders, the public, governmental agencies, and local businesses.
. Actively promote school, government, and citizen disaster preparedness and self-sufficiency through public education programs.
. If needed, respond to emergency and/or disaster incidents to assist first response agencies with incident coordination, provide auxiliary communications, obtain outside resources, and transition from response to recovery activities.

The San Juan County Department of Emergency Management operates under the direction of the San Juan CountyEmergency Management Council, comprised of the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners and the Mayor of Friday Harbor.

During emergency or disaster events, the San Juan County Department of Emergency Management is responsible for activating and staffing the County Emergency Operations Center to assist in coordinating response activities, allocating resources, and facilitate recovery efforts.