Emergency Management

The Mission of the Office of Emergency Management

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) coordinates the City of Pharr emergency management program to prepare, prevent, plan, respond and recover from all-hazard events. The OEM develops, maintains and implements the ability to direct, control, manage and coordinate emergency operations in cooperation with local, State and Federal governmental and private sector agencies.

The Goals and Objectives of the Office of Emergency Management

Preparing the City for Emergencies

• City wide Incident Management System: All emergencies within the city are managed in accordance with NIMS/ICS principles.
• Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP): When requested, OEM will develop departments City COOP, which ensures essential public services are available during/following emergencies.
• Emergency Planning: OEM develops, maintains, and coordinates a comprehensive emergency management plan for the City of Pharr.
• Training and Exercises: OEM conducts responder and staff training and exercises to test plans and response capabilities to identify areas of improvement.
• Incident Monitoring: OEM monitors local, regional, national incidents for their impact on the city in order to provide decision makers with vital information and warning.

Coordinating Emergency Response and Recovery

• Emergency Operations Center (EOC): During major events the EOC is the focal point for information coordination, resource requests, and decision making.
• Incident Management: OEM provides on-scene command, control, and communications.
• Incident Management Team (IMT): OEM participates in regional Type III Incident Management Team providing regional local jurisdictions with a cadre of NIMS trained staff support to local Incident Commanders.
• Public Warning: OEM coordinates with elected/appointed decision makers, Emergency Management Public Information Officer, and surrounding entities to provide vital warning and information to the public
• Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT): OEM trains citizen volunteers in basic response skills including fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster medical operations, incident scene rehab, and incident management.
• Volunteer Operations Center (VOC): OEM partners with Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) to establish and operate a volunteer management capability supporting large scale incidents where many volunteers are needed to provide mass care (including shelter activations during coastal hurricane evacuations).
• Recovery and Relief: Following an emergency, OEM works with government agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations providing assistance and relief to citizens in the City of Pharr. OEM will participate in the Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) Long Term Recovery Committee.

Educating and Informing the Public

• Ready South Texas: OEM partners in the multi-jurisdictional Ready South Texas program to educate and encourage citizens to prepare for and respond to all hazards events.
• Personal Preparedness Education: OEM provides personal preparedness training classes to citizens, employees and responders.
• Citizen Corps Council: OEM participates in the Department of Homeland Security Lower Rio Grande Valley Area Citizen Corps Council to bring together local leaders from community organization, government, volunteers, and the private sector to promote grassroots emergency preparedness and volunteerism.
• Social Media: OEM coordinates the release of information through social media with the designated OEM Public Information Officer.

Pharr OEM Functions and Activities

• Respond to emergencies/disasters within the City of Pharr and the region.
• Develop, maintain, and coordinate Emergency Management plans.
• Conduct/attend all-hazards training and exercises.
• Monitor emergency/disaster incidents and manage the Emergency Operations Center.
• On-scene command, control, and communication for emergencies/disasters.
• Participate in the Incident Management Team.
• Coordinate public information and the dissemination of warnings.
• Strengthen community education and preparedness through Volunteer management and coordination of Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD).
• Coordinate relief and recovery operations.