Office of Emergency Management
About the Office of Emergency Management
The Gwinnett County Office of Emergency Management is a unit of the Gwinnett County Police Department that handles a variety of tasks involving planning for emergencies and disasters, responding to incidents as a coordinating agency, directing mitigation against hazards, and assisting Gwinnett County Government and its residents in recovery after an incident. The Office of Emergency Management works very closely with all Gwinnett County departments and private/nonprofit partners to accomplish these goals.On June 8, 2020, the Gwinnett County Office of Emergency Management was granted accreditation by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program. Gwinnett County OEM is the first county in the state of Georgia to achieve this prestigious honor.
To achieve accreditation, applicants must demonstrate through self-assessment, documentation, and peer-assessed verification that its program meets the Emergency Management Accreditation Program’s Emergency Management Standard. Accreditation requires full compliance with all 64 standards. Emergency management programs use this accreditation to prove the capabilities of their disaster preparedness and response systems. Accreditation is valid for five years.
The EMAP standards help revolutionize emergency management programs that coordinate preparedness and response activities for disasters. The standards have also provided a framework to improve service delivery to the residents and visitors of Gwinnett County.
EMAP is an independent non-profit organization governed by a twelve-member commission. It was formed in 2002 and is recognized by the American National Standard Institute as a Standard Developing Organization. Accredited programs include federal, state, and local governments, tribal nations, and institutes of higher education.
Wireless Emergency Alerts
The Gwinnett County Office of Emergency Management has tapped into an existing feature on cellular telephones that alerts users when an imminent threat to safety occurs in their area. The new wireless emergency alerts will be sent by the County to all wireless phones that are located in close proximity to an emergency in Gwinnett. Alerts will include the time and type of alert and any action residents and visitors in the affected area should take. The messages will not duplicate AMBER alerts or extreme weather messages from the National Weather Service.
“These alerts will be sent to any enabled mobile device in range of the broadcasting cell tower, so it helps us reach those who need to avoid or evacuate a specific area in the county or to shelter-in-place to maintain their safety,”said Emergency Management Director Greg Swanson. The alerts will be sent when emergency events—such as an earthquake, immediate evacuation, fire, or hazardous materials leak or spill—pose a threat to life.
To insure that you receive these lifesaving alerts, make sure the emergency alerts feature is enabled and activated on your mobile device. Click here for more information about wireless emergency alerts.
Saving Lives, Protecting Property, and Safeguarding the Environment
Helpful Links
Emergency Management Documents and Reports
