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Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) to plan, coordinate, prevent, prepare for, and protect against major threats that may harm, disrupt, or destroy our communities, commerce, and institutions; and to effectively manage and coordinate the County's unified response, mitigation, and recovery from the consequences of such disasters or events should they occur. Key objectives are to:

  • Coordinate County plans and actions to minimize harm to residents, employees, and visitors in Montgomery County before, during, and after emergencies.
  • Coordinate the services, protection, and contingency plans for sustained operations of County facilities.
  • Coordinate and provide public education to ensure the resilience of our communities during disasters.
  • Coordinate Homeland Security policies and priorities for grant-seeking, management, and reporting.

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Budget Overview

The total recommended FY26 Operating Budget for the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is $5,722,207, an increase of $956,179 or 20.06 percent from the FY25 Approved Budget of $4,766,028. Personnel Costs comprise 63.37 percent of the budget for 23 full-time position(s) and no part-time position(s), and a total of 23.70 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 36.63 percent of the FY26 budget.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following are emphasized:

  • Safe Neighborhoods
  • Effective, Sustainable Government

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Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY25 estimates reflect funding based on the FY25 approved budget. The FY26 and FY27 figures are performance targets based on the FY26 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY27.

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Initiatives

  • Maintain Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding to help Montgomery County nonprofits and faith-based organizations cover security personnel and planning costs.

  • Fund personnel costs for four emergency management employees currently supported by Urban Area Security Initiative grant funds.
  • Add funding to support Community Outreach, Volunteer and Donations Management, Training and Exercise Support, and Planning Support Programs. Funding will ensure the continuation of educational initiatives that equip residents with readiness to respond effectively to emergencies.
  • Add funding to support Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Emergency Management Accreditation (EMAP), and regular maintenance of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

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Innovations and Productivity Improvements

  • Partnered with the Office of Grants Management (OGM) to launch the FY25 Nonprofit Security Grant Program, awarding $1.2 million to 117 applicants for community security enhancements.
  • Pursued Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement for County COVID-19 expenses, submitting $218 million. Of this, $185 million was eligible, $117 million reimbursed, and $68 million remains under review, with $50 million near obligation.
  • Managed $4.6 million in Federal Homeland Security grants for public safety, funding personnel, equipment, training, and infrastructure enhancements.
  • As of February, responded to 43 emergencies, including fires, floods, evacuations, hazardous spills, and major regional events like the January 2025 aircraft disaster.
  • In 2024, sent 487 emergency alerts on weather, transit, public health, and more to 250,400 Alert Montgomery subscribers, a 4.8 percent increase over the previous year.
  • Held 79 community outreach events on emergency preparedness, including the first Ready Montgomery Seminar, educating hundreds on response skills and climate resilience.
  • OEMHS is developing a Public Safety Joint Operations Center to enhance real-time coordination across agencies. It will house the Fire Operations Center, OEMHS Watch Desk, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) Real-Time Intelligence Center, and Drone as a First Responder Program, improving emergency response and efficiency.
  • Led climate adaptation efforts, hosting the first Resilience Hub Workshop for 125+ participants, expanding Spanish-language outreach, and advising on the Comprehensive Flood Management Study.
  • Redesigned the Emergency Management Group, aligning nearly 350 members by role for targeted training, communications, and strategic assignments, with exercises set for Spring/Summer 2025.

Program Descriptions

  Administration

The Emergency Management Administration program handles grant and financial management, office administration, budget management, procurement, and human resources. This program also includes overall policy development for the office, as well as the administration of the County's Hazardous Materials Permitting Program....

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  Emergency Management Planning, Response, and Recovery

The Emergency Management Planning, Response, and Recovery program represents the core programmatic activities of OEMHS. This program includes the planning, training, and exercising activities aimed at preparing County departments, non-profit partners, critical infrastructure, and County residents for large-scale emergencies. Major threats that this program addresses include, but are not...

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Budget Trends
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Program Contacts

Contact Nicole Markuski of the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security at 240-777-2333 or Derrick Harrigan of the Office of Management and Budget at 240-777-2759 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

Related Links
Budget Summary
TitleActual
FY24
Budget
FY25
Estimate
FY25
Recommended
FY26
%Chg
Bud/Rec
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages1319412.001620618.00 1596887.00 2130566.0031.5
Employee Benefits298522.00414674.00 447239.00 594979.0043.5
County General Fund Personnel Costs1617934.002035292.00 2044126.00 2725545.0033.9
Operating Expenses3685995.001530990.00 1352910.00 2096184.0036.9
County General Fund Expenditures5303929.003566282.00 3397036.00 4821729.0035.2
PERSONNEL
Full-Time12.0014.00 14.00 18.0028.6
Part-Time0.001.00 1.00 0.00-100.0
FTEs11.4613.72 13.72 16.2218.2
REVENUES
Hazardous Materials Permits613900.00865000.00 865000.00 865000.000.0
Other Charges/Fees70834.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
County General Fund Revenues684734.00865000.00 865000.00 865000.000.0
 
GRANT FUND - MCG
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages825048.00920789.00 920789.00 678420.00-26.3
Employee Benefits203582.00278957.00 278957.00 222058.00-20.4
Grant Fund - MCG Personnel Costs1028630.001199746.00 1199746.00 900478.00-24.9
Operating Expenses4575949.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Capital Outlay996776.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Expenditures6601355.001199746.00 1199746.00 900478.00-24.9
PERSONNEL
Full-Time6.007.00 7.00 5.00-28.6
Part-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
FTEs7.248.48 8.48 7.48-11.8
REVENUES
Federal Grants4596778.001199746.00 1199746.00 900478.00-24.9
Other Intergovernmental570677.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Revenues5167455.001199746.00 1199746.00 900478.00-24.9
 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
Total Expenditures11905284.004766028.00 4596782.00 5722207.0020.1
Total Full-Time Positions18.0021.00 21.00 23.009.5
Total Part-Time Positions0.001.00 1.00 0.00-100.0
Total FTEs18.7022.20 22.20 23.706.8
Total Revenues5852189.002064746.00 2064746.00 1765478.00-14.5
FY26 Recommended Changes
TitleExpendituresFTEs
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
FY25 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION356628213.72
Changes (with service impacts)
Enhance: Additional Nonprofit Security Grant Program for Organizations and Facilities At High Risk of Hate Crimes - Ongoing [Administration]3000000.00
Enhance: Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Maintenance [Administration]500000.00
Enhance: Emergency Management Accreditation Program [Administration]400000.00
Enhance: Web-based System Used for Planning, Response, and Recovery from Emergencies [Administration]300000.00
Enhance: Uniforms and Personal Protective Equipment [Administration]200000.00
Reduce: Miscellaneous Office Supplies [Administration]-1248200.00
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Replace: Continuation of Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Program Previously Funded by Grant Funds - Planning, Training, and Emergency Exercise Support [Administration]9408932.50
Restore: One-time FY25 Lapse Adjustment [Emergency Management Planning, Response, and Recovery]1564210.00
Increase Cost: FY26 Compensation Adjustment1028020.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY25 Compensation Increases439520.00
Increase Cost: Motor Pool Adjustment87060.00
Increase Cost: Retirement Adjustment50500.00
Decrease Cost: Printing and Mail Adjustment-86920.00
Decrease Cost: Annualization of FY25 Personnel Costs-88650.00
Decrease Cost: Elimination of One-Time Items Approved in FY25-3000000.00
FY26 RECOMMENDED482172916.22
 
GRANT FUND - MCG
FY25 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION11997468.48
Federal/State Programs
Add: Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant - Emergency Management Support Program4203314.00
Reduce: Regional Preparedness Program Previously funded by Federal Grant -339409-2.50
Reduce: Loss of Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Program Previously Funded by Grant Funds-390893-2.50
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY25 Personnel Costs107030.00
FY26 RECOMMENDED9004787.48
Program Summary
Program NameFY25 APPR
Expenditures
FY25 APPR
FTEs
FY26 REC
Expenditures
FY26 REC
FTEs
Administration26636668.20356383810.70
Emergency Management Planning, Response, and Recovery210236214.00215836913.00
Total476602822.20572220723.70
Funding Parameter Items ($000s)
TitleFY26FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURES
FY26 Recommended4822.0000004822.0000004822.0000004822.0000004822.0000004822.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Elimination of One-Time Items Recommended in FY260.000000-40.000000-40.000000-40.000000-40.000000-40.000000
Items recommended for one-time funding in FY26, including the Emergency Management Accreditation Program, will be eliminated from the base in the outyears.
Labor Contracts0.00000014.00000014.00000014.00000014.00000014.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Subtotal Expenditures4822.0000004796.0000004796.0000004796.0000004796.0000004796.000000