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 such as for grant-seeking, management, and reporting.

Budget Overview

The total approved FY24 Operating Budget for the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is $4,121,050, an increase of $337,737 or 8.93 percent from the FY23 Approved Budget of $3,783,313. Personnel Costs comprise 69.71 percent of the budget for 18 full-time position(s) and no part-time position(s), and a total of 18.70 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal, temporary, and grant-funded and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 30.29 percent of the FY24 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

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 FY23 estimates reflect funding based on the FY23 approved budget. The FY24 and FY25 figures are performance targets based on the FY24 approved budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY25.

Initiatives

• Expansion of the Non-Profit Security grants from $800,000 to $900,000 for non-profit and faith-based organizations to augment costs for security personnel or other security planning measures for nonprofit organizations located in Montgomery County.

• Awarded the Urban Areas Heat Mapping Project grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Program to map heat inequities and support decision making in neighborhoods grappling with inequitably distributed impacts from the deadliest weather-related risk in the United States.
• Delivered a National Preparedness Month Campaign with social media messaging, County newsletter messaging, virtual and in-person outreach events, and a County Executive and Council Joint Proclamation.
• Coordinated the receipt and installation of Bleeding Control Kits throughout all County buildings and on all three Montgomery College campuses.
• Managed the distribution of $5 million in Homeland Security grants which benefited several public safety agencies in the County.
• Supported numerous COVID-19 response initiatives including:
  • Collaboration with the Food Security Task Force in the creation of a strategy document for the new Office of Food Systems Resilience.
  • Distribution events of COVID-19 rapid tests for the public, childcare providers, and other advocacy groups.
  • Developed the annual US Treasury COVID-19 Recovery Report in coordination with the Office of Mangement and Budget.
  • In coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), developed the MCPS and nonpublic school COVID-19 Test to Stay Plan.

Innovations and Productivity Improvements

• Coordination of funding for Non-Profit Security grants to augment costs for security personnel or other security planning measures for nonprofit organizations located in Montgomery County.

• The Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security developed a private school resource website in coordination with Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
• Coordinated with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security the receipt and installation of flood sensors at dams throughout the County.
• Conducted first unmanned aerial system damage assessment. National Weather Service used the footage to classify an F-0 tornado.
• Completed the Spring 2022 and Fall 2022 updates to the Extreme Temperature Plan and provided extreme heat safety information via TV media interviews.

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....

  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 the County departments, non-profit partners, critical infrastructure, and the County residents for large-scale emergencies. Major threats that this program addresses include, but...