Maryland Emergency Management Agency

Maryland Emergency Management Agency
MEMA
Agency overview
Jurisdiction State of Maryland
Headquarters Reisterstown, MD
Employees >70[1]
Agency executives
  • Russell J. Strickland, Executive Director
  • Kate Hession, Deputy Executive Director
  • Terry Thompson, Chief of Staff
  • Robert Thomas, Director of Administration Mission Support
  • Chas Eby, Director, Risk Reduction & Strategy
Parent agency Maryland Department of the Military
Child agency
Website http://mema.maryland.gov/

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is a state of Maryland agency organized within the Maryland Military Department. The Maryland Emergency Management Agency is the state agency that coordinates federal, state, local and private resources throughout the state during times of disasters and emergencies. It is headquartered in Reisterstown.

While MEMA is part of the Maryland Military Department and under the authority of the adjutant general, during emergencies the governor may assume direct authority over the agency and the executive director of MEMA reports directly to the governor.

MEMA’s authority derives from Article 14 of the Public Safety Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. This Article creates MEMA and authorizes the political subdivisions of the state to create emergency management offices of their own. Currently, there are 26 local emergency management offices in Maryland – all 23 counties, along with Annapolis, Baltimore and Ocean City. Article 14 also gives the governor emergency powers—such as temporarily waiving state laws that may interfere with emergency response operations.

The maintenance and operation of the State Emergency Operations Center is a function of MEMA.

MEMA is operated using multiple branches under three directorates: Operations, Administration/Mission Support and Strategy and Risk Reduction. Each is overseen by a director.[2]

The Operations directorate focuses on Planning, Training/Exercise, GIS Mapping and running the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) and Maryland Joint Operations Center (see below).The Administration/Mission Support directorate provides agency support and human resources, technology support, grants management and administers the FEMA Public Assistance program in the state. The Risk Reduction and Strategy directorate oversees external outreach, recovery activities, mitigation, strategy and coordinates with the state's two Urban Areas -- Baltimore and the National Capital Region.

MEMA operates the Maryland Joint Operations Center (MJOC), the agency's twenty-four-hour warning point and communications / operations center. This center is responsible for the coordination of all state of Maryland emergency response resources and operates 24-hours per day.

MEMA also operates a Regional Liaison Program. This branch employees Regional Liaison Officers that work in the field directly with local emergency managers and emergency responders in six regions: Western Maryland, National Capital Region, Central Maryland, Southern Maryland, Upper Eastern Shore and Lower Eastern Shore.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About MEMA". Maryland Emergency Management Agency.
  2. ↑ "Maryland Emergency Management Agency: A Center for Preparedness Excellence". Maryland Emergency Management Agency.
  3. ↑ "Staff Listing". Maryland Emergency Management Agency.
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