Emergency Management

A primary role of local government is to provide for the safety and welfare of its citizens. Welfare and safety are never more threatened than during times of disaster and other serious emergencies. It is vitally important for each community to ensure that effective multi-discipline and multi-jurisdictional mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery plans exist to preserve the welfare and safety of the public.

Pursuant to the Civil Defense Act of 1950, each political subdivision of the Commonwealth is directed to establish a local organization to perform civil defense functions in accordance with the State Civil Defense Plan and Program. Each organization shall perform these functions within the territorial limits of the subdivision within which it is organized. In addition, the organization shall conduct such functions outside the territorial limits as may be required by § 7 of the Act.

Fundamentally, civil defense is preparing for and carrying out emergency functions for the purpose of minimizing and repairing injury and damage resulting from disasters.