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Steven C. Bailey, Director Pierce County Department of Emergency Management |
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Steven Bailey, Director
2501 South 35th Street
Tacoma, WA 98409-7405
(253) 798-6595
Office Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday (Excluding Holidays)
Our Mission
It is the mission of the Department of Emergency Management to create sustainable communities and enhance public safety by empowering all who work, govern, live in and visit Pierce County to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from all types of hazards, emergencies and disasters.
The Department of Emergency Management is made up of five divisions:
- Emergency Management Division
- Enhanced 9-1-1
- Fire Prevention Bureau
- Radio Communications
- Washington State Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (WA-TF1)
The Emergency Management Division consists of three branches:
- Response and Homeland Security
- Mitigation, Preparedness and Recovery;
- Emergency Medical Services
The Response and Homeland Security Division is responsible for reacting to emergecies, disasters or incidents; participation in the Terrorism Early Warning Group; and the development of Homeland Security strategies and planning within Pierce County.
All plans must be based on a written assessment and listing of the hazards to which the County is vulnerable (Chapter 118-30 Washington Administrative Code). This written assessment is known as the Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Assessment or HIVA.
This division activates the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) whenever necessary to coordinate and facilitate resources to minimize the impact of emergencies and disasters on people, property, the economy and the environment.
Additionally, the response and homeland security division coordinates volunteer emergency workers for wilderness search and rescue operations and flood fighting efforts around the County.
Pierce County has had ten Presidentially declared natural disasters between January 1990 and March 2001 and is situated in one of the most disaster-prone areas of the U.S.
Ten most Recent Presidentially-declared natural disasters in Pierce County:
- December 1990: Storms, High Winds and Flooding
- January 1993: 'Inauguration Day' Storm
- August 1994: Economic Disaster ( El Nino: Fishing Industry)
- November/December 1995: Major Flooding and Winds
- February 1996: Major Flooding
- December 1996/February 1997: Ice Storm and Flooding
- March 1997: Major Flooding
- February 2001: Nisqually Earthquake
- October 2002: Storm and Flood
- September 2005: Hurricane Katrina
Mitigation, Preparedness and Recovery is responsible for preparing Pierce County for disasters or emergencies as well as facilitating the transition of a community from a disaster situation to the resumption of normal activities.
Mitigation is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people, property and the environment from the effects of both natural and man-made hazards.
Preparedness is the assistance to the citizens, businesses, cities, towns and tribes in Pierce County in being prepared for a disaster or emergency. This division provides planning, training and public education to the citizens in the County and our towns, cities and tribes.
Recovery is the ability to facilitate the transition of a community from a disaster situation to the resumption of normal activities.
This division develops the County's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), which provides guidance to all County agencies regarding emergency responsibilities in the event of a natural or manmade emergency.
As of November 1, 2004, the County is required by Federal law to have an approved Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (DMA2K Plan), to encourage sustained action to reduce or eliminate longterm risk from natural hazards and their effects.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) coordinates County wide EMS agencies as directed by the Board of Health, with advice from the Pierce County EMS Council, to facilitate optimum emergency medical access, response and care to citizens and visitors in Pierce County. Services include EMT and Paramedic training and testing and administrative support to the Medical Program Director.
The Enhanced 9-1-1 Program supports and manages the administration of the county wide 9-1-1 system. Services include technical support to the various public safety communications centers and revenue distribution for equipment purchase and system maintenance.
The Fire Prevention Bureau (FPB) is responsible for reducing the threat and losses of fire in unincorporated Pierce County. The bureau inspects businesses as part of the Commercial Inspection Program, investigates fires for cause and origin, reviews plans for commercial projects, water systems and subdivision plats, provides public education and fire prevention programs such as Fire Stoppers of Pierce County, and issues permits under the International Fire Code.
The Radio Communications Division manages the county radio communications program including system design, installation, repair and preventative maintenance for all of the county department mobile and portable radios, base stations and microwave systems.
Pierce County Department of Emergency Management is the Coordinating agency for the Washington State Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (WA-TF1). If a disaster event warrants national US&R support, FEMA will deploy the three closest task forces within six hours of notification, and additional teams as necessary.
US&R task force members work in four areas of specialization: search, to find victims trapped after a disaster; rescue, which includes safely digging victims out of tons of collapsed concrete and metal; technical, made up of structural specialists who make rescues safe for the rescuers; and medical, which cares for the victims before and after a rescue.
The role of these task forces is to support state and local emergency responders' efforts to locate victims and manage recovery operations.
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