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About the Office of Emergency Management


Mission

The Office of Emergency Management establishes and disseminates policy and coordinates the development of bureau and office programs for an integrated and comprehensive program which spans the continuum of prevention, planning, response, and recovery.  The program encompasses all types of hazards and emergencies that impact Federal lands, facilities, infrastructure, and resources; Tribal lands and Insular Areas; the ability of the Department to execute essential functions; and for which assistance is provided to other units of government under Federal laws, Executive Orders, interagency emergency response plans such as the National Response Framework, and other agreements.

 

Organization

The Office of Emergency Management reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Safety, Resource Protection and Emergency Services.  It is composed of three divisions:   

  • Preparedness and Response Division
  • Continuity Programs Division
  • Emergency Operations Division (Interior Operations Center)

The Department has also established two coordinating activities to integrate and coordinate emergency planning and response activities across the Department

  • Emergency Management Council.  Council members include Emergency Coordinators designated by various bureaus and offices to advise the Director, Office of Emergency Management, and to coordinate Department-wide emergency management policy and activities.
  • Interior Regional Emergency Coordination Councils.  I-RECC members are designated from each bureau and office with capabilities or program equities within a geographic region, and provide a mechanism to coordinate with each regional offices of Federal Emergency Management Agency and other Federal departments and agencies.

Director, Office of Emergency Management
Contact: Laurence Broun, 202-208-4679

The Director, Office of Emergency Management, is the principal official responsible for:

  • Coordinating Departmental emergency management activities,
  • Developing emergency management policy consistent with Federal emergency management laws, regulation, guidance, and direction. 
  • Coordinating activities undertaken by the Departmental bureaus and offices during serious emergency incidents.
  • Serving as principal point of contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other departments and agencies as pertaining to overall emergency management, continuity of operations, and national security emergency programs.
  • Providing oversight of office and bureau emergency management programs and plans to assure policy compliance, readiness, and effectiveness.
  • Issuing appropriate policy bulletins to provide updated policy and direction on the Departmental Emergency Management program.

Preparedness and Response Division
Division Director: Lisa Branum, 202-208-5673

  • Develops policies and procedures to plan and prepare for all-hazard response and recovery activities for emergencies that impact Departmental lands and facilities, including Tribal lands and Insular Areas.
  • Manages Departmental activities related to implementation of Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5: Management of Domestic Incidents, and implementation of the National Incident Management System.
  • Assures effective planning and execution of Departmental responsibilities under the National Response Framework and the National Disaster Recovery Framework, and coordinates the activities of bureaus and offices assigned specific responsibilities under the Frameworks and subsequent Interagency Operations Plans.

Continuity Programs Division
Division Director: Estle Lewis, 202-208-3052

  • Manages planning and preparedness to ensure the performance of Departmental essential functions during incidents which disrupt normal operations.
  • Develops policy and procedures and provides oversight of continuity planning efforts in bureaus and offices.
  • Provides testing, training and evaluation for continuity plans.
  • Supports readiness activities for Departmental support to meet essential defense and civilian needs during any national security emergency
  • Responsible for the Department's activities related to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 20, National Continuity Policy.

Emergency Operations Division (Interior Operations Center)
Division Director: Richard Tinker, 202-208-5632
Interior Operations Center (24/7): 202-208-4108

  • Provides situational awareness of emergency activities for senior leadership of the Department.
  • Establishes policy, procedures and systems to assure timely and accurate information exchange among bureaus, offices, and other departments and agencies. 
  • Serves as the principal focal point for reporting of significant incidents to the Secretary; sharing of emergency information with the National Operations Center, Department of Homeland Security; and the dissemination of alerts, warnings and other emergency information to bureaus and offices. 
  • Manages the emergency and operational information requirements of programs within the Office of Emergency Management and the Office of Law Enforcement and Security.
  • Integrates emergency information from other bureaus and offices with emergency management activities into a Common Operational Picture to meet Departmental and interagency requirements for information sharing.