The Office of Emergency Management leads efforts to protect life, property and the environment by developing, coordinating and managing programs that prevent, prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate natural and man-made disasters and emergencies.
Emergencies happen every day, and the community calls 9-1-1 to get First Responders (Fire/Police/EMS) to provide immediate resources to support you on a daily basis.
However, there are other times when response won't be as quick, such as when a major earthquake strikes the San Andreas fault line. The role of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is to support the Fire Chief, Police Chief, City Manager, Mayor and Councilmembers, along with all City staff to coordinate response and recovery efforts. On blue sky days like today, the OEM also works with different community members including residents, businesses, and community-based organizations to be prepared. The OEM provides information and training on how to build an emergency kit, create an emergency communications plan and identify how to stay informed so you know what to do next.
This video explains the basics of Emergency Management.
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On a day to day basis, the Office of Emergency Management is responsible for the management and oversight of the City of Ontario's Emergency Operations Center (EOC), disaster preparedness, grants, Homeland Security, emergency plans as well as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Volunteer Program. This Division ensures that city employees and residents are as prepared as possible for disasters. This is accomplished by:
- Maintaining the City's Hazard Mitigation Plan
- Maintaining the City's Emergency Operations Plan
- Providing employee and citizen education in preparedness
- Training employees in disaster response, management, and recovery
When an emergency strikes, will you be prepared? Will you be able to remember all of the actions and procedures necessary to protect health, life, and property? This website is intended to provide resources to help you better be prepared and respond effectively to a variety of emergency situations.
The procedures listed in this website are also useful in the home. You should discuss and formulate a family preparedness plan. Prepare a basic survival kit to include: (1) water; (2) non-perishable foods; (3) first aid kit; (4) battery-powered radio; (5) auxiliary cooking devices; (6) fire extinguisher; (7) blankets; (8) flashlight; (9) critical medication, all stored in a safe accessible place. Keep in mind that you may be asked by your employer to assist in emergency operations. Having your family prepared will make your absence in an emergency easier.
The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) requires a community to have an approved hazard mitigation plan in order to be eligible to apply for and receive FEMA hazard mitigation funds. Receipt of FEMA funding is critical to implementing identified hazard mitigation projects and programs.
The purpose of mitigation planning is to identify policies and to take actions that can be implemented over the long term to reduce risk and future losses when an emergency or disaster occurs. Mitigation plans form the foundation for a community's long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.