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About VDEM  

Agency Structure

Finance Division • Human Resources • Local Support Services Division • Office of Training and Exercises • Operations Division • Preparedness Division • Public Affairs Office • Recovery and Mitigation Division • Technological Hazards Division

Operations Division

Whether in "disaster mode" or conducting "business as usual," Operations Division staff perform critical infrastructure, management systems and communications tasks to maintain the state's readiness for and capability to meet the actual demands of a major emergency or disaster.

Disaster operations involve coordination with many components of state government and private organizations as well as liaisons with federal and local entities. During these events, representatives from key state and federal agencies and volunteer organizations join a trained cadre of agency and reservist staff to augment the Virginia Emergency Response Team (VERT) in support of response and recovery operations.

Timely communication and coordination are critical to saving lives and reducing property loss in crisis situations. The division maintains a well-equipped and staffed Virginia Emergency Operations Center (VEOC) with a round-the-clock communications and warning system. As the State Primary Warning Point, the VEOC:

• Transmits National Weather Service warnings to localities
• Monitors the Integrated Flood Observing and Warning System
• Provides a state-level entry point to the Emergency Alert System
• Monitors the early warning siren system to notify the public of problems at nuclear facilities in the Commonwealth
• Is linked to the federal government for emergency alerts

In addition to operational direction and control at the VEOC, disaster activities also include disaster resource prioritization, information gathering and situational/damage assessment, mission assignment and tracking, resource management, legislative liaison, community outreach, public affairs, and executive coordination. In addition, the Operations Division is responsible for installation, maintenance and operation of complex radio, telephone, computer and other systems to support disaster operations. Some of these systems include radio tower maintenance, Emergency Alert System (EAS) participation and liaison with Amateur Radio volunteers.