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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

Preparedness Division

VDEM helps local government and other state agencies develop effective plans to prepare for natural disasters and man-made emergencies. Local, state and federal government have written plans for hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, nuclear power plant accidents, dam failures, hazardous materials incidents and other disasters. As Virginia is most vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding, VDEM has emphasized planning in these areas.

VDEM's Preparedness Division performs six key functions:

• Local Planning Assistance. Helps localities develop and maintain their local emergency operations plans.
• State Planning Assistance. Works with State Emergency Response Team program managers in VDEM and other state agencies to maintain the multi-volume state emergency operations plan (EOP). This program also coordinates the development of plans and procedures for elements of the state EOP such as the Statewide Mutual Aid program and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact for interstate mutual aid.
• Hurricane Preparedness. Coordinates the development of state plans and procedures to respond to a major hurricane, especially one requiring a major evacuation of storm-prone coastal areas. The branch also assists coastal localities with their hurricane preparedness and response programs and interacts with neighboring states and federal agencies.
• Radiological Emergency Preparedness. Conducts the annual state-local Radiological Emergency Response Plan training and exercise. Successful completion of the exercise is required for continued federal licensing of Virginia's North Anna and Surry nuclear power stations by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
• Chemical Emergency Preparedness. Assists with pre-incident planning for a wide variety of chemical emergencies including weapons of mass destruction. Assists Local Emergency Planning Committees with plans and preparedness activities.