Who We Are

Lee County Emergency Management is organized around the National Incident Management System (NIMS) principles, usually referred to as the Incident Command System or ICS for short. This system works with the All Hazards approach to emergency management, from hurricanes to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Our team now consists of twelve full time emergency management professionals and many dedicated volunteers.

We develop and coordinate programs to protect the public from large-scale natural and technological hazards or disasters. We serve all of Lee County and coordinate closely with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), local municipal emergency management programs and many public service disciplines within the County and Southwest Florida. Some of our specific responsibilities include:

  • Monitor severe weather and tropical disturbances
     
  • Provide "on-location" support and assistance to local first response agencies (Fire, EMS, Health Department, and Law Enforcement) with our Mobile Response Unit (MRU)
     
  • Develop local emergency response plans, procedures and guidelines
     
  • Provide technical assistance to municipal emergency management programs
     
  • Provide or coordinate mutual aid with the State of Florida and surrounding counties
     
  • Comply with state and federal emergency preparedness and response requirements and standards
     
  • Conduct Hazardous Materials Analysis of facilities reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA)
     
  • Review emergency plans for health care facilities, residential developments, marinas, businesses and government agencies
     
  • Implement local hurricane shelter and evacuation development standards
     
  • Collect and distribute emergency related information, such as the All Hazards Guide in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole
     
  • Conduct and coordinate public outreach seminars and workshops as a public service to our community
     
  • Conduct local emergency management briefings, workshops, meetings and training courses
     
  • Coordinate regional/state/federal emergency-related training courses
     
  • Conduct and evaluate local emergency exercises and drills
     
  • Maintain the County Special Needs Program