Responsibilities of the Office of Emergency Services

The vision of the Richmond Fire Department OES is to create a more resilient city capable of surviving before, during, and after any major disaster through innovative and effective leadership, citywide awareness, education, and training.  Our responsibilities are centered around the following areas:

Preparedness Planning and Coordination

• Maintaining an approved Emergency Operations Plan 
• Providing ongoing leadership and coordinating disaster plans and exercises 
• Assisting City departments to develop department emergency plans which address how they will perform both their non-deferrable missions and duties during disasters 
• Assisting City departments with development of facility emergency plans for facilities 
• Working with outside agencies in collaborative efforts to maximize resources needed to respond and recover from major disasters 
• Working with People with Disabilities and elderly to ensure that planning efforts include and serve all community members 
• Supporting and advising the Mayor, City Council and Department Heads and City Staff in matters pertaining to their role as elected officials, employees and Disaster Service Workers during emergencies and disasters.

Enhancement of Response Capabilities

• Establishing and maintaining the City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in a state of operational readiness
• Establishing and training a cadre of EOC members trained in section and position responsibilities and use of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS)
• Serving as an on-call EOC first responder on a 24-hour basis

Public Education

• Conducting public education campaigns for all hazards through public venues and various media presentations
• Establishing and maintaining Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) program across the city, including coordinating efforts with local jurisdictions for unified training and response efforts