City of Portsmouth, Virginia - Emergency Preparedness

Welcome to the

Office of Emergency Management

This site has been designed to assist you in preparing your family, property and business for any emergency, natural or manmade, that may affect our community.

In the event of an emergency, you will want to check this site frequently for any up-to-date information as it relates to the citizens and visitors of the City of Portsmouth. The emergency information posted on this page may be vital as you finalize your preparations. We will do our very best to keep the information updated regarding evacuations, shelters open and current weather advisories. As the situation unfolds you will need to make informed decisions that will directly impact the safety of your family and will help you to mitigate damage to your home and/or business.

We will be happy to give a presentation to your civic group concerning emergency preparedness. You can either email your request to BC Jeff Terwilliger, the Deputy Coordinator, or call the office during normal office hours.

Office of Emergency Management
309 County Street #100
Portsmouth, VA 23704
(757) 393-8338

Local Weather Advisories

National Weather Service

Portsmouth Evacuation Information

Storm Surge

Information & Maps

Portsmouth Emergency Shelters

Emergency Preparedness Guides

Planning for Special Needs

- Expectant Mothers

- Families with Newborns or Infants

- The Elderly

- Special Medical Needs

Dept. of Homeland Security

- Security Advisory System

- Terrorism

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)

- Helping Children Cope with Disaster

ReadyKids.gov

CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team)

American Red Cross

CDC (Center for Disease Control)

- Emergency Preparedness and Response

- Pandemic Flu Information

- Influenza (Flu) Information

Planning for Pets

Emergency Planning for Businesses

Recovering from a Disaster

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Office of Emergency Management

Mission Statement

The mission of the Portsmouth Office of Emergency Management is to ensure the safety of the citizens of Portsmouth during large scale/high impact emergencies. By maintaining and continuously evaluating emergency plans, providing training to enhance knowledge, skill and abilities, establishing clear roles and responsibilities of staff, and promoting emergency awareness throughout our community, the OEM will ensure the continuity of Portsmouth City government. Through our strong commitment to excellence and focus on teamwork, our actions will produce successful outcomes.

Vision Statement

Portsmouth's Office of Emergency Management is recognized as a model agency in the Commonwealth for preparing for, responding to, and recovering from both natural and manmade emergencies. The OEM is respected by its peers for its knowledgeable staff and exemplifying leadership ability. The caring attitude of its workforce and the mastery of teamwork between local, state and federal partners will ensure the success of this highly effective public safety organization.

Last updated September, 2007