Van Wert County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Meet the EMA Director

Rick mccoy
MISSION STATEMENT

To provide a comprehensive Emergency Management program which coordinates people and resources in order to protect lives, property and the environment within Van Wert County. This goal is achieved by using an all hazards approach of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery to avert or minimize the effects of an disaster, whether it is natural or man made.

WHAT WE DO

The Van Wert County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) was established in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code (ORC 5502) to serve as the countywide agency for the purpose of overseeing the planning, response, recovery and mitigation of any and all major disasters/emergencies that occur within the county. The Van Wert EMA serves all political subdivisions within the county including all townships, villages and municipalities.

In Van Wert County, the EMA also serves as the emergency coordination and public information arm of the Van Wert County Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Committee and as a result has authority under ORC 3750 which are the state laws dealing with the storage, manufacture and transportation of hazardous materials.

The EMA has the responsibility for maintaining the county’s Emergency Operations Center located 1220 Lincoln Highway. The agency is also charged with the establishment and updating of the county’s Emergency Operations Plan. This plan is the county’s formal outline of emergency response to all types of disasters/emergencies likely to occur here including flood, tornado, winter storms, drought, earthquakes, hazardous materials releases, transportation crashes, civil disorder, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and radiological emergencies.

The agency is staffed by one full time director and one non paid volunteer deputy director.