Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Prior Logo (2003-2016).
|
|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Preceding |
|
| Jurisdiction | State of Tennessee |
| Headquarters | 3041 Sidco Dr. Nashville, TN 37204-1502 |
| Motto | "Failure is Not an Option" |
| Employees | 107 (2017) |
| Annual budget | $13,177,000 (2012) |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent department | Tennessee Military Department |
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is an agency of Tennessee government tasked with preparing for and responding to natural and man-made disasters across the state of Tennessee. The agency is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. TEMA is a component of the Tennessee Military Department, along with the Tennessee National Guard and the Tennessee State Guard.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) was established in 1951 with the primary purpose of preparing civil defense plans in the event of nuclear weapons being detonated in Tennessee during a hypothetical war between the United States and the Soviet Union. This continued to be the main focus of the agency through the 1960s as the OCD prepared the Tennessee Plan for the Management of Resources, a plan designed to manage resources after a nuclear strike. In 1984, after the Waverly, Tennessee, tank car explosion, the Office of Civil Defense was renamed the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and assigned its first civilian director.
The Executive Office is composed of the Director of TEMA and his assistants, as well as the Assistant Agency Director for Response who oversees the Operations and Communications Branch, the Plans and Exercises Branch, the Training Branch, and regional offices.
The executive command staff is composed of several executive positions given the following roles and responsibilities:
The Operations and Communications Branch handles the coordination between different agencies during emergencies. The branch also ensures that communications are maintained during emergencies between first responders as well as the agency and the public.
The Planning Training, and Exercises Branch handles the planning and implementation of exercises and simulations designed to prepare first responders both inside and outside of the agency for emergency situations. The branch also provides training on specific emergency management skills.
The Grants and Programs Branch oversees all grants which are awarded to the Tennessee Management Emergency Agency, as well as the federal grants and funds which are processed through TEMA to be allocated to victims of disasters.
The Agency Support Branch handles purchases and acquisitions for the agency, and supports day-to-day operations by maintaining the lands, vehicle fleet, information technology elements, and other equipment of the agency as well as managing the relationship between the agency and its volunteers and donors.
...
Wikipedia