Welcome to the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

With a commitment to public safety preparedness and response, the Office of Emergency Management has increased yearly grant funding from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness to $2 million.

The Office also continued regionalized training, including an annual Urban Search and Rescue Drill for response to critical emergencies. This drill involves 11 agencies, known as the Metro Urban Search and Rescue Strike Team, comprising firefighters from the counties of Essex, Bergen, Hudson, Union, Middlesex, and Morris, as well as Port Authority Police. The Newark Office of Emergency Management also trains citizens as part of the Citizens/Clergy Public Safety Academy and Community Emergency Response Team.

In response to COVID-19, the Office of Emergency Management provided personal protection equipment to Newark’s Police and Fire divisions; oversaw the decontamination of public buildings and vehicles; managed the logistics for all fixed and pop-up testing sites; and provided logistical support for all vaccine sites.

Under the leadership of the Newark Public Safety Director, the Office of Emergency Management assists families affected by fire, flooding, weather, and other emergencies. It also activates the Emergency Operations Center to facilitate the coordination of the City’s response and recovery efforts to each declared emergency event.