PEMA Response

PEMA's response efforts involve maintaining the highest state of preparedness and standing ready to respond on a moment's notice to provide leadership, response coordination and management, situational awareness, emergency communications, and to support county and local governments in providing critical lifesaving and life-sustaining services to our citizens and visitors in Pennsylvania.

Response at PEMA involves strategic planning, policy development, implementation, and integration of all emergency management response program services.

Response Program Services

These services include PEMA's internal activities, such as coordinating the response effort of the commonwealth through the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center during periods of emergency and disaster. In addition, the Commonwealth Watch and Warning Center is staffed by PEMA employees around the clock to provide the centralized point in the commonwealth to receive warnings, alerts, and notifications to ensure situational awareness.

PEMA's external operations include coordination of the logistical support provided by interagency state and federal partners, as well as coordinating the preparedness and response of special teams, such as Urban Search and Rescue and the state Incident Management Team, as well as fixed and mobile radio and satellite-based emergency communications systems and networks.