Emergency Management

Coordinate disaster response to meet the immediate health and safety needs of residents and visitors to Rochester, and protect the public from harmful effects of hazards.

The City of Rochester's Emergency Management team works with community partners to make sure we are all ready for any situation that comes our way. 

Some of those partners include:

• Olmsted County
• The State of Minnesota
• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• The National Weather Service (NWS) - La Crosse is the NWS office for Rochester
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

As a profession, emergency management began in the 1950s as a result of the nuclear arms race.  Civil defense - as it was called - helped cities and counties prepare for a nuclear disaster.  Fortunately, no bombs were launched, and planners worked to make a difference in other areas.  Weather is the most pressing threat, be it from floods, tornadoes, ice storms, or heat waves.  Train derailments and other incidents pose a hazard where dangerous chemicals could be released.

Today, emergency management seeks to prepare the community for a disaster through:

• Planning, training, and exercises
• Coordinate emergency response
• Minimize hazards and threats impacting life and property
• Recovery from significant emergencies and disasters

To understand the role of today's emergency manager, watch this short video on the Essential Emergency Manager