Johnny West
Director
The Cook County EMA’s purpose is to increase the resiliency and ability of emergency services to respond and recover from the hazards that threaten our community. This is done through mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, which is a combined effort with EMS, E-911, Police and Sheriff’s Departments, Fire Department and the Volunteer Fire Department.
What is Emergency Management?
The Emergency Management network is a combination of your local, state and federal governments working together in partnership with local volunteers and businesses, to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all hazards that affect a jurisdiction. The Cook County Emergency Management Agency is the local agency with the responsibility for coordination and mitigation, preparedness, and response and recovery efforts to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Cook County.
There are many natural hazards that may impact the communities in Cook County. These include tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, lightning, floods, winter storms and wild fires. These are dangerous and often unpredictable events. It is very important that citizens know the safety precautions to take before an emergency and what actions to take during an emergency, whether natural or caused by man. In addition to the many natural hazards that may impact the county, there are other man-made and technological hazards that pose an equal, if not greater, threat to the citizens.