Emergency Management
Emergencies are unplanned events that cause harm to individuals, property, and the environment. Public safety agencies in Bellingham (fire, police, medics, and public works) are staffed and equipped to respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Disasters impact larger numbers of people over larger areas, with greater severity and with impacts that last longer than conventional emergencies. In a disaster, traditional 9-1-1 service and first responders such as fire, police, medics, and utility personnel will be working at full capacity and might need to prioritize their response objectives. The Bellingham Fire Department Office of Emergency Management works closely with the public and with neighboring jurisdictions to prepare for, respond to, and minimize the impacts of disaster in our community.
CEMP
The City of Bellingham Office of Emergency Management is currently updating the City’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP). Washington Administrative Codes require each local emergency management organization to maintain a comprehensive emergency management plan. The purpose of a CEMP is to help coordinate functions within the broader emergency management system to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the effects of an emergency or disaster. Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans utilize all-hazards planning foundations and concepts, and help jurisdictions address local vulnerabilities through identification of assets, resources, organizational structures, and responsibilities.
In Washington State, CEMPS are generally updated on a five-year cycle, with the planning components based on guidelines and recommendations from state and federal planning resources. While the plan addresses specific requirements established by law, public input that is relevant to plan components is welcome at this time.
The 2018 CEMP is available for download. If you would like to provide comments on the plan during this revision process, please send comments to OEM@cob.org by Dec 1, 2024.
