Shelby County Emergency Mgmt and Homeland Security
Shelby County Emergency Mgmt and Homeland Security
Memphis, TN
The Shelby County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency (SCEMHSA) effectively carries out its duties to help the community become more resilient and sustainable in the face of all threats and hazards. This is accomplished through a proactive and professional Emergency Management Program that fosters partnerships within the community to create a model of excellence for preventing, protecting against, responding to, mitigating, and recovering from emergencies and disasters.
The SCEMHSA is the local lead agency responsible for preventing, protecting against, responding to, mitigating, and assisting in the recovery from emergencies and disasters. The following are mission areas that the SCEMHSA handles daily:
o Planning o Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Operations o Logistics Support o Training/Exercises o Community Outreach and Education
The agency is frequently requested and utilized to lead and/or support the efforts of local law enforcement, Fire and Rescue, and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in Search, Rescue, and Recovery operations. On May 30th of this year, a Memphis resident lost his battle with strong currents during an attempt to rescue a struggling child who fell into the Wolf River, an alluvial stream that flows into the Mississippi River. The SCEMHSA was activated and immediately began water search and recovery operations. The man's body was recovered after a three-day exhaustive search.
Just two months later, on July 22nd, three men visiting the Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park were reported missing after witnesses described seeing the men fishing and swimming on a sand bar south of the park's boat ramp. The SCEMHSA searched for the men for two days before recovering them from the Mississippi River. As personnel finalized operations with the Mississippi search and recovery, a request was received from the Memphis Police Department to assist in the water recovery of a man missing in a lake outside the Raleigh Springs Civic Center. The agency sprang into action, rapidly redeploying to the Raleigh area, recovering the body of the missing man that very night. In total, both operations encompassed over 60 hours in which personnel put the families and the men who lost their lives before anything else.
The SCEMHSA regularly engages with the local community through programs that include, but are not limited to, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, Active Shooter Response training, and Preparedness Walkthroughs, which identify hazards and security concerns to assist in developing preparedness plans for local businesses and houses of worship. The agency also maintains bottled-water giveaways. Personnel also actively support the United Way through payroll deductions and volunteer donations. The Hospitality Hub of Memphis receives supply overages on a case-by-case basis from the SCEMHSA, which are used to combat homelessness in the Memphis area. Additionally, the SCEMHSA closes the loop of community service by supporting the Shelby County School District with emergency services and disaster preparedness training, as well as various other opportunities to enhance community involvement and engagement.