Office of Emergency Preparedness

Welcome to Atlantic County’s one stop source of information to prepare yourself and your loved ones for emergencies or disasters that may affect Atlantic County. This web site is devoted to keeping you informed, alert, and most of all READY for disasters or emergency situations. On this web site you can check the homeland security status, register a loved one with a special need, prepare your pet, but most importantly prepare yourself and your family in the event of a disaster. Learn what events could affect our community, how to develop a personal emergency plan for yourself and your family, what supplies to have on hand should something happen, as well as what information you may need in the event of a public health emergency.

Following the events of Hurricane Irene, the Derecho and Superstorm Sandy, state and local government officials have increased opportunities for citizens to become an integral part of protecting the homeland and supporting  local first responders. We truly learned, first hand, how important our Citizen Responders are  in protecting our neighbors and community. The formula for ensuring a more secure and safer homeland consists of preparedness, training, and citizen involvement in supporting first responders.

Atlantic County has developed  a “Disaster Response Team” (DRT) to help us manage large scale emergency operations as well as prepare community members to take care of themselves in the event of a disaster. The DRT includes the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) County Animal Response Team (CART) the Medical Needs Team (MNS) and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). These programs help coordinate volunteer activities that will make our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any emergency situation. They provide opportunities for people to participate in a range of measures to make their families, their homes, and their communities safer from the threats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds.

Click on the tab "Get Involved" to learn what programs are available in Atlantic County.