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Emergency Management
Washington County Emergency Management (WCEM) is responsible for coordinating emergency preparedness throughout the county. In addition to the writing and coordination of emergency operation plans, WCEM provides assistance to local jurisdictions and county agencies before, during, and after disasters strike. WCEM works in collaboration with local, state, and federal officials, and partners with neighboring jurisdictions, to facilitate better preparedness, response, and recovery from natural and human-made disasters.
Emergency Management Core Functions:
- The process of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery from emergencies and disasters.
- The focal point for overall coordination for all disasters.
- Planning, training, conducting drills, testing equipment and coordinating activities with communities.
- Effective Emergency Management relies on thorough integration of emergency plans at all levels of government and non-government involvement.
Remember for all emergencies, call 9-1-1.
CodeRED
Washington County uses CodeRED as an emergency notification platform to deliver geo-targeted, time-sensitive information via email, SMS, voice, mobile app push notifications, IPAWS and more depending on the severity of the situation. Sign Up for CodeRED Alerts.
Outdoor Warning Sirens
Washington County has many outdoor warning sirens. For more information, please see our "Warning Siren Information (PDF)" sheet. For siren locations, please see the siren map (PDF) which was updated in 2020.
Flood Insurance
Most insurance companies will not cover flooding if the water is coming from outside the home. Flood insurance is available through most homeowners and renters insurance agencies and the National Flood Insurance Program. Get more about flood insurance.
Mitigation Plan
Every five years, Washington County updates the All Hazard Mitigation Plan (PDF). This plan identifies risks and vulnerabilities as well as opportunities to lessen or eliminate potential future risks (mitigation) in the communities. By doing so, our neighborhoods and communities become more resilient.
Severe Weather Awareness Week
During this week of Severe Weather Awareness, April 17-21, 2023, Washington County and the National Weather Service promoted severe weather safety and emergency preparedness information. Each day of the week highlighted a different weather-related topic.
The most important event during Severe Weather Awareness Week was the annual statewide tornado drills. Additional information on these topics can be found on Homeland Security and Emergency Management's site.
How to Participate
If you are interested in some ideas on how you, your family, business, or your community can participate in Severe Weather Awareness Week, check out some ideas on this list.
- Monday: Alerts and Warnings
- Tuesday: Severe Weather, Lightning and Hail
- Wednesday: Floods
- Thursday: Tornadoes (with statewide tornado drills)
- Friday: Extreme Heat
Winter Weather Awareness Week
2023 information will be coming soon! Additional information on these topics can be found on HSEM's site!
Additional Resources
You can always find more information by following us on the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page at: www.Facebook.com/wcsomn.
There are currently no ongoing Emergency Management events.
COVID-19
Find relevant and current COVID-19 updates for Washington County.
Flood Forecast
The National Weather Service provides current information about the level of water for the St. Croix River and Mississippi River.
Emergency Management partners with all aspects of public safety from the federal, state, and local levels to ensure the most comprehensive and coordinated approach to public safety. Roles and responsibilities include planning for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating identified threats and hazards.