Emergency Management

The Emergency Management Division of the Flathead County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is responsible for the planning, coordination, and implementation of all emergency management and Homeland Security-related activities for Flathead County, MT. Other responsibilities include coordination of activities for the County's Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC, when activated, is a central location where representatives of local government and private sector agencies convene during disaster situations to make decisions, set priorities, and coordinate resources for response and recovery. In addition, this Division coordinates the Northwest Montana Type III Incident Management Team which is available locally and within the region to assist local governments with the management of all-hazard type III incidents.

Western Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Public Comment

The public comment period has been extended to Friday, November 5, 2023.

Flathead County and the Cities of Columbia Falls, Kalispell, and Whitefish are currently updating the Countywide Hazard Mitigation Plan by participating in the Western Montana Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan sponsored by Montana Disaster Emergency Services. As part of the process, we are asking for the public to review the Draft Plan, and the Flathead County-specific Annex and complete an online comment form.

You can view the draft plan in an online virtual engagement room located at Western Montana Regional HMP Public Engagement Space - VirtualPlatform (woodplc.com) [virtual.woodplc.com].

Public Comments are due Friday, November 5, 2023.

You can also download the components of the plan directly by using the links below.

The Public Comment Form can also be found at: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=VUIjPQ_iBUKIpZZYpAKZm2NBVOR49J1AiOV4-mGD8zVUN1E0QU5IVjEwV1o5WlRXTDNLQ0dGVzhHQy4u

A printed copy of the plan is available to view by making an appointment with Office of Emergency Services by calling 406-758-5560.

Red Cross Ready Rating Program

Did you know that 93 percent of parents agree it's important for their child's school emergency preparedness efforts to be recognized by the American Red Cross? The American Red Cross Ready Rating™ Program is a free, self-paced program designed to help businesses, organizations and schools become better prepared for emergencies.

Ready Rating Program

Are You Ready?

The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has a citizen preparedness website that includes a variety of disaster preparedness information. You can also request a copy of "Are You Ready?" A Guide to Citizen Preparedness, a 101-page all-hazards preparedness book by calling 1-800-480-2520.

Ready.gov

Ready, Set, View

The Emergency Management Division offers several informational videos that can help residents and visitors be better prepared for any type of emergency. Select a title to watch the video on the FEMA website:

Help After A Disaster

Recovery is defined as, "The return to normal conditions; the process of restoring a community to normal following a major disaster." Activities are traditionally associated with providing Federal supplemental disaster recovery assistance under a Presidential major disaster declaration. These activities usually begin within days after the event and continue after the response activities cease. Check out "After the Disaster" on the left for links to web pages hosted by various federal agencies with programs to help you recover from disasters.