Director's Message
Welcome to the Office of Emergency Services
Our mission statement says it best... "To encourage, implement, and support a disaster and emergency services management system that protects the citizens of Flathead County and their communities from the effects of major emergencies and disasters." That is at the core of what Flathead County Office of Emergency Services is all about.
Modern emergency management encompasses the four phases of Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery to natural, technological and human caused disasters and emergencies. Many may still recall the days of Civil Defense and Cold War era. In today's emergency management system, there are an unlimited number of situations that the emergency management professional may respond to including; tornadoes, floods, fires, winter storms, hazardous materials and devices, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, urban search and rescue, and transportation accidents.
The Office of Emergency Services takes a leadership role in and with the assistance and support necessary to the many challenges that face them on a day-to-day basis. The profession of emergency management has undergone an incredible transformation over the last decade. There is a greater emphasis on training and professionalism than ever before. As we enter the new millennium, emergency management is at the forefront more than at any other time in history.
Our OES vision is a future where the lines between EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement, Public Works, Public Health and Emergency Management become less distinct, and where we find commonality in our ultimate goal, that of protecting the public and making safe communities for our citizens to live. In our efforts make Flathead County safer; OES will continue to be proactive in finding ways to partner with local, state, federal and private sector agencies. With this in mind, our web site will prove to be one of the most effective means we have to provide our stakeholders with important resources including emergency planning and training, publications, news and information, and links to other sites. We hope that you enjoy your visit and that you find our web site beneficial and informative. We welcome your comments and suggestions on how we can make our web site, and the services we provide, more useful and accessible to you.
Thank you for visiting and please free to contact us if we can be of assistance . . .