COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

Emergency Management Office

Office of the Governor

Benigno R. Fitial, Governor

Timothy P. Villagomez, Lt. Governor

Mark S. Pangelinan, Acting Director

.............. Dep. Director

EMO IS COMPRISED OF NINE UNITS, WHICH ARE THE ADMINISTRATION, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY, COMMUNICATIONS (SMARTNET), OPERATIONS, SEISMIC, PLANNING AND TRAINING, MAINTENANCE, EMO TINIAN / ROTA REP. THESE UNITS HAVE THEIR DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT IN TIME OF EMERGENCY AND/OR DISASTER, PERSONNEL OF THESE UNITS ARE UTILIZED TO AUGMENT RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ACTIVITIES. WITH THIS CONCEPT, EVERY CORNER OF RESPONSIBILITIES DURING EMERGENCY/DISASTER ACTIVITIES ARE COVERED.

EMO PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS. STAFF ASSIGNMENTS HAVE BEEN CATEGORIZED BY FUNCTION TO ENSURE THAT EMERGENCY RECOVERY EFFORTS WILL NOT BE HAMPERED OR PROLONGED. THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERAL COORDINATION OF TASK ASSIGNMENTS WHEN THE EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN IS ACTIVATED.

THE MOST COMMON DISASTERS IN THE CNMI ARE STORMS, TYPHOONS, FLOODS, STRUCTURAL FIRES, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, OIL SPILLS AND VOLCANIC ERUPTION. LOSS AT SEA IS ALSO COMMON IN CNMI, HOWEVER, THERE ARE OTHER DISASTERS THAT DO NOT OCCUR AS FREQUENTLY SUCH AS EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS BUT SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED SINCE THE CNMI IS NOT IMMUNE TO THESE THREATS.

EMO’S ROLE IS TO ASSIST THE GOVERNOR IN OVERSEEING THE ACTIVITIES AND COORDINATION OF THE CNMI GOVERNMENT IN RESPONDING TO AND RECOVERING FROM A DISASTER. IT IS RESPONSIBLE IN RESPONDING TO ALL EMERGENCY CALLS AND REQUESTS FROM THE BOTH GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR( typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, search and rescue mission, hazardous materials incidents, emergency and medical evacuations, and unexploded World War II Ordnance).

IT IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE IN OVERSEEING OF ALL THE COORDINATION ACTIVITIES OF THE RESPONSE EFFORT TO INSURE THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN LIFE AND REDUCE THE POTENTIAL LOSS TO PROPERTY.

IT IS RESPONSIBLE IN DEVELOPING ON-GOING PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS FOR THE CNMI IN REGARDS TO DISASTER AWARENESS, PREPAREDNESS AND TRAINING FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND THE CNMI RESIDENTS.

Goal 1: Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the CNMI Government in responding to and providing assistance to residents of the Commonwealth recover from natural or man-made disasters.

Goal 2: Representing the Governor in coordinating with federal entities(FEMA, SBA, and ARC) in providing recovery assistance to Commonwealth residents after a natural or declared emergency.

Goal 3: Upgrading the response capabilities of other CNMI government entities in regards to emergencies whether natural or man-made is vital in rendering assistance to residents of the Commonwealth.

Goal 4: Organizing a massive government response to the incident and insuring the accomplishment and type of assistance needed is critical.