Department Responsibilities

Forsyth County Emergency Management plans for and responds to both natural and man-made hazards. These range from flooding and severe weather to incidents involving hazardous materials or civil unrest. Forsyth County Emergency Management is the lead agency for coordination of emergency and disaster response activities for Forsyth County and the City of Cumming.

Our mission is to provide a comprehensive and aggressive mitigation and emergency preparedness, response, and recovery program for the citizens of Forsyth County in order to save lives, protect property, and reduce the effects of disasters. Forsyth County Emergency Management coordinates community efforts to plan for a variety of public health situations.

Forsyth County Emergency Management staff members provide technical assistance and coordinate with all Local, State, and Federal stakeholders as we prepare Emergency Operations Plans, Continuity Plans, Hazard-Specific Plans, Standard Operating Procedures, and Policies. We also conduct emergency operations trainings and exercises for governmental agencies, and public outreach and education for external partnerships.

Hazard Mitigation

Millions of dollars are spent each year on disaster response and recovery. By undertaking hazard mitigation activities, which will reduce the impact of future disasters, local governments can reduce these costs and minimize the impacts of potentially disastrous events. Hazard mitigation can also be considered disaster prevention and encourages the development of disaster-resistant communities. Forsyth County Emergency Management is the lead agency for the hazard mitigation program for Forsyth County and the City of Cumming. The purpose of the plan was to identify Forsyth County’s major hazards, assess the risk and vulnerability of the county to those hazards, and recommend actions to reduce vulnerability using the technical and programmatic resources of Forsyth County and the City of Cumming agencies. Ultimately, the plan strives to help protect the health, safety, property, environment, and economy of Forsyth County and the City of Cumming from the effects of natural hazards.