Emergency Management Coordinator

The EMC is a legally registered position, appointed by the Mayor for the City of Snyder and registered through the State Department of Emergency Management.  Through an inter-local agreement between Snyder and Scurry County, the County shares in the City's Emergency Operations Plan, and the EMC serves in the same capacity for both entities.  Fire Chief Perry Westmoreland is the Emergency Management Coordinator, with certification through the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg Maryland.  In Texas, municipalities coordinate emergency management through the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), overseen by the Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin.

Watch 5 minute video "What is an Emergency Manager"

The EMC is responsible for disaster response preparedness, to include personnel, equipment and facilities.  The EMC will have the lead role in coordination of major events up to and including declared disasters at the local level.  By Texas Law, the elected official (Mayor or County Judge depending upon jurisdiction) is responsiable for Emergency Management, and therefore serves as the Emergency Management Director.  The EMC receives considerable training in the management of, and preparation for major events.  While the EMC does not assume the duties or responsibilities of agency heads such as law enforcement or EMS, the EMC's role is to coordinate  the response of all agencies involved, and thus will work to facilitate and support the response of various agencies.