Located in Girard PA, West Erie County Emergency Management Agency (WECEMA) is a non-profit regional emergency management office serving the municipalities and residents of McKean Borough, McKean Township, Washington Township, Edinboro Borough, Franklin Township, Elk Creek Township, Albion Borough, Conneaut Township, Cranesville Borough, Platea Borough, Girard Borough, Girard Township, Springfield Township and Fairview Township

Through joint government partnerships with the above municipalities, WECEMA is able to provide Emergency Management services to the residents living within these local communities at a local regional level. Locally, disasters can affect us very differently but at a regional level WECEMA is able to prepare and plan for disasters for our region. Currently, the Local Emergency Management Coordinator (LEMC), EMA Volunteers, and HAM radio operators all live locally to help support the community in which they serve. WECEMA partners with local government, fire departments, police departments, and other public safety entities to enable community resiliency towards hazards and disasters.

Emergency Management definition, vision, mission, and principles:

Definition: Emergency management is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters.

Vision: Emergency management seeks to promote safer, less vulnerable communities with the capacity to cope with hazards and disasters.

Mission: Emergency management protects communities by coordinating and integrating all activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the capability to mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from threatened or actual natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters.

Principles:

Emergency Management must be:

1. Comprehensive — emergency managers consider and take into account all hazards,

all phases, all stakeholders and all impacts relevant to disasters.

2. Progressive — emergency managers anticipate future disasters and take preventive

and preparatory measures to build disaster-resistant and disaster-resilient communities.

3. Risk-Driven — emergency managers use sound risk management principles (hazard

identification, risk analysis, and impact analysis) in assigning priorities and resources.

4. Integrated — emergency managers ensure unity of effort among all levels of government and all elements of a community.

5. Collaborative — emergency managers create and sustain broad and sincere

relationships among individuals and organizations to encourage trust, advocate a

team atmosphere, build consensus, and facilitate communication.

6. Coordinated — emergency managers synchronize the activities of all relevant

stakeholders to achieve a common purpose.

7. Flexible — emergency managers use creative and innovative approaches in solving

disaster challenges.

8. Professional — emergency managers value a science and knowledge-based approach

based on education, training, experience, ethical practice, public stewardship and

continuous improvement.