Understanding Emergency Management

Emergency management is a shared responsibility that helps communities prepare for, respond to, recover from, and reduce the impacts of emergencies and disasters.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Authority works with local governments, state agencies, federal partners, nonprofit and volunteer organizations, businesses, and communities across Tennessee to strengthen preparedness and coordinate support before, during, and after an emergency.

The resources in this section explain how emergency management works, what TEMA does, and the common terms, programs, and processes used by the organizations that help keep Tennessee prepared and resilient.