Elected Officials and Local Leaders
Elected officials and local leaders play an important role before, during, and after disasters. Your leadership can help communities prepare, understand risks, support local emergency management, and navigate recovery when disasters occur.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Authority works with state, county, municipal, and community partners to strengthen emergency management across Tennessee. This page provides resources to help elected officials, staff, and local leaders understand emergency management, connect with local emergency managers, and share preparedness information with their communities.
New to Emergency Management ?
Emergency management is a shared responsibility among individuals, local governments, state agencies, federal partners, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, and community leaders.
In Tennessee, local emergency management agencies are the first point of coordination for disasters and emergencies in their communities. TEMA supports local jurisdictions by coordinating state resources, supporting planning and preparedness efforts, assisting with response operations, and helping communities navigate recovery and mitigation programs.
Elected officials and staff can support emergency management by understanding local plans, knowing who to contact during emergencies, sharing trusted information, and helping residents and businesses prepare before a disaster happens.
What to Know First
Emergency management works best when relationships, plans, and expectations are in place before a disaster occurs. Elected officials and local leaders do not need to manage every part of an emergency response, but they should understand how their local emergency management structure works and how public information is coordinated.
Elected officials and local leaders should know:
- Who serves as the local emergency management director.
- How local emergency operations are coordinated.
- Where to find local emergency plans and contact information.
- How emergency information is shared with the public.
- What information residents and businesses may need after a disaster.
- How damage reporting and recovery programs work.
Resources by Role
Use the sections below to find resources for state legislators, legislative staff, county officials, and municipal officials. These resources can help local leaders understand emergency management responsibilities, connect with emergency management partners, and support their communities before, during, and after disasters.
Local leadership is critical to a community’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. County and municipal officials can support emergency management by building relationships with local emergency managers, understanding local plans, investing in mitigation, and helping residents and businesses prepare.
Prepared communities are better positioned to reduce disaster impacts, respond quickly, and recover more effectively. Investing time in emergency management before a disaster can help protect lives, reduce damage, and strengthen public confidence when emergencies happen.
Managing a Local Emergency Management Agency
Tennessee state law requires every county to establish and maintain a county emergency management agency. County emergency management agencies help their communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.
Municipalities may also establish emergency management offices. These offices support emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts within municipal government and coordinate with the county emergency management agency.
Requesting State Disaster Aid
The Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund is the state’s primary mechanism for delivering disaster aid when federal assistance is unavailable.
Disaster Survivor Assistance may provide aid directly to impacted individuals and households. Local Disaster Recovery Assistance may provide aid to local governments and school districts.
The county mayor in an impacted area must make a written request to the Governor, through TEMA, in order for the county to be considered for Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund assistance.
Helpful Resources
Partner Resources
Recovery and Mitigation
- Navigating Public Assistance
- Hazard Mitigation Information
- National Flood Insurance Program Information
- Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund
Planning and Contacts
- County Basic Emergency Operations Plan and Hazard Mitigation Status Dashboard
- Local Emergency Management Agency Contacts
Community Preparedness Resources
State legislators and legislative staff have a unique role in emergency management. Before disasters, legislators can help promote preparedness, support mitigation, and connect communities with available resources. During and after disasters, legislators often serve as trusted messengers for constituents and help share accurate information about response and recovery efforts.
TEMA encourages legislators and staff to become familiar with local emergency management contacts, disaster recovery processes, and the types of assistance that may be available after a disaster.
Helpful Resources
Community Preparedness Resources
Understanding Your Role Before, During, and After a Disaster
Elected officials and local leaders help set the tone for preparedness, response, and recovery. Your role may change depending on the type of incident, the needs of your community, and the phase of the emergency.
TEMA is here to support local leaders throughout the entire emergency management process, from planning and preparedness to response, recovery, and long-term resilience.
Before disasters, elected officials and local leaders can help strengthen preparedness by supporting local emergency management programs, encouraging public preparedness, participating in planning conversations, connecting community resources and organizations with state and local emergency managers, and promoting mitigation projects that reduce future risk.
Leaders can also help set expectations by sharing trusted preparedness information before emergencies happen. This may include encouraging residents to know local risks, sign up for alerts, make an emergency plan, gather supplies, and follow official sources for emergency updates.
During a disaster, elected officials and local leaders are often looked to as trusted voices. One of the most helpful roles is to support coordinated response efforts, share verified information, encourage residents to follow official guidance, and avoid duplicating or conflicting with emergency messages from local emergency management and public safety officials.
When sharing emergency information, use official sources, avoid unverified reports, amplify protective action guidance from appropriate officials, and direct residents to local channels for updates.
After a disaster, local leaders can help residents, businesses, and local governments understand next steps in recovery. This may include encouraging damage reporting, supporting documentation of local costs and impacts, sharing recovery resources, and helping the community understand what assistance may or may not be available.
Recovery information should be clear, accurate, and consistent. Elected officials and local leaders can help by sharing official recovery resources, correcting outdated or inaccurate information, and reminding residents that assistance may vary depending on the event, eligibility requirements, and disaster declarations.
TEMA works with local, state, federal, nonprofit, and private-sector partners to support communities before, during, and after disasters. By building relationships before an emergency happens, local leaders and emergency management partners can work together more effectively when their communities need support.
Resources for Your Community
Elected officials and local leaders can help residents prepare before disasters and find accurate information during emergencies. TEMA provides preparedness information that can be shared with households, businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.
Resources are available to help communities know local risks, make an emergency plan, gather supplies, stay informed, prepare for specific hazards, and understand how to report damage after a disaster.
Preparedness Programs
Training
Training can help elected officials, staff, and local leaders better understand emergency management roles, disaster operations, recovery programs, and public information coordination.
Local officials are encouraged to coordinate with their local emergency management agency to identify training opportunities that support their role in preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
Training topics may include:
- Emergency management basics.
- Incident coordination and local emergency operations.
- Public information and crisis communications.
- Damage assessment and disaster documentation.
- Recovery programs and assistance processes.
- Hazard mitigation and long-term resilience.
Visit our training page for more information about how to get started.
Contact State and Local Emergency Management
Connect with Local Emergency Management
The best time to build relationships is before an emergency happens. Elected officials, staff, and local leaders are encouraged to connect with their local emergency management agency to learn more about local plans, emergency operations, preparedness priorities, and recovery coordination.
Your local emergency management agency can help you better understand local risks, emergency plans, training opportunities, and the roles different partners play before, during, and after disasters.
Connect with TEMA
TEMA’s Legislative Director is an important contact for elected officials and local leaders before, during, and after disasters.
Elected officials and staff who would like to receive updates from TEMA should ensure their current contact information is on file.
Austin Travis | Legislative Director