Emergency Management Agency

Mission Statement

The mission of the Pittsfield Emergency Management Agency is to serve the citizens of the City through effective planning to minimize the effects of attack, technological and natural disasters. Our goal is to save lives and to protect property through coordination of an integrated emergency management system with all emergency response organizations, support services and volunteers. During a major emergency or disaster, Pittsfield EMA coordinates private and public sector resources to support disaster response and recovery where needed. We will be an advocate for greater community efforts to mitigate and prepare for potential emergencies. We will support efforts to train and exercise emergency responders in both the public and private sectors. This includes promoting unified planning, training and exercising with local governments, emergency agencies, volunteer organizations, critical facilities (schools, child care centers, senior citizen centers, hospitals and disability centers), businesses and industries.

We will manage and coordinate efforts toward a rapid recovery from disasters with an effective disaster assistance program.

This agency is committed to effective actions to prevent some disasters and to reduce the impact of those over which we have no control.

Pittsfield Emergency Management has about 30 volunteers who: Maintain and operate the Warning Sirens; maintain and repair department vehicles; search for missing persons; block roads with personal & City vehicles for downed lines & limbs & street flooding; act as Sky watchers in storms; assist at City activities. They keep abreast of the weather situations and monitor the progress of the storms, advising other emergency services of the possible need for response.

Each volunteer is a First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician and is trained in C.P.R.

The Volunteers provide their own Amateur radio licenses and operate the RACES net with State and Federal Emergency Management from our new, up-to-date Communications Room.

They respond to other communities in Berkshire County for mutual aid and participate in State and Federal Emergency Drills to maintain their awareness level