Emergency Management is a coordinated effort involving local, State, and Federal government agencies, as well as volunteer organizations and businesses, assisting the citizens and their communities in preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and eliminating or reducing the effects of natural, man-made, and technological emergencies and disasters. The primary goal of the Integrated Emergency Management System is to prevent injuries, protect lives, and reduce property and environmental damage in Smith County.

The Emergency Management structure that exists in the United States has it origins in the Civil Defense efforts that arose after World War II in response to the possibility of nuclear attack.  In the 1960’s, the field of Emergency Management began expanding, and by the 1980’s the focus had widened to the multi-hazard approach that prevails today.