Image of the Smithsonian Institution Castle with the U.S. Capitol in the background

Emergency Management

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) collaborates across the Institution to improve the Smithsonian's ability to respond to emergencies and recover from disasters. OEM works closely with Smithsonian staff to perform emergency planning and manage emergency operations, conduct training and exercises, perform risk reduction activities, and improve the Smithsonian's overall capacity to respond to and recover from natural, technological, and human-made hazards. Our work also involves working side-by-side with local, state and federal partners to address emergency issues at our facilities and properties, and promote the greater public safety interests in the communities we call “home.”

Mission – Manages the institutional Emergency Management program, leading and supporting Smithsonian units in enhancing preparedness and resilience, through training, exercises, planning, risk mitigation, and coordinating emergency response and recovery operations in actual or potential emergencies/disasters.

Vision – Become the preeminent emergency management (EM) organization for research, education, and museum facilities and organizations in the world!

Leadership

Eric Gentry, Director
Mickey Dedajic, Smithsonian Communications Center Chief
Andy Goldblatt, Planning Chief

Contact Us

The Smithsonian Communications Center (SCC) is staffed 24/7/365 and serves as the Smithsonian's central communications function and central answering point (for external agencies), responsible for relaying information received from Smithsonian sources and local, state and federal agencies. Smithsonian and government entities who need to reach the Smithsonian for official purposes may contact the SCC at 202.633.9300.

If you want to reach the Smithsonian’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) for non-operational issues, click here.

In case of an emergency that requires an immediate response by fire, emergency medical, and/or law enforcement personnel, dial 911 immediately!