Regions and Local

VDEM opened regional offices in each of its seven operating regions in 2017. Each office, led by a Chief Regional Coordinator and a team of professional emergency managers, was developed to ensure a fast, agile and integrated approach with local partners when responding to and recovering from disasters.

Prior to reorganizing, less than 10 percent of VDEM staff were located outside of Richmond. Now, over 25 percent of staff are located across the state. Increasing the department’s regional capacity has put VDEM in a better position to support local and regional planning, response and recovery operations.