2024 Pierce County Emergency Management Community Report
Pierce County Department of Emergency Management (PCDEM) is a nationally recognized and award-winning department charged with preparing and protecting the people that choose to live in a place they are proud to call home. It is one of the first county emergency management departments in Washington to be accredited through the rigorous Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP). PCDEM uses a business process that is data-driven, evidenced based, leverages integrated systems and emphasizes a culture of continuous innovation and a passion for customer service.
Our Mission
Create resilient communities and enhance public safety by empowering the whole community in Pierce County to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all types of hazards, emergencies and disasters.
Department Summary
The work, resilience and accomplishments of the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management (PCDEM) in 2024 were impressive.
PCDEM’s commitment to the community was unwavering as it activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) several times for events ranging from extreme weather to the successful coordination of the 2024 primary and general elections.
A standout moment was the response to a severe cold snap in January. The department worked with Pierce Transit, Pierce County Human Services and Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness to open warming centers for vulnerable populations. Over 150 individuals were supported at warming sites in Fife, Parkland, and Bonney Lake.
PCDEM’s dedication to inclusivity was evident when the department hosted the Access and Functional Needs Summit in SeaTac and professionals discussed strategies for addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities during emergencies.
PCDEM was honored to receive the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) Silver Award for excellence in information sharing and stakeholder engagement. This award recognized the hard work of fostering effective communication with partners, county departments, and political leaders to ensure efficiency and mission success.
Pierce County Department of Emergency Management remains focused on continuous improvement and preparedness to meet the needs of the community with dedication and teamwork.
The department thanks its partners and elected leaders for their continued support.
2024 ACTIVATIONS
In 2024, Pierce County Emergency Management’s Emergency Operation Center was activated seven times.
Extreme Weather Response
Winter and Summer 2024
PCDEM demonstrated swift action in response to severe weather, beginning with the activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on January 11. In anticipation of an intense cold snap that would grip the region for over a week, PCDEM worked with Pierce Transit and the TacomaPierce County Coalition to End Homelessness to coordinate warming centers and transportation for vulnerable populations. Three warming sites were set up in Fife, Parkland, and Bonney Lake, serving nearly 150 individuals. PCDEM staff worked tirelessly, providing around-the-clock support and ensuring that equipment functioned properly in sub-freezing temperatures.
WA-TF1 September 2024
On August 8, deadly wildfires in Hawaii burned down most of the historic town of Lahaina. Two days later, Washington Task Force 1 (WA-TF1) was deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The initial team of 45 people, search and rescue K-9s and human remains K-9s were bolstered with another 30 members a few days later. Also, 90,000 pounds of equipment were sent along with the team so they were self-sufficient in the field.
During the team’s two-week deployment their focus was searching for survivors and victims. WA-TF 1 worked 12 hours days in intense heat, debris and ash to help the community recover from the worst fire in modern American history. A welcome delegation of elected officials, agency leaders and media were at the airport to welcome the team home on August 26.
Wildfires
July & Oct. 2024
Wildfires are becoming a more common occurrence in Pierce County. Since the 2020 fires in the Bonney LAke/Sumner area and in Graham, county fire officials and Pierce County Department of Emergency Management have responded to several wildfires near urban areas.
In 2024, two wildfires required the Emergency Operations Center to activate. One fire was near Roy in July, and resulted several acres burning and needing to evacuate nearby residents.
The second fire, in August, was near Graham and the Emergency Operations Center activated in case evacuation announcements needed to be made and a community center needed to be set up. The fire was contained by several responding agencies after burning five acres and a barn.
Primary and General Elections
Aug. - Dec. 2024
In November, PCDEM activated the EOC to support the 2024 General Election, ensuring that voters could participate in a safe and secure environment. In collaboration with the Pierce County Auditor’s Office, law enforcement, and other partners, the EOC provided logistics, communication, and emergency response capabilities.
Special planning was required following a hazardous materials incident at the Auditor’s Office in late 2023, ensuring a smooth and safe election experience.
PARTNERSHIPS FOR A SAFE COMMUNITY
Access and Functional Needs Summit
April 2024
This year’s summit drew more than 60 attendees each day, representing many disciplines, from seven different states.
Over the years, this event has become a highly anticipated opportunity for professionals in the region to learn, share, and connect around inclusive emergency management planning and practices.
The two-day event showcased innovative projects, hands-on workshops, and presentations from local and national subject matter experts. Marcie Roth, former FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Director, shared how to plan for people with disabilities in extreme-weather events. On the second day, attendees met Travis and Threasa King and their journey to pass the Travis Alert Act— a law that requires training for first responders who respond to emergencies involving people with disabilities. Other sessions included a regional accessible transportation panel, a presentation on service animals, an emergency gestures training, an accessible meetings and event workshop, and a discussion around lessons learned from the Maui Wildfires.
The summit itself modeled how accessibility can be integrated into large-scale events, with live captioning, American Sign Language interpreters, and ADA room layouts present throughout the event. Overall, the response from attendees was that the summit was welcomed and needed.
Safety Summit
July 2024
The Second Annual Safety Summit was a major success. Each day more than 100 people attended the summit at the McGavick Conference Center on the campus of Clover Park Technical College.
The focus was reunification – an important topic that can get overlooked in emergency planning and be challenging coordinating during an emergency. The theme aligned with PCDEM’s work developing a county-wide reunification plan with partners.
Speakers from local, state and national organizations discussed the importance of reunification after emergencies. Presentations included a review of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas , a tornado that wiped out Joplin, MO and an overview of Pierce County’s reunification plan.
The last day of the summit included a symposium with local leaders about how to manage reunification efforts after an emergency.
Volcano Summit
October 2024
The 2024 Volcano Summit, in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), was a success for emergency responders and others who will be on the front lines of responding to an eruption from Mt. Rainier. The mountain, while beautiful, is one of the most likely volcanoes in the continental United States to erupt according to the USGS.
The summit, held October 1-2, brought together experts, researchers, tribal representatives and community leaders to discuss various aspects of volcanic activity, its impact, and the subsequent recovery processes.
The second day was two workshops. The first, Closure Zone Planning, explored strategies and best practices for defining and managing closure zones in volcanic regions. The second, Lahar Mitigation, provided an in-depth look at techniques and approaches for mitigating the risks of lahars, with an emphasis on protecting communities and infrastructure.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH + EDUCATION
PCDEM held more than 430 outreach events in 2024 from National Night Out and community preparedness classes to having students tour the Emergency Operations Center.
Being ready for emergencies means planning for them before they happen. For PCDEM that includes sharing information at 434 public events in 2024. These events had a common goal: how the public can get ready for emergencies in their homes, vehicles, at work or other places they spend a lot of time. Resiliency during an emergency is incredibly important for a successful recovery. That means preparing in advance.
Two outreach professionals guide and implement outreach events around the county with assistance from other department staff and regularly collaborate with FPB on outreach for both disaster preparedness and fire prevention Classroom presentations, sharing information at fairs and market, participating in National Night Out events and teaching in neighbors homes are all places you’ll find the outreach coordinators and other PCDEM staff.
OPEN HOUSE GIVES COMMUNITY INSIDE LOOK
More than 250 people attended the September open house held at Pierce County Department of Emergency Management.
The family-friendly event was held so people could see how the department serves their community every day and works with partners to keep Pierce County safe. The open house included a First Aid station, amateur radio operators, search and rescue dogs, tours of the Emergency Operations Center, a board game focused on recovering from a disaster and, of course, snacks.
Deputy Fire Marshals talked with adults about smoke detectors in their homes and how to prevent fires. Kids could learn how to safely exit their home during a fire.
The most dramatic moment was a controlled burn of a room to show attendees how quickly a modern house can catch fire. Many thanks to the Tacoma Fire Department for being on hand to also show how they put out a residential fire.
VOLUNTEERS
Pierce County is home to over 900,000 people—more than PCDEM staff can serve alone. Volunteers play a vital role in the department’s mission. Several groups assist, including radio operators, search and rescue teams, flood monitors, and medical volunteers.
A key program in neighborhood preparedness is PC-NET (Pierce County Neighborhood Emergency Teams), designed to help neighbors support each other in major emergencies. PCDEM provides training on CPR/First Aid, shutting off utilities, stocking essentials, and assessing community skills for survival and recovery. Expanding this program in unincorporated areas is a priority.
The Emergency Medical Services volunteer corps also supports PCDEM, assisting with First Aid and CPR training and evaluating Washington Task Force 1 members for search and rescue missions.
PCDEM partners with search and rescue groups like Pierce County 4x4 Search & Rescue, Pierce County Explorer Search and Rescue, and German Shepherd Search Dogs. When other communities request search and rescue assistance, PCDEM’s Duty Officer coordinates with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
TRAINING
Scenes of Violence
One of the biggest events for PCDEM in 2024 was the Safety Summit held August 1-3 at the Environmental Services Building in University Place. This first-time event was a big success with more than 100 people attending the three-day summit including K-12 and higher education officials, law enforcement, fire departments, mental health experts and Pierce County municipal officials.
The focus of the summit was preparing for response and recovery to critical incidents – specifically emergencies at schools and universities. Michele Gay, a parent of a Sandy Hook Elementary victim, was the keynote speaker. She spoke about the importance of planning ahead for a shooting or similar act of violence.
A speakers’ panel shared their experiences with the 2017 Freeman High School shooting in Rockford that included an emergency manager and district mental-health experts. A second panel shared about the Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting in 2014 and discussed how the community and the district responded. Cultural considerations were also a factor as some of the victims and the assailant were members of the local tribal community.
Also, the mental health of law enforcement and first responders who come to these scenes was discussed. A seminar on crisis management and policy level
decision making led by Donell Harvin, former Chief of Homeland Security and Intelligence and Executive Director of the DC Fusion Center.
Leaders from across Pierce County and critical staff discussed - based on several scenarios - the issues around managing a crisis and the policies that needed consideration and development to have the most effective results.
The end of the summit featured a practical exercise with law enforcement and emergency medical responders entering an active shooter scene with victims. Summit attendees could watch the exercise in real time while law enforcement and fire agencies practiced. Planning the 2024 summit has already started and the theme is Reunification.
AWARDS + HIGHLIGHTS
Vibrant Communities Award
Ken Rice
When a daycare on the Key Peninsula was trying to expand their operations to meet community demand, the county’s fire code made it difficult for them to make their dream a reality.
Fire Marshal Ken Rice worked with the daycare staff to find alternative ways to meet fire codes, keeping children and staff safe, and not be prohibitively expensive. Rice recognized the fire codes were developed with the idea daycares operated in urban areas. Because of his care and time with the daycare, the operation was able to expand to meet the needs of the community.
Retirement of Jody Ferguson
After 35 years of public service, Jody Ferguson retired in October as department director. Ferguson became director of the department in 2019. She started in the emergency management department as the public information officer and supported major events including the 2004 Mt. St Helens volcanic activity and worked with other PIOs during the 2009 killing of four Lakewood Police Department officers. Ferguson also served on several national emergency management associations.
TVTP Grant Award
Lorem Ipsum
Executive’s Award
High Profile Trial
PCDEM employees were recipients of the Executive’s Award for their work during the high profile trial of three Tacoma Police Department officers in 2023. Staff had worked for months planning with partners, including the county’s court system, to make sure the trial was transparent to the community, it was a fair hearing and the community was safe.
BUDGET
The 2024-25 biennial budget for Emergency Management is $11.2 million.
That is 42.7%, or $8.4 million, below the 2022-23 level. The budget reflects the reduction of $3.2 million in COVID-19 response funding that concluded during the 2022-23 Biennium and $4.9 million in onetime funding for Maui wildfires disaster response efforts in 2023.
