Today, the Skagit County Commissioners signed a proclamation to designate August 2025 as National Emergency Management Awareness Month. The proclamation celebrates the dedicated professionals in our emergency management division who work tirelessly year-round to prepare and plan for disasters. Our emergency response efforts are successful due to a wide variety of local jurisdictions, such as law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, public works, public health, and tribal partners, working together seamlessly for the benefit of our community.
The International Association of Emergency Managers announced August 2025 as the inaugural National Emergency Management Awareness Month. The designation is intended to bring attention to the impact of emergency management officials in our communities, not just during emergencies and disasters, but also during blue-sky periods through the development of disaster plans, securing grants, training personnel, and supporting long-term recovery efforts. Effective emergency management is indispensable for a successful response effort. Managers coordinate incident command staff and resource requests, advise responders as to situational awareness, and establish recovery operations, all of which help keep our residents safe during an emergency.
The Skagit County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) provides emergency response and support to not only the unincorporated areas, but also the cities and towns within our jurisdiction. Disasters cause widespread disruption, leading to the potential loss of life, environmental damage, and social and economic impacts that often exceed an individual jurisdiction’s capacity to respond. Skagit County emergency managers help ensure communities are resilient and capable of handling such crises through meticulous planning, coordination, and public education. Their efforts are essential in mitigating the impacts of disasters and facilitating a swift and effective recovery.
In addition to being part of the response team for emergencies, Skagit County DEM uses grants to plan for mitigation and resiliency efforts, making our communities more prepared for the next disaster. Using a $1 million community development block grant, Skagit County is currently constructing upgrades to the Concrete Community Center to improve HVAC and heat systems, install a new emergency generator, and expand the existing kitchen. These improvements will ensure the community center is prepared for usage as an emergency shelter during floods, extreme cold and hot weather events, or other disasters. Skagit DEM additionally uses Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) dollars to recover from recent disasters and prepare for the next emergency. For example, Skagit County has used FEMA dollars to repair roads and other infrastructure damaged during floods and to help local property owners with flood resiliency improvements.
The Skagit County Commissioners are dedicated to providing comprehensive and thorough support to our community during times of crisis and disasters. Part of the Skagit County strategic plan is to provide for a sustainable and resilient county government, which is defined by a government able to respond to and recover from any type of disaster or event, including health related pandemics and natural disasters such as flood or fire. Skagit County provides training to staff to support emergency response efforts and plans for continuity of operations to ensure we can provide essential services and support during the most challenging times.
Learn more about the Skagit County Department of Emergency Management on our website and sign up for emergency alerts via CodeRed to help be prepared and aware of any emergencies near you.
