Cherokee County Emergency Management

What Cherokee County Emergency Management does

Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency (Cherokee County EMA) is a county government agency headquartered at 150 Chattin Drive in Canton, Georgia, operating as a division of the Cherokee County Public Services Agency under the Cherokee Marshal's Office. Its mission is to provide comprehensive emergency preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery services to the residents of Cherokee County. The agency serves a single constituency — county citizens — funded through Cherokee County public tax revenues, with services provided at no direct cost.

The agency's core operational infrastructure consists of a state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center (EOC) employing a four-tier activation system (Levels 1-4, from Full Activation to Normal Operations) for multi-jurisdictional coordination during emergencies. Supporting capabilities include a network of 58 outdoor warning sirens (activated for tornado warnings, spotted tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms with winds exceeding 80 MPH and tested monthly), the RAVE/Smart911 citizen notification system, and an Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteer group providing backup communications. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program delivers approximately 20 hours of basic training to citizen volunteers. The agency maintains a Local Emergency Operations Plan (updated at least every four years), a Hazard Mitigation Plan, National Flood Insurance Program coordination, and a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) response program coordinated with the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

The agency's go-to-market model is community-led: it engages citizens through its official website (cherokeega-ema.org), Facebook, Twitter/X, local radio, and RAVE/Smart911 alerts. Key partnerships span FEMA, GEMA, the National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, American Red Cross, Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), Cherokee County Fire Department, Sheriff, E-911, and Cherokee County Water Authority. Leadership comprises Director Daniel Westbrook, Deputy Director Rebecah Logan, Specialist Courtney Bourgouin, and CERT Program Manager Courtney Brown. The agency has no external investors, subsidiaries, or commercial revenue streams.

Name

Cherokee County Emergency Management

Legal name

Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency

Website

https://cherokeega-ema.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency is a tax-funded county government division in Canton, Georgia, delivering emergency preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery services to Cherokee County residents via its EOC, CERT volunteer training, outdoor warning sirens, and ARES communications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Management Services

NAICS

Fire Protection (92216), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Fire Protection (922160), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Safety Administration (Fire/EMS, Emergency Management) (BPAIACAL)

Keywords

• Emergency management services
• Disaster preparedness planning
• Emergency operations coordination
• Community emergency response training
• Public safety alerting

Headquarters

HQ city

Canton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a division of Cherokee County Public Services Agency and Cherokee Marshal's Office, the agency is funded through public tax revenues and government budgets allocated for emergency management services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency delivers countywide emergency preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery services for the residents of Cherokee County, Georgia. Its core offerings include operating a multi-jurisdictional Emergency Operations Center, maintaining a 58-site outdoor warning siren network, providing CERT volunteer training, running RAVE/Smart911 citizen alerts, coordinating ARES amateur radio communications, and administering the Local Emergency Operations Plan and Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Product overview

Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency provides a comprehensive emergency management program encompassing preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery services for Cherokee County, Georgia. The core offerings include the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for multi-agency coordination during emergencies, the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program for citizen volunteers, the Outdoor Warning Siren system for public alerts, and the RAVE/Smart911 citizen notification system. Supporting services include Amateur Radio (ARES) emergency communications, Local Emergency Operations Plan (LEOP) coordination, Hazard Mitigation Planning, and National Flood Insurance Program coordination. The agency is a division of the Cherokee County Public Services Agency and is headquartered at 150 Chattin Drive in Canton, GA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Operations Center (EOC) State-of-the-art multi-jurisdictional center in Canton, Georgia that coordinates information and requests for resources during all types of emergency situations for Cherokee County agencies and residents.
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program All-hazard volunteer training program teaching Cherokee County citizens to protect themselves, their families, and neighbors during emergencies until professional responders arrive.
• Outdoor Warning Siren Network Countywide network of 58 outdoor warning sirens activated during tornado warnings, spotted tornadoes, or severe thunderstorms with winds over 80 MPH to alert residents outdoors.
• RAVE/Smart911 Citizen Alert System Citizen registration system that delivers emergency notifications via phone, text, and email to Cherokee County residents during disasters affecting their area.
• Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Volunteer amateur radio group providing backup emergency communications support during disasters, with members participating in weekly net activations, training, public service events, and equipment maintenance.
• Local Emergency Operations Plan (LEOP) Comprehensive county plan detailing roles and responsibilities for local agencies before, during, and immediately after an emergency, updated at least every four years.
• Hazard Mitigation Plan Community plan that evaluates local hazards, identifies resources, and develops mitigation actions to eliminate or reduce future damage to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Coordination FEMA-partnered flood insurance coverage for events traditionally not covered under standard homeowner's insurance, available in over 430 Georgia communities including Cherokee County.
• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Response Program Coordinated response program addressing HPAI outbreaks affecting Georgia's poultry industry (worth $28 billion annually), including depopulation protocols and proper disposal procedures in coordination with poultry growers and the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Quantifiable outcome

• 58 outdoor warning siren sites providing coverage for outdoor alerting during severe weather
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Cherokee County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer amateur radio operators provide critical emergency communication capabilities during disasters. ARES members participate in training, weekly net activations testing radio and digital capabilities, public service events, and equipment/repeater maintenance.
• FEMAmajorOthersFederal Emergency Management Agency provides national emergency management guidance, the CERT program framework, National Flood Insurance Program administration, and disaster relief coordination.
• GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management Agency)majorOthersState-level emergency management agency providing coordination, resources, and Ready Georgia public preparedness campaigns for Georgia communities.
• National Weather ServicemajorOthersProvides weather forecasting, tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm warnings, hurricane advisories, and NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts essential for emergency alerting.
• Ready.govminorOthersFEMA's public preparedness campaign providing emergency planning resources, checklists, and education materials promoted through Cherokee County EMA website.
• American Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisaster relief organization providing shelter support, emergency supplies, blood services, and disaster recovery assistance coordinated through emergency management agencies.
• Georgia Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates agricultural emergency response including HPAI avian flu outbreaks, with oversight of proper disposal methods for depopulated poultry during disease outbreaks.
• National Hurricane CentermajorOthersProvides hurricane tracking, forecasts, and warnings essential for inland flooding and high wind preparedness in Cherokee County.
• Cherokee County Fire DepartmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFire services partner providing wildfire response information and emergency fire suppression support during disasters. Contact: 678-493-4000.
• Cherokee County SheriffcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw enforcement partner providing public safety coordination and emergency law enforcement support during disasters.
• Cherokee County E-911coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEmergency dispatch services coordinating police, fire, and EMS response for Cherokee County.
• Cherokee County Marshal's OfficecoreOthersCherokee County EMA is a division of the Cherokee Marshal's Office, providing administrative oversight and law enforcement coordination.
• Cherokee County Water AuthorityminorOthersProvides water conservation information and drought restriction guidance during water shortage emergencies.
• Safe Kids Cherokee CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild safety organization providing injury prevention education and resources for families during emergencies.
• Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization coordinating voluntary agencies providing disaster relief, recovery, and preparedness services across the country.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Forsyth County Emergency Management Agency: Neighboring north-metro Atlanta county EMA with a near-identical mandate, hazard profile, and reliance on GEMA/FEMA. Strong functional overlap in CERT, siren, and EOC operations.
• Cobb County Emergency Management Agency: Adjacent Georgia county emergency management agency running a similar EOC, CERT, and warning-siren program for a comparable suburban population. It is the most direct functional peer within the same state regulatory framework.
• Bartow County Emergency Management Agency: Northwest Georgia county EMA serving a similar mix of suburban and rural populations. Comparable CERT, EOC, and outdoor warning siren operations.
• Paulding County Emergency Management Agency: West-metro Atlanta county EMA with comparable population scale and hazard mix. Operates the same GEMA-aligned preparedness, response, and recovery functions.

Broad incumbents

• Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS): State-level agency that oversees, funds, and coordinates all Georgia county EMAs including Cherokee County's. Functions as the regulatory and funding umbrella rather than a direct competitor.
• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency): Federal counterpart that defines the CERT framework, administers the National Flood Insurance Program, and provides disaster relief that Cherokee County EMA taps into. Not a competitor but the federal anchor in the same emergency management system.

Others

• National Weather Service (Peachtree City / NWS): Primary forecast and alerting source for Cherokee County's EOC and siren activations. An upstream data/alert provider that shapes the agency's operational tempo, not a competitor.
• American Red Cross: National disaster relief organization that partners with Cherokee County EMA for shelter, supplies, and recovery. Comparable mission in community emergency response, though delivered through a nonprofit model rather than government.

Emerging players

• Everbridge (Critical Event Management software): Commercial provider of mass-notification and critical event management platforms used by many county and state EMAs. Adjacent technology peer whose software could replace or augment Cherokee County's RAVE/Smart911 and WebEOC stack.
• WebEOC (by ESi/Juvare): Vendor of the EOC information management platform Cherokee County already uses. Relevant as the upstream technology supplier and a comparable operational backbone used by peer EMAs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ema_CherokeeGA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CherokeeEMA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cherokee County Emergency Management