Ohio Emergency Management Agency

What Ohio Emergency Management Agency does

Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) is the State of Ohio's central coordination authority for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, operating under Chapter 5502 of the Ohio Revised Code within the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The agency is led by Executive Director Sima S. Merick and serves all 88 Ohio counties through 12 specialized branches covering disaster recovery, fiscal management, logistics, mitigation, preparedness grants, public affairs, radiological emergency response, regional operations, the State Emergency Operations Center and Planning, technical communications, training and exercises, and a 24/7 Watch Office. Ohio EMA coordinates across federal partners (FEMA, DHS), state agencies, the American Red Cross, and Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) to administer disaster assistance programs, deliver free training and certification, run the Safe Room Rebate Program (up to $4,875 per qualifying household), and maintain radiological emergency preparedness for five nuclear facilities in or adjacent to Ohio.

Ohio EMA's technology platform is built on IBM WebSphere Portal under the InnovateOhio umbrella, supplemented by the Ohio Learn learning management system for training delivery, WebEOC for emergency operations management, an ArcGIS-based Survey 123 mobile application for damage assessment, and Ohio Sentry — a real-time situational awareness suite. The agency is EMAP-accredited for the 2025-2030 cycle and administers federal pass-through grant programs including FEMA Public Assistance (minimum 75% federal share) and FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance, alongside state-only programs such as the State Individual Assistance Program and State Disaster Relief Program. Funding is sourced from Ohio legislative appropriations and federal grants; all training is provided at no cost to eligible recipients.

The agency's go-to-market is direct delivery to county EMAs and local governments from its Columbus headquarters, complemented by social media outreach (Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram), a speakers bureau, an annual Fall Conference (2026 scheduled for September 29-30), and the Integrated Preparedness Planning Workshop. Services are free, statutory, and not subject to commercial market dynamics; the agency's "customers" are functionally governmental units and Ohio citizens. Recent strategic activity has centered on the June 2026 Jefferson County Emergency Communication Pilot Program, sustained seasonal public-safety campaigns (extreme heat, lightning, severe weather), and continued expansion of free training pathways via partnerships with the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium and FEMA Emergency Management Institute.

Name

Ohio Emergency Management Agency

Legal name

Ohio Emergency Management Agency

Website

https://ema.ohio.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ohio Emergency Management Agency is the State of Ohio's statutory coordinator for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, serving all 88 counties and administering federal and state disaster assistance, free training, radiological emergency planning, and grant programs from its Columbus headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Emergency Management Services

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Management & Disaster Response (EOC, Civil Defense) (BPAIAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disaster Response Coordination & Incident Command (EOC/ICS) (HLAJAGAB), Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Setup & Management (BPABANAC)

Keywords

• Emergency management services
• Disaster response coordination
• Hazard mitigation planning
• Emergency preparedness training
• Public assistance grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. State Government Funding: Ohio EMA operates as a state government agency under the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The agency is funded through state appropriations and federal grants from FEMA and other federal homeland security programs. Services are provided free of charge to eligible recipients including local governments, emergency responders, and citizens.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) is the state's central coordination point for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities across all 88 Ohio counties. The agency administers federal and state disaster assistance programs, delivers free training and certification programs for emergency management professionals, manages hazard mitigation projects, and operates the State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate multi-agency disaster response.

Product overview

Ohio Emergency Management Agency operates a multi-module emergency management platform consisting of the core coordination system and specialized branches. The core platform (Ohio EMA) coordinates disaster response, recovery, mitigation, and preparedness across Ohio. Supporting modules include the Disaster Recovery Branch (administering FEMA Public Assistance and State Disaster Relief), the State Individual Assistance Program, Ohio Safe Room Rebate Program, Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Plan, and the Utility Radiological Safety Board. Training capabilities are delivered through WebEOC, Survey 123 damage assessment tools, the Certified Instructor Program, and Tabletop Exercise Toolkits. Ohio Sentry provides real-time monitoring applications. The agency also supports Long-Term Recovery Committees through specialized toolkits. Ohio EMA is accredited through the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) for 2025-2030.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Core Coordination Platform) The state's central coordination platform for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities across all 88 Ohio counties. Coordinates with local, state, and federal agencies to bring disaster recovery resources and support to Ohioans.
• Disaster Recovery Branch Services Provides training, guidance, and technical assistance regarding supplemental disaster assistance programs including FEMA Public Assistance, FEMA Individuals and Households Program, State Individual Assistance, and State Disaster Relief Program for local governments and eligible non-profits.
• Public Assistance Program Administers FEMA Public Assistance Grant Program and State Disaster Relief Program to assist local governments, state agencies, and eligible private non-profit organizations with disaster recovery costs including debris removal, emergency protective measures, and repair/replacement of public facilities.
• State Individual Assistance Program Provides grants for disaster-related unmet needs to individuals and families with uninsured essential private property damages or losses following SBA-only disaster declarations in Ohio.
• Ohio Safe Room Rebate Program Provides rebates of up to 75% (maximum $4,875) for eligible Ohio homeowners for the purchase and installation of FEMA-compliant safe rooms. Funded through FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants and requires Safe Room Briefing attendance.
• Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Plan State plan defining Ohio's roles, responsibilities, and resources for protecting citizens and property in the event of a nuclear power plant emergency. Covers the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone for multiple nuclear facilities including Davis-Besse, Perry, Beaver Valley, and Fermi 2.
• Certified Instructor Program Ohio EMA's policy for certifying instructors throughout the state, encouraging qualified individuals to become vetted emergency management instructors for training delivery.
• Ohio Sentry Real-Time Monitoring Platform A collection of real-time monitoring tools and featured applications for hazard monitoring and emergency response situational awareness across Ohio.
• WebEOC Emergency Operations Management Ohio EMA maintains and administers WebEOC, an emergency management software platform, and hosts training for both state and local users on the system.
• Survey 123 Damage Assessment Application ArcGIS-based mobile application used by county EMAs to report Individual Assistance damage assessments to the State Emergency Operations Center.
• Tabletop Exercise Toolkits Provides all materials, information, and resources needed to plan and host effective tabletop exercises for emergency preparedness testing by local agencies.
• Long-Term Recovery Committee (LTRC) Toolkit Guidance for organizing and sustaining successful local Long-Term Recovery Committees, including information on standing up Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs) for community disaster recovery.

Quantifiable outcome

• EMAP accredited for 2025-2030 cycle, demonstrating compliance with 64 national emergency management standards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of Homeland SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal parent agency providing national emergency management policy, guidance, and funding. Ohio EMA works under DHS frameworks including Ready.gov public preparedness campaigns.
• Federal Emergency Management AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal partner for disaster response and recovery. FEMA provides Public Assistance grants (minimum 75% federal share), Individual Assistance programs, and Hazard Mitigation funding to Ohio.
• American Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational disaster relief organization providing shelter, emergency relief supplies, and recovery assistance to disaster-affected individuals and families in Ohio.
• Ohio Homeland SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState homeland security office coordinating cross-agency security efforts. Ohio EMA collaborates on radiological emergency preparedness and emergency communications.
• ServeOhiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState service commission connecting volunteers with community service opportunities, including disaster response and recovery volunteer coordination.
• State Emergency Response Commission (SERC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio EMA serves as a member of SERC, which is comprised of nine state agencies and oversees Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) in each county for hazardous materials emergency planning under EPCRA.
• Ohio Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember agency of the Utility Radiological Safety Board. Collaborates on radiological emergency response planning and health services during emergencies.
• Ohio Environmental Protection AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember agency of URSB and SERC. Provides environmental protection expertise during radiological emergencies and hazardous materials incidents.
• Public Utilities Commission of OhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember agency of URSB and SERC. Regulates utilities including those involved in nuclear power generation and emergency planning zones.
• Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level committees appointed by SERC including representatives from elected officials, law enforcement, firefighting, emergency management, health, transportation, media, and facility owners for hazardous materials emergency planning.
• National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal training consortium providing no-cost certificate programs for emergency managers and first responders on domestic preparedness topics.
• FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal training institution providing free emergency management courses and certifications available through Ohio Learn system.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES): New York DHSES is the state emergency management agency, comparable to Ohio EMA in coordinating disaster response, administering grants, and conducting training programs across all counties in the state.
• Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM): TDEM is Texas's state emergency management agency with mission and structure nearly identical to Ohio EMA. Both coordinate with FEMA, manage state EOCs, administer public assistance and hazard mitigation programs, and train first responders.
• California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES): Cal OES is California's state-level emergency management agency, directly comparable to Ohio EMA. Both agencies coordinate disaster response and recovery across their respective states, administer FEMA grants, conduct training, and maintain state emergency operations centers.
• Indiana Department of Homeland Security: Indiana's state homeland security and emergency management agency is a regional peer to Ohio EMA, sharing similar geographic and disaster-risk profiles, administering FEMA grants, and coordinating county-level emergency management.
• Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA): PEMA is Pennsylvania's state emergency management agency and a direct peer to Ohio EMA. Both serve as state-level coordinators for disaster response, administer FEMA Public Assistance grants, and manage radiological emergency preparedness for nuclear facilities in their respective states.
• Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM): FDEM is Florida's state emergency management agency, directly comparable to Ohio EMA in coordinating disaster response, recovery, and mitigation across counties, administering FEMA grant programs, and managing state EOC operations.
• Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division: Michigan's state emergency management division is a direct peer to Ohio EMA, with shared responsibility for Fermi 2 nuclear power plant planning zone and similar coordination with FEMA, county EMAs, and first responders.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA is the federal-level emergency management agency that provides funding, policy guidance, and program oversight to Ohio EMA. While Ohio EMA operates federally under FEMA frameworks, FEMA is a broader national player rather than a direct competitor.

Others

• National Emergency Management Association (NEMA): NEMA is the national association supporting state emergency management directors and agencies. Ohio EMA's executive director previously served as NEMA President, making the organization a direct peer/ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.
• Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP): EMAP is the accrediting body for state, local, and tribal emergency management programs. Ohio EMA achieved EMAP accreditation for 2025-2030, making EMAP an enabling partner/certifier rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Ohio_EMA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/OhioPublicSafety
• Facebookfacebook.com/OhioEMA
• Instagraminstagram.com/OhioDPS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-emergency-management-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Ohio Emergency Management Agency