The purpose of the Emergency Management Department is to assist the citizens and local agencies and first responders as they prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters as well as man-made disaster or emergencies such as fuel spills and gas leaks. Perhaps the most important aspect of the EM Department is mitigation of the effects of these disasters.

But the most common function of Emergency Management is assisting in searches for lost or missing persons, which are typically the result of folks going into an unfamiliar situation unprepared.

Every Yancey County resident is encouraged to register with the Smart 911 system. Smart 911 link is used to notify citizens in the event of an emergency or pass along vital public health or safety information and instructions

Click theSmart 911 logo to register for updates.

What Do We Do

• development of the County’s plans for large-scale emergencies and disasters
• educate individuals, families, businesses and community groups on emergency preparedness
• conduct training and exercises to evaluate the effectiveness of plans and policies
• collect analyze, and disseminate incident information
• coordinate and support responses to and recovery from emergencies
• obtain funding in support of preparedness and mitigation for the county

Things To Know

Natural Disasters

Have an emergency kit ready at all times. At a minimum, your kit should consist of:

- 3-7 days of food & water for each person in the house
- Battery powered radio
- Flashlight
- Personal hygiene items (especially for children and babies)
- Ability to charge your mobile phone
- Prescribed medications
- First Aid Kit

 HAZMAT Incidents 

- Fuel spills of more than 5 gal must be contained or absorbed with special materials – Call 911
-  If you smell gas, if possible turn off the gas at the source ONLY IF IT IS SAFE TO DO SO – Call 911

Hiking

- Don’t over estimate your abilities. Mountains are unforgiving
- Tell someone EXACTLY where you are going and when you will be back. “I’m going hiking on Mt Mitchell” is not exact. “I will be parking in the Mt Mitchell Parking lot and taking the Black Mtn Crest trail. I plan to hike to Deep Gap and come back to the car no later than 6 pm” is exact.
- STAY ON MARKED TRAILS
- Take a map
- Take plenty of water and high energy foods
- Cotton kills. Dress in layers, even in the summer
- Put your mobile phone in power saving mode and limit its use
- Bears don’t like you