Emergency Management is charged with the coordination of 31 municipalities throughout the county and their local coordinators.

Workable Emergency Plans

 Each municipality must have a workable emergency plan on file with the State and with this office.These plans are reviewed by the County Coordinator. Emergency Management coordinates shelters and clean-up afterwards for such emergencies as:

  • Major fire
  • Tornado
  • Flood
  • Severe snow storm
  • Severe thunderstorm
  • Hazmat incident

We coordinate between fire, ambulance, police and State organizations to make sure things get back to normal as soon as possible and steps are taken to help prevent a re-occurrence of the same problem. 

Work With Other Agencies

Emergency Management works along with the local Red Cross, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Agency when major emergencies occur. We work with local plants, industries, and municipal government on act 165 SARA Law Compliance "The Right to Know Act". The entire performance of this office is one of "Safety First and Foremost" for the people and communities of Venango County.

Use 911 in any situation that requires help because a person's life or well being is threatened, property is endangered, or an illegal activity is in progress or for any situation where the police, fire or ambulance is needed.

When calling 911, try to remain calm. When the 911 operator answers, say, "I have an emergency" and speak clearly. Don't talk too fast. Remember to give the call-taker:

  • An address
  • A clear and simple description of the emergency
  • Where help is needed (street or road name, number, township, or borough)
  • Where you are, if a different location

Stay on the telephone and do not hang up unless the call-taker tells you to. Remember to answer all of the call-taker's questions and to stay near the phone if possible. Hang up the phone only after the call-taker advises you to do so.

In case of a fire, leave the building immediately! Call for help from another location.

Enhanced 911 is a system that automatically provides the call-taker with the caller's telephone number and address. The Cumberland County Communications Center has this capability.

However, it is necessary for them to still verify this information and for the caller to state what their emergency is.

No, the police are sent to check all 911 hang ups. These types of calls could keep officers from responding to a valid emergency. A prank call can prevent someone with a real emergency from getting through to a call-taker and receiving help.

When you dial 911, the following happens:

  1. You dial 911 for emergency help.
  2. Your 911 call goes to a TELCO computer, which identifies the telephone number from which you are calling.
  3. Your call is automatically relayed to the emergency agency serving the address of that telephone number.
  4. As your call is connected to the emergency agency, in a matter of seconds, a computerized database provides the dispatcher with name and address information about the number from which you are calling.
  5. The dispatcher determines your emergency needs and verifies the address of the emergency.
  6. The proper emergency services are sent to the scene.
Emergency management is the planning and coordination of all man-made, natural emergencies, and disaster activities. It is the action taken to eliminate or reduce the impact of a potential hazard and it is people working together in emergency response to a disaster and restoring things to normal conditions afterwards.
Disaster planning is the coordination of a unified response to a crisis to prevent or minimize threats when possible and to respond quickly and effectively when prevention is not possible.