Since its founding, the primary mission of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) has been to protect life and property in the event of a disaster or crises situation, through a program of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Guided by these four principles, RIEMA has made great strides in its effort to improve emergency preparedness in the state of Rhode Island. The Rhode Island EMA remains dedicated to finding additional ways to prepare and protect our citizens in the years ahead.

Mission Statement

The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) is the coordinating agency for multi-jurisdiction and multi-agency response in the State of Rhode Island for all emergencies including natural and technological hazards such as fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, chemical releases, weapons of mass destruction and terrorism incidents. In its service to the state, the Agency:

• Develops, reviews and enhances the State's disaster preparedness and recovery plans for "All Hazards"
• Distributes and coordinates those plans on a State-wide basis
• Operates, maintains and enhances the State's Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
• Operates, maintains and enhances the State's Mobile Command Center.
• Manages and coordinates state-wide response to and recovery from natural, technological, and terrorism disasters.
• Is the State’s Liaison to the Department of Homeland Security.
• Coordinates the State's disaster response/recovery needs with Federal agencies.
• Serves as a coordination point for federal disaster relief programs
• Plans, conducts and critiques exercises that test and improve preparedness
• Develops, distributes and provides instruction on guidelines for citizen, business and industrial disaster planning.

The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency assists and supports the State in reducing loss of life and property from all hazards, providing for the safety and security of the State of Rhode Island.

We are the official coordinating agency of the State of Rhode Island for the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in times of state, national, multi-jurisdiction and multi-agency emergencies/disasters. The State's disaster preparedness plans are constantly being reviewed. RIEMA’s mission is to coordinate the government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror, in the state.

Although the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency provides for disaster response and recovery for the entire State, local governments, including individual cities and municipalities, and fire/law enforcement districts must develop their own Emergency Disaster Plans in concert with the State and Federal Response Plans.

Emergency planning, preparation, response, operation, and recovery in the State of Rhode Island  is a collaborative multi-jurisdiction and multi-agency effort, including transportation, emergency medical services, law enforcement, fire services, engineers, the private sector, the National Guard, and Coast Guard, to name a few.