The Response Bureau maintains a 24-hour Duty Officer Program that serves as the initial point of contact for incident reporting, notifications, and requests for assistance. Based on incident size, complexity, or potential statewide impacts, the Response Bureau may increase monitoring activities or activate the State Emergency Coordination Center (SECC) at Fort Harrison to support coordination, information sharing, and resource management.
The SECC is Montana’s primary state-level coordination center for supporting local, tribal, and state response. When activated, the SECC helps collect, analyze, and share situational awareness; coordinates requests for assistance and resource support; and supports a common operating picture for state leaders, partner agencies, and stakeholders across Montana. The SECC operates under a NIMS-aligned Incident Support Model focused on coordination, information management, and decision support rather than field command.
Other responsibilities of the Response Bureau include:
- Maintaining day-to-day situational awareness on incidents that may significantly affect Montana, including severe weather, wildfire, and other emerging threats.
- Coordinating National Guard assistance for civil emergencies and disasters.
- Preparing draft emergency or disaster documents for review by the Office of the Governor.
- Supporting the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) and mobilization of Regional Hazmat Teams.
- Coordinating all-hazard incident management support.
- Managing resource mobilization and disaster warehouse support.
- Coordinating EMAC requests with other states and U.S. territories.
Response Programs
The State Emergency Coordination Center (SECC) is Montana’s primary state-level coordination center for supporting local, tribal, and state response to incidents, emergencies, and disasters that exceed local capability. When activated, the SECC helps collect, analyze, and share statewide situational awareness; coordinates requests for assistance and resource support; and connects jurisdictions with state, interstate, federal, private-sector, and voluntary agency partners as needed.
The SECC operates using a NIMS-aligned Incident Support Model designed for coordination, information management, and decision support rather than field command. Its structure can expand or adapt based on the size, complexity, and needs of the incident, but its central purpose remains the same: support incident stabilization, help meet unmet needs, and maintain a common operating picture for leaders and partners across Montana.
Contacts:
| SECC Supervisor, Tam Kolar | Tkolar@mt.gov | (406) 417-9240 |
| SECC Coordinator, Michael Mooney | Michael.Mooney@mt.gov | (406) 417-9351 |
| SECC Coordinator, Justin Webster | Justin.Webster@mt.gov | (406) 417-9352 |
| Warehouse Coordinator, Doug Raymer | Douglas.Raymer@mt.gov | (406) 202-3437 |
District Field Officers, or “DFOs,” are emergency management specialists serving as the agency’s liaisons to local jurisdictions. They are knowledgeable about all phases of emergency management: preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response, and recovery, and they come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.
Emergency Management Assistance Compact
EMAC is the nation’s all hazard national mutual aid system ratified by U.S. Congress (PL 104-321) and is law in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands. EMAC is codified in Montana Coded Annotated 10-3-1001, 10-3-1002, and 10-3-1003. Through EMAC, states can share resources from all disciplines, protect personnel who deploy, and be reimbursed for mission related costs. The nation’s most efficient, scalable and flexible mutual aid system is implemented in Montana by Disaster and Emergency Services on behalf of the Governor. This provides a consistent and coordinated response across the nation. EMAC offers assistance during governor-declared states of emergency or disaster through a responsive, straightforward system that allows states to send personnel, equipment, and commodities to assist with response and recovery efforts in other states.
The strength of EMAC and the quality that distinguishes it from other plans and compacts lie in its governance structure; its relationship with federal agencies, national organizations, states, counties, territories, and regions; the willingness of state and response and recovery personnel to deploy; and the ability to move any resource one state wishes to utilize to assist another state.
Intrastate Mutual Aid System
In Montana, emergencies and disasters are managed at the lowest jurisdictional level possible. And yet, few jurisdictions have all of the resources they need to manage larger scale emergencies and disasters. To help support these jurisdictions when they get overwhelmed, Montana has codified the Intrastate Mutual Aid System (MT IMAS). The IMAS allows political subdivisions to maintain maximum flexibility to protect life and property through previously developed local mutual aid agreements or, in the absence of local agreements, under the IMAS code (MCA 10-3-9).
IMAS also gives the Division of Montana Disaster & Emergency Services responsibility for establishing all-hazard incident management assistance teams and for appointing the members of the Montana Intrastate Mutual Aid Committee or “IMAC”.
The IMAC is responsible for:
- reviewing the progress and status of intrastate mutual aid;
- assisting in developing methods to track and evaluate activation of the system;
- examining issues facing member jurisdictions in the implementation of intrastate mutual aid;
- developing, adopting, and disseminating comprehensive guidelines and procedures that address the following:
- projected or anticipated costs of establishing and maintaining the system;
- checklists for requesting and providing intrastate mutual aid assistance;
- recordkeeping for all member jurisdictions; and
- procedures for reimbursing the actual and legitimate expenses of a member jurisdiction that responds to a request for aid or assistance through the system; and
- adopting any other guidelines or procedures considered necessary by the committee to implement an effective and efficient system.
The State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) members are appointed by the governor. The eight-member commission advises the Governor on emergency response and preparedness issues relevant to administering state and federal requirements. The SERC may select members, or other subject matter experts to serve on committees and subcommittees set up by the commission. To learn more, click here.
Montana State Hazardous Materials Incident Response Teams
Local Assets – State Resources
The State of Montana has six (6) Regional Hazardous Materials teams.
The teams are made up of local fire department resources located in the following cities:
• Billings
• Bozeman
• Helena
• Great Falls,
• Kalispell
• Missoula
When needed, these local resources can be mobilized as State Teams to assist any State, Tribal, or local agency or jurisdiction needing hazmat technical assistance.
The teams work under the authority of the local Incident Commander, and Incident Command System (ICS) organization. They do not “take over” at local incidents.
Expertise and Equipment
All teams are staffed with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Certified Hazardous Material Technicians who are available by phone 24/7, 365 days a year.
Additionally, they have an arsenal of specialized equipment including vehicles, trailers, testing equipment, personal protection equipment (PPE), and drones.
How to Request Assistance
HazMat Teams can be requested as a local resource; however, there is a process, and information will be needed when requesting assistance. For detailed information, download the complete Montana State Hazardous Materials Incident Response Teams brochure here.
To request HazMat Team assistance, contact the Montana DES Duty Officer at 406-431-0411.
Montana Disaster and Emergency Services is proud to support the Montana National Guard’s relationship-building initiative under the State Partnership Program (SPP). MT DES staff and leadership have provided emergency response subject matter expertise to our partner countries both in Montana and abroad. Click here to learn more.
There is an account in the state special revenue fund established in 17-2-102. The account must be administered by the Disaster and Emergency Services Division of the Department of Military Affairs exclusively for the purposes of search and rescue as provided in this section.
The funds are used by Disaster and Emergency Services to defray the costs of local search and rescue units for search and rescue missions conducted through a county sheriff's office at a maximum of $12,000 for each rescue mission, regardless of the number of counties or county search and rescue organizations involved. The remaining money in the account may be used by Disaster and Emergency Services Division for reimbursement of expenses related to the training of search and rescue volunteers, and to match local funds for the purchase of equipment for use by local search and rescue units at a maximum of $12,000 for each unit in a calendar year. The cost-sharing match must be 35% local funds to 65% from the account.”
As of July 1, 2023, all reimbursement requests must be submitted via the online form.
For questions on reimbursement requests or submission forms, please contact:
Nanette Gilbertson
MT Sheriffs and Peace Officers Assn.
nanette@smithandmcgowan.com
O: 406-443-1570
C: 406-459-9892
Search and Rescue Reimbursement Submission Forms & Resources
Mission Reimbursement - Online Submission Form
Equipment Reimbursement - Online Submission Form
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers to provide the communications capability to the President to address the American public during a national emergency. The system also may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas.
The FCC, in conjunction with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service (NWS), implements the EAS at the federal level. The President has sole responsibility for determining when the EAS will be activated at the national level, and has delegated this authority to the director of FEMA. FEMA is responsible for implementation of the national-level activation of the EAS, tests, and exercises. The NWS develops emergency weather information to alert the public about imminent dangerous weather conditions.
The FCC's role includes prescribing rules that establish technical standards for the EAS, procedures for EAS participants to follow in the event The EAS is activated, and EAS testing protocols. Additionally, the FCC ensures that the EAS state and local plans developed by industry conform to FCC EAS rules and regulations.
