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Washington Emergency Management Division

The Washington Military Department's Emergency Management Division manages the State Emergency Operations Center located on Camp Murray, near Tacoma, and coordinates the response to ensure help is provided to those who need it quickly and effectively. The EOC is designated as the central location for information gathering, disaster analysis, and response coordination. Other state agencies with emergency roles may come to the EOC to help coordinate the state response. Federal government agencies, along with state and local volunteer organizations, also may provide representatives. At the EOC, information gathered is used by executives to make decisions concerning emergency actions and to identify and prioritize the use of state resources needed to respond to the emergency. The EOC may issue emergency warnings or disseminate critical information and instructions to government personnel and the public who may need to take emergency protective actions. The agency's mission is the following, "The Washington Emergency Management Division leads and coordinates mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery in Washington State to minimize the impact of disasters and emergencies on the people, property, environment and economy."