The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), a division of the Department of Public Safety, is the state of Missouri’s coordinating agency for disaster planning, response and recovery. SEMA works with other state departments and agencies, local governments, the federal government and volunteer and faith-based organizations to ensure coordinated and efficient management during large scale emergencies and disasters. When the Governor declares a state of emergency in Missouri, SEMA operates the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) to lead the disaster response effort. SEMA comprises four divisions—Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Fiscal. To learn more about a particular division click one of the links below:

James Remillard, SEMA Director

In addition to leading the State Emergency Management Agency, the SEMA director coordinates action with other state agencies on state legislation related to emergency preparedness, earthquake issues and floodplain management, and monitors federal legislation. The director acts as liaison to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies.