Emergency Management

Jennifer Adams
Emergency Services Specialist

Email:  ema@charlescounty.org

The Emergency Management Division is responsible to develop, coordinate and promote a comprehensive emergency management program incorporating planning, preparedness, response, and recovery activities relative to emergencies or disasters whether natural or man-made including:

• Public education and information
• Promotion of mitigation activities
• Liaison and collaboration with local, state and federal governmental agencies, for profit and nonprofit public and private institutions and volunteer organizations, as well as, activities related to the establishment of a comprehensive emergency management program.
• Develop and maintain the County’s emergency operations plan which provides a framework for the coordination of emergency response activities across a broad spectrum of disciplines and agencies.

The Emergency Management Division is also responsible for the applications regarding budgeting, programming, requisitions, purchase orders, and reporting of grants pertaining to Emergency Management.

Please see Grants Awarded to the County by fiscal year.

Cooling Centers Available During Summer Months

As the summer heat begins, it is important to stay cool and hydrated. When the National Weather issues a Heat Advisory, Excessive Heat Watch, Excessive Heat Warning, or Air Quality Alert of Orange or greater, the following public buildings are open during regular business hours for use by residents:

Capital Clubhouse (Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.)

3033 Waldorf Market Place, Waldorf

Richard R. Clark Senior Center (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

1210 Charles Street, La Plata

Nanjemoy Community Center (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)

4375 Port Tobacco Road, Nanjemoy    

Charles County Public Libraries

 (All branches:  Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m; Friday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.)

La Plata Branch, 2 Garrett Avenue, La Plata

P.D. Brown Memorial Branch, 50 Village Street, Waldorf

Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swan Drive, Indian Head

Waldorf West Library, 10405 O'Donnell Place, Waldorf   

Outdoor Pools (Monday through Friday, Noon – 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon– 6 p.m.)

La Plata High School, 6035 Radio Station Road, La Plata

Thomas Stone High School, 3785 Leonardtown Road, Waldorf

McDonough High School, 7165 Marshall Corner Road, Pomfret

Indoor Pools

Monday through Sunday, noon- 5 p.m.

Donald M. Wade Aquatic Center at St. Charles High School, 5305 Piney Church Road, Waldorf

North Point High School, 2500 Davis Road, Waldorf

Monday through Friday, Noon – 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon– 5 p.m.

Lackey High School, 3000 Chicamuxen Rd, Indian Head

To avoid heat-related issues, take additional precautions if you work or spend time outside during extreme heat. Wear light weight and loose fitting clothing when possible and drink plenty of water.

Residents should call 9-1-1 in the event of any emergency, heat-related, or otherwise.  For additional preparedness information, visit: 

Preparedness tips for extreme heat: www.ready.gov/heat or www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml

Heat safety resources: www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/ww.shtml

Air Quality Safety information: www.nws.noaa.gov/airquality/

Heat illness information: health.maryland.gov/extremeheat/facts/Pages/home.aspx