The Department of Emergency Services serves the community through public safety protection in the areas of fire protection, fire prevention, emergency medical response, beach safety, disaster response, disaster planning, public safety communications support and 9-1-1 technology support.

The department works closely with many first response agencies across the county in the shared mission of citizen safety.

The mission of Emergency Management is implemented through the Disaster Preparedness Program for:

This agency is charged with the development and maintenance of a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, the purpose of which is to:

•    reduce the vulnerability of people and communities of Sarasota County to loss of life, injury or damage and loss of property resulting from natural, technological or man-made emergencies such as acts of terrorism or major special events, catastrophes or hostile military or paramilitary action;
•    prepare for prompt and efficient response and recovery activities to protect lives and property affected by emergencies;
•    respond to emergencies using all systems, applicable laws, plans and resources necessary to preserve the health, safety and welfare of persons affected by the emergency;
•    recover from emergencies by providing for the rapid and orderly implementation of restoration and rehabilitation programs for persons and property affected by emergencies;
•    assist in anticipation, recognition, appraisal, prevention and mitigation of emergencies that may be caused or aggravated by inadequate planning for, and regulation of, public and private facilities and land use;
•    establish the concepts under which the County Government will operate in response to disasters through integration; define the responsibilities of elected and appointed local government officials and department heads.
•    define the emergency roles and functions of city and county departments and agencies;
•    provide local guidelines based upon the Rule of Law as it pertains to disaster response;
•    provide and coordinate appropriate and available mutual aid response to other disaster-impacted jurisdictions, if requested through the State Emergency Operations Center, in accordance with the Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement.