Emergency Management & Communications

Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) oversees a number of functions that support public safety and provides assistance to residents 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The OEMC manages the following operational areas for the city: 9-1-1 call taking and dispatch; the 3-1-1 call center; emergency management; and traffic management. The OEMC coordinates with departments citywide, including the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Fire Department, in addition to various other local, state, and federal agencies as it relates to public safety planning and coordination for everything from large-scale special events to public safety emergencies and disasters.

Featured Services and Programs

9-1-1 Operations: The OEMC’s 9-1-1 Operations handles all emergency calls for the City of Chicago. The 9-1-1 Center is responsible for dispatching all police, fire, and emergency medical services for the city.
3-1-1 City Services: The OEMC handles not only emergency calls for the city, but also non-emergency calls via its 3-1-1 City Services call center. The OEMC’s 3-1-1 is the point of entry for residents, business owners, and visitors requesting non-emergency city services such as street light outages, pot holes in the street, graffiti complaints, or general information requests about Chicago.
Emergency Management: Whether it's the various parades that take place throughout the year, or premier events, such as the Chicago Marathon, Lollapalooza, or the Mag Mile Lights Festival, the OEMC is the City of Chicago’s lead coordinating agency during emergency situations, weather-related incidents, and major events. The OEMC proactively plans for all hazards and all types of emergency operations, including contingency planning for special events and severe weather. The OEMC plays a central role in hosting planning and coordination meetings, as well as developing multi-agency operational plans, for large-scale events and incidents throughout the city. Additionally, the OEMC hosts, conducts, and attends workshops, functional courses, and full-scale exercises for local, state, and regional partners in both the public and private sectors.
Traffic Management Authority (TMA): TMA is committed to ensuring the safe and effective movement of traffic throughout Chicago, during special events, as well as normal operations in high-traffic areas of the City. The OEMC provides traffic control aides for the various construction projects and special events throughout the City, such as baseball games, concerts, festivals, races, and other events.
Public Alerts and Outreach: The OEMC is responsible for providing the residents and visitors of Chicago with the information they need to keep their families and communities safe. The OEMC disseminates preparedness messages through radio and print campaigns, press conferences and releases, social media, and community engagement throughout Chicago, in addition to Notify Chicago, OEMC’s public messaging notification system.