Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has announced a new name for the county’s emergency management department. The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will now be called the Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security (EMRS). The change was approved by the Cook County Board of Commissioners last week.
President Preckwinkle said, “This department has worked tirelessly over the last decade to ensure our residents’ safety and security. We listened to our residents’ concerns and took action. Cook County government is here to represent and serve all who live and visit our community – it’s my hope that today’s action reflects that.”
William Barnes, executive director of EMRS, commented on the change: “While our name has changed, the important work we do remains the same. This new name accurately reflects the department’s core mission as an emergency management agency and also reinforces our role in ensuring security within our municipalities and surrounding communities. All of the department’s efforts are aimed at best equipping Cook County for any incident, whether natural or human-caused.”
Under President Preckwinkle’s leadership, EMRS has provided training for thousands of first responders, supported cybersecurity projects across Cook County, and supplied resources to many local municipalities during emergencies caused by both natural events and human actions. The department has also worked with more than two dozen police departments on a law enforcement Narcan initiative and developed a crisis leadership curriculum for local governments.
The agency completed what it says is the largest hazard mitigation plan in the United States, which allows Cook County and its municipalities access to federal grant money for disaster recovery.
The department will now use the official Cook County seal as its logo. Its website can be found at www.cookcountyemergencymanagement.org, with updates available via Twitter at @CookCountyEMRS.
