Emergency Management

Current EOC Status

Level 3 Monitoring

Emergency Management

Emergency Management is the process of preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating the impacts of natural and manmade disasters and local emergencies. It involves organizing resources, coordinating activities, and implementing plans to protect lives, property, and the environment. The Division focuses on the fundamentals of life safety, hazard mitigation, property preservation and social restoration.

Emergency Management includes a whole community approach with the end goal of resiliency. Resiliency is the capacity of individuals, communities, businesses, institutions, and governments to adapt to changing conditions and to prepare for, withstand, and rapidly recover from disruptions to everyday life, such as hazard events.

The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, through an interlocal agreement with the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners, is the primary agency for emergency management activities within Citrus County. Florida, the All-Hazards state.

The Emergency Management Division builds a comprehensive preparedness program that focuses on five missions: prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. This Division is the lead coordinator of emergency and disaster response activities. The goal of these response activities is to preserve life, mitigate hazards, preserve property, and restore social functions. Emergency Management is key to preparing and protecting the community. In the event of an emergency, be sure to monitor the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office's Facebook, Twitter, or download our app (Android users)/(iPhone users) for live updates and safety recommendations.

The Emergency Management Division is responsible for the following health/safety programs and educational resources:

Citizen Information Line (CIL): We encourage people to only call 9-1-1 for real emergencies. If you need information about a current disaster or ongoing situation, please call 352-249-2775 (this phone line is only open during emergencies or disasters)

2024 Citrus County All-Hazards and Hurricane Disaster Planning Guide: This guide is updated annually and details what you can do to prepare and protect your family, home, or business from specific hazards and disasters. It also includes evacuation details such as maps, checklists, and shelter locations (including the Special Needs Shelter and the Pet-Friendly Shelter). You can view the current guide here or visit the Emergency Operations Center for a printed copy. To identify your evacuation zone, search your address in the Citrus County Geographic Information Systems.

AlertCitrus: Sign up online to receive phone, text, or email alerts related to severe weather or immediate dangers in your neighborhood.

Special Needs Registry: In the event of a recommended or mandatory evacuation, this voluntary program provides transportation, evacuation assistance, and sheltering to residents who do not have the means to evacuate on their own or for those requiring health or medical considerations to the Special Needs Shelter. To join this registry, sign up online.

Alert Messaging Program (AMP): If you have a business, not-for-profit, or faith-based organization that utilizes a digital media board, you can help the Emergency Management Division amplify its messages to the community. This program sends an email or text message with an important broadcast from Emergency Management that you can then copy and paste into your digital messaging system. To join this program, complete this application.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT): The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is a nationally supported, locally implemented initiative that teaches people how to better prepare themselves for hazards that may affect their communities. Local CERT programs, like the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, train citizens to assist their families, neighbors, co-workers, and other community members during emergencies when professional responders may not be immediately available to provide assistance. CERT is a partner organization with Volunteer Florida.

CERT Application and Release Form Click Here to View the brochure.

After completing the FREE training, residents may choose to join the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office as an official CERT volunteer. Sheriff’s CERT volunteers may be deployed within the community to perform basic response activities to disasters or emergencies, including checking neighbors, distributing information to the public, supporting the emergency operations center, helping to manage traffic, and providing basic first aid resources at special events.

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES): This program is part of the National Association for Amateur Radio in the U.S. and consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment with their local ARES leadership for public service communications when disaster strikes. Volunteers may provide communications at emergency shelters, report severe weather conditions, or pass along important information at a local, state, or global level. To apply for ARES, complete this application.

Damaging Reporting & Request for Assistance:

Damage reporting allows Emergency Management to perform accurate and timely assessments on the ground within Citrus County. If you have been impacted by an event, please let us know.

If you are in need of general assistance at any time, whether as the result of a natural disaster or other, please complete the form, and we can refer you to a resource. Click here to complete form.

Weather Stations
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management maintains weather stations strategically placed to monitor weather conditions, especially during disasters or emergencies. These stations are connected to backup power and can provide vital information to first responders and the community. If you wish to view the weather station data at any time, please visit the following:

Citrus County Courthouse - Inverness, Florida

Citrus County Emergency Operations Center - Lecanto, Florida

Crystal River Fire Department - Crystal River, Florida

MEDIA REQUESTS / INTERVIEWS:

If you have a media request or would like an interview either during a disaster or during blue skies, please contact the Sheriff’s Public Information Office via email at PIO@sheriffcitrus.org

Emergency Management is unable to accept direct requests.

Contact Information

Citrus County Sheriff’s Office
Emergency Operations Center
3549 Saunders Way
Lecanto, FL 34461
352-249-2703

emergencymanagement@sheriffcitrus.org

Emergency Management Resource Links

Click Here