We protect lives, property, and the community by coordinating preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation across Christian County.
Christian County Emergency Management (CCEM) works to protect lives, property, and the community before, during, and after disasters. We coordinate with local, state, federal, nonprofit, and private-sector partners to ensure a unified and effective response to emergencies.
Whether the threat is severe weather, hazardous materials, public health incidents, or other disasters, our role is to bring the right people, resources, and information together when it matters most.
To provide efficient and effective coordination of resources for:
This mission reflects the full cycle of emergency management and ensures our community is resilient in the face of any hazard.
Emergency Management is the organized effort to:
Emergencies often require resources beyond what a single agency can handle—such as tornadoes, floods, or hazardous materials incidents. That’s where coordinated emergency management becomes critical.
Christian County Emergency Management serves as a coordination hub, not a response agency. We support and align the efforts of many partners, including:
Our responsibilities include:
Christian County covers approximately 564 square miles in Southwest Missouri and includes a mix of growing cities and rural areas.
We serve all communities within the county, including:
As one of the fastest-growing counties in the region, maintaining preparedness and coordination across diverse communities is essential.
During an incident, CCEM:
We do not replace first responders – we support them so they can do their jobs more effectively.
Behind every plan and response effort is a dedicated team working year-round to keep Christian County prepared. Christian County Emergency Management is made up of 3 paid staff and around 100 active volunteers. To learn more about our volunteer program, click here.
Phil Amtower has served as the Emergency Management Director since 1997.
Jamie Leigh Orlando has been serving as the Assistant Director since 2023.
Cheryl has worked for Christian County for 15 years and in the Emergency Management office for 8 years. She serves as the Administrative Assistant.
