Department of Emergency Management

DEM manages San Francisco's every day and not-so-everyday emergencies. DEM also helps everyone in San Francisco know how to prepare for emergencies, and what to do to be safe during one.

Make a plan for emergencies with your people.

Prepare for disasters at SF72.org

The first 72 hours of a disaster are the most critical. Be prepared.

Go to SF72.org

Make the right call

Know when to call 911, 311, or 415-553-0123 for police non-emergencies.

Become a 911 dispatcher

Being a dispatcher at 911 has both challenges and rewards.

Request record of a 911 call

Get a public record of a 911 call.

Meetings

Past meetings

Disaster Council Special Meeting

Thursday, Aug 24, 2023, 12:00 pm

DEM Second Online Public Budget Meeting

Monday, Feb 13, 2023, 3:30 pm

DEM First Online Public Budget Meeting

Monday, Jan 30, 2023, 11:00 am

See past meetings

Services

Call 911 to get help in an emergency

When you call 911, stay on the line. Tell us your address, cross street, and what’s happening.

Get the public record of a 911 call

Request the transcript, recording, and records related to a 911 call in San Francisco.

Work at San Francisco 911

Work with the public, police, fire and paramedics every day.

News

FEMA & FCC To Conduct Nationwide Emergency Alert Test October 4th at 11:20 a.m. PDT

October 3, 2023

San Francisco Launches Education Campaign to Inform Public How to Help People in Crisis

September 5, 2023

San Francisco Issues Three-Month Update on Operation to Dismantle Open-Air Drug Markets

September 1, 2023

See more news

Resources

Become a dispatcher

Training to be a 911 dispatcher

You must attend classes and pass written and on the job exams. You'll be paid for all training.

Personal preparedness

Be prepared for disasters in San Francisco

Find resources to help you prepare for hazards and natural disasters.

Be in the know with official emergency alerts

Use AlertSF, Twitter, Nextdoor and Facebook to get alerted about emergencies in San Francisco.

Make the right call for the right help

Extreme Weather Resilience Program

Program aims to strengthen citywide resilience by equipping community-serving organizations to maintain service during times of extreme weather.

Emergency Preparedness from SF72

SF72.org City Now provides real time information during a special event or emergency.

For organizations

San Francisco Emergency Plans

As part of its emergency management program, Department of Emergency Management maintains a number of City-wide emergency plans to ensure that the City is ready to respond to a variety of threats and hazards.

DEM Watch Center and Emergency Operations Center

DEM's emergency operations monitor city events and manage emergency resources to match the scale of the incident.

Grants Management through the Bay Area UASI

Bay Area emergency preparedness grants help regional capacity to prevent, prevent, and respond to emergencies.

Human resource documents

FEMA Civil Rights Policy

The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management complies with Federal civil rights laws and is committed to providing its programs and services without discrimination. It is against the law for the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management to retaliate against anyone who takes action to oppose discrimination, files a grievance, or participates in the investigation of a grievance in accordance with the authorities.

About

The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (DEM) leads the City in planning, preparedness, communication, response, and recovery for daily emergencies, large scale citywide events, and major disasters. In charge of the city's 911 dispatch center and large-scale emergency operations, DEM is the vital link in emergency communication between the public and first responders, and provides key coordination and leadership to City departments, stakeholders, residents, and visitors.

Learn more about us

Divisions