Executive Order No. 20-66 (No. 05-25) [2025 State Emergency Management Plan Promulgation]
WHEREAS, the 2025 Vermont State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) provides the framework
for the State's emergency management enterprise across the five mission areas identified
in the National Preparedness Goal: Prevention, Protection, Response, Mitigation, and
Recovery; and
WHEREAS, the SEMP provides the mechanism for the notification, coordination, and deployment
of state and federal resources, if necessary, to assist local jurisdictions in responding
to, mitigating against, and recovering from disasters, regardless of cause; and
WHEREAS, the SEMP is formulated to utilize all available federal, state, private sector,
and volunteer and non-governmental agency resources in responding to or supporting
the response to a disaster; and
WHEREAS, the 2025 SEMP replaces the 2019 SEMP and builds on lessons learned and best
practices during disaster responses, exercises, and workshops; and
WHEREAS, the SEMP further expands the levels of activation for the State Emergency
Operations Center (SEOC) to more accurately reflect the scale of needs during preparation,
response, and recovery efforts for various events; and
WHEREAS, the SEMP formally incorporates recovery into the SEOC as a dedicated section
activated within the SEOC to ensure recovery efforts are initiated promptly and coordinated
at the highest level; and
WHEREAS, State Agencies and Departments, private sector entities, and volunteer and
non-governmental organizations described in the SEMP participate in prevention, protection,
response, mitigation, and/or recovery activities and as part of the SEMP have an obligation
to provide services and support that save lives and protect property and the environment
during a disaster.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Philip B. Scott, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor
of Vermont by the Constitution of the State of Vermont, Chapter II, Section 3 and
Section 20 and 20 V.S.A. § 8, do hereby promulgate the 2025 Vermont State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP).
I further order and direct each State Agency Secretary, Department Commissioner and
Division Director with defined roles and responsibilities in the SEMP to work with
the Director of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management
(VEM) in accordance with 20 V.S.A. § 3 to develop and maintain a supporting SEMP Partner Annex to ensure emergency preparedness
and the capacity to provide response, mitigation and recovery support to the people
of Vermont.
Each identified State Agency, Department or Division shall fulfill or execute its
respective responsibilities outlined in the SEMP and ensure SEMP Partner Annexes are
reviewed at least annually and revised as required.
Assignments within the SEMP are based on functional capabilities and statutory responsibilities
of each Agency, Department or Division. To make the SEMP viable, participants must
be prepared to execute their assignments when called upon during an emergency and
sustain that effort during the subsequent recovery.
Each identified State Agency, Department, and Division shall provide three to five
trained and qualified representatives to act in coordination with VEM and the SEOC
in the delivery of their respective services throughout all of the mission areas.
This 2025 SEMP shall be in effect as of July 1, 2025 and remain in effect through
December 31, 2028 and may be amended by the Director of VEM in consultation with the
Governor’s Office.
Dated July 14, 2025.