The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 3 Appendix : Executive Orders

Chapter 020 : Internal Security and Public Safety

• 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.