Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness
Office of Emergency Management
The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing policy and programs to ensure VA has an integrated Comprehensive Emergency Management Program. OEM has four organizational units: 1) Planning, Exercise, Training, and Evaluation (PETE), 2) Operations and National Security Service (O&NSS), and 3) VA Integrated Operations Center (IOC).
The Planning, Exercise, Training and Evaluation (PETE) Service ensures the coordination and development of departmental policies relating to the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program in accordance with executive orders, presidential management directives, regulations and guidance. PETE manages the Presidential and Departmental Line of Succession programs and provides oversight and coordination responsibilities, to include the Emergency Relocation Group, Reconstitution Emergency Relocation Group, and the Devolution Emergency Response Group. PETE is responsible for the coordination of Continuity of Government and for maintaining an exercise, training and evaluation program to enhance VA's preparedness programs. In addition, PETE is responsible for representing the Department for issues related to HSPD 5, Management of Domestic Incidents; HSPD 8, National Preparedness; HSPD 20, National Continuity Policy; and HSPD 21, Public Health and Medical Preparedness.
The Operations & National Security Service (O&NSS) provides guidance and ensures all classified information is properly safeguarded, controlled, transmitted, destroyed and packaged in accordance with executive orders, handbooks, directives, regulations, and guidelines. O&NSS also ensures all sensitive compartmented information facilities within VA, along with maintaining VA’s emergency relocation sites and developing policies and managing the Information Security Program (classified documents) to ensure compliance with Executive Order 12958, as amended, and Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) directives.
The VA Integrated Operations Centers (VAIOC) ensures the coordinating emergency management and crisis response activities both VA-wide and with other Federal, State, and Local Agencies. The VAIOC is the Department’s focal point for the fusion of information for timely senior leadership decision-making and interagency coordination. The VAIOC is staffed 24 hours/7 days per week, and serves to support VA’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Program. Within VA, the VAIOC serves as the principal point of contact with the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other Departments and Agencies pertaining to emergency management, continuity of operations, domestic incident management, and national security emergency programs.
