Paul Estefan Director
Address:	155 Deer Hill Avenue Danbury, CT 06810
Telephone:	203-797-4630

About Us: 
    The primary mission of the Emergency Management Department is the development of plans, protocols and procedures to assure the safety and confidence of our citizens. Based on our mission we have evaluated core competencies that our response community adheres to. The threat of terrorist attack, natural disaster, pandemic episodes and additional concerns of nuclear, biological, chemical and civil disturbance responses have increased the pressure on Emergency Management Planning. The department with input from local, state and national agencies has made significant strides in our preparedness. Working in conjunction with our Emergency Operations partners: Police, Fire, EMS, Health, Public Utilities, Public Works and the Red Cross we continue to coordinate disaster plans. A strong foundation in preparedness built by previous directors has positioned the city well as we meet today’s threats.

Our Accomplishments: 

    This year we reviewed the city’s Emergency Operations Plan and received approval from Commissioner Thomas from the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. 

    The Department participated in the Pandemic Flu Exercise held in by supplying radios and manpower to support the city’s Health Division’s involvement. Emergency Management and the American Red Cross opened the Danbury War Memorial emergency shelter during the winter months to support Governor Rell’s request to make sure no one was outside during the harsh winter season. In January the War Memorial shelter was once again put to good use by providing the residents that were burned out of their apartments on New Street a temporary shelter from the cold. The Department wishes to thank the Housatonic Area Regional Transit for their never ending support in supplying buses and manpower during the times that we have had to evacuate our residents to the War Memorial Shelter. 

    Danbury’s Emergency Call Notification System continues to play an important role in informing our residents of possible hazards. This state-of-the-art technology has been used to notify residents, businesses and emergency responders as to the threat of an impending emergency or road closures. 

    The Housatonic Council of Elected Officials’ video conferencing system was completed last September and has been used for conferences between the city and departments in other towns in the Housatonic Valley. The system has also proved useful in training personal with the Incident Command System. Having the instructor in one community allowed the students to stay in their community and participate in the class without having to travel far. The center continues to host a local group of HAM radio operators who are capable of sending and receiving messages world-wide if necessary. Through the years these operators have been a vital and reliable source of information in times of disasters. 

    On March 28, 2009 the City of Danbury’s Ham Operators, at the request of the Director of Emergency Management and Hosted by the State of Connecticut Department of Homeland Security, held a spring training session at the Region 5 Headquarters in Southbury. This full day event hosted workshops, displayed emergency communication vehicles, and showcased the latest Ham Radio Equipment from ICOM Corporation. The event brought Ham Operators from all over the state together in an effort to “improve their emergency communication skills”. This sold out event was hailed as one of the best educational classes in recent memory by the participants.