History of Arkansas Department of Emergency Management

1953    The agency is established as the State Civil Defense Agency through Act 321. The agency is originally located on the second floor of the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock with one surplus military radio.

1955    Arkansas Civil Defense is attached to the Arkansas National Guard and moved to Camp Joseph T. Robinson.

1957   The agency is moved from Pulaski County to the Old Conway Memorial Hospital in Faulkner County. The move is to give the Governor a location to work from in the event of a nuclear attack.

1959    Act 156 amends Act 321 and changes the title of the agency to the Executive Office of Civil Defense and Disaster Relief. This is the first evidence of the move toward the total preparedness concept -- the preparation of local governments and the public for all-hazards response.

1960    May 5, the agency responds to its first disaster, tornadoes and hail damage in Fort Smith.

1965    The underground facility in Conway becomes the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the agency. The original facility contains 8,500 square feet of floor space 18 feet below ground.  The EOC gives the Governor and his key staff a place outside of Little Rock to come in the event of nuclear threat or other statewide major disaster.  A major tornado outbreak in Conway kills seven people and leaves more than 100 injured.

1970    Statewide emergency radio net is established to link state-local emergency services.

1971    The Arkansas General Assembly passes Act 38, which reorganizes all state government agencies into 13 major departments. The agency is placed under the Department of Planning. The relationship between the agency and new department is vague and the mission and goals are poorly defined.

1973    Act 511 creates the Office of Emergency Services and places it under the Department of Public Safety. OES’ mission is clarified.

1975    First "topside" administration and maintenance buildings are constructed. OES responds to a major tornado outbreak in Fort Smith area.

1976    First federal Individual and Family Grant Program is implemented, based on a program established in Arkansas. The first Nuclear Civil Preparedness Program is implemented.

1977    OES establishes around-the-clock telecommunications in state EOC.

1978    OES provides Individual and Public Assistance program support for Little Rock floods.

1979    A major tornado outbreak damages Camden and Hamburg. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) consolidates all federal disaster preparedness, response and recovery activities into one agency.

1980    OES is called upon for major response activities for Mayflower tornado and explosion of Titan II ICBM silo.

1981     Act 511 of 1973 is amended to establish the Office of Emergency Services as an independent state agency. The earthquake preparedness program begins.

1982    Arkansas suffers catastrophic December tornadoes and flooding. President declares 42 counties disaster areas.

1984    The first OES computer is purchased for $35,000. The first engineer is hired. OES reaches a record level of 32 employees.

1985    Act 511 is amended to formalize state Individual and Public Assistance Programs to assist local governments with "state only" declared disasters.

1987    The federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Title III activities put OES as lead for state’s HAZMAT preparedness activities.

1988    Arkansas becomes first state declared under new "Robert T. Stafford Act" provisions after storms and tornadoes cause damage in Northeast Arkansas.

1989    Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program is funded and established in Arkansas.

1990    Major flooding on Arkansas and Red Rivers in May. Based upon peak gravitational pressures on the earth’s crust from the moon and the planets, seismologist Iben Browning predicts a large earthquake in the United States on December 3. Arkansans prepare for the possibility of a catastrophic earthquake along the New Madrid Fault Zone. The prediction generates huge media attention, but little else. Still, the attention becomes a catalyst for mitigation and preparedness measures in Northeast Arkansas.

1993    Legislative actions transfer Fire Services funding (Act 833) management to OES.

1994    OES has a major facilities expansion on the "topside" with "CSEPP Building" construction.

1995    The Office of Hazardous Materials established under OES.

1996    A major tornado outbreak in Northwest Arkansas causes extensive damage in Fort Smith.

1997    Major tornadoes and severe weather leave path of destruction from Hope to Blytheville on March 1.

1999    Major tornado and severe weather response and recovery for January 21 storm. EOC completes major renovations. Legislature amends Act 511 to provide a total of $9.5 million state funding for disaster recovery and mitigation, gives agency "department status" as Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (Act 646) and consolidates fire and HAZMAT as functional areas of ADEM. ADEM reorganizes all former programs as part of eight divisions for enhanced and streamlined management. ADEM prepares for possible problems with the Y2K rollover.

2000    Y2K scare starts off the year with a packed EOC and little else. In June, severe storms, heavy rains and flooding prompt a state disaster for eight counties. In December, two ice storms create the largest disaster in Arkansas history. State receives Presidential Disaster Declaration Dec. 29.

2001    ADEM starts the year recovering from the ice storms. More than 30 people die in weather-related accidents. Over $178 million is awarded in public assistance. More than 40,000 Arkansans apply for individual assistance. In February Arkansas receives a Presidential Disaster Declaration to provide public assistance for severe flooding in 22 counties. Severe storms and tornadoes lead to a state declared disaster for eight counties in March. In May, a 4.7 earthquake centered near Enola (Faulkner County) rattles much of the state, but with no reported damage. September 11 changes the world and ADEM as the staff activates the Emergency Operations Center to prepare for any repercussions from the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. Tornadoes, severe storms and flooding keep ADEM busy with state declared disasters in November and December, culminating in a Presidential Disaster Declaration for flooding.

2002    ADEM staff begins busy year with a Disaster Field Office opening for December flooding. Much of the year is spent addressing the changes in emergency management since 9/11/01, and responding to public requests for information. In September, ADEM takes the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) standing A-Team role for the nation. An ice storm in December leads to a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Northeast Arkansas.

2003     ADEM starts the year opening a Disaster Field Office in Jonesboro to respond to the ice storm. May brings several waves of severe thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes, leading to a second Presidential Disaster Declaration for the year.  Arkansas receives federal grant to help with construction of new state Emergency Operations Center.

2004     Arkansas receives a record amount of funding for Homeland Security Grants. That money was used for statewide interoperable communications system know as the Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN).  Along with other funding sources, this system utilizes the Arkansas State Police radio network as the infrastructure backbone to establish allowing personnel at the command and control level to communicate on one common system.  Arkansas gets federal disaster designation for spring storms and floods in northern and western counties. 

 

2005     Construction starts on new state Emergency Operations Center in North Little Rock. More than 70,000 evacuees flee to Arkansas in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita causing the state to be part of a federal disaster without any actual damage from the storms.

2006    Tornado devastates Marmaduke in Greene County and damages other northeastern counties. AWIN goes on line. Arkansas begins drafting Emergency Support Functions for the state Emergency Operations Plan. ADEM implements standards for National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS). ADEM dedicates new state-of-the-art State Emergency Operations Center on the grounds of Camp Joseph T. Robinson. ADEM prepares to implement “Sister Counties” earthquake program in 2007.
 

2007  New state Emergency Operations Center in North Little Rock operational June 4th.