Wes Smith, Director
wsmith@perryco.org

Brian Hockenberry, Deputy Director

bhockenberry@perryco.org

Director/Deputy Director Phone: 717-582-5165

Non-Emergency Phone: 717-582-4311
FAX: 717-582-7320
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday

Location: Perry County Courthouse, 2 East Main Street, New Bloomfield, PA 17068

Welcome to Perry County Emergency Management & 911

The Perry County Emergency Management Agency and 911 Communications Center are dedicated to protecting the lives, property, and well-being of those who live, work, and visit Perry County. Through emergency preparedness, coordinated response, and emergency communications, our department works to ensure the safety and resilience of our communities.

Perry County 911 Communications Center serves as the county’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Staffed by eight full-time employees and two 911 Supervisors, our Communications Center is responsible for answering emergency 911 calls, coordinating emergency resources, and dispatching law enforcement, fire, rescue, and emergency medical services throughout Perry County. Our dedicated telecommunicators serve as the vital first link between those experiencing an emergency and the responders arriving to help.

Perry County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) works closely with county and municipal officials, emergency service organizations, and community partners to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate emergencies and disasters. Through comprehensive planning, training, exercises, and interagency coordination, we strive to strengthen our county’s readiness for emergencies of all types.

Our mission is to provide professional, dependable emergency services while fostering strong partnerships with our first responders, municipalities, and the residents we proudly serve.

EMA/911 Public Documents Library

Perry County Emergency Management & 911 is committed to transparency, accountability, and providing timely access to information that supports our community and emergency service partners.

Through our online Public Document Library, residents, municipal officials, emergency responders, and other interested individuals can access a collection of publicly available department policies, procedures, communications manuals, and reference materials.

This resource provides an opportunity to better understand how our department operates, how emergency services are coordinated, and the procedures that guide our day-to-day responsibilities.

Documents are organized within our PowerDMS public portal for convenient online access. Materials available for public viewing may be updated as policies and operational procedures are reviewed and revised.

Explore Our Public Document Library:

https://public.powerdms.com/JCPC911/tree/

Please Note: This library contains documents specifically designated for public access. It does not replace Perry County’s formal Right-to-Know Law request process for records not available through the portal.

About Perry County Emergency Management

Our History — A Tradition of Public Service

The history of Perry County’s emergency communications and emergency management services stretches back more than six decades. What began as a local effort to improve the dispatching of emergency responders has evolved into a coordinated system of emergency communications, preparedness, response, and disaster management serving the residents and visitors of Perry County.

The Early Years — Civil Defense and County Dispatch

In 1962, a group of concerned individuals recognized the need for a centralized dispatch center to better coordinate fire and emergency medical services throughout Perry County. Before centralized dispatching, residents often relied on local telephone operators to activate firehouse sirens or contact fire chiefs directly when an emergency occurred.

On April 1, 1965, “Perry County Base” officially began operations with three full-time operators working eight-hour shifts. Its first home was a converted coal-bin area in the basement of the Perry County Courthouse in New Bloomfield.

Mr. Glenn Kunkle was appointed as the county’s first Civil Defense Director, overseeing the newly established dispatch operation.

During courthouse renovations in 1972, Perry County Base temporarily relocated to the second floor of the building now known as the Rhinesmith Building before returning to the courthouse in 1973.

Emergency Management Today

Perry County Emergency Management has evolved from its Civil Defense origins into a comprehensive, all-hazards emergency management program.

Today, the Perry County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) works to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and reduce the impacts of emergencies and disasters throughout the county.

Our responsibilities include emergency planning, hazard mitigation, training and exercises, supporting municipal Emergency Management Coordinators, and coordinating resources during significant emergency situations. Planning encompasses severe weather, flooding, hazardous materials incidents, dam emergencies, and other natural or human-caused disasters.

During major emergencies, the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) provides a central location for coordination, resource management, information sharing, and support to local response operations.

Our agency works in close partnership with the Perry County Commissioners, municipal governments, emergency service organizations, county departments, and regional and state partners.

Our Commitment to Perry County

Although the technology, facilities, and responsibilities have changed considerably since the days of Perry County Base, our commitment to public safety remains the same.

Through preparedness, cooperation, and dependable emergency communications, Perry County Emergency Management and 911 continue working to protect the lives, property, and well-being of the people we proudly serve.