Florida Division of Emergency Management

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM) is charged with maintaining a comprehensive statewide program of emergency management. The division ensures that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impacts. DEM is responsible for the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) which is composed of various intergovernmental entities, volunteers, and the private sector. The division coordinates the efforts of the Federal Government with other departments and agencies of state government, with county and municipal governments and school boards, and with private agencies that have a role in emergency management. The Director is appointed by the Governor of Florida, and serves as an agency head. Kevin Guthrie currently serves as the Director. He was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2021.

The director oversees the day-to-day operations of the agency, including direct supervision of the functional areas tasked with Preparedness, Response, Recovery, Mitigation, and Finance and Administration.

Since 1969 the group, which later became the Division of Emergency Management, was within the Department of Community Affairs. However, pursuant to Chapter 2006-70, Laws of Florida, on July 1, 2006, the Division became a direct reporting entity to the Executive Office of the Governor (EOG) on a full-time basis and is now known as the Florida Division of Emergency Management, or DEM. This allows the Division to report directly to the Executive Office of the Governor (EOG) and keep the same executive and management reporting structure as during an Executive Order and times of emergency.