Emergency planning for a Metropolitan government is a large task. Nashville OEM has created the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), which is the city's resource for any potential disaster. It is a framework on who will do what, when and how. This document is revised when needed, or every 5 years.
The CEMP is just a small part of what is put into emergency planning. This page gives you some idea of what goes into emergency planning for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Healthcare - Basic Healthcare Form
Healthcare facilities may be required to communicate basic information to us that includes important information about their facility such as important contact information, number of beds etc.
Basic Healthcare Information Form
Child Care Facility Emergency Preparedness Law
T.C.A §71-3-517. Development of a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in emergencies;
(a) All persons or entities operating a child care agency as defined in this part, excluding drop-in child care centers and those programs and facilities exempt from licensing as provided in § 71-3-503, shall, in consultation with appropriate local authorities and local emergency management, develop a written multi-hazard plan to protect children in the event of emergencies, including, but not limited to, fires, tornado's, earthquakes, chemical spills, and floods. Such persons or entities shall also inform parents and guardians of children attending the child care agency of the plan. Entire Child Care Facility Emergency Preparedness Law.
- Here is a publication by the TN Dept. of Human Services, to assist child care providers with developing their disaster plans. Preparing Child Care Programs for Emergencies, A Six Step Approach publication.
- Here is a checklist that goes along with the above publication: TN Dept of Human Services Checklist.
To consult with a representative from the Nashville-Davidson County Office of Emergency Management, please call 615-862-8530.
Please note, there is not a requirement for emergency management to physically come to your facility, or to 'approve' or 'sign-off' on your plan. We are here for you to call and consult with us or ask us questions regarding your plan, the planning process and other information related to your plan.
Downtown Nashville Evacuation Plan
Metro Government, in conjunction with state and private organizations, is responsible for ensuring the safe evacuation of citizens and visitors who live and work in downtown Nashville.
In the event a major emergency occurred inside the Central Business District requiring an evacuation, the emergency response departments of Metro Government would be ultimately responsible for the safety of all those within the defined area during the evacuation order.
The purpose of an evacuation plan is to provide a safe and orderly process for the emergency evacuation in a coordinated manner by the various local and state agencies that would be responsible for such activity. The area covered for this plan is the population within the Central Business District in downtown Nashville. This area is defined as being within the Interstate 65 “loop” that connects interstates 65, 24 and 40.
Downtown Nashville Evacuation brochure
Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan
As part of the overall community planning effort for hazard mitigation, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, has prepared a Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan pursuant to the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390). Hazard Mitigation is defined as any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to human life and property from hazards. Hazard Mitigation Planning is the process through which the natural hazards that threaten communities are identified, the likely impacts of those hazards are determined, mitigation goals are set, and appropriate strategies that would lessen the impacts are identified, prioritized, and implemented.
Hazard Mitigation Planning is a requirement for state and local governments in order to maintain eligibility for certain federal disaster assistance and hazard mitigation funding programs. Metro is both a community at risk and a community that has benefited from federal mitigation funding programs.
- 2020 Davidson County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan
- 2020 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Annual Progress Report
- 2021 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Annual Progress Report
- 2022 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Annual Progress Report
- 2023 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Annual Progress Report
Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Revision
During 2019, OEM, along with many other agencies and jurisdictions, went through a full revision of the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. Metro's Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan was approved pending adoption by FEMA on April 9th, 2020, and final FEMA approval was given on May 12th, 2020. This plan is now approved for a period of five (5) years, to May 11th, 2025. All participating jurisdictions need to adopt the plan within their own jurisdiction (Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, Oak Hill and TSU) and submit it to FEMA for their final approvals. Mayor Cooper adopted this plan for Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County on May 8, 2020. All participating jurisdictions have formally adopted the current Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, and can be found above.
Hazard Analysis
The risk assessment process provides information that allows a community to better understand its potential risk and associated vulnerability to natural and man-made hazards. This information provides the framework for a community to develop and prioritize mitigation strategies and to implement plans to help reduce both the risk and vulnerability from future hazard events. The risk assessment for Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County followed methodology from FEMA and the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP). This assessment process was conducted by the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee, and select subject matter experts. The Hazard Analysis can be found with-in the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, or below.
Risk from natural and man-made hazards is measured by a combination of impact, vulnerability and likelihood scores (Impact + Vulnerability x Likelihood = Risk). The impact and vulnerability scores were given the below parameters resulting from a hazard event:
- Geographic Extent
- Duration of the Event
- Environment
- Health Effects
- Displacement and Suffering
- Economy
- Infrastructure
- Transportation
- Critical Services
- Confidence in Government
- Cascading Effects
For each hazard identified, a score was given for each of the parameters, and then all the scores were added together to get a total Impact and Vulnerability Assessment Score.
Weighted scores were conducted where extra counts were given for the following lead agencies and associated hazards: National Weather Service for all weather related hazards, Public Health for Communicable Diseases, TN Geological Survey for Landslides/sinkholes, Police for Man-made and Fire for Hazardous Materials and Wildfire.
Based on the most recent assessment (2023), the top 10 hazards for Davidson County are:
- Flooding
- Tornado
- Winter Storm
- Communicable Diseases
- Thunderstorm
- Extreme Temperatures (Heat/Cold)
- Manmade - Technological/Terrorism
- Hazardous Materials Incident
- Drought
- Landslide/Sinkhole
Davidson County Hazard Analysis 2023 (the hazard analysis is not updated annually, so this is the most up to date analysis)