Emergency Management

Tahlequah-Cherokee County Emergency Management (TCCEM) is a volunteer organization dedicated to minimizing the effects of disasters upon the people of the community. Emergency Management Logo

The professional and volunteer staff of TCCEM is trained to respond to a wide variety of technological and natural disasters. Hazard mitigation is an important part of group activities and includes the identification and elimination of possible long term hazards. 

Another function of the group is the coordination of local, State, and Federal response to a disaster event. TCCEM is responsible for the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) and for the coordination of disaster emergency response.

Sign Up for Alerts

CivicReady is a free countywide mass notification system that allows Tahlequah-Cherokee County Emergency Management and the City of Tahlequah to issue urgent notifications, emergency instructions, warnings, announcements and even routine communications to citizens via email, text and voicemail, to keep citizens safe and informed.   

Once users are logged in, they can opt-in to available groups, edit contact details and select notification preferences. 

Sign up here to receive CivicReady alerts and notifications.  


Public Storm Shelters in Cherokee County  

  • The NSU University Center Basement serves as a public storm shelter within the City of Tahlequah  
  • Hulbert Schools
  • Keys High School
  • Keys Fire Department
  • Peggs School
  • Lowery School
  • Chicken Creek Fire Department
  • Welling Fire Department- Tailholt Station

Award Recognition

Lou Kelly, of Lakes Country Radio KEOK, presenting a shared award for outstanding achievement in broadcasting from the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters to Director Mike Underwood for "Spot Weather" EOC Weather Wrap Up.Lou Kelly Receiving an Outstanding Achievement in Broadcasting Award from Mike Underwood 

Lou Kelly, along with meteorologist Richard Hoseney, have joined forces with Emergency Management to offer Live weather broadcasting whenever the EOC is actively watching the area skies during severe storm season.

Thank you Lakes Country Radio for helping Emergency Management help keep our community safe!