At the federal level, emergency management is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the direction of the President of the United States. At the city level, the Mayor serves as an Emergency Management Director.

The Mayor is responsible for developing disaster response capabilities and coordinating an emergency response plan for the jurisdiction. Potential emergencies / disasters include:

• Civil emergencies (riots, protesters)

• National security events (terrorism)

• Natural causes (tornadoes, winter storms, hail)

• Technological disasters (hazardous materials spill)

Carthage Fire Department serves as the lead in emergency management deployment, assisted by department directors and civilian volunteers. Should disaster strike, local authorities would take control of the situation from the Emergency Operations Center.