Who We Are

After FEMA was formed in 1979, Region III consolidated its Philadelphia offices in the Curtis Building on Independence Square, working from that location until 1985. In July 1999, Region III moved to its current location at One Independence Mall, 615 Chestnut Street.

Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney leads the Region III office, where 140 full-time employees and a cadre of 500 on-call Disaster Assistance Employees support the region's response and recovery operations during a presidential disaster declaration.

The regional population ranges from densely urban in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia to sparsely rural in the hills and valleys of West Virginia. The region is rich in history, with four of the original 13 colonies and the nation's capital.

What We Do

From its offices in Philadelphia, FEMA Region III works closely with the emergency management agencies of the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards. To help accomplish its mission, Region III maintains strong partnerships through its councils-the Regional Advisory Council and the Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group.

Frequent Hazards

Hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe flooding, including flash flooding in mountainous areas, all impact Region III. Forest and wild fires as well as earthquakes are a moderate threat.