Mayor's Office of Emergency Management

If a disaster struck the Baltimore region, it could be days before major services are restored. Would you be ready if that happened?

The Baltimore region is susceptible to a variety of natural and man-made emergencies. Hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes and severe winter storms occur here periodically. And every day, traffic moves through our region carrying hazardous materials -- and the risk of a transportation disaster.

On November 18, 2009, Baltimore City officially launched the Corporate Emergency Access System (CEAS) to help minimize business loss in the event of a large-scale emergency. This innovative joint public-private partnership establishes a process enabling key employees to safely and more readily re-enter cordoned-off areas – with approval from local law enforcement officials – following an emergency.

In the event of a fire, water main break, or other emergency, police and fire officials routinely close off surrounding areas as a precaution, even if these areas are not in imminent danger. Through CEAS, participating businesses will be able to pre-designate key personnel who will be allowed access to their company buildings inside safe areas of restricted zones during an emergency to maintain the core functions of the business. Companies must enroll in CEAS before an emergency occurs in order to obtain these secure identification cards.