Emergency Services

Emergency medical personnel and firefighters attend to a patient on a stretcher outside an ambulance. The team is actively providing medical assistance.

Sector Overview

A system of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery elements, the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) represents the nation's first line of defense in the prevention and mitigation of risk from both intentional and unintentional manmade incidents, as well as from natural disasters. The ESS also serves as the primary protector for the other 15 critical infrastructure sectors.

Encompassing a wide range of emergency response functions, the primary mission of the ESS is to:

  • Save lives

  • Protect property and the environment

  • Assist communities impacted by disasters

  • Aid in recovery from emergencies

These functions, the majority of which are performed at the state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, are defined by five disciplines:

  • Law Enforcement

  • Fire and Emergency Services

  • Emergency Management

  • Emergency Medical Services

  • Public Works

Additionally, there are several specialized capabilities identified within the ESS, such as:

  • Hazardous Materials

  • Search and Rescue

  • Hazardous Devices Team/Public Safety Bomb Disposal

  • Tactical Teams (i.e., SWAT)

  • Aviation Units (i.e., police and medevac helicopters)

  • Public Safety Answering Points (i.e., 9-1-1 call centers)

The Emergency Services Sector Team

  • A middle-aged man with glasses, grey hair, and a grey mustache, smiling, wearing a dark suit jacket and white shirt, against a black background.

    Ed Langmaid

    Ed Langmaid is a long-time community volunteer and resilience advocate with decades of experience in disaster preparedness, business continuity, and military support. A former U.S. Navy intelligence officer and senior leader in occupational safety and continuity planning, Ed has dedicated his career to helping organizations and communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. He currently serves as Emergency Services Sector Co-Chair for InfraGard San Diego and as Vice Chair of the Fleet Week San Diego Foundation, while also coordinating PREPARE Tierrasanta to build a strong culture of community preparedness. Ed remains actively engaged with CERT San Diego and other regional organizations supporting military families and public safety across San Diego County.

    email | LinkedIn

  • A professional woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair, wearing a navy blazer with a lapel pin and a white shirt, smiling against a dark background.

    Lisa Peumsang, DPA

    Dr. Lisa Peumsang is an emergency management leader, educator, and practitioner with extensive experience supporting higher education institutions and public-sector partners across all hazards. She currently serves as Director of Emergency Management at San Diego State University, where she oversees campus-wide preparedness, response, recovery, and business continuity programs aligned with NIMS, SEMS, and ICS frameworks. In addition to her operational leadership, Dr. Peumsang is an adjunct professor and senior lecturer, helping prepare the next generation of emergency management professionals through applied, real-world instruction. Her background includes coordinating large-scale emergency operations, pandemic response, mass vaccination efforts, and complex special events, bringing both academic rigor and field-tested expertise to resilience and preparedness efforts.

    email | LinkedIn

  • Close-up portrait of a mature man with gray hair and beard wearing a dark suit and shirt against a dark background.

    Dr. Arthur Cummins, Ed.D.

    Dr. Arthur A. Cummins is an accomplished educator, emergency management leader, and nonprofit executive with more than 30 years of experience across K–12 education, higher education, and community-based prevention services. He currently serves as Manager of Emergency Preparedness at the University of San Diego, where he leads campus-wide preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts as Director of the Emergency Operations Center. Throughout his career, Dr. Cummins has advanced initiatives in violence prevention, student wellness, mental health, and community resilience, blending systems leadership with compassionate, people-centered practice. A long-time leader with the Joyful Child Foundation and a respected public speaker, he is known for motivating individuals and organizations to embrace innovative change grounded in safety, empathy, and resilience.

    email | LinkedIn