Governor Josh Shapiro signed today Executive Order 2026-04, which is intended to ensure Pennsylvania’s disaster preparedness,
response, recovery, and mitigation.

According to the announcement, the order “formalizes and strengthens the Commonwealth’s whole-of-government approach to emergency readiness, updating state plans and policies so agencies, partners, and communities have the information, training, and support they need to ensure the safety of Pennsylvanians and resilience of the Commonwealth.”

The order directs the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) to work with state agencies to develop plans for a Commonwealth Surge Workforce in response to future disasters and other emergencies. The order also directs PEMA “to prepare an Emergency Readiness Action Plan as the federal government reduces support for states; directs the Office of Administration (OA), Department of General Services (DGS) and other agencies to streamline emergency management policies; and creates an Interagency Advisory Group on Emergency Management Readiness”, the announcement said.

“When disaster strikes, Pennsylvanians look to their state and local leaders to deliver the support – and resources – they need to stay safe, recover, and rebuild. While the federal government is erecting barriers and changing the federal government’s role in responding to emergencies, this Executive Order will ensure Pennsylvania remains prepared for any emergency,” Shapiro said. “I am directing our state agencies to create a Commonwealth Surge Workforce that will be available to respond in a moment’s notice – and my Administration is developing detailed plans, policies, procedures, and trainings to adapt to the reality of the federal government’s dwindling support for Pennsylvania.”

The order includes the following directives: 

• Creating the Commonwealth Surge Workforce, a cohort of employees from agencies across the Commonwealth who can be temporarily reassigned to support PEMA’s disaster recovery efforts on an as-needed basis. PEMA and other state agencies will identify opportunities and develop the associated plans, policies, procedures, and training needed to build a greater surge workforce in anticipation of assuming more responsibility for emergency management functions for future disasters; 
• PEMA, working with all state agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction, will identify changes needed to existing state laws and policies, develop new plans as needed, update policies or procedures as required, and identify efficiencies that can be created to ensure Pennsylvania is well positioned to assume greater responsibility for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery functions in the future; 
• State agencies – including PEMA and DGS – will streamline emergency management policies and procedures while ensuring every dollar continues to be used as efficiently as possible in anticipation of reduced federal support; and 
• Establishing the Emergency Readiness Advisory Group, comprised of leaders from key state agencies and led by Director Padfield, to review all recommendations contained in the recently released FEMA Review Council report(opens in a new tab), determine strategies to ensure Pennsylvania has the needed resources and capabilities to respond to future disasters, and provide recommendations to the Governor.

The full order is below:

Executive Order 2025-02

Shapiro also signed Executive Order 2025-02, which is intended to safeguard Pennsylvanians’ access to vaccines and makes school-level vaccination data available online through a new interactive tool created by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).

“The new tool makes it easier for parents and community members to view annual vaccination rates at individual schools — not just at the state or county-level like before — boosting transparency and giving families a clearer picture of how well protected their children’s classrooms are”, the announcement said.

“We want families to have all the facts to make personal health and educational decisions. These efforts underscore the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to boosting public access to information and ensuring transparency in our work to protect students and communities,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe. “At the same time, we want to work with school leaders to make the reporting process as smooth as possible.”

That order is below:

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Photo: Commonwealth Media Services