Posted by Emergency Management and Public Relations
Emergencies rarely come with much warning. Behind the scenes, planning for them happens year-round for individuals working in emergency management.
The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors highlighted that important work during its August 11 meeting, approving a proclamation designating August as National Emergency Management Awareness Month in Pottawattamie County.
The proclamation recognizes the role emergency managers play in preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies and disasters. Their work includes developing and maintaining the capabilities needed to coordinate response and recovery efforts while helping communities become more resilient when emergencies occur.
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“August is National Emergency Management Awareness Month, and it is an opportunity for us to let the community know a little more about what emergency management does,” said Emergency Management Specialist Michell Bose during the meeting.
That work extends well beyond responding when disaster strikes. Pottawattamie County Emergency Management works throughout the year to connect residents with information and resources that can help before, during and after an emergency.
One of those resources is Alert Iowa, the official emergency notification system. Residents can sign up to receive important local information, including notifications related to severe weather, boil advisories, burn bans and other emergency situations affecting their communities.
Bose encouraged residents to not only sign themselves up, but also help neighbors, friends and family members who may be less comfortable accessing the system online.
Emergency Management staff have also been taking that message directly into communities across Pottawattamie County, attending local events and farmers markets and joining the Recorder’s Office during its traveling office hours throughout the county to help residents learn about and sign up for emergency alerts.
Emergency Management Awareness Month also serves as a lead-in to National Preparedness Month in September.
Pottawattamie County Emergency Management will host its sixth annual Preparedness Fair on Thursday, September 17, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event brings together organizations and resources that can help residents prepare for emergencies and other challenges they may encounter in their day-to-day lives.
As the proclamation notes, emergency managers dedicate their efforts to preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. This work protects lives and property and strengthens communities before the next emergency arrives.
