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Photos courtesy of American Red Cross of Central Midwest Georgia.
FORSYTH - Staff and Volunteers from the American Red Cross of Central Midwest Georgia attended a 3 day Hazardous Material Contingency Planning training last week alongside emergency management personnel at the Georgia Department of Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. The purpose of the training is to prepare emergency management personnel to develop a Haz-mat planning strategy, assess response resources to determine limitations and shortfalls, determine who should be involved in the Haz-mat planning process, and develop a strategy for training and exercising the plan.
Teri and Jim Totten, Pike County residents and long-time volunteers for the American Red Cross, stated that, “We have had hazardous situations in the county in the past. There are manufacturing facilities that are at-risk for a hazmat incident, and we need people in Pike County who are trained to respond to any incidents that may arise.”
Teri and Jim perform a lot of volunteer work for Pike County and are also members of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT), where volunteers are trained to respond to disaster incidents and assist displaced clients who are in need of food, shelter, clothing, and other items. “We enjoy taking trainings that help us better prepare ourselves to assist our community.”
The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) offers free training to emergency management personnel and other key agencies, such as American Red Cross, Public Health, and local Fire Departments, to better prepare them to help their community during disaster incidents. Spencer Hawkins, Deputy Director for Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency, also attended the training. He is currently working on his GA Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) Certification and stated that “Emergency Management is an evolving field and it is our responsibility as professionals to continue to educate ourselves and ensure that we can prepare to respond to any incident that impacts our community.”
Jessica McFadden, Disaster Program Manager for the American Red Cross Central Midwest GA Chapter, is also completing her GA CEM, but that is not the only reason she attends GEMA trainings at the training center. “I attend trainings not only to learn more about emergency management, but also to network with EMA Directors and other key agencies that partner with Red Cross during disasters. Emergency management professionals from all over GA come to the training center and it creates a standard for us to all be on the same page and help each other in the event of a disaster. I cover a 20 county area, and several of my local Emergency Management Directors are in my classes. It helps us network and build partnerships with one another prior to a disaster”.
The Hazardous Materials Contingency Planning training is just one of many trainings where emergency management professionals come together to make Georgia a safer place to live.
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About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.
You can help people affected by disasters like home fires and countless other crises by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
