County Commission | The Magazine April 2020 | Page 16

FROM THE COVER
AAEM on Twitter
successful advocacy.
One of the few general bills
Gov. Kay Ivey has signed since
the Alabama Legislature began its
extended coronavirus-related recess
was an ACCA legislative priority
initiated by emergency managers.
The bill, now officially known as
Act 2020-85, authorizes creation of
a Statewide Emergency Notification
System, available to counties and
municipalities for warning and
updating citizens.
AAEM members have also helped
16 | APRIL 2020
Emergency managers play an important
role in legislative advocacy.
sustain and expand the Emergency
Management Performance Grant
(EMPG) program. “There have been
two occasions where the EMPG
funding was increased at a time that
other grants were being cut back or
even eliminated,” said Eddie Hicks,
Morgan County EMA Director.
It is interesting to remember the
time when emergency managers were
reluctant to become part of ACCA.
At the local level, EMA was and is
a county agency, answerable to the
county governing body. Still, they
didn’t want to lose their distinct
identity or become overshadowed by
other affiliates.
But today, AAEM is going
strong. And, as Bishop-Gulley noted,
participating in ACCA events —
conventions, conferences, district
meetings and legislative days —
alongside members of the Sumter
County Commission has been “very
beneficial,” creating opportunities for
relationship building and important
conversations that otherwise would
not exist. n