Q
Where do things stand on developing the Alabama Emergency Management Accreditation Program?
A
By necessity, local EMA programs are tailored to the unique needs of their communities, but we also need a way to show the community that their EMA is working on the core tasks that are common to all EMA programs. The local EMA accreditation program will be a formal, organized process that will give citizens confidence that our local programs are on the right footing. A large group of local EMA representatives has worked on this in conjunction with our state partners over the last few years, and we’ re hopeful to have it up and running within the next year.
Q Transportation
infrastructure has been getting a lot of attention, especially from President Trump. From an EMA perspective, what are some consequences of inadequate and poorly maintained roads and bridges?
A
At a certain point, you have to ask yourself whether any public infrastructure can be patched or repaired again. Bridges, pipelines, water lines and buildings which are old and simply past their prime can be more susceptible to losses during a disaster.
We have seen some good progress with up-sizing some of our culverts, for instance. But that takes money. What is the best way to educate the public that the undersized cross-pipe they drive over every day is really a giant hole in the road waiting to happen? I don’ t know.
But we need to figure it out before the giant hole shows up in a flood.
Q
How can we balance learning the lessons of past disasters with looking ahead?
A
I was pleased see Governor
Ivey recognizing the victims and survivors of the 2011 storms on the anniversary of April 27, and we are looking forward to working with her administration. As bad as it was – and as much as we need to keep learning from it – April 27, 2011, was not the only disaster to occur in this state. There have been many other storms and there are many stories that we need to listen to. But, we can ' t keep preparing to fight the last war. We have to keep moving and evolving. We face many other threats like hazardous materials, pandemics and animal disease, cyber security and terrorism. For some things, we will need to look to the Legislature for solutions, such as with the dam safety problem( Alabama is the only state in the country without a dam program) and with regard to the state disaster fund( we have a disaster fund on the books, but it has a $ 0 balance).
Q A
What do you see as priorities for AAEM?
My biggest push as president of our association – and something I hope will continue – is opening doors. We have to build relationships with other associations and with our partners
in local and state government, in the private sector, in healthcare, in education and in allied public safety disciplines. Emergency management is changing. Public safety is changing. And, local government is changing. The baseline performance metric of an emergency manager is to make other people successful in the worst of times. If we aren’ t talking to them and learning from them, then we can’ t meet that goal.
We also need to take a hard look at how we are investing in preparedness at the local level. Capabilities vary widely from county to county. There may be opportunities for better cooperation in planning, procurement, and operations by taking a broader look at things.
The AAEM will be working over the next year to get the ball rolling on a few of these projects, such as taking a look at how we handle severe weather preparedness and what public alerting systems are in use across the state.
Q
ACCA President Bill
Stricklend has led an effort to re-energize the affiliate groups for county professionals. What impact are you seeing?
A
I often tell people Calhoun County has the best commission in the state. Without the support and leadership of my commissioners, I absolutely could not do my job. I know many EMA directors who enjoy the same type of relationships with their own officials. I am glad to see other county
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