The
Future
of emergency management &
By Uyen Le
A
s the state’s leading organization for
emergency preparedness, the Georgia
Emergency Management and Homeland
Security Agency continuously works to
ensure emergency personnel are prepared in the
event of a disaster. It’s through this mission that a new
training initiative was announced last month, with
the goal of providing cutting edge technology in the
classroom, new and updated courses, and additional
training locations for the state of Georgia’s emergency
managers and first responders.
“If you take this training program and it doesn’t
enable you to better serve in your field, than I’ve
failed you,” said Ed Westbrook, GEMA/HS Statewide
Training Director.
This initiative is designed to enhance the abilities
of first responders and emergency managers and to
better equip them to serve in the field. The new courses
will go beyond what participants may be accustomed
to in a traditional classroom setting. Incorporating
technology and the use of simulators, students will get
the sense of being in a real disaster event.
“We want it to feel real, with real time pressures,”
said Westbrook.
As head of statewide training for GEMA/HS,
Westbrook said courses will focus more on developing
team building skills, improving decision making
skills, and incorporating new technologies. Access to
training will be expanded with classes available in
Forsyth, Savannah, at Kennesaw State University and
GEMA/HS headquarters.
“This new training will really enhance our county’s
emergency abilities and provide all of our first
“We’ve identified a specific set
of training for every single
person in the agency,
regardless of their role.”