Emergency manager magazine, July 2009

Emergency
Manager

JULY 2009
Spring Storms Pound Georgia
Planning Helps Georgia World Congress Center Recover from Tornado
H1N1 Tests Georgia's Pandemic Preparedness
NOAA Weather Radio Helps Nursing Homes

Emergency Manager is the official magazine of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency
Lisa Janak Newman, Editor
Honorable Sonny Perdue Governor
Charley English Director
Donna Burns Deputy Director of Administration and Public Affairs Director
Ken Davis Public Information Officer
Buzz Weiss Public Information Officer
Lisa Janak Newman Public Information Officer
Den Brummer Web Coordinator
Katherine Huggins Constituent Services
Coordinator
Published by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency Post Office Box 18055 Atlanta, Georgia 30316
PHONE 1-800-TRY-GEMA
(404) 635-7000 FAX (404) 635-7205
Web site www.gema.ga.gov
You are welcome to submit original articles for publication
consideration. Please e-mail your submissions to lisa.janak_newman@gema.ga.gov
.
Cover photo of Lowndes County flooding courtesy of Paige Dukes,
Lowndes County clerk/PIO.

From the Director
The demands of dealing with tornadoes, floods, haz-mat incidents, and various other natural and man-made threats are all in a day's work. But those of us in the emergency management and public safety professions are facing a different type of challenge: A sluggish economy that has sent revenues plummeting and shows little hope of turning around in the immediate future.
State revenues are down sharply, along with local income. However, emergency managers and public safety executives do not have the option of turning off the lights, locking the doors, and going home. We have to do more with less. One of the most visible casualties of the downturn is this year's Governor's Emergency Management Conference, but we will bring it back as soon as it is prudent. What has not been a casualty is the outstanding local and state response to this year's storms, which have affected 48 counties with $90 million in damages.
Despite the grim economic picture, the demands have not abated. For the third year in a row, severe weather battered the state in spring, triggering a presidential disaster declaration in response to widespread flooding. And the sudden outbreak of the H1N1 -- or "Swine Flu" -- virus has Public Health, Georgia Emergency Management Agency and other state and local agencies aggressively working together to monitor the progress of the flu, apprise the public of its impact, and prepare to respond to a potential pandemic. We are in the midst of hurricane season, well aware of the flooding and tornadoes that hurricanes and tropical storms have brought to Georgia in the past.
With that said, I can't turn the economy around, but I can give a sincere pat on the back and a thank you to the GEMA staff, local emergency managers and public safety personnel, our public health experts and other partners across the state for their hard work, commitment and dedication despite these difficult times and the obstacles that we must overcome every day.

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July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

Exceptional EMA

Clayton Scott, Chatham County

Savannah, Ga., in Chatham County, is a cornucopia of colorful Southern history with its oak trees draped with Spanish moss in its charming squares, ghost stories, bustling waterways, and hometown Food Network star Paula Deen. The first thing Chatham County Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) Director Clayton Scott thinks about, however, is this venerable community's vulnerability to a variety of hazards.
"Chatham County is the most populated coastal county in the state," explains Scott. "The size of our population and the threat of hurricanes from the Gulf and the Atlantic makes us unique."
In fact, the biggest event Scott has worked during his more than 10 years with CEMA was the 1999 evacuation in the face of Hurricane Floyd. Faced with the threat of a direct hit from the Category 5 hurricane, CEMA had a 26-hour window to evacuate all 250,000 Chatham County residents. "It was not without its problems, but we evacuated 93.5 percent of the population, according to telephone records," Scott proudly relates.
That time, making the decision to evacuate Savannah was not difficult. "That was a direct threat, so it was a pretty easy decision," he explains. Sometimes, however, the call is not so cut-and-dry.
"Last year, Hurricane Hannah was waffling between a tropical storm and a Category 2 hurricane paralleling the coast," Scott recounts. "At the last minute, it veered a little bit out to sea and we didn't have to evacuate, but those are real tough decisions."
Getting people to disrupt their lives when a hurricane threatens is always a Herculean task. People don't want to leave for a variety of reasons: They fear being stuck for hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic, they don't have an evacuation plan, they have pets, or they are concerned about looting and vandalism while they are gone.
EmErgEncy managEr July 2009

Scott is very aware that residents will weigh their previous evacuation experiences against the risk from a coming hurricane when deciding whether to stay or go.
"The problem is, if you tell people to evacuate for a Category 1 hurricane and the storm doesn't hit, you destroy your credibility, and the next time they won't leave," he laments. Fortunately, he shares the decision-making with the Chatham County Board of Commissioners. "I am very fortunate they are super-cooperative and very supportive of CEMA," Scott says.
Chatham County also is at-risk for man-made threats. It is home to the Port of Savannah, the fourth-largest seaport in the country. "Along with that comes a whole host of industries that manufacture or process a myriad of products and chemicals," says Scott. "Hazardous materials remain a significant concern to me and other public safety agencies."
It also has not escaped Scott's attention that the frequency and intensity of tornadoes has been rising in recent years. "Across Georgia, tornadic activity seems to be greatly increased," he observes. In fact, last year, a rare EF-4 tornado caused heavy damage in nearby McIntosh County. It was only the ninth EF-4 tornado to hit Georgia since 1950.
As a result, Scott made it a priority to install a robust outdoor warning system throughout the county. "A tornado can hit at any time, and we couldn't wait seven or eight years to put in warning sirens," Scott says. Now, more than 95 percent of the geographic area has siren coverage.
The project was funded through the county's capital improvement budget.
The money had originally been earmarked for a new mobile command post, but Scott requested that the funds be used for this warning system instead. "The Georgia Emergency Management Agency already has a

mobile command post that we can use, but we really, really Chatham County EMA needed these Director Clayton Scott sirens badly," he explains.
Having a warning siren within earshot is one thing. However, it is critical that residents know what actions to take when the alarm is sounded. To raise awareness for different risks and how to prepare and respond to them, CEMA developed numerous publications on an array of topics.
CEMA also devised a creative and cost-effective way to distribute the brochures. "We took them to places like schools, universities, hospitals and the county's largest employers and asked them to distribute them through their own channels," says Scott. "They were very cooperative." For example, schools provided the brochures as take-home materials for parents, while some employers put them in their employees' paycheck envelopes. "We distributed over 100,000 brochures for free," Scott enthuses. "These organizations provided an important service to the community."
Scott knows a little something about public service himself. He retired from the U.S. Army Special Forces in 1983 with the rank of lieutenant colonel and arrived in Savannah in 1998 by way of Australia to make good on a promise to his wife, a native of Charlotte, N.C., that they would return to the East coast one day, having lived all over the world. They immediately fell in love with the city's historic buildings and pervasive waterways.
Scott enjoys his job because he likes helping people. "You can't be in the emergency management business if you're looking for good pay or recognition," he says with a laugh. "We do this because we're committed to the public."n -- Lisa Janak Newman
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Media Matters

The news profession -- or business, if you prefer -- is changing inexorably and at an increasingly rapid pace. But this comes as no surprise, because the way in which Americans receive news -- or what passes for news -- has been a dynamic process for the last several decades.
In the early `60s, newspapers ceded their dominance to network news. TV brought the Kennedy assassination and Lee Harvey Oswald's murder into our living rooms, the network's evening newscasts were expanded from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, and anchors became icons. According to Harvard's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy, this signaled the beginning of the end for the afternoon dailies.
By the end of the `80s and early `90's, network TV news began to lose its luster. Cable TV -- the cutting edge "pay TV" that visionaries had foretold years before -- had arrived. Ted Turner would soon be Time magazine's Person of the Year as CNN flourished. The Shorenstein Center says it was during this era that newspaper circulation began to slide by 10 percent, while network news viewers plunged from 55 million every evening to just over 30 million by 2000.
The scary ride is far from over, though, as cable TV is confronting some bleak numbers -- a 12 percent decline in its prime-time audience, according to 2006 figures. Radio, meanwhile, has become a niche medium, most closely identified with ideologically based talk formats.
The fallout is chaotic. Newspapers that went online to find salvation are instead finding that they are competing against themselves. Unfortunately, the online versions are not necessarily drawing readers. Hard copy papers remain more profitable, and the Shorenstein Center estimates that it takes approximately three dozen online readers to compensate for the loss of one hard-copy reader. Major newspapers are filing for bankruptcy or scuttling their print versions. The news-
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room of Atlanta's own JournalConstitution resembles a ghost town as word of a new round of job cuts seems to make the rounds monthly.
Blogs have become prolific, influential, often credible -- and frequently cited in other media. In addition, social media is playing an increasingly important role in today's society to get the word out about news and events.
However, we can take considerable comfort in knowing that public interest in particular issues has apparently remained the same. The News Interest Index (NII) of the Pew Research Center for People and the Press reveals that the level of interest in news has changed little over the last two decades.
The Index, which measures how closely the public follows various categories of news stories, reveals that disaster-related news draws the most interest -- with 39 percent of the population following natural and manmade disasters "very closely." Moneyrelated stories rank second at 34 percent, although it's reasonable to assume that more recent polls and surveys would likely show higher interest in news related to the economy. Despite the seemingly endless onslaught of entertainment gossip, Pew reports that only 18 percent of the public follows what they call tabloid news "very closely."
So, despite the upheaval in America's newsrooms and the competition for news time, the interest in disasters and, by extension, other public safety-related events and issues remains constant. This is good news for us. According to the Pew research, the target of our message is sizable and receptive.
From the threat of severe weather to the specter of H1N1, the public is willing to listen. It is our job to continue to craft quality messaging that the public will hear and personalize and make the emerging technologies and trends work for us. n
Media Matters is a column from GEMA Public
Affairs Officers Buzz Weiss and Ken Davis.

September,
National
Preparedness
Month
September is National Preparedness Month (NPM) and a good reminder that we all have a responsibility to protect ourselves, our families and our communities. Emergencies will happen, but taking action now can help us minimize their impact.
Last year, the Ready Georgia campaign reminded Georgians to take important preparedness steps during NPM including: Get a disaster supplies kit, make a family emergency plan, be informed about the emergencies and their appropriate responses, and get involved in community efforts, such as Citizen Corps Councils. Throughout September, activities and events took place across this country and state to highlight the importance of emergency preparedness and promote individual involvement.
Ready Georgia encourages you to take a few extra minutes this year to plan in case of an emergency. Consider the following questions: Have you spoken to your children's schools about their safety plans? Do you know the evacuation plan at work? If your cell phone was inoperable, how would you get in touch with your family? Do you have a family meeting place and an out of town contact? These are just a few of the questions you should consider as you are developing your emergency plan.
By visiting ready.ga.gov, you can get information on how to prepare for natural and manmade disasters or pandemic outbreaks. The site's newest feature enables individuals and families to create customized Ready kit checklists and communications plans. n
July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

In Brief

New Tower for HAM Radio Operators

Thanks to a collaboration between the National Weather Service (NWS), Fayette County Amateur Radio Club (FCARC), Fayette-Coweta Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), Georgia Technology Authority (GTA), Fayette County Fire and Emergency Services, and the Coweta-Fayette EMC Trust, a new hub repeater was added to a tower in Fayette County to improve the National Weather Service's Skywarn system. The new equipment was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 1, 2009.
Skywarn is a NWS program that trains volunteer severe weather spotters. These volunteers identify local storms and provide timely, accurate reports to NWS, often using amateur radio. NWS uses this information, along with other data, to issue watches and warnings to the public when severe weather threatens.
"Skywarn is a vital component of the severe weather operations for NWS," says Lans Rothfusz, meteorologist-in-charge for the NWS in Peachtree City, Ga. "This repeater will extend our effective reach throughout the state, helping us keep more citizens better protected from the ravages of severe weather. I commend all the partners for realizing this and working together to make Georgia a safer place."
Skywarn in North Georgia was crippled when a privately owned tower on which the old repeater was mounted was torn down several years ago. Since then, FCARC and ARES, with the help of Fayette County Fire and Emergency Services, began searching for another location. Their collective efforts identified the best solution, a tower owned by GTA.
The installation of the FCARC repeater and associated equipment was made possible through the coordinated efforts of FCARC, ARES, Fayette

Pictured left to right are: reporter Trey alvarez, amateur radio operator robert Burton, Fcarc president Huey Kenmar, amateur radio operator Lewis Patterson, Fayette county emergency management coordinator Pete nelms, amateur radio operator george Knight, Fcarc past president Brian Haren, meteorologist-in-charge Lans rothfusz, Peachtree city assistant fire chief Peki Prince, gEma operations Director charles Dawson, arES emergency coordinator David Benoist; gTastate frequency coordinator ralph Bevins, and coweta-Fayette Emc Trust chief operating officer marsha mcDaniel.

County Fire and Emergency Services, NWS, GTA and GEMA, along with funding provided by Coweta-Fayette EMC Trust. Now, a network of private amateur radio repeaters across North and Central Georgia are connected to the NWS office in Peachtree City, Ga. This means that weather spotters in Ringgold in northwest Georgia, Clayton in northeast Georgia, Vidalia in southeast Georgia, and Lumpkin in southwest Georgia can provide instant storm spotter reports to NWS.
Amateur and federally licensed amateur radio operators provide a back-up connection for local, state and federal agencies, and are even incorporated into the Georgia Emergency Operations Plan. In Fayette County, amateur radio is maintained in the county's emergency operations center, 9-1-1 center and at Piedmont Fayette Hospital.
Amateur radio groups also provide a lifeline to volunteer disaster response organizations. In fact, amateur radio operators provided emergency communications last year to the American Red Cross by linking their Atlanta headquarters with shelters in Troup and

Gwinnett counties and welfare centers along I-20 and I-85 when the Gulf Coast evacuated in the face of Hurricane Gustav.n
Columbia County Unveils New Training Center, Holds Haz-mat Exercise
The Columbia County Emergency Management Agency celebrated the opening of its new training center with a ribboncutting ceremony on April 30, 2009. The center was christened immediately afterwards, when 27 agencies participated in a full-scale exercise. During the drill, the county's newly created Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) evaluated and handled the release of sulfur trioxide and a secondary release of trichlorethane, both toxic chemicals, which impacted 10 employees.n

EmErgEncy managEr July 2009

4

Citizen Corps Corner

Georgia East Metro Health District Medical Reserve Corps

Sherwin Levinson's interest in

Emergency Management Agency

emergency preparedness was sparked

(EMA) and a member of the Gwinnett

when a tornado struck his house in

County EMA Steering Committee.

1998. In the early hours of the morn-

Sherwin eventually moved from

ing, an EF-2 tornado with winds up to Berkeley Lake and left these positions.

150 mph hit his Berkeley Lake home in However, in 2006, he decided to join

Gwinnett County. Hours after the tor- the Georgia East Metro Health District

nado passed, Levinson and his wife

Medical Reserve Corps (MRC-GEM)

climbed out of shelter in their base-

after running into the district's emer-

ment to find their house covered by

gency response coordinator and its

trees. Even though his family was well MRC coordinator at a pandemic flu

prepared to cope and recover from the meeting. Within a year, Sherwin

disaster, they were without power and became MRC-GEM`s executive

assistance for more than three days.

director.

"I was frustrated and wanted to do

"At that point in my life, it was the

more," says Levinson.

perfect marriage," Sherwin says. "I was

Armed with a burning desire to

looking for an opportunity to get back

improve his city's emergency manage- involved with emergency

ment response, he volunteered to serve management."

as coordinator for Berkeley Lake

MRC-GEM is a non-profit organi-

zation that works closely

with local health depart-

ments, emergency man-

agers, and homeland secu-

rity officials to address the

health and emergency pre-

paredness needs of

Gwinnett, Newton and

Rockdale counties. It is a

part of the USA Freedom

Corps, created by former

President George W. Bush

in response to the attacks

of September 11, 2001.

There are 808 MRC units

across the United States,

which are guided by the

Office of the U.S. Surgeon

General. MRC-GEM is

staffed by volunteers from

medical and non-medical

fields who are certified in

the Incident Command

MRC-GEM Executive Director Sherwin Levinson (center) accepts the 2009 Community Resiliency Award from two officers with the Office of the Surgeon General on behalf of the unit. MRC-GEM was one of only two units honored for outstanding resiliency at the community level during the first Integrated Medical, Public Health, Preparedness, and Response Training Summit, which was held in

System, CPR and first aid training.
With the help of volunteers, Levinson helped re-establish the disjointed East Metro Health District

Dallas in March 2009.

MRC unit, which was

afflicted with high turnover and low volunteer retention. Today, MRCGEM is a chartered non-profit organization with more than 100 volunteers. In April, they were awarded the U.S. Surgeon General's Community Resiliency Award for their efforts.
"I am really proud that this MRC has come back to life and is growing into something that can really help the community," Levinson says.
Mark Reiswig, emergency preparedness coordinator for East Metro Health District agrees, noting that MRC-GEM is critical to his organization's success.
"Our district has roughly 300 employees serving nearly 1 million people. In a disaster situation such as an anthrax attack, which would require the public to receive prophylaxis within 48 hours, our district could not do this alone," says Reiswig. "We would need volunteers from MRC to help dispense medication to the public.
"Volunteers are essential to our success in a disaster. They have received the necessary training and are always willing to step into a role when needed."
In the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, MRC-GEM helped set up a shelter in downtown Lawrenceville.
"In a disaster, we are there to help," says Levinson. "During Hurricane Gustav, we provided nurses, doctors and general assistance, such as assembling bed cots and watching children."
For Levinson, volunteering in emergency management is more than extracurricular activity -- it is a way of life. Hardly a week passes when he spends less than 20 hours coordinating training and activities for MRC-GEM.
"Some people play golf in their free time, I help MRC-GEM," Levinson concludes. "It is my hobby."n -- Den Brummer

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July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

Gordon County Hosts Successful WIPP Exercise
By Ken Davis, Public Information Officer

Officials from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division, Gordon County Emergency Management Agency, Gordon County Local Emergency Planning Committee and numerous other agencies, with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Energy, partnered to conduct a joint transportation exercise involving radioactive materials, on March 19, 2009.
Over an 18-month period, a series of monthly meetings were held by the exercise planning staff to develop an exercise package that included objectives, a scenario narrative and timeline, messages, and supporting exercise data. Logistic, security, communications and safety plans also were produced.
To prepare for the exercise, the planning group developed a training plan to be delivered over a two-county area in North Georgia. The training included: Delivery of 15 Modular Emergency Response Radiological Transportation Training (MERRTT) Courses Three Incident Command System Sessions Command and Control Training Controller / Evaluator Training Advanced Radiological Instrument Training Hospital Response to Radiation Accidents Training (FEMA G-346)
Thirty days before the exercise, a tabletop drill was conducted that enabled participants to discuss plans and procedures used for the response to a transportation accident involving radioactive material. To make the response as authentic as possible, the
EmErgEncy managEr July 2009

scenario used a Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) transporter hauling three TRUPACT-II containers, complete with shipping papers.
The full-scale exercise began when a suspect fleeing a Gordon County sheriff 's deputy at a high rate of speed in a stolen car lost control of the vehicle. The WIPP transporter was one of five vehicles involved in the subsequent accident that closed I-75 southbound for nearly three hours.
One fatality and several injuries ranging from minor to serious were simulated in connection with the accident. Twelve patients were taken to Gordon County Hospital, which is obtaining its mass causality treatment accreditation. The hospital also demonstrated contamination control and decontamination techniques.
The WIPP drivers were not injured in the accident, however, one of the TRUPACTs was damaged. One driver implemented accident notification procedures, including TRANSCOM notification, while the other began assisting the injured.
Gordon County E9-1-1 Center dispatched law enforcement, medical, fire and haz-mat responders. After conducting an initial scene assessment, the first responding units established

an up-wind, up-slope command post, dealt with the casualties, and isolated the area.
The incident commander requested assistance from the regional haz-mat response team, GEMA, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which is the state's radiation authority, and the Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) Team from DOE Region 3, Savannah River Site. Public information officers from Gordon County, GEMA, and RAP collaborated to develop a news release and conduct a media briefing. All agencies effectively functioned under the unified command system. In addition, GEMA's state operations center and the Atlanta-based Georgia Mutual Aid Group were activated to assist the incident command with notifications and provide equipment and staff. When the emergency response phase of the exercise was complete, the state and federal response teams worked with the haz-mat team to conduct detailed scene surveys, evaluate the package for damage, and offer recommendations to the incident commander on recovery operations. The incident commander also consulted with the Georgia Department of Public Safety's Motor Carrier Compliance Division and the WIPP Incident Response Team on the vehicle recovery operation, including vehicle inspection, replacement, package loading, and whether to continue the shipment or re-route to the point of origin since the container or the bolts holding the container may have been damaged during accident. Twenty-seven evaluators and controllers from neighboring counties and state and federal agencies managed the exercise.n
6

Sitting on what once was repeatedly flooded property, this aesthetically pleasing detention pond now collects stormwater run-off. The surrounding greenspace provides leisure space for residents.

In Dougherty County, Floodplain Returns to Greenspace
By Shana Slay, Contributing Writer, Hazard Mitigation Division

In the wake of this year's spring flooding, many South Georgia residents agree that the area has witnessed a great deal of destruction in the past 15 years. When Georgia's Flood of the Century, a result of Tropical Storm Alberto, destroyed a large portion of the area in 1994, many residents learned first-hand about the inherent dangers of living in floodplains.
The Flint River, the 1994 flood's focal point, dissects the busy town of Albany in Dougherty County. A significant portion of the self-proclaimed Good Life City, which is home to 80 percent of Dougherty County's estimated 95,693 residents, lies directly within the floodplain of the river and is consequently under the constant threat of dangerous flooding.
Between July 4 and July 7 1994, 10 inches to 25 inches of rain fell over
7

the southern part of the state, leaving many towns in South Georgia submerged for days. The Flint River's record crest in Albany, the county seat of Dougherty County, rose to 43.8 feet, almost 6 feet above the previous 37.8 foot record set in 1925. Hundreds of families throughout the city watched in disbelief as their homes were obscured by the swollen river, and many wondered not only how they would live without basic necessities, but what could be done to avoid similar future losses.
Wes Smith, Albany's assistant city manager for customer service and support explained that 6,000 houses were lost in the flooding and 45,000 people were displaced from their homes. As one of the displaced citizens, he explained that "until you live through a natural disaster like that, you can't understand it." He is very satisfied,

however, with the way his city is using its experiences to mitigate future severe flooding.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) 1994 flood disaster aid for Dougherty County far surpassed the amounts provided for the other declared Georgia counties, totaling $41.5 million in Public Assistance Grants and $24.2 million in Individual and Family Grants for those directly affected by the flooding.
Considering the risks made evident by the catastrophic flooding in 1994 and another severe flood in 1998, many Albany officials and residents resolved to minimize the effects of future flooding through various hazard mitigation projects.
As the citizens of Albany began to rebuild their lives, county and city officials began their mission to rebuild the
July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

community. Part of their strategy involves working extensively with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and FEMA to develop a pre-disaster mitigation plan that enabled them to maintain eligibility for the funds needed to accomplish their mitigation goals.
The Albany Dougherty PreDisaster Mitigation Plan states that "the end result of mitigation is a reduction in the cost of natural, technological or man-made disaster response and recovery to each individual Dougherty County taxpayer; and also in the losses suffered by each homeowner in the event of a natural or man-made disaster."
Since 1994, Albany has received approximately $14.6 million through FEMA's Mitigation Grant Programs to acquire and demolish homes located in the Flint River flood plain. All of these funds were awarded through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and administered through GEMA.
With voluntary participation from homeowners, the city successfully acquired and demolished 275 flooddamaged homes and elevated four others through HMGP, thus moving many families to safer areas. Other federal funding resources, which are provided to areas under a presidential disaster declaration and actively in the recovery phase, facilitated the acquisition and demolition of many other flooddamaged structures.
One acquisition project also included funds to build a detention pond west of the River near the intersection of Cherry Avenue and South Monroe Street. This pond not only serves a functional flood mitigation purpose of detaining excess water, it is also a scenic area for the residents to leisurely enjoy.
Federal Hazard Mitigation grants, which are not restricted to properties located in declared disaster areas, require that each of the properties individually meet program guidelines and they are evaluated based on an extensive benefit-cost analysis. As a condition of award, the communities also ensure that the floodplain properties acquired will be perpetually maintained
EmErgEncy managEr July 2009

as green space, and they must guaran-

million of these funds issued from fed-

tee that the city will never build anoth- eral sources. This major undertaking

er vulnerable structure on the haz-

ensures that the campus will never

ardous tracts of land.

again be subjected to the same level of

Albany Tomorrow Inc., a business- educational disruption and property

based, nonprofit corporation, is imple- destruction experienced in 1994.

menting the Albany Downtown

Albany-Dougherty County

Riverfront Master Plan. This large

Emergency Management Agency

development involves many different

Director James Carswell says that the

projects that will use some of the

variety of mitigation measures have

acquired green spaces in creative, aes-

made a positive impact on his commu-

thetic ways. Two of its already com-

nity, "We have definitely put ourselves

pleted projects are the Riverfront Park in a better position by improving the

and Greenways Trail along the Flint

drainage systems, acquiring and demol-

River. According to its Web site, this

ishing homes in the floodplain,

group also supports efforts to maintain installing warning sirens and activating

and redevelop downtown locations

a mass alert system, and doing whatev-

outside of the flood hazard zones to

er else we could to lessen future

create a "new mix of economic, educa- impacts."

tional and cultural activities."

Many years after the flood waters

In addition to the grants for prop- crested at record levels, Albany offi-

erty acquisitions, Albany also received cials continue their efforts to meet the

$4.8 million for drainage projects

mitigation goals outlined in their plan.

through various HMGP grants, which Not only do these flood protection

were used for necessary upgrades on

and other warning projects alleviate the

the Lines Canal, Westside Interceptor

community's fears of another cata-

Sanitary Sewer System, Joshua-

strophic flood, but they also help the

Southgate Canal, and Hogpen Ditch

Good Life City remain a great place to

Drainage Area. These projects continue live.n

to provide a wide

range of flood

mitigation bene-

fits for Albany

that far outweigh

their costs.

Albany State

College, now

known as Albany

State University,

also moved a

majority of the

campus to higher

ground after the

1994 flood

destroyed most

of the college's

academic build-

ings. According

to the Board of

Regents of the

University

System of

Georgia, this

major relocation

and renovation

cost approxi-

mately $143 mil- a plaque in the entrance of Peace Hall at albany State college lion, with $59.3 marks the water level on July 7, 1994.

8

Spring Storms Pound Georgia, Disaster Declaration OK'd
By Buzz Weiss, Public Information Officer

For the third consecutive year, spring brought turbulent weather to Georgia -- buffeting wide areas of the state from Nashville to Nahunta, from Moultrie to Monticello -- with high winds, tornadoes, heavy rains and flooding.
February twisters The first wave of bad weather hit
February 18-19, 2009, even before the start of Georgia's unofficial "tornado season," when a strong system swept

across the state, spawning a series of violent supercell thunderstorms that delivered damaging winds and hail, and triggered 11 tornadoes. The twisters ranged in strength from EF-0 to EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Tornadoes were confirmed in Taylor, Houston, Wilkes, Putnam, Jasper, Newton, Meriwether, Coweta, Spalding, Hancock, Warren, Oconee, Thomas and Grady counties. Governor Sonny Perdue issued a state of emergency for Thomas, Warren, Hancock

In Lowndes county, approximately 250 people were evacuated, and 170 homes and 25 businesses sustained damage from heavy rains, which brought significant flooding this spring. The meadowbrook Drive subdivision was particularly hard-hit.
9

and Jasper counties on February 20, 2009, to make state resources available to county officials for response efforts.
An EF-3 tornado that plowed through Hancock and Warren counties -- with wind speeds from 158 mph to 206 mph, left one person dead near Sparta when his mobile home was overturned. Another EF-3 storm struck Wilkes County.
More than 450 homes and businesses reported damage from the outbreak, including at least 65 that were destroyed.
South Georgia floods Bouts of severe weather continued
across the state in the coming weeks, culminating with the onset of more storms and heavy rains in late March and early April 2009. The precipitation was welcome in the face of long-term drought conditions across the state, but there can be too much of a good thing. Heavy rains below the Fall Line pushed more than a dozen South Georgia rivers above flood stage.
On March 30, 2009, Governor Perdue issued another state of emergency -- this one for Baker, Colquitt, Miller, Tift, Turner and Worth counties, noting damage to more than 800 miles of roads and at least 100 homes. The state of emergency was amended two more times as the floodwaters continued to rise and more counties were impacted.
The order paved the way for a presidential disaster declaration, which was issued April 23, 2009. The initial declaration covered 27 counties, but was amended three times based on further preliminary damage assessments. A total of 46 counties were brought under the declaration by early May 2009.
July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

Photo courtesy of Paige Dukes, Lowndes county clerk/ PIO Photo courtesy of Paige Dukes, Lowndes county clerk/ PIO

"We have some hard work ahead of us and we appreciate the prompt response by President Obama and Acting FEMA Administrator Nancy Ward," said Governor Perdue when the declaration was initially announced. "It will greatly help the citizens whose lives have been disrupted."
The declaration covers the following counties:
Individual Assistance (IA) only -- Camden County.
Public Assistance (PA) only -- Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Calhoun, Clinch, Cook, Crisp, Dodge, Grady, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Lee, McIntosh, Monroe, Pulaski, Seminole, Telfair, Thomas, Toombs, Turner, Upson, Wayne and Wilcox counties.
Both IA and PA -- Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Baker, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Montgomery, Pierce, Tattnall, Tift, Ware, Wheeler and Worth counties.
FEMA's IA program can help eligible applicants with temporary housing assistance, uninsured personal property and medical, dental, and funeral expenses caused by the disaster, along with other disaster-related experiences
EmErgEncy managEr July 2009

as rising floodwaters reached the eaves of some houses, an american red cross shelter remained open for five days in Lowndes county to accommodate as many as 20 residents. In addition, 24 dogs, six goats, one cat and one horse also were cared for after they were evacuated.

and serious needs. The PA category covers damage to public infrastructure, such as roads and bridges.
Uninsured damages from the floods are at least $90 million. As of June 11, 2009, FEMA reported 1,657 applicants for individual assistance. The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) had disbursed $3.97 million. The Small Business Administration (SBA) reported $1.4 million approved for loans for damage to homes.
Bad weather widespread, persistent Mother Nature was apparently far
from satisfied, however, as severe weather continued to batter the state through April 2009.
According to State Climatologist David Stooksbury, hail or high winds were observed somewhere in the state on at least 10 days during the month of April. He says there were a total of 257 severe weather reports across the state, including 37 tornadoes. Only Texas recorded more tornadoes than Georgia during the month.

The heavy rains following the drought also hurt the root systems of scores of large trees, causing them to topple. An Atlanta area man died April 13, 2009, when a tree fell on his truck.
Incredibly, nature's rampage went beyond angry skies and swollen rivers. According to Stooksbury, two small earthquakes shook Hancock and Baldwin counties on April 4, 2009 -- magnitude 3.1 and 2.2, respectively. Neither caused any damage, and may have been triggered by shifting ground as the result of wet soil.
Rainfall helps end drought This heavy rainfall has helped
Georgia emerge from a historic drought that had gripped much of the state since late 2007. In fact, according to Stooksbury, Georgia has seen the second wettest spring in 115 years. In June 2009, Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch officially declared the drought over, and subsequently lifted outdoor watering restrictions.n
10

Will 2009 Hurricane Season Be `Near Normal?'
By Buzz Weiss, Public Information Officer

June 1, 2009, heralded the beginning of yet another hurricane season and despite the flurry of predictions from various weather seers, the only numbers that really matter will be the final tally on November 30, and whether any hurricanes or tropical storms made landfall along the U.S. coast during the six-month season.
"Hurricane season predictions have a singular goal in mind," says Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) Hurricane Program Manager Chris Walsh. "That is to predict the unpredictable, and over the years we have seen that it's difficult to pin the tail on Mother Nature."
Predictions went wide of the mark in 2005 when an unprecedented 27 hurricanes and tropical storms raged through the Atlantic Basin, catching forecasters off-guard and sending them to the Greek alphabet -- for Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon and Zeta -- to christen storms after the original list of names for the year was exhausted. The following year, at least one of the leading seasonal forecasters, Colorado State University's William Gray, overcompensated, predicting 17 named storms in a season that only saw nine.
Last year's predictions of an "above average" season proved to be pretty accurate, though, with 16 named storms -- vindicating most of the preseason outlooks. Tropical Storm Fay was a particularly pesky storm that made a record four separate landfalls along the Florida coast while dumping heavy rain in south Georgia and spawning 17 tornadoes across the north and central parts of the Peach State. The names of Hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma, meanwhile, were retired because of the damage they wreaked.
But for better or worse, the 2009 hurricane season has arrived and, like clockwork, the tropical groundhogs are

11

July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

at it again. Gray's most recent conjecture, which will undoubtedly change with the progress of the season, calls for 11 named storms, including five hurricanes. Accuweather is predicting 13 named storms, including eight hurricanes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is playing it safe with a prediction of anywhere from nine to 14 named storms, including four to seven hurricanes, one to three of which could be major, classified as Category 3 and above on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, which measures hurricane intensity. NOAA says to look for a 50 percent probability of a near-normal season.
Walsh notes that an average Atlantic Basin hurricane season, which includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, is marked by 11 named storms, including six hurricanes -- two major. However, we remain in the throes of a multi-decadal cycle that began in 1995 and that is expected to favor increased hurricane activity for a 15 year to 20 year period.
"Just remember it will be a very bad and memorable hurricane season, even if there is a total of only one Atlantic hurricane, if that one strikes your area," says The Weather Channel's Dr. Steve Lyons, who also notes that Atlantic Basin forecasts have little relation to how many storms might strike the U.S. coastline.
Lyons says that during the period from 1995 to 2008, the relationship between the number of Atlantic storms that formed and the number that struck the U.S. was poor. He says only about 15 percent of the U.S. storm and hurricane landfall variations are explained by knowing "exactly" how many storms and hurricanes formed in the Atlantic Basin. The 1992 season saw only six named storms -- well below average. But the first storm of the season was the calamitous Hurricane Andrew, one of only three Category 5 storms to make landfall on the U.S. coast since 1851.
GEMA Director Charley English points out that the real benefit of hurricane predictions is to call public attention to the threat of hurricanes and to the importance of preparedness.
The peak of a hurricane season
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runs from August through October. NOAA researchers say 78 percent of the season's tropical storm days, including 96 percent of the major hurricanes, occur during this timeframe.
A recent Mason-Dixon Poll shows that well over half of the people recently surveyed in Gulf and Atlantic coast states are not ready for hurricane season. According to the poll, 66 percent don't have a disaster supply kit and 62 percent don't feel vulnerable to a hurricane or tropical storm. An astonishing 83 percent admit they haven't done anything over the past year to make their homes more hurricane resistant

According to NOAA, 55 percent of the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of the coast, the area most vulnerable to hurricanes. Since 1950, coastal areas have seen a population hike of 251 percent.n
2009 Hurricane Names
This year's hurricane names are: Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Erika, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Joaquin, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor and Wanda.n

the storm

Cellar

Take this quiz about hurricane season.
1) According to the National Hurricane Center, 21 percent of the hurricanes that make landfall on the U.S. coast are Category 3 or higher. What percent of the damage do they cause? a) 18 percent b) 27 percent c) 83 percent d) 95 percenta
2) The 1938 hurricane, dubbed "The Long Island Express," roared up the east coast at what unprecedented forward speed? a) 35 mph b) 55 mph c) 60 mph d) 65 mph
3) What three U.S. communities have the highest statistical likelihood of being hit by a hurricane or tropical storm? a) Miami, Cape Hatteras and San Juan b) Tampa, Pensacola and Galveston c) New Orleans, Mobile and Jacksonville d) Panama City, Charleston and Virginia Beach
4) In 1806, British Admiral Francis Beaufort developed a scale to measure what? a) Storm surge b) Wind c) Rainfall d) Hurricane size

Answers 1) c; 2) c; 3) a; 4) b

12

The lobby of the georgia World congress center after an EF-2 tornado roared through.

Planning for the Worst Helps GWCC

When Tornado Twists Through

By Shana Slay, Contributing Writer, Hazard Mitigation Division

Known worldwide for its Southern hospitality, the bustling city of Atlanta hosts several conventions, sporting events, and performances each year at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park. Many outof-state and international visitors who come to Georgia's capital city to attend these events and experience the unique charm the area has to offer seldom plan for severe weather or emergencies, however.
Fortunately, each venue has its own emergency operations plan that outlines staff organization and evacuation procedures for a variety of situations. Each plan states, "the Georgia World Congress Center Authority will exercise whatever authority may be necessary to ensure the safety and best interests of the public in the event of an emergency condition. We will coordinate fully with emergency response
13

services, show management, event organizers, and other Authority operations."
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), under the auspices of the state of Georgia, manages the 200-acre campus that includes GWCC, the Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park, which are all within walking distance of the Georgia Aquarium, the World of CocaCola Museum, Imagine It! Children's Museum of Atlanta, Philips Arena, and CNN Center.
With its 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space, GWCC is the nation's fourth largest convention center, behind McCormick Place in Chicago, the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., and the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. GWCC's three-building complex, comprising Building A, Building B and Building C, has 12 exhibit halls, 106 meeting rooms and three auditoriums.

More than 1 million guests attend events at GWCC annually, and a single event can have as many as 125,000 registered participants. Every year, GWCC hosts the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Football Fanfare in conjunction with the SEC Championship Game held at the Georgia Dome.
The Georgia Dome, which opened in 1992, is the largest cable-supported domed stadium in the world, with a permanent seating capacity of 71,250. It welcomes several large events annually, including the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic, the SEC Football Championship and the Chickfil-A Bowl. In recent years it hosted Super Bowl XXVII and XXIV as well as a variety of trade shows and concerts. In 2008, the Dome welcomed a total of 1.2 million visitors during 155 event days.
The 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park is positioned in the center of one
July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

of Atlanta's cultural hubs. It accommodates millions of Georgia's residents and visitors each year between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., including holidays. The park's biggest events are the Fourth of July Celebration, the Wednesday WindDown concert series and Fourth Saturday Family Fun Days. Many other smaller festivals, fundraisers and private events throughout the year help bring in the park's estimated 3 million visitors each year.
The income generated from events at GWCCA facilities has a substantial impact on Georgia's economy. Together, these venues generated more than $1.7 billion new dollars for the state last year.
These impressive numbers necessitate the detailed emergency operations plan that the GWCCA Public Safety Department executes whenever a natural or man-made emergency threatens visitor safety. The plan anticipates the most probable emergencies and details the coordination of outside emergency agencies, employee responsibilities and procedures, and evacuation techniques and parameters. Drills and exercises also are regularly conducted to not only enhance their employee's skills, but also ensure the safety of the many visitors that come to Atlanta each year.
On the busy night of Friday, March 14, 2008, the emergency plans for these venues were tested when an EF-2 tornado, packing winds up to 135 mph, twisted its way through downtown's major tourist thoroughfare. Although the facilities were damaged, not one fan, tourist, conventioneer or employee suffered serious injury.
GWCCA had events scheduled in each of their three venues that evening. The day had been dreary, but many fans braved the wet weather to attend the SEC Basketball Championship Game between Mississippi State and the University of Alabama at the Georgia Dome and the Red Bull Illume Exhibit at Centennial Park. Meanwhile, a private dinner was being held at the convention center. These events brought in thousands of people, none of whom expected the night to turn dangerous. Thankfully, the Authority's Public Safety Department had their
EmErgEncy managEr July 2009

Less than two months later, the venue was completely functional.

emergency operating procedures in place to manage the abrupt interruption and resulting panic.
"It was unimaginable," says GWCCA Executive Director Dan Graveline. "An EF-2 tornado ripped through downtown Atlanta, directly hitting all three of our venues. As we walked through our facilities later that night trying to assess the damage, it quickly became clear we were up against perhaps the greatest challenge we had ever faced."
Fortunately, although the GWCC was accommodating a private meeting, the Atlanta Home Show and SEC Fanfare, these events had closed for the night. Therefore, the facility was comparatively empty when the tornado roared through, which was fortuitous because it sustained the most structural damage. Repairs included new roofs, windows, walls, ceilings and carpets. Most of the glass windows in Building A were replaced with safety glass, which will not only better protect against future inclement weather, but are more energy efficient.
At the Georgia Dome, witnesses reported debris falling from the ceiling and a swaying scoreboard as many fans rushed to the concourse for cover. They also described how the curtains that drape the side of the building flew open, alerting spectators to the heavy rain, winds and lightening strikes taking place outside. However, luck was on their side as Alabama's Mykel Riley hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, which tied the game and kept the thousands

of fans safely inside the facility, where the quick action of employees and adherence to the facility's emergency operations plan minimized injuries and helped to ease the fears of the panicked crowd. In the end, the only major damage the venue sustained was the destruction of a large roof panel on the north side of the dome.
Meanwhile, at Centennial Olympic Park, two of the 65-foot-tall light towers located around the interactive Fountain of Rings were toppled, but no other major damages were reported. Last year, the Authority installed a sophisticated severe weather and lightning prediction system that will provide the park and Authority staff with early warning for any future severe weather events.
Despite the $75 million in damages to the three venues, all were completely functional just 42 days after the tornado ripped through the city's center. GWCCA had not only successfully managed a real emergency situation that simultaneously occurred at all three venues, they had also minimized any economic impact by working diligently to accommodate all of the events that were scheduled before the tornado hit.
"Hundreds -- really thousands -- of people have worked to get the convention center and city back to business. It's a perfect example of teamwork, and we want to thank our customers and the community for their support," concludes GWCCA General Manager Mark Zimmerman.n
14

Nursing Homes Have an Rx

for Preparedness with

NOAA Weather Radio

By Nathan Fox, Contributing Writer and Public Affairs Intern

When faced with severe weather, implementing emergency procedures in a place entrusted with the safety of a large number of residents can be daunting. When the population you are responsible for comprises the elderly with special needs, this task becomes even more unique and challenging.
NOAA Weather Radio All-hazards (NWR) can make this process more efficient. NWR broadcasts official warnings and watches from the National Weather Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When a severe weather or civil emergency warning is issued, a loud alarm will sound to get people's attention, even if they are sleeping, which enables them to take the proper steps to ensure their safety before the disaster strikes.
This extra warning time is crucial for nursing homes, where most residents are physically impaired or wheelchair bound. The fact that many people in nursing homes are unable to move quickly makes receiving early alerts

about dangerous weather very important; this early notification can give staff valuable extra time to properly prepare residents for a disaster.
Tornado watches and warnings are frequently issued for Fayette County, and NWR has greatly aided in nearly all of the severe-weather related precautions the nursing home implements to protect its 155 residents. "It's a great heads up, and gives us crucial extra time to deal with these emergencies," says Southland Help and Rehabilitation Center Maintenance and Safety Officer David Procter.
"If a tornado watch is sounded, we close all the windows in the facility," Procter explains. "If we receive a tornado warning, we bring all the residents out into the halls and away from any windows, and we also close the doors to their rooms firmly so debris can't fly through."
NWR is used effectively at Southland Center because it is always kept in common areas, where it can be heard at all times. The chances of hear-

ing the radio's inclement weather alerts are greatly diminished if it is kept in an untrafficked area, such as a storage closet.
"We have three nurse stations that oversee our six halls within our facility," says Porter. "There is a radio at each one of these stations, so if something happens we know about it right away."
These stations are also manned at all times, so no matter when an emergency is signaled the facility will be prepared to implement emergency measures. Nurses can quickly alert the residents of the danger and enact emergency procedures whenever a disaster warning is issued, day or night.
NWR is critical at nursing homes, but it must be kept in common areas where it can be constantly monitored in order to be effective, a strategy that has worked well for Southland.
"It's been a great help," Porter concludes. "It lets us know [of impending threats] in plenty of time."n

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July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

H1N1 Virus Tests Georgia's
Preparedness and Pandemic Response
By Den Brummer, Public Information Officer and Nathan Fox, Contributing Writer and Public Affairs Intern

In late April 2009, the H1N1 "Swine Flu" virus commanded the immediate attention of global health authorities when reports filtered out of Mexico City that it was the culprit in a dozen deaths. Within weeks, this never-before-seen strain of the virus made its U.S. debut in 47 states and, by mid-May, had infected 4,298 lives. Though the fears of the prospect of a flu pandemic peaked and quickly subsided, the H1N1 virus provided a hands-on pandemic exercise for Georgia public health experts and emergency management officials.
"This was an excellent test run for the state, because this is the first novel virus [a virus that has never previously infected humans] the United States has seen since 1968," says Dr. Patrick O'Neal, director of preparedness for the Georgia Department of Community Health. "Since we didn't know the severity or degree of spread of this virus at the initial onset of the outbreak, we chose to use the state's Pandemic Influenza Plan as a guide for our actions while we were gaining more information about severity and spread of the virus. This response provided great opportunities for us to identify any shortcomings and gaps in our pandemic plan."
Over the past three years, the Georgia Department of Community Health, Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and other state agencies have collaboratively developed a Pandemic Influenza Plan that provides a series of guidelines for action in case the pandemic influenza threat is realized. The guidelines, which were established by the Centers for Disease Control and the
EmErgEncy managEr July 2009

World Health Organization, are divided into two main sections: The Interpandemic and Pandemic Alert Periods and the Pandemic Period. To see a breakdown of activities, please visit http://health.state.ga.us/pandemicflu/GAPanfluSOP.asp
For H1N1, the Georgia Department of Community Health was the lead agency for the state's response and focused their efforts on monitoring the outbreak and testing. GEMA supported the Division of Public Health's efforts by serving as a conduit between intergovernmental agencies and establishing a virtual state Joint Information Center (S-JIC) for distributing information to the public and media. In a pandemic, GEMA would also assist with the stockpile and distribution of anti-viral medication."It was a good exercise and provided a valuable glimpse as to how we would operate during a pandemic," says Dan Stowers, GEMA's planning director. "The outbreak of H1N1 validated some of our plans, showing them to be

effective and efficient. In other cases we learned valuable lessons that will help us improve our processes.
"We learned during this recent event that we would be better served if we developed a more flexible system to monitor the situation and display the severity levels that serve as trigger points instead of centering our response plans around the World Health Organization's severity levels," he adds.
Dr. O'Neal also believes the recent incident of H1N1 virus provides opportunities for families to re-evaluate or develop their own disaster/emergency plans.
"We dodged the bullet in this incident because the virus was not severe," he says. "Families should stop and ask themselves what they would have done had this been a major pandemic incident. Would they have had enough food if the grocery store shelves were empty? If they have family members who regularly require prescription medications, would they have had an adequate supply to cover them for short interruptions in supply at the drug stores? If there had been interruptions in electrical power, would they have had flashlights and batterypowered radios? Right now is the time to get prepared."
To learn how to prepare for pandemics or other emergencies, visit www.ready.ga.gov. For more information on pandemic influenza, visit http://www.pandemicflu.gov/index.ht ml. If you are interested in participating in the state's planning efforts around pandemic influenza, visit your local public health department and request information.n
16

Ready Georgia Ramps Up in Second Year
By Lisa Janak Newman, Editor

Alittle more than one year after the campaign was launched, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's (GEMA) Ready Georgia program is paying off, according to a new survey.
Conducted by Alexander Babbage on behalf of GEMA, the findings show that people familiar with our Ready Georgia campaign are twice as likely to be prepared than others. However, overall, 79 percent of Georgians are not prepared to survive without assistance for the recommended 72 hours when faced with large-scale emergencies, such as natural disasters, pandemic outbreaks or terrorist attacks.
"While we are encouraged that Ready Georgia is inspiring more citizens to be prepared, there is still much awareness about emergency preparedness to be raised," says GEMA-Office of Homeland Security Director Charley English. "Our goal is to have 100 percent of households prepared to survive for 72 hours without assistance in the aftermath of disaster."
Now in its sophomore year, the Ready Georgia campaign continues to work toward that goal. Unveiled in January 2008 by Governor Sonny

Perdue, this statewide campaign motivates Georgians to "get a kit, make a plan and be informed" in the face of disaster through television and radio advertising donated by the Ad Council media outreach, and an online community toolkit.
Ready Georgia also is maintaining a presence at statewide events such as Family Safety Day at the Georgia Aquarium, which drew more than 2,000 attendees, and the Imagine It! Safety Circus at The Children's Museum in Atlanta. The campaign also has purchased advertising with WalMart TV, Georgia News Network and Radio Disney. Four Radio Disney events are planned throughout the year, with expected attendance at 4,000 per event.
In an effort to engage children, parents and teachers, Ready Georgia is sponsoring a contest for fifth graders statewide this fall to help children internalize the Ready Georgia message by creating an essay or artwork that conveys the importance of emergency preparation. Students will be encouraged to draw upon their personal experiences by depicting how their families have already prepared or plan to do so.

Once again, Ready Georgia has partnered with The Home Depot to spread the preparedness message. To help Georgians be Ready for any disaster, The Home Depot will create instore Ready kit displays and have Ready checklists available at all Georgia locations throughout the year. During September, National Preparedness Month, Home Depot stores also will host a Ready-themed workshop for kids. In addition, it has committed to event support, including giveaways.
Another campaign partner, the Georgia Department of Community Health, was the catalyst behind two online tools that were added to the Ready Georgia Web site late last year. Users complete a simple guide with basic family member information (medical instructions, pets) and contact information (work, school, emergency contact, meeting place), and a custom checklist and plan will be generated with recommended amounts of food and water their family will need to survive for 72 hours, along with a personal emergency communication plan with specific meeting places.
"We invite everyone to use the new Ready Georgia online step-by-step

17

July 2009 EmErgEncy managEr

Are you Ready to survive an emergency?
Get a kit Make a plan Be informed
Visit www.ready.ga.gov

tools to create or update your personal preparedness plans," says English. "Although many Georgia residents already have essential Ready kit items such as a flashlight and batteries, few have a written plan that includes a meeting place, prescription medications and emergency contact numbers."
Social media technology is making it easier to share information, and in July 2009 the Ready Georgia campaign created a Facebook page to reach out to a younger demographic with disaster preparedness information. When users visit the Ready Georgia page, they can become a fan, be notified about upcoming events, learn how to build a disaster supplies kit and make a preparedness plan, discover how to get their businesses Ready, participate in discussions, and watch fun, lighthearted videos, including one featuring Atlanta Falcon Ovie Mughelli encouraging residents to be Ready for an emergency. GEMA is also sharing these videos on YouTube.
Ready promotes NOAA Weather Radio Severe weather, including flooding
and tornadoes, ravaged Georgia this spring, and in March 2009, Ready Georgia partnered with WSB-TV and Kroger stores statewide for a public service campaign promoting awareness of emergency preparedness and the
EmErgEncy managEr July 2009

need for in-home National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radios.
During the promotion, which ran from March 17, 2009 through April 30, 2009, residents could purchase state-of the-art, digital alert Midland radios at a reduced rate of $29.99 from $49.99 and register to win one of 200 radios that were given away by creating a profile at www.ready.ga.gov.
"NOAA Weather Radios can help save lives and are a critical emergency preparedness tool in every home," declares English. "Georgia's NOAA Weather Radio network provides the most saturated coverage of any state in the U.S., making it possible for every community to take advantage of the information broadcasted 24 hours a day."
With 46 counties under a federal disaster declaration and hurricane season under way, this campaign was very timely in helping Georgians prepare for dangerous weather and other threats.
Local support Georgia's local emergency manage-
ment agencies (EMA) remain an important partner in this campaign. An updated online toolkit available at www.ready.ga.gov can be a jumping off point for EMA directors to implement a Ready Georgia program in their communities. It includes resources such as

a standard PowerPoint presentation community leaders can customize for their audience, fact sheets for older Georgians, people with special needs and children, sample press releases and newsletter articles, and a guide to working with the media.
"We're trying to make it as simple as possible for every Georgian to be prepared," said English. "Using our tools, the reality is that getting your household ready for emergencies can be a family activity that can take no more than an hour."
To start planning for natural or man-made disasters in Georgia and for more information on emergency preparedness in the state, visit Ready Georgia at www.ready.ga.gov.n
Who is Ready? Georgia households without children are somewhat better prepared than households with kids. Georgians living outside metro Atlanta are slightly better prepared than residents of the metro area. Preparedness levels tend to increase in relation to age. Georgians aware of Ready Georgia are significantly better prepared than those who are not.
Source: Facts compiled from a 2009 statewide survey conducted on behalf of the georgia Emergency management agency.n
18

Principles for Georgia Emergency Management Agency Employees
We will be Decent, ethical and Honorable The First Principle guides how we interact with each other and with our external customers, partners and stakeholders. As GEMA employees, we are expected to be Decent, to be Ethical
at all times and to Honor our commitments.
We will be Servant Leaders The Second Principle guides our commitment to those in need in times of an emergency. As employees of the state's emergency management agency, we are expected to always be mindful that our purpose is to Serve those in need and to provide Leadership in times of an emergency.
We will Show Up and Do Our Best The Third Principle guides our personal commitment to the Agency and our co-workers. As
GEMA employees, we are expected to make a commitment each day to "Show Up" and to "Do Our Best." Every day we make a commitment to give our best effort to the challenges we
face and to be fully present in all our actions and thoughts.
We will have an attitude of Success The Fourth Principle guides our attitude. As GEMA employees, we are expected to approach
our responsibilities from the perspective of "How can I make this work?" by adopting an Attitude of Success.
We will embrace a Team Spirit The Fifth Principle guides our commitment to our professional careers in the field of emergency management. As GEMA employees, we are expected to embrace a Team Spirit, to respect each other as fellow professionals, to ask for and/or provide assistance when needed, and to recognize that "None of us are above doing anything asked of us" if GEMA is to be
successful in fulfilling our mission.
We will be Ladies and gentlemen The Sixth Principle guides how we interact with the general public. As GEMA employees, we are expected to always Act as Ladies and Gentlemen and to treat others as if they were Ladies
and Gentlemen.
We will have Open Doors The Seventh Principle guides how we interact with our supervisors. As GEMA employees, we
are expected to be welcoming and have an Open Door.