EMERGENCY
PLANNING COMMITTEE TO HOST
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT CLASS
ST. JAMES-The Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee (MREPC),
in cooperation with the State Emergency Management Agency, will host a one-day
training on March 2 to train local governments and emergency response personnel
with a working knowledge of damage assessment concepts and procedures, and the
ability to apply the knowledge in the aftermath of a disaster.
The class, offered free of charge, will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on
March 2 at the Meramec Regional Planning Commission, 4 Industrial Drive in St.
James. Preregistration is required. To register or for more information, persons
should contact Tina Brown at SEMA, (573) 526-9215. Participants may also register
online at http://training.dps.mo.gov.
The class is designed for local government officials, emergency management personnel,
emergency responders, public works and volunteer agency administrators. The
class is limited to 30. The MREPC will provide lunch for participants.
At the completion of the course, participants will be prepared to conduct an
actual damage assessment and will be familiar with the necessary forms and procedures,
required by emergency management agencies.
"It's very important for local jurisdictions to have people who are trained
in damage assessment. The faster those assessments are complete, following a
disaster, the faster state and federal aid will flow into the community,"
said Tammy Snodgrass of Meramec Regional Planning Commission, who coordinates
trainings on behalf of the MREPC.
The Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee periodically coordinates and
offers training opportunities for emergency responders in the region. The purpose
of the committee is to work with local governments as well as the private sector
to maintain plans responsive to chemical hazards, which seriously threaten the
area. The committee meets quarterly, and meetings are open to the public. Persons
needing more information the MREPC or chemicals in the region may contact Meramec
Regional Planning Commission at (573) 265-2993. The planning commission, a voluntary
council of local governments serving the Meramec Region, provides staff support
for the local emergency planning committee.