Chatham Emergency Management Agency

HURREX 2012 Wraps Up

2012-05-17T17:49:06Z

John Doe is a Chatham County resident seeking transportation out of the County before Hurricane Jerry, a category three storm with intense winds, hits the Georgia Coast. Chatham County is expected to see major flooding and an increase in tornado activity. Doe is one of thousands of residents with no means of private transportation to escape the devastation so he is relying on the County's public evacuation plan.

This fortunately is an exercise and not the real deal. The exercise of the county's Evacuation Assembly Area (EAA), where people are bussed out of the county, was part of a week-long statewide hurricane exercise (HURREX). Within the week of exercising, the largest and most comprehensive was this simulated evacuation that occurred at the Savannah Civic Center. Were an actual evacuation to occur, this function would accommodate all Chatham County residents who have no means of private transportation.

"HURREX provides the county with the opportunity to evaluate our plans and establish what we are doing right and what we can improve upon. It is not often that we get to bring all the agencies together to actually practice and evaluate the plans that we have developed," said Master Exercise Planner Jennifer Rodriguez. Rodriguez is an emergency coordinator with CEMA and spent countless hours developing three full-scale exercises that rehearsed the county's plans and phases of hurricane evacuation and re-entry. More than four hundred people, from partner agencies to volunteers, participated in the exercises, which are required by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency every two years.

CEMA began preparing for HURREX 2012 in August of last year. This magnitude of exercising allows CEMA to truly test the plans before hurricane season is here. CEMA Deputy Director Dennis Jones said, "Objectives were set early in the schedule and we have held true in preparing our response plans and designing the exercises to meet those objectives. County-wide preparedness for HURREX 2012 has led us to generate three full-scale exercises, review and update 13 plans, and host over 30 group and individual meetings. This is a true testament to the dedication of all partners to identify and resolve any gaps."

(CEMA Photos)

2012 Chatham County Hurricane Conference

2012-05-17T17:30:08Z

The 2012 Chatham County Hurricane Conference hosted by CEMA was the biggest yet, held on May 1 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center. 389 people attended the one-day event focused on hurricane planning, response, and recovery. Philip Weber, Preparedness Program Manager for Witt Associates and former Director of CEMA, said what once started as a small scale conference is increasing in strength. "It's just grown exponentially and it's a tribute to your partners, to the people across the county that breathe life into your hurricane planning and hurricane program," said Weber.

This year's conference featured 27 different workshops geared toward a variety of topics including volunteer management, damage assessment, first responder safety, public assistance and public information. Charley English, Director of Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), kicked off the conference and the guest speaker of the conference was Dennis Manley, Director of Quality and Risk Management at St. John's Regional Medical Center. Manley spoke about the evacuation of the hospital following a devastating EF-5 tornado that ripped through Joplin, Missouri last year.

Something new to the conference was a panel discussion focused on Hurricane Recovery. Panelists from Georgia Department of Transportation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Georgia National Guard, Georgia Power and GEMA took questions from the audience to provoke an honest discussion on hurricane recovery. The goal of the panel was to discuss where we are in hurricane planning, where we need to be and how we get there.
Partners from Chatham County agencies and organizations as well as individuals from surrounding counties attended the conference and for Pooler Fire Chief Wade Simmons, the interaction with other agencies is a key element in his disaster planning. "Us dealing with fire rescue in general, we don't get a lot of the disaster planning and some of the other stuff you would normally see. Coming here it gets our feet wet, gets us some contacts, we can see what that information is and we start moving forward," said Simmons.

(CEMA Photos)

Volunteer for HURREX 2012

2012-04-09T17:48:55Z

CEMA is seeking volunteers to role play as evacuees in two upcoming disaster exercises.

The exercises will take place on May 14th (Monday) and May 15th (Tuesday). During the exercises, the County will demonstrate and assess its hurricane evacuation plans. Monday's exercise will test the capability to evacuate our special medical needs citizens and Tuesday will evaluate our general evacuation plans.

The business day prior to the exercise(s) there will be a volunteer orientation. This will also be done on the exercise day. Volunteers will then be given a role playing card and proceed through the facilities as a "evacuee."

Monday's Exercise- Approximately 60 volunteer role players are needed in the Pooler area (will give specifics upon registration) from approximately 8:00 am to 11:30 am.

Tuesday's Exercise- Approximately 250 volunteer role players are needed in Downtown Savannah Area (Civic Center) from approximately 8:00 am to 11:30 am.

All participants will receive verification that they attended and participated in this disaster exercise. More details about the exercises will be made available closer to the exercise date.

To volunteer please contact Jennifer Rodriguez via email at jlrodriguez@chathamcounty.org or register online by clicking here.

Emergency Warning Siren Test This Week

2012-04-02T20:47:01Z

Savannah, GA - (April 2, 2012)

At noon on Wednesday, April 4, the Chatham Emergency Management Agency will conduct the monthly scheduled test of Chatham County's Emergency Warning Siren System.

In the event of poor weather conditions such as rain or overcast weather, the siren test will be cancelled.

At noon on Wednesday, Chatham County residents will hear a one minute emergency tone from the various sirens located throughout the county. This monthly test is necessary to ensure that the Emergency Warning Siren System is functioning properly. (Please note starting this month, tests will be one in minute in length.)

Questions or comments regarding the test can be directed to Kelly Harley at 912.201.4500 or klfoster@chathamcounty.org.

HURREX 2012

2012-03-28T19:49:59Z

HURREX 2012 is coming!

The Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) is prepared to participate in one of the biggest exercises in state of Georgia.

HURREX 2012, is a statewide hurricane exercise, that will take place the week of May 14, 2012. CEMA will test four of Chatham County's hurricane emergency operations plans. The full-scale exercises are conducted every two years and counties throughout the State, as well as the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), will be participating. "HURREX is beneficial to our agency and the community because it allows us to take our plans off the shelves, test them, correct any problems that arise, and do it before hurricane season kicks off in June," said CEMA Director Clayton Scott.

CEMA staff members have spent countless hours planning the three full days of exercising. In all, the three days will involve close to 600 people, including volunteers and local agencies that play a role in hurricane response and recovery. Some of the agencies participating are: Chatham County Health Department, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Georgia National Guard, Chatham County Mosquito Control's Aviation Team, Municipal Law Enforcement Agencies, and Chatham County Public Works.

Here is a look at the schedule for the week:

May 14th - Special Needs Exercise. This exercise will involve more than 60 volunteers, Chatham County Health Department, and American Red Cross. The exercise will test the evacuation of people with special medical needs.

May 15th - Evacuation Assembly Area Exercise. This exercise will involve the evacuation of the general public without means of transportation. The will take place at the Savannah Civic Center and more than 250 volunteers and pets will be needed to play evacuees who will be sent through the registration process and loaded on buses.

May 16th - Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Joint Information Center (JIC) Exercises. The EOC is where response and recovery efforts are coordinated before, during, and after a hurricane. The JIC is the site from which media and public information is coordinated.

CEMA will also be assisting GEMA with its State Operations Center and Aviation Support Operations Center exercises, along with supporting a Georgia Search and Rescue Operation.
Volunteers are needed as role players on May 14th and May 15th. Volunteers will be needed from 8:00 am until 11:30 am. Click here for more information or to register.

Chatham County Siren Program

2012-03-27T20:14:57Z

There are 60 sirens in Chatham County.

Learn more about the Outdoor Emergency Warning Siren Program.

Get Your HAM Radio License

2012-02-17T21:37:50Z

If you've ever thought about getting your amateur radio license, now is your chance. The Coastal Amateur Radio Society will be hosting a Technician Class Amateur Radio Operator course later this month. In the Level 1 license course, you will learn everything you need to know in order to pass the 35 question multiple choice exam. Instructors will provide 12 hours of instruction spread across four 3-hour sessions and no prerequisites are required. Attendance at all sessions is not absolutely required so don't worry if you can't make every session.

Here are the logistics:
Dates: Tuesdays - February 28, March 6, March 13, March 20
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Candler Hospital IT Building - 5401 Paulsen St. Savannah
Location Map - http://mapq.st/xkQH4p
Test Session: Saturday March 24, 9:00am at Candler Hospital IT Building (it generally takes less than 45 minutes to take the test). $15 exam fee, cash or check.

The class is free; however, you should purchase the ARRL HAM Radio License Manual. This is the guide that instructors will be teaching from. You can find this book at several online sites. Be sure that wherever you order it from that you will receive it before February 28th.
Books can be found online at:

American Radio Relay League
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

To learn more about amateur radio and what radio operators do, visit the Coastal Amateur Radio Society website.

If you plan to attend the class, please contact Guy McDonald at 912-596-6804 or email him at guy_mcd@yahoo.com.

Community Notification Registration

2012-02-17T15:23:52Z

It's never been easier to stay informed of emergency situations happening in Chatham County. With landlines steadily decreasing, the effort to relay critical emergency messages to the public has expanded. Through the Community Notification System (CNS), an emergency notification system, any Chatham County resident can register his/her cell phone number or voice-over IP phone such as Comcast or Vonage and receive short, informative calls with updates and public safety alerts.

CNS is an emergency notification system used by the County and the City of Savannah that sends an automated message to residents and businesses during emergency situations. The system is designed to get public safety messages to citizens quickly and efficiently. In the past, landlines were the only lines that could receive notifications.

Landlines are already in the system so citizens don't need to register those.

Click here to register your phone number.

SEVERE WEATHER ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS SELECTED

2012-02-09T12:48:31Z

The Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) is pleased to announce St. James School 5th grader Andrea Gutierrez is the winner of the Severe Weather Awareness Week essay contest. Andrea will appear on Good Morning Savannah on WJCL as a guest forecaster with meteorologist Jonathan Myers Friday, February 11th between 6:00AM and 7AM.

Second place winner was Hunter Simpson from Hancock Day School and third place winner was Riya Patel from St. Andrew's School. The top three essays will be posted on WJCL's website and the Savannah Morning News website.

Andrea Gutierrez's Essay

Hunter Simpson's Essay

Riya Patel's Essay

CEMA received dozens of entries from students all across Chatham County and each was wonderful. A lot of thought and research was put into these essays and CEMA commends students for learning about severe weather.

Communication Tools Exercise

2012-02-08T15:45:45Z

As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, the National Weather Service will conduct the annual Tornado Drill February 8th, 2012. In conjunction with the drill, the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) will also test the communication tools that provide critical information to the public during an emergency.

Here is a look at what will be tested on February 8th:

•   CEMA will sound the Outdoor Emergency Warning Siren System simultaneous with the Statewide Tornado Drill which generally begins at 9am. The siren will sound for three minutes.

•   CEMA will test the County's Community Notification System (CNS) by sending out a test call to a select portion of Downtown Savannah residences and businesses. The 30 second message will start off by saying, "Exercise, exercise, exercise, this is a test of the Chatham County Community Notification System, please do not hang up." In the event of a real emergency, the CNS would be used to relay life-saving information to the entire county in a short amount of time.

•   CEMA will test the Emergency Alert System as well as the ability to override COMCAST cable stations. You will see and hear a pre-scripted message indicating the test has begun beginning around 9 am.

•   Lamar Advertising will display a statewide tornado message on each of its 16 digital billboards throughout the Savannah area. The message will run from 9 am to 9:30 am.

•   CEMA will disseminate a test e-mail to citizens who are signed up to receive CEMA Alerts and a mass fax to partners signed up to receive emergency notification through fax.

•   CEMA's website, www.ChathamEmergency.org, will be replaced beginning at 9 am with a version that would be the primary source of information during an actual emergency. It will remain up for five minutes.

•   CEMA's Twitter and Facebook pages, which serve as additional methods of notification, will be updated as well.

REGISTER FOR THE 2012 HURRICANE CONFERENCE

2012-01-22T19:21:23Z

The CEMA Hurricane Conference will be held May 1st, 2012 at the International Trade and Convention Center on Hutchinson Island. The purpose of the one-day conference is to focus on preparedness, response and recovery in the event a hurricane impacts Chatham County.
CEMA's goal is to provide attendees with the tools and resources needed to enhance current plans and provide a forum to discuss and exchange ideas to improve hurricane planning.

The CEMA Hurricane Conference is designed exclusively for public safety and emergency response personnel; it is not intended for the general public. More information on conference specifics will be released later.

Register now!

After CEMA's Hurricane Conference you can register to take part in the 2012 Emergency Management Summit and Training Sessions. The Summit kicks off Wednesday May 2, 2012 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center on Hutchinson Island and is hosted by the Emergency Management Association of Georgia. The Summit runs 8AM to 5PM Wednesday and Thursday and wraps up at 11AM Friday.

Special Needs Tabletop Exercise 1-27-12

2012-01-22T18:27:56Z

CEMA hosts a Special Needs Tabletop Exercise to make sure all partners are familiar with the plan which details evacuating Special Needs patients during a hurricane. (CEMA Photos)

SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK 2012

2012-01-19T21:10:52Z

Last year we were reminded just how powerful weather can be. In April 2011, 321 people were killed during a violent tornado outbreak. Much of the country was affected including the Southern, Midwestern, and Northern United States.

The devastation left upon much of the country proves just how important it is to prepare. That's why the National Weather Service, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) are proclaiming February 6th - 10th, 2012 Severe Weather Awareness Week. It is a week for all Georgians to consider the impact of severe weather and to have a plan mapped out in case they are faced with what could be potentially dangerous consequences. Since the awareness campaign began in 1978, severe weather events in Georgia have killed at least 350 people and with continuous population growth, the potential for storms to cause death and destruction increases.
During Severe Weather Awareness Week, CEMA's mission is to help Chatham County residents understand what severe weather is and teach the importance of items like disaster supply kits and NOAA weather radios.

Severe Weather Awareness Week is a time when residents should prepare and develop a family disaster plan. The most important step is meeting with family members to discuss what members should do when severe weather strikes. Residents should write down contact numbers, learn community evacuation plans, choose "out-of-area" contacts and then practice their plans.

It will also be a good time to learn about Chatham County's Emergency Outdoor Warning Siren System. Currently there are 60 sirens, which cover 95% of the county. The outdoor warning sirens are used to notify people about hazards such as explosions and tornadoes that would require people to take action.

So remember, severe weather can happen anytime and anywhere. Will you be prepared?

Take part in Severe Weather Awareness Week Activities!

Win a NOAA Weather Radio

Essay Contest for Chatham County 5th Graders

Statewide Tornado Drill: February 8th

Communication Tools Exercise

Each day of Severe Weather Awareness Week focuses on a different topic:

Monday, February 6 - Family Preparedness/NOAA Weather Radio

Tuesday, February 7 - Thunderstorm Safety

Wednesday, February 8 - Tornado Safety (Statewide Tornado Drill)

Thursday, February 9 - Lightning Safety

Friday, February 10 - Flooding

Win a Free NOAA Weather Radio

2012-01-18T20:08:03Z

Win a NOAA weather radio during Severe Weather Awareness Week 2012!!

How would you like to win a NOAA weather radio? It's simple, just tell us why you want one.

CEMA is giving away two NOAA weather radios. All you have to do is tell CEMA why you need one. Entries can be posted on the CEMA Facebook page or emailed to klfoster@chathamcounty.org.

Submissions are due by Thursday, February 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter or have parental consent, and live in Chatham County. No purchase is necessary.

Outdoor Siren Test Scheduled for Wednesday

2012-01-03T15:11:38Z

Emergency Warning Siren Test This Week

At noon on Wednesday, January 4, 2012, the Chatham Emergency Management Agency will conduct the monthly scheduled test of Chatham County's Emergency Warning Siren System.

In the event of poor weather conditions such as rain or overcast weather, the siren test will be cancelled.

At noon on Wednesday, Chatham County residents will hear a three minute emergency tone from the various sirens located throughout the county. This monthly test is necessary to ensure that the Emergency Warning Siren System is functioning properly.

Questions or comments regarding the test can be directed to Kelly Foster at 912.201.4500 or klfoster@chathamcounty.org.

Thank you for your support!