This past week, the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) began its distribution of nearly 1,000 weather radios and 100 pillow shaker and light combo packs that people signed up for this summer.
On Monday at City Hall and on Wednesday at the Elaine H. Lucas Senior Center, people picked up 159 radios and 30 combo packs. These were the first two of six distribution events. While picking them up, people also got a demonstration and instructions from EMA staff on how to properly set them up.
“This was a good idea. I really appreciate [the EMA staff], and the process is so easy,” says Maconite Shakida Jordan, adding she plans to use the devices to help her family members who are older and hard of hearing.
“I am appreciative of the shaker because it helps people who are hard of hearing or who use hearing aids,” said Maconite Elizabeth Wingate after picking up her equipment. “Disaster preparedness is important for any community.”
“Our goal was to get as many of these as possible into people’s homes because they, along with MBCAlert, are the quickest and most effective ways to get people accurate information before, during, and after in an emergency, and I’m proud of how quickly our community showed they wanted to keep their families safe,” says EMA Director Spencer Hawkins.
Distributing these devices is part of the EMA’s effort to make sure every person and household has multiple ways to get emergency and weather information. Other ways include tuning into the local media, MBCAlert, social media, and outdoor warning sirens.
“We’re particularly excited to provide the pillow shaker and strobe light combo pack because that will help protect people who are hard of hearing,” adds Hawkins. “In addition to having the right equipment in their homes, we want to make sure people know how to use them and make sure they have the right plans in place should something happen.”
The EMA has released its latest Storm Scoop episode – a video series focused on disaster, weather, and emergency preparedness – with this one focusing on how to set up the radios for our area. You can watch the newest Storm Scoop by clicking here.
Also, the EMA is inviting the entire community to its 2nd annual Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday, September 23, at the Elaine H. Lucas Senior Center (132 Willis Smokie Glover Drive) from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There, people will be able to hear from a dozen different preparedness and safety agencies about how they are helping keep prepare the community safe. They will also be able to take information home about how they can prepare better.
“At last year’s event, we were able to talk directly with more than 400 people about preparing their families ahead of an emergency and what to do you are faced with an emergency situation,” says Hawkins. “It really is a great opportunity for people to meet and talk with the people who protect our community on a daily basis, and to make sure they know what to do in an emergency.”
People can sign up for MBCAlert by going to www.maconbibb.us/mbcalert, and people are encouraged to follow the Agency on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hawkins also wants to stress to people that follow local media and weather forecasters on their social media channels to make sure they get as much information as possible about emergencies and severe weather.