On Wednesday, October 5 our Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and local partners team took a trip to the State Operations Center in Atlanta for a monthly Emergency Support Functions (ESF) meeting to learn more about cybersecurity.  

It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so what better time to talk about how we can be prepared and protected when it comes to cybersecurity treats. Our ESF departments got to learn firsthand about how state and federal agencies handle cybersecurity. They were also able to learn about the state’s resources available to Macon-Bibb County before and after a cyberattack. This provides our county and our ESF partners resources and training that will be vital to mitigating and recovering from future cyberattacks. 

ESF team meetings are an opportunity to bring all partners together, build relationships, and familiarize each with other’s capabilities, needs, and resources before the disaster strikes. We are also able to provide our ESF team briefings about current county threats, hazards, opportunities, and events. 

“Trips like this give our team an opportunity to meet outside partners like the State’s leadership, which helps build relationships between our state and local partners. It also provides our local ESF team a better understanding of how they fit in the overall disaster response and recovery process,” said Macon-Bibb EMA Deputy Director Robert McCord.