Emergency Mitigation and Response

The voluntary partnering and planning exhibited in these projects demonstrate the effectiveness of regionally addressing emergency mitigation and response.

Residents and businesses in Kentucky’s ten-county Barren River Area Development District now have the means to obtain data on hazardous weather conditions, because of the district’s Hazardous Weather Analysis project. Available on CD-ROM and on the Internet, the project’s analyses will provide historic information on the region’s hazardous weather conditions, such as hail storms, tornadoes, straight winds, sheers, floods and droughts and their impacts. Prevention and mitigation technology will be included. Maps and charts will indicate areas and times of vulnerability. Further studies for other districts and maintenance of data projects are expected to evolve from the analysis.

A flood-free recreation area was the goal of the Gateway Area Development District’s “Caney Valley Park - Flood Free Recreation Area” project. Located in rural northern Kentucky, the region wanted to expand recreational opportunities to enhance tourism. The district accomplished this goal by spearheading the relocation of the existing county recreational center, moving baseball fields, swimming pool, equestrian facility and other services to a new location not prone to flooding. The district has secured more than half a million dollars and is currently assisting in the relocation.

The Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission developed the City of Fredricktown Disaster Resistant Community Plan. Understanding that natural disasters often destroy jobs (temporarily and sometimes permanently), the plan completed a disaster probability evaluation and a current economic status review. Using information such as seismic measures, the commission recommended best practices to protect local businesses from flooding (the region’s primary hazard) and suggested less disaster-prone areas for a proposed business park. The data is also being shared with federal, state and other local agencies.

Since 2000, South Carolina Appalachian Council of Governments has diligently worked on the Spartanburg County Emergency Services Study. The study’s intensive survey of personnel, rolling stock and equipment inventories of the county’s 60 fire, rescue and EMS departments indicated the need for reform. Through personal interviews of each chief and county support personnel, the study revealed that the department’s worst handicap is service fragmented by semi-autonomous special purpose districts, county tax districts, municipal departments, public and private emergency departments. Recognizing the handicaps has caused local officials to make needed reforms.

Award Winners Hazardous Weather Analysis, Barren River ADD. Contact: Jack Eversole, PO Box 90005, Bowling Green, KY 42102-9005; (270) 781-2381; fax (270) 842-0768; email braddjack@aol.com; web www.bradd.org Caney Valley Park - Flood Free Recreation Area, Gateway ADD. Contact: Pamela Farmer, PO Box 1070, Owingsville, KY 40360; (606) 674-6355; fax (606) 674-6658; email PamelaS.Farmer@mail.state.ky.us; web www.gatewayadd.org

City of Fredricktown, Missouri Disaster Resistant Community Plan, Southeast Missouri RP&EDC. Contact: Thomas G. Tucker, PO Box 366, Perryville, MO 63775; (573) 547-8357; fax (573) 547-7283; email semorpc@ldd.net; web mwmbers.tripod.com~SEMORPC/index.htm Spartanburg County Emergency Services Study, SC Appalachian COG. Contact: Joe Newton or George McDaniel, PO Drawer 6668, Greenville, SC 29607; (864) 242-9733; fax (864) 242-6957; email Newton@scacog.org or mcdaniel@ scacog.org; web www.scacog.org

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