Feb. 19 Emergency Management Conference to Relocate

Feb. 19 Emergency Management Conference to Relocate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
E-mail: joedorman@okhouse.gov

Contact: State Rep. Gus Blackwell
Capitol: (405) 557-7384
E-mail: gusblackwell@okhouse.gov

OKLAHOMA CITY – An emergency management conference scheduled for Feb. 19 to help federal, state, county and community-level emergency management officials and personnel better respond to disasters is going to be relocated to the Oklahoma City Fire Training Center , state Reps. Joe Dorman and Gus Blackwell said today.

“To get the federal government involved, local emergency management officials need to know the proper procedure to document damage during and the recovery following a disaster,” Dorman, D-Rush Springs, said. “But that will only be one aspect of the conference. We will also be talking about how we could have responded better to the ice storm that was very hard on many rural communities, including the entire area covering my district. Representative Blackwell and I will also be discussing legislation that we hope will help in funding future relief.”

“Participants will be taken through the entire process of emergency response, recovery and mitigation,” Blackwell, R-Guymon, said. “They will learn about FEMA procedures but will also contribute to a discussion on how to improve a coordinated response. I think this workshop will be an opportunity to narrow the response time and quicken the recovery after a disaster has occurred.”

The conference will now take place from 9 a.m. to noon at the Oklahoma City Fire Training Center , 800 N. Portland , in Class Room A. The following is a schedule of events:

· Opening statements by Jon Hansen, Executive Director for the Council on Firefighter Training

· Carl Hickman, Fire Chief, City of Mustang

· David Barnes, Oklahoma County Emergency Manager and President of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association

· Albert Ashwood, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management

· Karri Dubois, Public Assistance Officer with FEMA Region VI

· Jim Corbett, Director of Finance for the City of Moore (has been involved in the response to several emergencies)

· David Barnes, Oklahoma County Emergency Manager and President of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association

· Break

· State Reps. Joe Dorman and Gus Blackwell discuss legislation

· Panel of four levels of emergency response:

o Carl Hickman, Fire Chief, City of Mustang

o David Barnes, Oklahoma County Emergency Manager and President of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association

o Albert Ashwood, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management

o Karri Dubois, Public Assistance Officer with FEMA Region VI

“As you can see it’s going to be a full schedule; there will be little left uncovered,” Dorman said. “I think that with the ice storm fresh on their minds, participants will take a lot away from this meeting and contribute quite a bit to this workshop.”

The event is free and open to all city, county and state departments and officials involved in responding to natural disasters. To attend, RSVP to Pam King at kingpa@okhouse.gov or (405) 557-7305.

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