President's Message
- Volume 53, Number 1 - 2009
Springtime in Alabama brings more than May showers.
This year's flooding, tornados and even earthquakes have proven that Alabama's emergency management personnel are an important link to our citizens.
This spring has been very active in Alabama. Our EMA directors have logged enough hours to prove it. From floods in south Alabama, to tornados across our state, and even
earthquakes in Bibb County, we’ve
seen our share of damage, clean-ups and emergency operations.
I’m proud to say, our county personnel have done us all proud, in more ways than one.
The Association recently received notification of the distribution of additional federal and state revenue set in motion by a 2007 act supported by ACCA and one of its affiliate organizations, the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers.
The revenue has provided subsidies to help defray the costs of increasing the salaries of EMA directors in Alabama’s rural areas as well as additional federal funding in those counties with well-established EMA operations.
With this additional revenue, counties have enhanced their programs and prepared for those unavoidable days when plans are put into motion and citizens await our leadership.
The legislation is another example of ACCA working well with the employees who carry out the duties at the local level.
In the last edition of County Commissioner magazine, we wrote about legislative efforts by the directors of our 9-1-1 offices aimed at providing life-saving Phase II communication services to every corner of our state.
Our successes with our EMA partners will have similar impacts in our communities.
Last year, the 2007 act provided $290,000 in additional state and federal revenue for those counties that have employed local EMA directors who have met the minimum standards established in that legislation. This year, we expect a substantial increase in the revenue from this legislation as more directors become certified and additional federal revenue becomes available.
The leadership at the Alabama Emergency Management Agency has also focused more resources on the local prevention and recovery programs. In addition to the salary-related funding, local EMA programs also received $2.9 million in federal funds last year. In fact, 59 of Alabama’s counties received an increase in federal funding last year.
This revenue makes it possible to provide essential and professional programs in sections of our state that would not otherwise have a full-time emergency management program.
At the county level, it is important that we not overlook the part emergency management plays in our roles as county commissioners.
Often we focus our efforts on road issues, financial administration and economic development. But, as we have learned this spring, the importance of a strong EMA program is an important link in our service to the community.
During times of weather-related crisis, our citizens find themselves most vulnerable. Many families are ill equipped to react to damage to their residences or businesses. It is during those times our EMA employees and volunteers provide services that will either assist our neighbors or again convince the general public that government simply cannot do its job.
In central Alabama where I serve on the Elmore County Commission, we are acutely aware of the importance of a well-prepared EMA program. Our citizens look to us to provide advice and leadership in preparing for unexpected events; and then, more importantly, they look for us to respond quickly and with a sense of purpose.
Such a program requires coordination not only between the emergency management personnel and elected officials, but also with other staff leaders. In those counties that effectively respond, the county engineer and administrator also understand their roles and react quickly to ensure we have a coordinated effort to protect life and property.
During the last few weeks, our colleagues in several southeastern counties have been cleaning up after flood damage so severe that they have qualified for federal disaster assistance. This revenue will certainly help rebuild the damage to county roads and buildings, but federal funding alone is simply not enough.
Legislation is now pending in the 2009 Regular Session that would establish a state program to reimburse counties for the costs of reacting to and restoring facilities and equipment after those disaster events that do not qualify for federal dollars.
Because of the economic conditions challenging our state, this legislation does not include funding for the program. It does, however, put together a framework for reimbursement that can function when money is available in years to come.
ACCA and its EMA partners have worked hard on the passage of this legislation. As the legislative session nears conclusion, the bill is awaiting final passage in the Alabama House of Representatives. We are confident the proposal will be given a priority and that it can become law before the session ends on May 18.
Coupled with the positive impacts from our 2007 legislation, the creation of a disaster recovery program will help continue the forward progress and allow us to better respond during what has turned out to be a very busy spring for our emergency management personnel.
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