Appointment of a coordinator and the development of a local EMA program is the responsibility of your elected officials, but for a program to really work the local residents must participate.
Residents must be willing to donate either their time, talents or the use of some of their possessions for the common good or be prepared to pay more in taxes if they expect government to provide all emergency services.
Ways in which residents could participate during an emergency:
- answer phones and relay messages during a disaster emergency
- trained volunteers are needed for local damage assessment teams
- monitor a local rain or stream gauge when flooding is possible
- if you own a van or bus you could provide transportation during an evacuation
- four wheelers and snowmobilers are a valuable resource during severe snow storms
- front end loaders or bull dozers could be used to move earth in order to protect waterways from pollution during fuel spills
Call your local municipal building and let your EMA Coordinator know what service or resource you could provide your community.
