The Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) held a tabletop exercise Thursday to prepare community members for natural disasters.
The exercises, which use scenarios to encourage communication and cooperation between COAD members, assist in plan development. COAD members include church representatives, elected officials, business owners and other community representatives who have signed up. Thursday's exercise focused on road closures following heavy snowfall and the discussion that followed covered staffing, communication and other essentials necessary in the event of a natural disaster.
Deputy Director of Emergency Management Agency Elizabeth Basnett attended the meeting to represent the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). During the meeting, she encouraged COAD members to discuss in detail the plans they had in place in the case of emergency situations - challenging them to consider problems that could arise.
Although discussion took place, Basnett said she hoped to get even more COAD members involved with disaster preparedness.
"We are a community," Basnett said. "We want our community members here."
The majority of the conversation revolved around shelters available to those stranded on the road during inclement weather conditions.
The American Red Cross provides its network of identified shelters with food and volunteers in the event of a disaster and has two emergency response vehicles in Jefferson City and Mexico that can be mobilized when necessary, Disaster Program Manager Kath Mayne said.
The problem, she added, is the Red Cross's lack of disaster volunteers in Missouri counties. In Callaway County, the Red Cross has four disaster volunteers qualified to help in the case of emergencies, but they are constantly seeking more, Mayne said.
"We are eager to help, and we need more help," Mayne added.
Systems of communication also played a role in making sure community members were aware of safety precautions and connected emergency officials, COAD members and the EOC.
The Callaway County Citizen Alert Program, which has been available to the public for four years, is used to relay important community alerts in the event of a disaster, severe weather, road closures and more. The alerts can be specified to fit individual needs, however, notifications for severe weather like tornadoes cannot be turned off, Basnett said. The messages are sent out in the form of either texts, emails or calls and can be silenced overnight.
The EOC is in the process of testing the alert program as a backup communication system for emergency operations in Callaway County, Basnett said. Using the alert system, Basnett said, could provide a mass message to a private group of emergency responders so they know where help is needed.
For three decades, Callaway County has established plans should a nuclear emergency occur. Callaway County Commissioner Doc Kritzer said for the last six years they have focused more on preparing plans for various natural disasters common to the area.
"It's important to come out, understand and be prepared," he added.
The next COAD meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m., July 9 at the Callaway County Health Department.
From July 7-11 information on disaster services and preparedness will be available from 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Lions Club in Auxvasse.
Those interested in becoming a disaster volunteer for the American Red Cross should contact Kath Mayne at (573) 635-1132.