Fayette County EMA elects 2016 officers

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The Fayette County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), Homeland Security (HLS) and Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), executive meeting was held recently and several EMA officers were elected.

In attendance at the meeting were many community leaders who introduced themselves: Dan Fowler, LEPC; Gayle Brown, representing Bloomingburg; Andy Bivens, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy; Fayette County Commissioners Dan Dean and Jack DeWeese; Marie Fetters, representing Wayne Township; Jim Garland, representing Concord Township; Clyde Fyffe, representing Union Township; Mickey Dunn, representing Wal-Mart DC 7012; Fayette County Health Department representatives Megan Batson and Darcie Scott; Shawn Riley with Ohio EMA and Fulton Terry, Fayette County EMA Director, were all in attendance.

Election of EMA officers was conducted by commissioner Dean. The motion for officers was made by Garland and seconded by Brown. The motion passed and the new officers were announced. Fetters was named chairman, DeWeese was named vice chairman, and Garland, Brown, Fyffe, Ken Kelley and Dale Lynch were named members.

A motion was passed to keep the LEPC Executive Committee members the same. Fowler will continue as chairman, Doug Boedeker will continue as the vice chairman and Carolyn DeWeese will continue serving as secretary pro tem.

In other business, the group discussed the Tanger Outlet Active Shooter Exercise. The plan involved law enforcement, Jeffersonville Fire Department, Red Cross and Fayette County EMS. The final results are being compiled and will be available at a later date. Terry advised that he is open to suggestions for the LEPC Exercise of 2016 and Fowler stated that he does have suggestions.

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Training is available online and the executive committees are encouraging new fire department employees to take the training and receive the certification. Additionally, the committees agreed a date should be set yearly when new employees become current NIMS training.

Batson brought an update on the Zika virus. Four cases are confirmed in Ohio, all tied to travel in the southern hemisphere. Scott discussed the Fayette County Community Health Assessment focus group questions that the department needs completed as part of the 2020 accreditation process. Four assessments are needed. The questions led to discussion of the top five public health concerns, being drug abuse, chronic illness, obesity, cancer and alcohol abuse. Other major concerns were teen suicide, teen pregnancy, bullying and social media. Vivatroll is helping those who want to be clean and 18 or 19 people in the community are now on this program.

March will feature weather spotter training in downtown Wilmington at the city building, and more information on local training will be available soon. Finally, Ohio’s Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week will be March 20 through 26. State-wide, warning systems will sound on March 23 at 9:50 a.m. Terry thanked the team for making Fayette County a safe place to work and live and the meeting was dismissed.

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By Martin Graham

[email protected]

Reach Martin Graham at (740) 313-0351 or on Twitter @MartiTheNewsGuy

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