National Preparedness Month – Recognition of Partnership
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, 12 September 2012 15:08
Dr. Michael J. Martirano, Superintendent of Schools, 301-475-5511, ext. 178
Mr. J. Bradley Clements, Deputy Superintendent of Schools and Operations, 301-475-4256, ext. 7
LEONARDTOWN, MD – On September 18, 2012, at 8:30 a.m., the Board of Education of St. Mary’s County and the St. Mary’s County Commissioners will meet at Chopticon High School to recognize National Preparedness Month. The Board of Education of St. Mary’s County and the Board of County Commissioners for St. Mary’s County continue to support an on-going partnership between the St. Mary’s County Public Schools’ Division of Supporting Services and the St. Mary’s County Department of Emergency Services and Technology. The partnership efforts are instrumental in providing community shelters during emergency events. During this meeting, the Board of Education and the Board of County Commissioners for St. Mary’s County will specifically focus on joint efforts to enhance St. Mary’s County’s community emergency sheltering capabilities through the installation of campus safety phones and electrical generator transfer switches at each public high school designated as a community shelter.
The campus safety phones have been installed in front of all three high schools and provide citizens seeking shelter a direct link to the county’s 911 Communication Center. The phones also provide external audio broadcast capability for campus-wide broadcast of weather or other related emergency messages to individuals outside the building, and on-site video camera monitoring and recording of the area adjacent to the campus safety phone. The campus safety phones enhance the daily safety and security for students, staff, and visitors using our schools. The electric generator transfer switches to be installed at the three high schools will provide for long-term electrical generator connection to the buildings’ electrical systems to specifically support areas of the building used during emergency sheltering of citizens. The majority of the funding required to complete the installation of the campus safety phones and the electrical transfer switches has been provided through the state Homeland Security Program and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency.
September is National Preparedness Month. Since its inception in 2004, National Preparedness Month is observed each September in the United States of America. National Preparedness month is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security. National Preparedness Month is designed to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. FEMA's Ready Campaign educates and empowers Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks. St. Mary’s County citizens are encouraged to learn more about emergency preparedness by accessing the web site prepare.stmarysmd.com.