Nebraska Extension, Wayne Area Economic Development, Wayne State College, and Nebraska Business Development Center will be hosting a Disaster Preparedness Summit on Wednesday, March 11. It will be held at Gardner Hall on the Wayne State College campus, 9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. This is a must-attend event for community leaders and the general public as severe weather season quickly approaches.
At this educational event, topics to be covered include disaster basics, communicating through disasters, using technology and mobile apps during times of crisis, business resources available, long-term recovery team efforts, and volunteer experiences following a disaster. A resource fair will be open throughout the day, with exhibitors sharing resources available.
The goal of the event is to reflect on past disasters and the recovery process to prepare for the future. Attendees will learn from first responders and resource providers. They will leave with many resources, and most importantly, connections that could prove to be extremely beneficial.
In the morning, two panel discussions will be held focusing on “Disaster: The Basics” and “Communicating Through Disasters.” Panelists represent the Village of Pilger, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, National Weather Service, local emergency management, local fire department, and a service organization. In the afternoon, breakout sessions will be hosted, and speakers represent Nebraska Extension, NEMA, City of Wayne, Village of Pilger, Nebraska Business Development Center, USDA FSA, Team Rubicon, local faith-based organizations, and others.
Eddy Weiss will provide the keynote address during lunch. Eddy is a nationally renowned expert in emergency management, disaster preparedness, and all types and phases of disasters. His experience consists of crisis counseling, emergency management and response work, firefighting, professional storm chaser, and national threat assessment adviser to various organizations. Eddy is a compelling story teller.
Registration for the event is $29, and it includes a light breakfast and lunch. Organizations that provide information on disaster preparedness and recovery are welcome to participate. For registration and exhibitor information, visit the Wayne Area Economic Development website http://www.wayneworks.org; click on “Disaster Preparedness Summit” on the left side of the page. The registration deadline is March 6.
For questions, contact Ashley Mueller (ashley.mueller@unl.edu) or Kim Bearnes (kbearnes1@unl.edu).
More details at: http://www.wayneworks.org