Delco Council Declares September ‘Emergency Preparedness Month’

Two days after the tenth anniversary of 9/11, the Delaware County Council recognized our servicemen and approved a handful plans to increase disaster preparedness, including a co-option of the Department of Homeland Security's National Preparedness Month.

In designating September as their own "Emergency Preparedness Month," the council said they were doubling down on a commitment to ensure the families of Delaware County are as ready as possible for any emergency scenario. This month and beyond, residents will be encouraged to purchase emergency supply kits, establish family emergency plans, get informed about potential threats, and help the community at-large prepare.

The county itself has apparently done its part in the preparedness struggle: the council received word during Tuesday's meeting that Delaware County got a perfect score on the Federal Technical Assistance Review (TAR)—a rigorous test that evaluates a municipality's readiness for disaster. The TAR was conducted on June 21-22 and focused on the county's SNS plan—their ability to disseminate medicine and medical care to people in the event of an emergency. They're abundantly able.

The council also boasted that another important leg of their emergency plans, the Delco Alert system—which uses text messages to communicate important information during emergencies—thrived during the county's most recent crisis: during Hurricane Irene, subscriptions to the service increased by over a third.

In a continuation of the meeting's theme, the council publicized the Sept. 22 start of Delaware County Community College's Resident Awareness and Emergency Preparedness Program—a free seminar that teaches survival tips in case of an emergency—and advertised DCCC's Institute for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness certificate program.

After beginning the meeting with an announcement that they had raised the flag of the United States Air Force that morning in celebration of the branch's contributions and sacrifice, the council recognized a handful of local heroes.

On the evening of Aug. 27 through the 28—during the pinnacle of Hurricane Irene—13 Delaware County EMTs participated in an effort to evacuate a nursing home in Atlantic City and transport the residents to an emergency shelter in nearby Richland.

For their efforts that night, the council presented Certificates of Official Recognition to Justin Robbins, Matt DiSanto, Brian Fili and Kyle McCanns of STAT Medical Transport; Kevin McDonald, Brenda Mobray, Phil Murphy, and Josh Boylan of Crozer-Chester Medical Center; Matt Richardson and Brian Fritz of Delaware County Memorial Hospital; and Keith Laws, Lee Mensack, and John Smiley from Riddle Hospital.