Alabama, Georgia EMA officials meeting in Columbus to build relationships before next disaster

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) —  Emergency preparedness is front and center in Columbus this week. 

Emergency management directors and those they work with across governmental lines are holding a two-day conference at the Columbus Georgia Convention & Trade Center.

The event has a long name — Disaster Resilience Across the Chattahoochee Valley Conference. But it has a very real purpose. 

Getting ready for the next natural disaster or human-made crisis. Alabama EMA Director Jeff Smitherman knows that’s critical.

“Look no further than recent events in Texas to understand the value of having pre-arranged mutual aid agreements,” Smitherman said. “So, the more that people can meet pre-incident and work out those relationships and the support, they’re going to provide each other locally. It’s the community next door that’s going to be the first ones to come in and assist you, even if that next door is across the river or across the state lines.” 

Greg Koller, the deputy director for Support Services for the Georgia EMA, says these relationships are crossing state lines.

“You’re building partnerships,” he said. “You’re being introduced maybe for the first time to someone that has capability that you may not have, that you may need and you’re getting that business card so that you can reach out to them in times of need.” 

Columbus EMA and Homeland Security Director Chance Corbett has worked on both sides of the river in his more than three decades in the business. 

This conference comes as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is under threat of cuts and reduced response to disasters. 

“It is something we are concerned about,” Corbett said. “We’re watching it closely. Our Georgia Emergency Management and our Alabama Emergency Management are watching it closely as well, because they have to decide, you know, how they’re going to respond if something happens with FEMA.” 

Koller agrees.

“We haven’t really received any inkling on what direction the federal government’s going to go,” Koller said. “So it’s very difficult right at this particular point in time  to say what we would need to do  as a state  to potentially fill a gap, because we don’t know there’s going to be a gap.” 

The conference has drawn more than 250 participants in person and even more virtually. It concludes Wednesday.