August is National Emergency Management Agency Month, highlighting the work that EMA personnel do.

Adair and Guthrie County EMA Coordinator Jeremy Cooper says that there are different levels of EMA throughout the nation, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the national level, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management on the state level, and county EMA’s on the local level. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio why it is important for this recognition of EMA’s.

“Emergency Management is kind of an entity that operates in the shadows, I guess I would say. So this is the first inaugural observance for this national month. It was spearheaded by the International Association for Emergency Management. Just kind of to draw awareness to emergency management across the nation.”

Cooper mentions that EMA’s are important, as when there are disasters, there can be a lot of entities involved, and EMA coordinators do a lot of work being the liaison between local groups, and state and national groups that may come in. He adds that they also do work to help residents of their areas be prepared for emergencies, especially severe weather.