Year in Review: PEMA Director Shares Agency Accomplishments

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, PA Emergency Management Agency Director Richard D. Flinn Jr. highlighted several of the agency's accomplishments in 2016.

"PEMA's mission is to help communities and citizens before, during and after emergencies," Flinn said. "Our activities in 2016 helped people across the state be better prepared to respond and recover from any type of emergency. All this happened while we transitioned to a new state-of-the-art facility that allows us to work closely with personnel from PennDOT and the Department of Human Services."

Response

At the Governor's direction, PEMA personnel worked closely with partner agencies PSP, PennDOT, and PA Turnpike, as well as local emergency managers and responders, to develop guidelines, procedures and protocols when dealing with road closures and launched the 511PAConnect initiative.

The Commonwealth Response Coordination Center was activated for nine exercises and 13 real-world incidents. The PA Incident Management Team deployed four times, including one out-of-state deployment (Ellicott City, MD.) The commonwealth also supported five Emergency Management Assistance Compact missions to aid other states in response/recovery efforts (Texas, Maryland, Florida, South Carolina, West Virginia.)

Training

PEMA sponsored 131 training sessions, with a combined total of 3,304 attendees. In coordination with the Office of the State Fire Commissioner, PEMA provided funds for flammable fuels training, including Crude by Rail (CBR) training.

Grant & Disaster Funding

PEMA executed 240 grant agreements for more than $46 million across multiple grant programs. During 2016, federal disaster funding totaling $36,991,723 was distributed to or spent by eligible applicants.

9-1-1 Office

To date, PEMA has distributed $317 million to support 911 centers under Act 12. Staff completed comprehensive inventory of capabilities, equipment, and services in all 69 9-1-1 centers, and established plans to support current 9-1-1 capabilities while also enhancing Next Generation 9-1-1 service in Pennsylvania.

Public Outreach

PEMA conducted a public preparedness survey of more than 3,200 households to establish baseline numbers to track increased personal preparedness.

Media contact: Ruth A. Miller, 717-651-2009; [email protected]

SOURCE Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency

Related Links

http://www.state.pa.us/