Emergency management agencies usually unsung heroes during emergencies

LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) — Regardless of where severe weather strikes their own communities or communities far away, emergency management leaders are trying to learn from the situations.

The learning is taking place during the inaugural National Emergency Management Awareness Month. Whether you see them or not, emergency management agencies (EMA) are always working to keep communities as prepared as possible.

“It’s really gone on for decades as it relates to preparedness, planning, making resilient communities," Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Director Jeff Young said.

One of the situations EMAs prepare for is flooding. In early July, deadly flooding hit central Texas. Young said his team has learned from what happened there.

“We always watch what is occurring nationally as it relates to large disasters and incidents," he said. “Texas really drove home to us the need for multiple communication paths.”

Locally, flash flooding hit Lancaster more recently.

“We had more real-time information for this event than we’ve ever had for any other," Fairfield County Emergency Management Director Jon Kochis said.

Heavy rain hit as concert goers were gathering for one of the Lancaster Festival's main shows. Kochis and his Fairfield County EMA team suggested festival organizers evacuate the grounds, first over lightning concerns but then because of flooding.

“We were making that judgment, that opinion based on what we were getting directly from the national weather service; literally they’re talking to me on the phone and we’re talking to the festival staff,” Kochis said.

Festival organizers listened to the advice.

“It’s 100% their credit that we were able to get every single person off of this field in 20 minutes," Lancaster Festival Executive Director Deb Connell said.