Monday, August 25, 2008

Mutual Aid: The Next Step in Coordinating Disaster Response

The University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service is offering a course entitled "Improving Mutual Aid in Tennessee" on several dates in the month of September. Their brochure describes the class as follows:

"No community, regardless of size, can handle a huge disaster without help. Working together in disasters will result in significant cost savings for government entities. In 2004, Tennessee passed the "Mutual Aid and Emergency and Disaster Assistance Agreement Act" which allowed all government agencies to participate in statewide mutual aid during disasters. Most local government entities are aware of the "Act" but not aware that UT is working with the International Fire Chief's Association to achieve "The Next Step." This next step involves an organized way to inventory, track and deploy resources when a disaster occurs. This course will introduce the concept, demonstrate how it works and offer important information that can be used by all local departments within city and county government including police, fire, EMS, public works, schools, utilities, finance and management. As the federal government improves the national response process, states and local agencies need to be prepared to effectively deploy or even receive mutual aid resources. Regardless of the type of agency, this program works and is the "next step" in Improving Mutual Aid in Tennessee."

If you or someone in your county could benefit from this class, contact CTAS at (615) 532-3555 or on the web at www.ctas.tennessee.edu. for more information. The scheduled dates and locations are as follows:
  • Sept 4 Collegedale
  • Sept 8 Franklin
  • Sept 9 Jackson
  • Sept 10 Bartlett
  • Sept 17 Johnson City
  • Sept 18 Knoxville

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