New Hurricane Plan and Multi-State Task Force Are Assets for Maryland

When describing Hurricane Isabel of 2003, one of the hurricanes to hit Maryland this century, the National Weather Services states,

Isabel is a reminder that if the impacts of a Category 2 hurricane can be so extensive, the impact of Category 3 or higher could be devastating.

The 2017 hurricane season was another reminder of this fact, as Marylanders watched from a distance the damages caused by Category 4 Hurricane Harvey, followed by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Caribbean.

As reported by the Baltimore Sun, the Army Corps of Engineers is now working on a new map for Marylanders to evacuate from the state during a hurricane. For more information, see Army Corps of Engineers developing plan to guide hurricane evacuations in Maryland in the Baltimore Sun.

Another Maryland asset in preparing for hurricanes is the Delmarva Emergency Task Force. Maryland is a member and a leader of the Task Force, an multi-state group that prepares the region for hurricanes and other threats.

The Delmarva Emergency Task Force works to ensure that all jurisdictions on the Delmarva peninsula are prepared for hazards, including natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tropical storms, and nor’easters; and man-made disasters involving weapons of mass destruction, or chemical and biological agents. State, county and municipal emergency management personnel from all of Delaware, Maryland’s nine Eastern Shore counties, and the two Virginia counties on the peninsula plan together for a coordinated regional response, including effective communications, resource sharing, shelter and evacuation strategies, and recovery plans.

webster
Fred Webster, left, is Director of the Worcester County Dept. of Emergency Services, Chair of The Delmarva Emergency Task Force and Secretary of Maryland Association of County Emergency Managers. Photo courtesy of FEMA.gov.

The Task Force will be featured at MACo’s upcoming Winter Conference. The session will be sponsored by The Maryland Association of County Administrators and the Maryland Association of County Emergency Managers. Fred E. Webster, Jr., Director, Worcester County Dept. of Emergency Services is the current chair of The Delmarva Emergency Task Force. Director Webster is also the Secretary of The Maryland Association of County Emergency Managers.

The theme of the Winter Conference is The Power of Partnerships. Find more information about MACo’s Winter Conference, and register here.

Learn more about MACo’s 2017 Winter Conference: