Henderson leaders better prepare for emergencies with disaster training
HENDERSON, Tenn. — Leaders from one local community take the extra step towards being prepared for any outcome.
Eric Combs with Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium says that this course was more than active shooter training.
“It would be easy to say active shooter, but actually we talk about all potential threats from hazmat suits to tornadoes, fires, floods anything,” said Combs.
Henderson city leaders, first responders and educators sat for day one of their two day course. Combs shares that having a plan for the worse case scenario is better than only hoping for a good outcome.
“Communicating with each other. Knowing what expectations are, have back ups. Because when it happens nothing ever goes according to plan. I learned that in the military but if you have a plan you have a base. And from that baseline you can react much more appropriately,” said Combs.
In this course he hopes these leaders will know how to continue after the outcome of a tragedy.
“These are our next steps– to take base. How do we get our continuity of operations back in? How do we become a school again? How do we become a community again? And how do we rebuild?” said Combs.
Combs has traveled across the U.S. teaching this course and has learned that Tennessee has taken steps to prepare for each outcome. He shares to educators creating a comfortable environment is important.
“See something? Say something. I believe Tennessee has now a statewide initiative to start with that and it’s the idea to pull a cord together– that we all can meet together. How’s that plan look? What’s it look like how do we test it,” said Combs.
His goal is to help these leaders have a foundation and to think quickly as a team about different ways to execute these plans.
“You can develop a plan, that’s one thing, but technology, social incidents, or trends and new capabilities can all change your plan and how reactive we are to that as well,” said Combs.
Chester County Fire Chief Stephen Moore hopes that having this course will help with each department working together. At the end of the course these city leaders will take an assessment over what they have learned.
The Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium, led by The Center for Rural Development, is a DHS funded program providing training and resources to rural first responders.
RDPC courses are offered both in-person and online, and are provided at no cost. For more information about what courses are offered, click here.
For more Chester County news, click here.
