This Monday, the Picayune Fire Department will team up with Manna Ministries to host a disaster preparedness event in conjunction with South MS VOAD’s “Week of Awareness Project.”
According to www.msvoad.communityos.org, MS VOAD is a chapter of the national VOAD, whose role is to “bring organizations together and enable them to understand each other and work together during times of disaster preparedness, response, relief and recovery.
Manna Ministries Executive Director Jameye Martin said next week’s awareness will focus on disaster preparation.
Monday’s meeting will be held at the Community Safe Room in Picayune, which is one of three located in Pearl River County, according to previous Item coverage.
The other two community safe rooms are located in Carriere and Poplarville and provide shelter from hurricanes and tornados for those who cannot leave the area.
During the event, residents will tour the facility and learn how to be prepared before a disaster strikes, Martin said. They will also meet the officials of the county’s emergency management team.
“We want our community to be prepared as best they can,” Martin said. “When you have a game plan, people do better and it’s less traumatic. We will let them know what our expectations are and what they can expect from the city and county.”
According to an event flyer, officials will also be discussing how to stay up-to-date on the latest information, how to compile an emergency kit and having a plan in place in the event of an emergency.
Officials will also discuss the importance of establishing a call tree, email or text distribution list and locations people can travel to during an emergency.
There will be an informative session on what evacuees should bring to a shelter and how to secure a home before evacuating.
Local emergency officials will also discuss constructing evacuation plans that include pets.
The disaster preparedness event will be held on Monday, August 3 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Community Safe Room, located at 501 Laurel St. in Picayune.