Partners in Preparedness, Louisiana State Police, and the 2017 Hurricane Season

The 2017 Hurricane Season has officially started, and with it comes the necessity for all organizations to prepare for the possibility of a tropical event.

This season has been predicted to be an above average in the Atlantic. This specifically means that their is above a 75% chance that the season will be either average or above average in terms of tropical storms. This signals the importance of preparing for a hurricane and eventual reentry by setting yourself up with the ER-ITN Access Program.

Partners in Preparedness Summit

With the start of Hurricane Season came the Partners in Preparedness Summit. This event allows local counties, law enforcement agencies, the national guard, and state emergency management agencies to come together to discuss the preparation requirements for the year as well as various emergency management updates. This conference was unique this year in that it emphasized the importance of preparation in all aspects, ranging from the resources required to protect your facilities from a storm to the eventual access required after a storm. This showed the continued support of the state of Mississippi for using and implementing the access program for all tropical and local emergency events.

Louisiana State Police

The Louisiana State Credentialing Access Program (LSCAP) is implemented by the Louisiana State Police and their renewed use of the program has been clear by their efforts to continually communicate the value of the program throughout Louisiana. The goal of the ER-ITN Access Program is to support LSCAP and the registration and enrollment of organizations in order to ensure that everyone is prepared once they reach a Louisiana State Police Checkpoint. 

Preparation for the 2017 Hurricane Season

The official start of the 2017 Hurricane Season on the Gulf Coast is June 1st, 2017. In preparation for this date there are several things you should look for, and consider as the season begins:

1) Is your business prepared for a Hurricane?

Both Louisiana and Mississippi offer various resources that can allow you to get a leg up on preparation for a hurricane. For a business one of the most valuable resources is developing a resiliency plan in case of an emergency.

This resiliency plan should include: What actions should be taken for an impending Hurricane, What personnel are required to operate during or directly after a storm, and what necessary precautions are required prior to a storm's arrival.

2) Is your business prepared for what happens AFTER a hurricane?

Once the hurricane is over, your business needs to start the process of response, damage assessment, and recovery. In order to do this you will require access to your facilities. Access after even a minor storm can be restricted and this will may require using the ER-ITN Access Program in order to reenter into your facility. 

If you believe you will need access after a disaster make sure to go to the Frequently Asked Questions section to better understand your access requirements and your time of access. 

3) Weather Forecasting

When a disaster is going to occur it's always difficult to understand which weather forecasting to trust. The ER-ITN Access Program, and several other state agencies, traditionally use the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to look at the long and short range models for various tropical events. This is the source we recommend you check, and the one we will provide our updates from.

NOAA Hurricane Forecasting: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

LSCAP, MEAP and The National Hurricane Conference

The National Hurricane Conference is currently underway in New Orleans and represents an excellent opportunity to learn more about preparedness, recovery, and reentry during a hurricane. This event combines workshops and individuals that give their insights into the various stages involved in preparing for a Hurricane. 

Naturally one of the most valuable parts of this conference is understanding the recovery process after a Hurricane. Highlighted in this was emphasis on the necessity for LSCAP in Louisiana as well similar programs expanding throughout the gulf coast. Hurricanes represent one of the clearest dangers to the gulf coast economy and best examples of where the program can be used effectively and efficiently. This conference offered an excellently opportunity to repeat that message and garner support for reentry programs across the coast. 

To learn more about The National Hurricane Conference please visit: http://hurricanemeeting.com/

To prepare for the upcoming hurricane season and register your organization please visit our Registration Page.

MEMA and the 2017 Partners in Preparedness Summit

This year ER-ITN will be attending the 2017 Partners in Preparedness Summit at the IP Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Mississippi Emergency Access Program (MEAP) are coordinating to ensure that everyone attending the summit has ease of access to register for the statewide reentry program. Our registration desk will be located directly next to the registration desk at the conference.

We will be able to register, enroll, and change personnel in your system during the course of summit. If you're planning on attending, please take the time to ensure you're registered in the program and fully prepared for the 2017 season!

For more information on the Partners in Preparedness Conference visit: http://www.msprepsummit.com/

For more information on the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency visit: http://msema.org/

MSRWA and ER-ITN Partnering to Provide Access to Water/Utility Companies

ER-ITN is excited to continue a partnership with the Mississippi Rural Water Association (MSRWA). This partnership has strengthened in 2017 and will result in ER-ITN and MSRWA partnering at various MSRWA events.

ER-ITN will be working to enroll and register water companies in the Mississippi Emergency Access Program. We feel it is an absolute priority that water companies are prepared for reentry in 2017 and in future, and will put our full effort to ensure they're prepared for the upcoming season!

MSRWA Events with ER-ITN Participation

June 6th - MSRWA Training Session (Biloxi Convention Center)

June 20th - MSRWA Facility Training Session (Raymond, MS)

Learn more about the Mississippi Rural Water Association here: http://www.msrwa.org/

The new ER-ITN website is now live!

The new ER-ITN website has been introduced, offering additional functionality that will allow member organizations access to more information as well as up to date communications of any events.

New website features:

• Website redesign - Allowing for easier access of information and resources necessary to using the program. 
• Event Status Bar - Allowing you to see what events are active, at what access level, and within what locations. 
• News Feed - Allowing you to see all program initiatives as well as various events and conferences supported by the program.