Emergency Preparedness

2 months ago

are you prepared?

Being prepared can reduce fear, anxiety, and losses that accompany disasters.

Disasters, both natural and man-made, disrupt hundreds of thousands of lives every year. Each disaster has lasting effects, both to people and property. If a disaster occurs in your community, local government and disaster-relief organizations will try to help you, but you need to be ready as well. Local responders may not be able to reach you immediately, or they may need to focus their efforts elsewhere.   It's important to be prepared and have a plan for any hazard that could arise in your community. You should be ready to be self-sufficient for at least three days. This may mean providing for your own shelter, first aid, food, water, and sanitation.  

Being prepared can reduce fear, anxiety, and losses that accompany disasters, and we have assembled some tips to aid you in the process to becoming prepared.

WHy do i need to prepare?

Citizen Response

Every citizen in this country is part of a national emergency management system that is all about protection--protecting people and property from all types of hazards. Think of the national emergency management system as a pyramid with you, the citizen, forming the base of the structure. At this level, you have a responsibility to protect yourself and your family by knowing what to do before, during, and after an event.

The national emergency management system is built on shared responsibilities and active participation at all levels of the pyramid. The whole system begins with you, the citizen, and your ability to follow good emergency management practices— whether at home, work, or other locations. 

Local Response

It is sometimes necessary to turn to others within the local community for help. The local level is the second tier of the pyramid, and is made up of paid employees and volunteers from the private and public sectors. These individuals are engaged in preventing emergencies from happening and in being prepared to respond if something does occur. Most emergencies are handled at the local level, which puts a tremendous responsibility on the community for taking care of its citizens. 

State Response

If support and resources are needed beyond what the local level can provide, the community can request assistance from the state. The state may be able to provide supplemental resources such as money, equipment, and personnel to close the gap between what is needed and what is available at the local level. 

The state also coordinates the plans of the various jurisdictions so that activities do not interfere or conflict with each other. To ensure personnel know what to do and efforts are in agreement, the state may offer a program that provides jurisdictions the opportunity to train and exercise together.

Federal Response

At the top of the pyramid is the federal government, which can provide resources to augment state and local efforts. These resources can be in the form of: 

  • Public educational materials that can be used to prepare the public for protecting itself from hazards
  • Financial grants for equipment, training, exercises, personnel, and programs.

  • Grants and loans to help communities respond to and recover from disasters so severe that the President of the United States has deemed them beyond state and local capabilities.
  • Research findings that can help reduce losses from disaster.
  • Technical assistance to help build stronger programs.

how do i get prepared?

Make a Plan

Discuss and create a plan for how you will respond to emergencies that are most likely to happen where you live. Write it down. Share it. Practice, practice, practice.

Build a Kit

A disaster kit is essential n the event of a major disaster. Being prepared means having your own food, water, and supplies to last for several days. Consider unique needs your family may have.

Be Informed

Have multiple ways to receive important updates from officials before, during, and after emergencies--even when the power is out, or while you are sleeping.

For more information on being prepared, visit www.ready.gov.

Printable Emergency Supply List

If you are looking for a recommended list of supplies for your disaster kit, follow the link below.

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Training

2 months ago

One of the most important jobs for EMA is to provide and coordinate training for our emergency response disciplines. We offer topics that include search and rescue, hazardous materials response, incident command and management, emergency operations center training, crisis management, active shooter preparedness and response, communications, storm spotter training, and so much more.

To find out what classes, programs, or workshops are being hosted and when, visit our local training calendar below. We do our best to keep it as up-to-date as possible, but there may be times we encounter delays in posting. Please bear with us, or contact us for more information. To apply for one of our local offerings, click the "Local Training Application" link below to submit your registration. Courses offered on behalf of other agencies may require you to complete that agency's course application. In these instances, we will notate that on the training announcement.

If you'd like to suggest a course for us to host, please use the "Suggest a Course" link below, and provide us with the information, and someone from our office will be in touch.

Local Training Opportunities





Suggest a Course (Link Coming Soon)

TEMA Training Opportunities

(Tennessee Emergency Management Agency)



Course Application (TEMA Courses Only)

HazMat Technician Recertification Request (Current HazMat Technicians Only)
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What is CodeRED?

2 months ago

Stay informed with codered.

CodeRED is a mass notification system that allows us to provide time-sensitive, emergency information via phone call, text message, email, hearing impaired devices, and social media to thousands of users within minutes.

CodeRED Weather Warnings are sent directly from the National Weather Service to you. The alerts are geo-located, meaning you will only receive the alert if the address you register with is within the warning polygon issued by the NWS.

This system is FREE to register for Henderson County residents and business owners. The system will only recognize addresses that are located within the geographical boundaries of Henderson County.

register today!

Click the link below or, using your mobile device, send a text message with the keyword HendersonCoTN to 99411 to have the mobile-friendly link sent to your phone.


CodeRED Explained...

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Watson Emergency Service Center

2 months ago

The Watson Emergency Service Center

is home to the Henderson County Emergency Management Agency and the Henderson County Fire Department Headquarters. This facility was built in 1974 and was the home of the Henderson County Jail until 2010. Grant funding was provided by the Fred Cecil Watson Memorial Fund to update the facility for use as office 

and training space for Henderson County's Emergency Services. No taxpayer dollars were spent in the remodel of the center.

This facility provides 3 state of the art conference rooms that can be used to accommodate meeting and training needs for local, state, and federal emergency service partners, and is available to other non-emergency service agencies upon request and availability.

Each conference room provides a different layout and can accommodate audiences of various sizes. All three are equipped with multimedia presentation equipment and internet connectivity.



Training Center


Room A

Conference Room A, also known as the Jim McKee Conference Room, is the most utilized conference room we have. It offers a wide range of layouts for any audience. It will seat around 50 people with tables and chairs, but without the tables, it will seat around 70-75.

Room B

Conference Room B is the smallest of our conference rooms. It will hold approximately 10-15 people with tables and chairs, and 20-25 without tables.

Room C

Conference Room C is our basement classroom. It provides seating for audiences of 40 with tables and chairs, and cold be configured to accommodate approximately 50-60 without tables.


Reserve a Training Room

To schedule a training room, please call our office at 731-968-1567, or you can follow the link below to submit a request online, and someone from our office will be in touch with you.


Booking and Use Policies

We understand that things come up last minute, but we ask that you please try to reserve your room as far in advance as possible. Anything not scheduled in advance is subject to availability. We also recognize that meetings my need to cancel, and we ask that you please call our office to remove cancelled meetings from the schedule promptly so we can open up availability to others.

Real-life emergency situations will take priority over any, and all, meetings scheduled and can bump your reservation without notice.

The Center gives booking priorities to Emergency Service agencies, but will do our best to accommodate non-emergency service entities.

We DO NOT book rooms for social or political gatherings.

The Center is the property of Henderson County Government and, therefore, alcohol is not allowed on the premises. This facility is also tobacco free and users may only smoke, dip, or chew in designated smoking areas outside.

Users will help to maintain the facility by cleaning up after meetings or classes. Supplies are available on site.

The person making the reservation must read and sign the IT Policy Form.

The person making the reservation, or his/her agency, will be responsible for any damage that occurs during their use of the facility.

If providing a meal, the user will be responsible for bringing all necessary supplies to include: food, beverages, ice, paper goods, and utensils. 


Watson Emergency Service Center


50 Natchez Trace Drive
Lexington, TN 38351

P: (731) 968-1567



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LEPC - Local Emergency Planning Committee

2 months ago

planning. training. working. together!

The Henderson County LEPC was established pursuant to Section 301 of the Federal Title III, Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, commonly known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA).

Our LEPC is comprised of members representing elected officials, law enforcement, emergency management, fire service, emergency medical services, public health, rescue squad, utilities, state and federal agencies, facility owners and operators, as well as interested citizens and non-elected local officials. 

The mission of the LEPC is to prepare local hazardous materials emergency plans that indicate the facilities that use, produce, or store extremely hazardous substances within the county; serve as the repository for local reports filed under EPCRA; and direct local EPCRA implementation activities and perform associated outreach functions to increase the awareness and understanding of and compliance with EPCRA program.

In addition to the original mission of hazardous materials planning, LEPCs have shifted their focus to include an "all hazards" approach. This includes planning and responding to natural and other man-made or technological hazards as well. This could be anything from tornadoes, flooding, and winter storms to a terrorist attack, power outages, or civil disorder. LEPCs serve as a focal point for information and discussion about hazards and risks that could affect our community.

LEPC Meeting Information

The Henderson County LEPC meets on the second Wednesday of the last month in each quarter at 11:30am in Conference Room A at the Watson Emergency Service Center. Our upcoming meeting dates are posted on our Local Training Calendar.

If you or your organization would like to suggest a topic or speaker for an upcoming meeting, please contact our office via email at ema@hendersoncountytn.gov or by calling (731) 968-1567.

tier II reporting

For facilities that handle or store hazardous chemicals and are subject to federal, state and local reporting only.

Sections 311 and 312 of EPCRA contain provisions for hazardous chemical inventory reporting. Facilities that handle hazardous chemicals defined under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, and its implementing regulations, must provide information on the quantity, locations, and the potential hazards of these chemicals. This information is submitted to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and the fire department. 

These submissions are required by March 1st, annually. This inventory information provides the physical and/or health hazard of each hazardous chemical, their locations, and quantities that were present at the facility during the previous calendar year.

State of Tennessee Requirements

The State of Tennessee requires all facilities that store or use hazardous materials, operating in our State, to electronically file Tier II reports through E-Plan. E-Plan complies with Federal, State, and Henderson County LEPC hazardous materials inventory reporting requirements.  


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