NORTHEAST WISCONSIN (WTAQ) – Local emergency management officials are impressed by the responses to hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Brown County Emergency Management Director Jerad Preston notes that in both Texas and Florida “the coordination and the public information and how that information is getting shared, that’s been really good to watch”
Preston says it’s especially impressive considering what both states were dealing with.
“These are nationwide disasters that are going on. These are billion dollar disasters, where stuff that may happen here (in Wisconsin) is only a few million dollars here and there, granted there is still a lot of people being impacted.”
Preston says seeing the coordination between agencies is a good reminder of why he maintains strong relations with other similar organizations.
“Having that working relationship, not only with our partners inside of Brown County but with the Wisconsin Emergency Management and our other local directors and response agencies (in case disaster strikes close to home).”
Just to the southwest, Outagamie County Emergency Management Director Lisa Van Schyndel says leaders in both Texas and Florida did a good job of getting on the ball early.
“They got ahead of it. They informed their citizens. They actually got the resources together ahead of time. They had a communication plan with many entities.”
Van Schyndel notes the pre-planning has allowed for a timely response to both disasters.
