SUMMERDALE, Alabama --- A panel of emergency responders provided information and answered questions before a packed house Monday for the first of four 2012 Baldwin County Emergency Management Town Hall Meetings held in the auditorium at Baldwin EMC in Summerdale.

Monday night, Tropical Storm Debby took a turn toward the east and appeared to be headed away from the Alabama Gulf Coast, but on Sunday, with Debby possibly headed straight for the area, the meetings scheduled to run through Thursday, seemed especially poignant.

“Let me start by saying we did not schedule this storm around the meetings,” said Baldwin County Emergency Management Director Mitchell Sims, “but it is certainly a good gauge of where we are in terms of preparedness.”

The meetings were coordinated by Baldwin County EMA and Baldwin County United with Sims and BCU Director David Lawrenz leading off Monday’s discussion.

Included on Monday’s panel were:

• Scott Wallace, BCEMA shelter coordinator.
• Jenni Guerry, BCEMA logistics coordinator.
• Bill Stephens with the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).
• Wade Stevens, Battalion Chief with the Orange Beach Fire Department, Hazmat coordinator representing the Local Emergency Planning Committee.
• Mike Sandell with Sutton Medstar, representing emergency services.
• Taylor Rider, director of the Baldwin Rural Area Transportation System (BRATS), spoke about transportation services.
• Jeff Garmon with the National Weather Service.
• John Aldrich, communications director with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
• Teresa Porter with the Alabama Department of Public Health, spoke on medical needs shelters.
• Steve Turner with Baron Services representing Saf-T-Net.
• Joe Piggott, public information officer with the Alabama State Troopers office in Mobile spoke on evacuation coordination.
• Lt. Col. Todd Patterson with the Alabama Army National Guard.
• Chris Heger, director of Baldwin County 911.
• Greg Smith, chief engineer with the City of Robertsdale. The central offices of Baldwin County EMA and 911 are located in Robertsdale, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department maintains an office in Robertsdale, the Baldwin County Coliseum in Robertsdale serves as one of the main shelters for the county, and the Baldwin County Association for Retarded Citizens of Baldwin County maintains a medical needs shelter for Baldwin County in Robertsdale. The City of Robertsdale works to ensure power, water and sewer services are maintained at those facilities during an emergency situation.
• Joey Nunnally with the Baldwin County Highway Department spoke on road and bridge maintenance.
• Art Faulkner and Brett Howard, representing the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. By law in Alabama, the governor alone can declare a mandatory evacuation. In that event local agencies coordinate through the Alabama EMA for emergency services.

Each panel member gave a brief talk about their agency and responsibilities then were available to answer questions regarding emergency coordination in Baldwin County.

Additional meetings were scheduled for Tuesday at the Erie Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores; Wednesday at the Bay Minette Civic Center; and Thursday at the Daphne Civic Center.

Representatives from the North Baldwin EMS, and city emergency management coordinators from Bay Minette, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, Daphne and Fairhope were scheduled to speak at subsequent meetings.

Topics of discussion at Monday’s meeting included shelter coordination, what to bring to a shelter, medical needs shelters, coordination of evacuation and emergency services at hospitals and nursing homes, evacuation procedures and necessary supplies.

“We work for you,” Sims said, “and we want these meetings to be informative and interactive so that you are prepared for an emergency.”

A large portion of the discussion centered on the sales tax holiday for severe weather preparedness.

Act No. 2012-256 was passed by the Alabama Legislature declaring a sales tax holiday for emergency supplies from 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 6 until midnight Sunday, July 8. The Baldwin County Commission, along with most of the municipalities in Baldwin County, have also adopted the sales tax holiday.

Covered items include the sale of the following items for $60 or less per item:

• Any package of AAA-cell, AA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt or 9-volt batteries, excluding coin batteries and automobile and boat batteries.
• Any cellular phone battery or cellular phone charger.
• Any portable self-powered or battery-powered radio, two-way radio, weatherband radio, or NOAA weather radio.
• Any portable self-powered light source, including battery-powered flashlights, lanterns or emergency glow sticks.
• Any tarpaulin, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths or other flexible waterproof sheeting.
• Any ground anchor system, such as bungee cords, rope or tie-down kit.
• Any duct tape.
• Any plywood, window film or other materials specifically designed to protect window openings.
• Any non-electric can opener.
• Any artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs or reusable ice.
• Any self-contained first aid kit.
• Any fire extinguisher, smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector.
• Any gas or diesel fuel tank or container.
• Portable generators and power cords used to provide light or communications or preserve food in the event of a power outage selling for $1,000 or less per item.

“This is a good gauge of what you will need in the event of an emergency,” Sims said.

Near the close of Monday’s meeting Wade Stevens pointed out that emergency preparedness was not just for hurricane season, but needed to be maintained year-round.

“We’re not just here for the big events,” he said. “We’re here for any type of emergency, both big and small.”

In closing, Sims was asked about the negative publicity EMAs have received in recent years and was commended for all the good work the EMA does.

“We want to continue to be in the news for all the good things we are doing,” Sims said. “It all starts and ends with all of these people up here and everyone working behind the scenes doing what they do for you.”