News

WGGB ran a good story about the Franklin County Tech Rescue and how it has lead to the formation of the Regional Tech Rescue Team. http://www.wggb.com/2013/04/23/new-tech-rescue-team-to-protect-region/ The Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council (WRHSAC) has provided funds to the Western Massachusetts Fire Chiefs Association to conduct both Rope Rescue Training and Confined Space Rescue training more »

SKYWARN is a free training sponsored by Franklin County Citizen Corps Programs and is geared toward anyone interested in public service and in potentially joining the SKYWARN® volunteer program. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches, nursing homes or who have more »

Let’s Make a Plan (LMaP) is a FREE community education program designed to teach individuals how to prepare themselves and their families for emergencies Participants receive all the materials necessary to give LMaP workshops. The training class will be approximately 4 hours long and dinner is provided. More information is available here. Register by April 10, more »

In preparation for the potential severe weather threat from Winter Storm NEMO, the Food Bank of Western Ma has shared their Emergency Food Networks list for each county with their emergency planning / preparedness partners. The Food Bank encourages responders to direct people to these resources if the need arises. Download the pdfs: Berkshire County more »

The UMass Medical School’s E.K. Shriver Center is looking for MA cities and towns to participate in an emergency preparedness project to build greater capacity in your town to meet the needs of citizens with disabilities. The Shriver Center will provide a free disability awareness workshop for public health and public safety emergency responders, planners more »

The Hampden County Health Coalition and Medical Reserve Corps are holding an informal “brain-storming” discussion regarding school-based emergencies following calls-for-action received in response to the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Public Health emergency planners, Board of Health members, Health Directors, school educators, parents, Medical Reserve Corps leaders and volunteers are invited to attend. For more more »

The Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council provided funds for the BearCat Armored response vehicle. The Bearcat is housed in Pittsfield and operated by the Berkshire Special Response Team. The Bearcat was recently presented to western Massachusetts law enforcement agencies at a trade show in Holyoke. See the MassLive.com article of that event here.  

 On Saturday, November 3, 2012 at noon, state and local public safety agencies will conduct an audible sounding of the 37 sirens within the Vermont Yankee 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) which includes the Massachusetts communities of Bernardston, Colrain, Gill, Greenfield, Leyden, Northfield and Warwick. The three-minute siren testing is conducted by the Vermont, New more »

Hurricane Sandy is currently moving through the Caribbean and is projected to move northward off the eastern Florida coast in the next two days. Although it is still too early to determine Sandy’s precise long-term track, there is increasing confidence that the storm will impact Southeastern New England, including Massachusetts. The extent of impact will more »

Wednesday afternoon local public health leaders issued a local statement on the current increase in reported cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).   The advisory was issued by the Mohawk Area Public Health Coalition (MAPHCO) — the region’s public health preparedness coalition.   According to Gina McNeely, Health Director for the Town more »