FLOYDCOUNTYGA.ORG
Floyd County Government Online

Our Vision Statement:
We are an organization of caring professionals pioneering creative advancements to the ever-changing needs of our community.

 Our Motivating Values:
-  Professionalism
-  Integrity
-  Dedication to the citizens of Floyd County
 
Our Mission Statement:
The Floyd County Emergency Management Agency is the lead local agency for coordinating emergency and disaster response activities.  Our mission is to provide a comprehensive and aggressive emergency preparedness, response and recovery program for the citizens of Floyd County.  Our goal is to save lives, protect property, and reduce the effects of disasters through mitigation programs.  We will protect life and property while enhancing the quality of life for the citizens in our community.   

For Immediate Release  

Date:               February 13, 2008
Contact:          Joy E. Peterson                                                                                 
Floyd County PIO                                                     
                        petersonj@floydcountyga.org                                              
                        706.378.2000                                                            

Rome & Floyd County Participate in Interoperability Policy Academy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Floyd County Commissioner Eddie Lumsden, Assistant County Manager Blaine Williams, Assistant City Manager Sammy Rich, and Emergency Management Director Scotty Hancock recently participated in an Interoperability Policy Academy to discuss ways to strengthen local and regional emergency first responder communications policies and procedures. The Academy, held February 7 – 8, in Nashville, Tenn., was sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National League of Cities (NLC). 

“The ability of local first responders to communicate with each other as well as neighboring counties and cities in real time is incredibly important during an emergency,” Commissioner Lumsden said.  “Disasters in recent years have made this crystal clear.  The need to upgrade our communication is in the near future.  We want to be proactive and find the best solution to protect the first responders and citizens of Rome and Floyd County.”

Featured speakers included:  National Association of EMS Officials Program Director Kevin McGinnis, who is the Vice Chair of the SAFECOM Executive Committee; Dereck Orr, Law Enforcement Communications Manager of the National Institute for Standards and Technology; and Michael Paddock of Grants Office LLC.  Representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also participated.

“Effective emergency response communications are not just about radios,” said McGinnis, who has a long history of involvement with communications interoperability at the local level. “It’s about building professional relationships, training, practicing, and working together as a team to protect communities. The Academy is an important step toward achieving these important objectives.”

NACo and NLC partnered to offer the Academy because local governments are at the forefront of the country’s focus on emergency response.  All expenses for Academy participants were covered through a grant that NACo received from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

More information about the Academy is available at www.naco.org.

For more information regarding Floyd County’s EMA and its interoperability policies, please contact Scotty Hancock at 706.236.5002 or visit www.floydcountyga.org.

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 The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization representing municipal governments throughout the United States.  Its mission is to strengthen and promote cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance. Working in partnership with the 49 state municipal leagues, the National League of Cities serves as a resource to and an advocate for the more than 18,000 cities, villages, and towns it represents.  More than 1,600 municipalities of all sizes pay dues to NLC and actively participate as leaders and voting members in the organization. 
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States.  Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,066 counties.  NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public's understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money.  For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org

FLOYD COUNTY, EMA DIRECTOR RECIEVE AWARDS FROM GEMA

Rome, Ga. - Rome-Floyd County’s Emergency Management Agency received the Neil J. Holton Training Award recently at the annual Governor's Emergency Management Conference. EMA Director Scotty Hancock and Deputy Director Tim Herrington were on hand to accept this prestigious award. The Governor’s Emergency Management Conference is hosted by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), and was held at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center on Hutchinson Island in Savannah, Georgia.

 Local Emergency Planning Committee Reviews
Floyd County Flood Plan

On Thursday, April 27, the Rome/Floyd County
Local Emergency Planning Committee met at The Forum to discuss the new Emergency Evacuation Plan for Dam Failure and Flooding. Over 85 representatives from area public safety and health organizations reviewed the plan, asked questions and prepared to evaluate their roles in the plan should a major flood occur in Floyd County.

Purpose

The purpose of this plan is to establish procedures for warning, evacuating, and sheltering persons who would be endangered in the event of the individual failure of Allatoona Dam. It also addresses similar emergency response actions which might be required in the event of flooding, caused by emergency releases from Allatoona Dam. The plan is designed to accomplish these functions with minimum confusion and maximum speed.

The plan is designed to:

1. Establish warning procedures.
2. Outline evacuation procedures.
3. Identify evacuation routes to be used.
4. Identify reception centers and shelters to be activated for the care of evacuees.
5. Identify procedures for the security of the perimeter and the interior of the affected area during and      after evacuation.
6. Identify procedures for allowing evacuees to return to their homes.
7. Assign specific functions and responsibilities to state and local emergency response agencies      and other organizations.

Summary of the Emergency Evacuation Plan for Dam Failure and Flooding

Arrival And Peak Time for Flood Water and an Inundation Map

If you do not have family and friends outside the affected area that you can stay with in the event of a flood, a shelter will be assigned to you. Click here to find your Reception Center based on your address.

Preparing a Family Disaster Plan

Allatoona Dam and Lake

Located only 30 miles from Atlanta, Georgia, Allatoona Lake is situated on the Etowah River, a tributary of the Coosa River. The serene lake and peaceful surroundings offer a respite from the rush of city living.

As one of the most frequently visited Corps lakes in the nation, Allatoona provides recreation opportunities for nearly 6 million visitors annually. The Corps and other public and private organizations work together to provide a wide spectrum of quality recreation opportunities.  These opportunities fuel the regional economy by nearly $250 million annually.  As metro Atlanta moves northwest, this usage is certain to increase.

Interesting Facts

• Allatoona was authorized by the Flood control Acts of 1941 and 1946.
  
• The general contractor for construction of Allatoona Dam was National Constructor Inc.
  
• The total cost of the Allatoona project for construction, land, clearing, and relocation was $31,500,000 in 1950.
  
• The power plant began operation January 31, 1950.
  
• In 1998 Allatoona clocked 86,813,126 hours, which were more visitor hours than any of the other 450 Corps of Engineer projects in the United States and exceeded that in 2005 with more than 90 million visitor hours.
  
• The Corps collected more than $1 million in Camping and Day Use fees in 1999.
  
• Visitors to Allatoona spent more than $12 million for consumable goods in 1999.
  
• The presence of Allatoona Dam has prevented more than $69 million in flood damages since 1950.
  
  (Facts courtesy of US Army Corps of Engineers)

For more information on Allatoona Lake, visit the US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, Lakes and Recreation website.