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Etta
LoPresti, FPEM
Emergency Management Planner |
I
have been with the Emergency Management Division since 1991.
Through my experience, education, and training in the field
of emergency management I have earned the designation of Florida
Professional Emergency Manager. It is my job to prepare the
community for any type of disaster that may affect Indian River
County. Most frequently, we think of hurricanes impacting our
community. One of the highlights of my job is to educate the
public on hurricane preparedness. Our division travels throughout
the county during hurricane season in an effort to inform the
public on disaster preparedness issues. |
Another
responsibility I have is reviewing disaster plans for health
care facilities, more specifically nursing homes and assisted
living facilities. The lives of those residents are in the
hands of those who provide their care, particularly during
disasters and evacuations. I take the disaster plan reviews
for these facilities very seriously because I genuinely care
about the welfare of those residents.
I also work with a number of industries in the county to prepare
an Emergency Plan for Hazardous Materials. It is important
to prepare for the unlikely event that we may be exposed to
dangerous chemicals. Planning ahead provides safety for our
first responders (EMS, fire, and law enforcement) and residents.
Advanced planning also makes the decision to evacuate an easier
one. |
What
is planning in the field of Emergency Management? |
I
conduct planning for activities in the four phases of emergency
management. The phases of emergency management are mitigation,
preparedness, response, and recovery. Mitigation includes planning
in advance to reduce loss (life and property) to a community
following a disaster. Preparedness includes enhancing disaster
response operations to minimize disaster damage. Response activity
speeds recovery operations, provides emergency assistance, and
reduces probability of additional injuries or damage. Recovery
is our attempt to return to normalcy and can be either short
or long term. |
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