Council backs plan for Aberdeen emergency-preparedness guide, register and CERT exploration

A council member presented a multi-year, community-facing emergency-preparedness plan and asked the council to direct staff to start work on a set of deliverables: a printed Aberdeen emergency-preparedness guide tailored to local evacuation routes and shelter locations; a dedicated preparedness webpage and improved use of the city’s LockAlert notification system; a voluntary special-assistance registry for residents who would require help during an evacuation; partner coordination with BGE and nonprofits such as the Footprint Project; and an outreach campaign timed to National Emergency Preparedness Month.

"I believe that what we need is we need an updated preparedness guide designed and printed, specifically addressing Aberdeen residents in a simplified format," the proposer said. The council supported building a short guide and web presence, assigned staff to scope costs (the mayor noted an existing $30,000 outreach line item that might cover initial work), and asked staff to plan a CERT (community emergency response team) training path and budget options for volunteer training.