Myrtle Beach, S.C. - SCEMA19, the South Carolina Emergency Management Association’s annual emergency management workshop being held at the Marriott Resort & Spa Grande Dunes, will feature sessions on some of the most serious emergency incidents from the previous year, including Hurricanes Florence and Michael and the Amtrak train derailment in Lexington County.
“This year’s theme, ‘Essential Emergency Management,’ brings focus on the critical role that the state’s emergency management community has in serving residents throughout South Carolina,” SCEMA President, Mario Formisano, said. “Not just during disaster response, but in everyday public safety activities, in planning before a major incident and in the extended recovery following a crisis.”
A record number of attendees will share experiences, best practices and lessons learned during the more than a dozen sessions scheduled for SCEMA19. Featured speakers include:
Kim Stenson, Director of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, will deliver his annual “State of Emergency Management” address as part of opening ceremonies Tuesday.
Erika Benitez, Public Information Officer for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, will share her personal experiences from her deployment to South Carolina as part of an urban search and rescue team during Hurricane Florence. Benitez will provide tips for first responders who deploy to disaster areas and lessons learned following her immediate re-deployment to the areas impacted by Hurricane Michael.
David Kerr, Public Safety Director for Lexington County, will present on the unique challenges faced by local first responders during last year’s Amtrak train derailment in the early morning hours of Super Bowl Sunday 2018.
Find out more about SCEMA 2019 and the Association, visit scemaonline.org.