by Latricia Good

A reality underscored by recent emergencies such as the events of Sept. 11 and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is that all disasters, no matter how great in magnitude or widespread nationally, remain fundamentally ?local events? and require response and management at the community level.

By looking at response efforts during past events such as these and at plans underway for impending emergencies such as pandemic influenza, NLC?s 2006 Congress of Cities and Exposition workshop series, ?How to Prepare for the Unexpected,? in Reno, Nev., Dec. 5-9, will offer delegates the ABCs on emergency preparedness.

While some disasters cannot be predicted, most emergency situations can be foreseen. Planning in advance for a potential emergency enables local officials to make smart decisions when under pressure. For those local government officials looking to return home to their cities with effective strategies for addressing emergencies and for those working to build comprehensive emergency preparedness plans, the workshops in this series will prove to be beneficial.

As first responders, cities have to be ready with a plan to put in place in the case of a massive or low scale emergency. Workshops in this series will emphasize the importance of being prepared and outline the essential components of any successful plan, regardless of city size and structure. Through this series, city leaders will learn how to identify and prioritize potential emergencies, and ways to minimize the impact of a disaster by strengthening infrastructure, preparing evacuation plans, determining agency roles and determining how recovery will be handled.

Emergency preparedness at the local level is critical. While the federal government has significant responsibility for managing disaster programs, state and local governments are vital partners in the success of these programs. Essentially, the local emergency management office and team are responsible for implementing and overseeing an emergency plan. So, whether dealing with natural disasters, violent incidents or terrorist acts, cities nationwide need to be ready to respond with a plan that is both comprehensive and tactical.

Giving delegates resources and tools for developing a concrete emergency preparedness plan, experts in this workshop series will outline the key components of disaster preparation and the importance of ongoing refinements, updates and improvements to all plans. Delegates will discover proven approaches to support response efforts of local agencies and to increase their city?s capacity to respond in a timely and effective manner.

Sample workshops planned for this series include:

? Preparing for a Potential Pandemic Flu;

? Responding to Disasters;

? Communicating Before, During and After Emergencies;

? Helping First Responders Communicate in the Aftermath of a Natural or Man-Made Disaster; and

? Addressing the Needs of Young Children in Emergency Preparedness.

Details: For more information about the 2006 Congress of Cities and to register online, visit www.nlc.org.