Weakley County EMA history
On April 7, 1969, The Weakley County Civil Defense Agency was created. The office provided support in the way of public information and preparedness. The goal of the time was to prepare the citizens of this county for survival in a time of war. During this time period, the United States was involved in the Cold War, where the threat of a nuclear attack was possible.
In order to prepare the citizens of the United States, education was needed in implementing duck and cover drills, survival under atomic attack literature, fallout protection, and nuclear war survival skills. Evacuation plans, ensuring the continuity of government, fallout shelters, and alerting the public were other concerns. The public would be alerted to an attack using the Emergency Broadcast System and Air Raid Sirens.
On April 1, 1979, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was created to prepare for natural disasters, search and rescue operations, and other emergencies. On October 19, 1981, the Weakley County Civil Defense Agency changed it’s name to the Weakley County Emergency Management Agency, and adopted the focus of FEMA. The war related programs were sat aside at this time.
On September 11, 2001, everything changed. The United States became a victim of terrorism. In order to combat terrorism, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created on November 25, 2002. The focus was to prevent terrorism and weapons of mass destruction from entering the United States again. When DHS was created, it absorbed many agencies including FEMA.
After this process occurred, emergency management agencies had to adapt to a new focus as well. This focus was to combat terrorism and WMDs on the soil of the United States, but also carry on with the normal operations of natural disasters and emergencies.
These efforts have not changed over the years. The Weakley County Emergency Management Agency utilizes federal funding to help mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover from any acts of terrorism or natural disaster.
In order to prepare the citizens of the United States, education was needed in implementing duck and cover drills, survival under atomic attack literature, fallout protection, and nuclear war survival skills. Evacuation plans, ensuring the continuity of government, fallout shelters, and alerting the public were other concerns. The public would be alerted to an attack using the Emergency Broadcast System and Air Raid Sirens.
On April 1, 1979, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was created to prepare for natural disasters, search and rescue operations, and other emergencies. On October 19, 1981, the Weakley County Civil Defense Agency changed it’s name to the Weakley County Emergency Management Agency, and adopted the focus of FEMA. The war related programs were sat aside at this time.
On September 11, 2001, everything changed. The United States became a victim of terrorism. In order to combat terrorism, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created on November 25, 2002. The focus was to prevent terrorism and weapons of mass destruction from entering the United States again. When DHS was created, it absorbed many agencies including FEMA.
After this process occurred, emergency management agencies had to adapt to a new focus as well. This focus was to combat terrorism and WMDs on the soil of the United States, but also carry on with the normal operations of natural disasters and emergencies.
These efforts have not changed over the years. The Weakley County Emergency Management Agency utilizes federal funding to help mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover from any acts of terrorism or natural disaster.
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