EMA to Offer Free Safety Training for Community

For July 31, 2023 Release:

Preparation is key to overcoming obstacles of disaster and emergency, and Floyd County Emergency Management is excited about a new curriculum rolling out in August that will empower our community with both skills and experience.

The first scheduled class for the SAFE emergency preparedness academy is Tuesday August 22 with others to continue through the end of the year at our emergency management office in Rome.

Our vision for the free training is to build a more resilient community. Typical response for emergency responders can be between five and 10 minutes or more, which makes it so important for you to have knowledge and skills when seconds count. Did you know that most injuries following tornadoes and severe storms are from laceration and puncture wounds? These injuries can be fatal if treatment does not immediately begin.

Your local Emergency Management Agency prepares the community and educates our neighbors about disaster and safety. The new community academy will rely on the expertise of several groups of guest instructors from all of our local emergency agencies, including EMA, Rome-Floyd Fire Department, AdventHealth Redmond and Atrium Health Floyd.

We hope to capture the volunteer spirit of our neighbors so that they will be leaders in their homes and communities when emergencies occur.

Our classes include

• basic CPR,
• first aid,
• building emergency plans for work and church,
• fire and burn response,
• fire extinguisher and kitchen safety,
• response to drug overdose and
• storm spotting

Classes will meet at the Emergency Management Agency, located at 407 East 12th Street from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Refreshments will be served, but most importantly, the training is free to everyone. Participants under 18 must bring a chaperone.

We strongly encourage participants to pre-register, but walk-ins are also welcome. There are several options for registration:

• Email: chris.fincher@floydcountyga.org
• Click the link: https://forms.gle/bf8si8h9tRcAzQZi7
• Scan the QR code on SAFE forms you might see posted in your community.

We encourage individuals, civic groups, church leaders, small groups or homeowner associations and neighborhood watch groups to attend.