Northern Arizona is known for its beauty, pristine wilderness and the magnificent forests the area has to offer. However, with that beauty comes the potential danger of extreme weather events and catastrophic natural (and not so natural) disasters.
This spring and summer has been a harsh reminder to Coconino County and Northern Arizona of the need to be prepared when disaster strikes. We know all too well that disaster can strike at any time.
One of the primary and most important roles of county government is the development and execution of an emergency plan. This was evident during the recent Slide Fire, which began May 20 in Oak Creek Canyon.
During the onset of the Slide Fire, before the U.S. Forest Service Type One Incident Management Team set up camp at Fort Tuthill, several agencies coordinated with the county to develop a clear plan of action for residents immediately impacted by the fire. The goal was to coordinate and distribute clear and precise information that let residents know the potential impacts of the Slide Fire on their lives and property.
Coordination between multiple agencies remained a vital part of the response effort once the Incident Management Team was in place.
The county continued to work with other units of government to distribute accurate and clear information to the public through social media and community meetings. Placing such information into the hands of those who are (and continue to be) greatly impacted is critical to ensure the safety and welfare of residents and visitors affected by such events.
The county is extremely proud of the first responders who travelled from throughout the U.S. to battle this fire. Because of the efforts by the Incident Management Team, as well as the many community partners, the Slide Fire disaster resulted in no structural damage or loss of life.
Severe weather events, including wildfires and the subsequent flooding, are hazards that will continue to haunt our communities. Coconino County will continue to coordinate across agency lines to keep citizens informed and aware of every potentially harmful situation.
However, residents, business owners and visitors need to prepare for emergencies and disasters themselves.
Citizens should create their own emergency plan and practice it before an emergency occurs. This includes packing an emergency kit with essential items such as prescriptions and important documents.
The county also encourages you to have a plan in place for your pets. Many other useful tips on how to create your own disaster plan can be found on the County’s Emergency Management website at www.coconino.az.gov/emergency.
Visitors to the site can also find a link to register with our new CodeRED Emergency Notification System. This system makes staying informed with the latest emergency updates and notifications easy.
Those signing up for CodeRED will receive the latest updates on emergencies impacting their particular community through cell phone calls, text and/or email messages. This new system was used with great success when alerting citizens of evacuations during the Slide and Junipine fires.
We also encourage people to continue to use the county’s website (www.coconino.az.gov) and social media sites on Facebook (www.facebook.com/coconinocounty) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/coconinocounty) to receive accurate updates on emergency events.
Ensuring the safety of our citizens is the county’s highest priority. Unfortunately, these dry and windy conditions create potential for wildfires, while the upcoming monsoon season could bring devastating floods.
As a community, we need to remain vigilant and prepared for emergencies as they happen and take all steps possible to make Coconino County and Northern Arizona a safe place to live. QCBN
Cynthia Seelhammer is a resident of Flagstaff and serves as Coconino County manager.
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