Full Notification

Martinez and more than 45 other policymakers will receive Department of Homeland Security certification following completion of natural disaster and emergency response training

SANTA ANA, CA (November 20, 2013) – Councilwoman Michele Martinez will join the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund and more than 45 Latino public officials from across the country to discuss issues relating to emergency response and community preparedness at the National Policy Institute on Emergency Response and Management convening. The two-and-half day event will take place from November 22-24, 2013 at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort in Orlando, Flor.

Martinez and other policymakers participating in the Institute will have an opportunity to work directly with emergency preparedness officials to enhance their understanding of multi-agency coordination and the incident command system, a systematic tool used for the command, control, and coordination of emergency response situations. Upon completion of the sessions, Councilwoman Martinez will receive a certificate indicating their participation in the Department of Homeland Security overview and training.

With disaster becoming more common and costly - and with some regions enduring multiple disasters - the importance of building community resilience and preparedness during emergency response has never been greater. This timely Institute will highlight ways elected officials can promote emergency preparedness to help their respective communities respond to and recover from natural disasters, pandemics and other hazards. The event, which is the second NALEO Educational Fund convening focused on emergency response issues, curriculum will also address the important role that policymakers can play as an information broker to immigrant and non-English speaking residents during times of crisis in their communities.

“I’m excited to be representing the City of Santa Ana at the upcoming NALEO conference reference Emergency Response and Management,” stated Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez. “It is important that cities formulate a plan to respond to large scale disasters in order to safeguard our communities to ensure that we are prepared to provide critical services in the face of manmade or natural disasters.”

At the Institute, Councilwoman Michele Martinez will hear from a number of elected officials and experts on how to ensure their respective communities are prepared in the event of a natural disaster or emergency, including Federal Emergency Management Agency Director of Individual and Community Preparedness Gwen Camp, Former Mass. State Rep. and American Red Cross of Massachusetts CEO Jarrett Tomás Barrios, City of Houston Mayor Pro Tem Ed Gonzalez and LISTOS Co-Founder Gracie Huerta.

The National Policy Institute on Emergency Response and Management is made possible through the generous support of Title Sponsor, State Farm®. A full schedule and list of speakers is available on the NALEO Educational Fund website at http://www.naleo.org/emergencymanagement.html.

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