The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office will host another Oak Ridge Emergency Management Forum on Sept. 26. This year’s theme is “Back to Basics: Partnerships in Emergency Management.” Admission is free to the public and activities will begin at 8 a.m.
The DOE-ORO and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency collaborated to sponsor this year’s forum, which will be held at the Y-12 New Hope Center in Oak Ridge. The keynote speaker, Federal Emergency Management Agency Deputy Administrator Richard Serino, will speak about current innovations in emergency management partnerships. The all-day forum will also include panel and breakout sessions on a variety of topics.
“The Oak Ridge Emergency Management Forum has been a great venue for interacting with emergency response professionals in the East Tennessee region who would actually respond in the event of an emergency on the Oak Ridge Reservation,” said DOE-ORO Forum Steering Committee Chair Leon Duquella. “The opportunity for planning, dialogue and camaraderie with these individuals is priceless.”
Attendees can visit approximately 43 indoor and outdoor exhibits that highlight the emergency management community’s newest technologies and services. They will also have the opportunity to view some live demonstrations of equipment, capabilities, and services. Exhibiting organizations include local and state agencies as well as private sector companies that provide products and services locally, nationally, and globally.
The forum provides an opportunity for emergency managers, first responders, hospitals, health departments, and emergency management organizations to discuss emergency management issues that affect the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation and neighboring cities and counties. It also gives emergency response workers a venue to network with other professionals in the East Tennessee region.
The opening general session will begin at 9 a.m., followed by a lunch for purchase and three sets of afternoon breakout sessions. There will also be a closing general session at 4 p.m. Exhibits will be open for viewing from 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
This year’s forum topics include:
- Public and Private Sector Partnerships in Emergency Management
- Family and Community Emergency Preparedness—Becoming Self-Sufficient in Disasters
- Emergency Movement and Relocations of East Tennessee Populations
- Medical Emergencies and how the State Partners with Regional and Local Medical Organizations
- Status Report on Terrorism and Counterterrorism
- Emergency Decision Making Flow on the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation
In addition to the forum, FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will host a live nationwide Think Tank meeting preceding the forum on Sept. 25 from 1-2:30 p.m. at the New Hope Center in Oak Ridge. The Think Tank concept reaches out to local, state and tribal governments, and to all members of the public and private sector to seek input on a variety of emergency management issues. Such issues include how we prepare for, respond to, and recover from or mitigate all types of disasters, as well as ideas on how we can continue to integrate the community as a whole. Participation in the Think Tank is also free to the public. Online registration is encouraged at www.oakridge.doe.gov/oremforum.
For more information, please refer to the forum website at www.oakridge.doe.gov/oremforum, or contact the Forum Steering Committee Chair Leon Duquella at (865) 576-9755 or the DOE-ORO Public Affairs Division at (865) 576-0885.
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