Three of the biggest natural disaster threats to our area are hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding and the Coffee County EMA is working to update their prevention plan to protect citizens against those threats.

Coffee County EMA officials are updating their FEMA approved mitigation plan.

It basically identifies possible threats and outlines projects. Public entities would like to do that would prevent future damage, especially in areas that are repeatedly hit.

"The government decided that they were tired of paying repetitive loss for disasters,” says John Tallas, Director of Coffee County EMA.

Grant money is available to fund those projects but they have to be included in the official plan to be considered.

“We’ve reaped some significant benefits through the unfortunate disasters that we have by having a plan and having appropriate projects in that plan,” says Tallas.

Some of the projects previously included adding safe rooms in schools and generators for sewage systems.

“We’ve also gotten a mobile generator for the Coffee County water authority, so that they can recharge their tanks when we have power failures,” says Tallas.

Lessening the threat of flooding in Elba is one example.

Col. Charles Webb knows how preventative measures protect citizens. He became Coffee County's first EMA director after Elba flooded back in the 1990. Since then they built a stronger levy and added pumps.

The Coffee County EMA is now holding public meetings to develop similar projects.

If you have suggestions, you may bring them to the EMA's first public meeting on July 27th at 9:30 a.m.

It will be held in the EMA office conference room.