Hurricane season is almost here. Keep up with all the latest graphics and text reports via the link to the NHC in the Current Weather Section below.

Also, in the same section, check out the links to the latest Lee County forecast and the brand new Central Alabama Multi-Media Impact Briefing(turn on your speakers). This briefing is updated twice daily (more often if severe weather is threatening) by forecasters at NWS Birmingham.

We are happy to welcome our newest planner, Rita Smith. Rita comes to us from Monroe County EMA, and will be a great asset to the Lee County EMA family.

We just completed our latest CERT class. If you and your family would like to attend a future class (dates to be determined), please contact Chris Tate at the EMA, phone 334-749-8161.

WELCOME TO THE LEE COUNTY EMA.  HOW CAN WE HELP YOU TODAY?

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The Lee County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is housed in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located at 908 Avenue B in Opelika, Alabama. This is where County or City officials manage any disaster that may occur. We maintain emergency power and water supplies; and a host of other equipment that will allow us to operate during a crisis, disaster, or other emergency to provide services to our citizens.

The mission of the EMA is to provide for all the citizens of Lee County, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, coordination of resources, and continuity of local government for a wide range of emergencies and disasters. These include natural and technological disasters, terrorism and civil disorders, civil defense from any attack on the United States, and any emergency that may be a threat to life or property. These services include disaster and hazardous materials training and planning functions for public safety agencies. The EMA is the coordinating agency for the Lee County Local Emergency Planning Committee. Lee County is a host county for evacuations resulting from gulf coast hurricanes and from chemical leaks or spills affecting Anniston and the surrounding Calhoun County area.

There are four primary phases of Emergency Management: MITIGATION, PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, and RECOVERY.

MITIGATION is those actions which lessen or reduce the potential for emergencies or disasters. A new building may be designed to be less susceptible to damage from high winds. Participation in the National Flood Insurance Program is another example of mitigation. This is a program implemented at the National level to make insurance available to those living in flood-prone areas.

PREPAREDNESS is activities which plan for response to emergencies or disasters. This includes such things as training and planning. We are required to have an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). This is a comprehensive, fully coordinated, plan for the entire County. It is not a plan to tell departments or agencies what to do but rather a plan to provide the resources for a combined inter-agency response when required.

RESPONSE is those activities which follow an emergency or disaster and are designed to provide emergency assistance to casualties, reduce secondary damage, and speed recovery operations. The Lee County EMA provides the planning and coordination mechanism for County and City agencies to provide a cooperative, unified response.

RECOVERY is activities which return the community to its pre-emergency status. This can, and often, takes a long period of time.

Prior to being called Emergency Management, this office was referred to as Civil Defense. In 1979, a comprehensive Federal reorganization of Civil Defense occured and the new name of Emergency Management became the concept used for handling disasters and their consequences. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) replaced the old Office of Civil Defense and consolidated five Federal agencies that were dealing with many types of emergencies. This organizational approach then filtered down to State, County and City levels. In 1983, Lee County Civil Defense became the Lee County Emergency Management Agency. The name change to EMA was indicative of the change in orientation away from specialized preparedness for single or narrowly defined categories of hazards toward an all-hazards approach.

The EMA operates under authority of the State of Alabama and the Lee County Commission. It receives its funding from the Commission, cities of Opelika, Auburn and from State and Federal sources.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

The EMA maintains partnerships with organizations that respond to and help during emergencies. These are organized under the umbrella of the Lee County Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) group, a humanitarian association of independent voluntary organizations whose mission is to foster efficient, streamlined service delivery to people affected by disaster, while eliminating unnecessary duplication of effort, through cooperation in all phases of disaster response. In addition, VOAD organizations are supported by a host of businesses and faith based groups who step forward to assist their fellow citizens during time of need.

The Lee County Emergency Alerting System (EAS) provides emergency messages to the citizens of Auburn, Opelika, Smiths Station, Lee County, and Auburn University through an integrated system that includes a radio Alerting System, Outdoor Warning Sirens, and NOAA Weather Radio.

RADIO ALERTING SYSTEM

Real time EAS messages are provided to the public from the EOC via our VHF radio Voice Alerting system operating on 151.115 MHz. RECEIVERS FOR THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE PLACED IN SCHOOLS, DAY CARE CENTERS, BUSINESSES, INDUSTRY, PUBLIC SERVICE AND GOVERNMENT OFFICES. They are available through the Lee County EMA. This system provides emergency information such as weather warnings, evacuation procedures and any other critical information relative to the public safety of our citizens. Anyone needing a receiver or information about these receivers can call the EMA for assistance.

Lee County Emergency Alerting Receiver:
Dual Tone General Electric Tone Paging Receiver
operating on VHF 151.115 MHZ
receive Codes: A: 892.5 (1 sec) B: 682.5 (3 sec)

The outdoor warning sirens are tested at 12 noon on the fourth (4th) Wednesday of each month. The sirens sound for one to three minutes during these tests. If there is a threat of severe weather, the test is canceled. The sound you will hear during these tests is the same you would hear for a TORNADO WARNING.

The three sounds that you might hear when the sirens are activated are:

1. THREE-MINUTE STEADY TONE indicates that a TORNADO is in the area. You should take shelter immediately and monitor a battery-operated radio or television station that provides Emergency Alerting System (EAS) messages for severe weather conditions.

2. THREE-MINUTE SLOW WAIL indicates an attack on the U.S. or some type of terrorist activity. You should listen to a local radio or television station that provides Emergency Alerting System (EAS) messages for instructions.

3.THREE-MINUTE FAST WAIL, indicates that there is some type of hazardous materials incident or other emergency. You should listen to a local radio or television station that provides Emergency Alerting System (EAS) messages for instructions.

REMEMBER -- YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU HEAR THE THREE-MINUTE LONG STEADY TONE FOR A TORNADO WARNING.

The NWS maintains a NOAA weather radio broadcast station operating at 162.525 MHz located on a tower in Auburn.

This is the system that the public uses small, Radio Shack type, weather radios to monitor for routine forecasts and WATCHES AND WARNINGS for severe weather. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ONE IN THE HOME. You can obtain more information about NOAA weather radios at National Weather Service and you can get instructions on how to program your weather radio at NWS Weather Radio Information.

Lee County and the cities of Auburn, Opelika, Smiths Station and the Town of Loachapoka have been certified by the National Weather Service as STORMREADY.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for administering the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through its Federal Insurance Administration. Flood insurance is available from any licensed insurance agent in any state which is backed by the federal government. It is available only to owners of personal or business property in communities which have agreed to adopt and enforce certain flood plain management practices. If a home is located in a special flood hazard area, flood insurance is required by law as a condition of most mortgages on such property. Lee County and the Cities of Auburn and Opelika participate in the NFIP. Residents in rural Lee County can now obtain low cost Flood Insurance through the NFIP. For more information please call the EMA or the Lee County Building Inspection Department at (334)745-9811. For additional information, see FLOOD INSURANCE.

The Emergnecy Managers Weather Information Network (EMWIN) is a satellite based data stream provided free of charge by the National Weather Service. It is one of our primary warning sources. The Lee County EMA was the first Alabama County EMA to rebroadcast the EMWIN data stream to the public over UHF radio (453.275 MHz) to schools, industry, and other public service agencies. For background information on this important program, see EMWIN .

The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) is a Federal Program designed to allow State and Local EMA officials to take control of Amateur (HAM) Radio Frequencies using trained HAM radio operators during extreme instances of emergency or disaster that might require government control of these vital communications resources.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is an Amateur Radio Relay League nationally sponsored program where HAM radio operators work together at the local level to provide emergency communication services to government and public service agencies.

SKYWARN is a National Weather Service sponsored program whose primary purpose is to solicit Storm Spotter reports from NWS trained participants. Over eighty percent of trained Storm Spotters are HAM radio operators. The primary goal is for trained spotters to provide ground truth reporting of NWS radar and other sensors to better enable NWS personnel to issue more timely and accurate warnings to the public. The secondary role, though just as important if not more so in many cases, is to report storm damage to both NWS and publice service officials.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is designed to train citizens on how they can best survive a disaster until emergency services can arrive on the scene. CERT classes are conducted several times a year. Call the EMA for the current schedule and more information.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has formed CITIZENCORPS so that local citizens can become organized and trained to help themselves and others during times of disasters. Call the EMA for more information on this community service program.

The EMA maintains partnerships with organizations that respond to and help during emergencies. These are organized under the umbrella of the Lee County Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) group, a humanitarian association of independent voluntary organizations whose mission is to foster efficient, streamlined service delivery to people affected by disaster, while eliminating unnecessary duplication of effort, through cooperation in all phases of disaster response. In addition, VOAD organizations are supported by a host of businesses and faith based groups who step forward to assist their fellow citizens during time of need. VOAD BROCHURE

Kids and Disasters Great information for your kids to learn about what to do when disaster strikes

If you need an address in Rural Lee County please call the new office at 705-5305 or 749-6091 or email Dan Mitchell, 911 Address Technician

Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) provides operational funding for the EMA to participate in this program. Lee County serves as a "Host County" for Calhoun County, Alabama. Residents of Calhoun County would come to Lee County in the event of a chemical leak at the Anniston Army Depot.

Hazzardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) helps the EMA prepare the County for any type of chemical spill. Lee County conducts a yearly HAZ MAT drill where Public Safety Agencies, East Alabama Medical Center and Volunteer Organizations pratice responses to a potential HAZ MAT situation.

Homeland Security (DHS) helps provide modern equipment for First Responders including Law Enforcement, Fire, HAZ MAT, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services.

Hazzard Mitigation (HM) is a program to help Lee County and its cities prepare ahead of time for potential disasters that may effect them.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) helps fund training for local citizens to respond to disasters before local public safety first responders can arrive on the scene.

Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is a Federal Government program to keep a stockpile of medications that can be moved to a county or community if large amounts of medications were needed during a disaster. If needed, these medications would be used to treat the public and emergency workers during a disaster.

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): Lee County and the Cities of Auburn and Opelika have joined the NFIP, a program sponsored by FEMA that allows homeowners to purchase flood insurance at a reduced price. Further, the County, Auburn, and Opelika can also apply for flood prevention grants to help communities within their area.

Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) is a program to assist highly populated jurisdictions to develop plans, conduct training and exercises, and acquire pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment, to achieve the enhanced capability necessary to respond to a mass casualty event caused by a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) terrorist act.

From the North, exit right at EXIT 60 (Hurtsboro/HWY 51). Turn right on 10th Street/HWY 51. Get in the left lane (right lane will have to turn right at 1st traffic light). At the forth traffic light, turn right on Avenue B. Park in the big parking lot on the left. The EMA/EOC is the first building on the left.

From the South, exit right at EXIT 60 (Hurtsboro/HWY 51). Turn right on 10th Stree/HWY 51 going under the interstate. Get in the left lane (Right lane will have to turn right at the 1st traffic light). At the forth traffic light, turn right on Avenue B. Park in the big parking lot on the left. The EMA/EOC is the first building on the left.

From US 431 coming South:

Stay on US 431 to Columbus Parkway. Turn right at the traffic light by the Western Sizzlin resturant. Go to the 2nd traffic light and turn right on 10th Street/HWY51. Go three blocks (2 traffic lights) and turn right on Avenue B. Park in the big parking lot on the left. The EMA/EOC is the first building on the left.

From Birmingham US 280 East:

Continue East on 280 to the intersection of I85. Cross over the Interstate, turn left and get on I85 going North toward Atlanta. The first exit will be EXIT 60. Exit right at EXIT 60 (Hurtsboro/HWY 51). Turn right on 10th Street/HWY 51 going under the Interstate. Get in left lane (Right lane will have to turn right at 1st traffic light). At the forth traffic light, turn right on Avenue B. Park in the big parking lot on the left. The EMA/EOC is the first building on the Left.

From Columbus US 280 West:

Cross over IH85 and continue straight ahead. This is now Columbus Parkway. At the 4th traffic light (after crossing the interstate), turn right on 10th Street. Go three blocks (2 traffic lights) and turn right on Avenue B. Park in the big parking lot on the left. The EMA/EOC is the first building on the Left.