Mitchell County Commissioner Harley Masters completed the 100 Counties Prepared Emergency Preparedness for County Officials training program, held at the State Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh on May 31.
This training equips elected officials with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively lead responses before, during, and after emergencies such as natural disasters, public health crises, and other critical incident situations.
“I think it is very important that elected officials be proactive and prepared when it comes to emergency situations, so for me it was a no brainer that I took this class. Overall, I enjoyed the training. I made a lot of good contacts and gained knowledge that can be implemented here in Mitchell County that will benefit our citizens in case of an emergency,” Commissioner Masters explained.
County Manager Allen Cook added that “having State level training on the proper response and protocol during crisis situations for Commissioner Masters is an asset to Mitchell County and our Board of Commissioners.”
The 100 Counties Prepared training initiative was envisioned and implemented through the work by Frank Williams, Past President of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC). He served as Chair of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners during Hurricanes Florence, Dorian, and Issac. He noted that there appeared to be a lack of training for elected officials on their role during an emergency from his experiences.
“County commissioners are engaged in a number of important issues, but I think there are none more important than providing effective leadership during a crisis. The ongoing 100 Counties Prepared training programs that we hold are the first step in filling that training void, and I thank Duke Energy and North Carolina Emergency Management for their crucial partnership in hosting these training events,” said Williams.
NCACC announced the 100 Counties Prepared initiative in August 2021, with the first training being held in August 2022. Sessions featured remarks on best practices from guest speakers, including former NC Emergency Management Director Will Ray, former director Mike Sprayberry, and Duke Energy Vice President of Governmental Affairs and External Relations Kevin McLaughlin, Jr. Additionally, attendees learned about crisis and storm communications, emergency management rules and processes, and recovery funding opportunities.
“In times of crisis, the strength of a county lies not only in its resources, but in the preparedness of its people. Embrace the power of readiness, for when we face the unexpected,” Williams expressed when discussing the program.
For more information about the 100 Counties Prepared initiative, please visit www.100countiesprepared.com.
