Madison hosted a two-day training session at the Alliant Energy Center Tuesday and Wednesday in an effort to teach Dane County officials how to better respond to emergencies, according to the Dane County Executive Office.
The training aims to enhance emergency policies called Continuity of Operations Plans, which ensure that essential government services will continue to function during a natural or man-made disaster affecting Dane County.
The Dane County Emergency Management wants every county department to have updated, comprehensive Continuity of Operations Plans by the end of 2008.
Dane County Chief of Staff Topf Wells said providing this training is imperative to maintaining essential government services in the event of a local or national emergency, whether it is a small flood, plane crash or a major national disaster such as as large as Hurricane Katrina.
County Executive Kathleen Falk said in a statement the county has worked hard in recent years to make sure responders are prepared for any situation, and this training is another step in that direction.
Being better prepared means being better able to respond,"" Falk said. ""Whether its tornadoes, floods, power outages or family emergencies where kids are in danger, Dane County citizens have a dedicated, competent team of county employees at the ready.""
Wells said staff members from the University of Maryland specialized in emergency training are facilitating the session.
""[The facilitators] have conducted this sort of training throughout the state of Maryland and are very highly regarded '¦ it would be accurate to describe them as pioneers in this sort of training,"" Wells said.
