From Staff, Press Reports

Webster County's appointment of an emergency management director has been noted in an Associated Press report.

Released last week, the report concerned state agency directors who spoke Sept. 8 to members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in Jackson. The committee is holding hearings throughout this month to start planning the budget for fiscal 2006, which starts next July 1.

Robert Latham, director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, told the committee that all but six of Mississippi's 82 counties have their own emergency management programs.

The AP reported that two of those - Webster and Green - are about to get their own. The Webster County Board of Supervisors hired Eugene Doss in July as part-time director of the Webster County Emergency Management Service, effective immediately. He also serves as the county's fire coordinator.

The county began the new program with assistance from the federal Emergency Management Assistance Program grant. The grant provides counties with matching funds to assist with costs associated with a county program.

"The cornerstone of preparedness begins at the local level," Latham said in a 2003 statement about these agencies. "County emergency management programs are a vital part of a community's preparedness and response capability. By increasing these programs, this shows our continued commitment to help local governments in establishing and maintaining these valuable programs."

The EMAP program allows for counties that add a part-time emergency management director to receive $5,000 plus a population allocation. The federal government increased the EMAP grants nationwide to $180 million in fiscal 2004.

When Latham took over at MEMA in 2000, only 43 counties had their own emergency program. He said he's been trying to increase the numbers, according to AP.

"It's been a priority of mine because every disaster is local," Latham said.

After Oct. 1, a MEMA chart shows only Amite, Humphreys, Carroll and Alcorn counties won't have their own emergency management programs, according to AP.

Latham said it's vital for counties to be ready for everything from severe weather to terrorism.