Phoebe’s Main and North Campuses are now officially recognized as StormReady Supporters by the National Weather Service and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.  To earn the designation, an institution must prove it has a means to receive and relay severe weather warnings, maintain a hazardous weather response plan, have a safe sheltering location and conduct preparedness activities and drills.
 
“In Phoebe’s 107-year history, we have served this community through numerous natural disasters, including the flood of 1994 and the twin storms in January 2017,” said Joel Wernick, Phoebe Pres. & CEO.  “Phoebe is a vital part of every disaster response in our area.  The community expects us to step up and meet their healthcare needs in times of crisis, and this designation shows our commitment to making sure we can do that,” Wernick added.
 
Phoebe regularly conducts disaster drills both internally and in conjunction with multiple community partners.  As part of our communication plan, any time severe weather threatens our area, we have a system that automatically sends an email to all employees whenever the NWS issues a severe weather warning for their work location.  “Our workforce must be ready to respond immediately if a weather disaster strikes,” said Gary Rice, Phoebe Manager of Security and Emergency Preparedness.  “We do all we can to keep them informed and safe when severe weather is possible and to make sure they are ready to put our disaster response plan into effect any time it is needed.”
 
Phoebe maintains a strong partnership with the NWS, including active participation in any conference calls and webinars when severe weather is forecast for our area.  The NWS office in Tallahassee, FL recently sent Phoebe a StormReady supporter certificate in honor of the hospital’s proactive approach to emergency communication and preparedness.  In a letter announcing the certification, NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist Mark Wool wrote, “This recognition clearly indicates this hospital’s dedication to providing its patients, employees and visitors with the best possible emergency preparedness.  The community is well served by these capabilities.”
 
September is National Preparedness Month, a time to remind you of the importance of preparing for a potential disaster by learning lifesaving skills, making an emergency plan for your family, putting together an emergency kit and reviewing your insurance policies.

“We are proud to have earned this StormReady designation,” said Rice, “and during National Preparedness Month, we encourage all southwest Georgians to think about their readiness to deal with a disaster and to prepare accordingly to keep their families safe.”