Brown County Emergency Management Teams Up with Schneider National
To Encourage Area Employees, Businesses to Prepare for Emergencies
National Preparedness Month Ends with September 30th Bulk Rollover Exercise
GREEN BAY, Wis. – September 29, 2008 – Does your family have a meeting place in case of an emergency? Who picks up the kids from school or daycare if disaster suddenly strikes? Does your business have a contingency plan to help manage an emergency?
These are just a few of the questions families and businesses are encouraged to think through and plan for this month. September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign. Brown County Emergency Management and Schneider National, one of the area’s largest employers, are taking part in this nationwide effort to encourage individuals, families and businesses to prepare for emergencies.
On the business preparedness side, Schneider and Brown County (through the Brown County Hazardous Materials Response Team) are working together on a hazmat drill involving a bulk tanker rollover. The exercise, slated for Tuesday, September 30th from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. gives county responders and company officials an opportunity to participate in a disaster rehearsal. This is the third year Brown County and Schneider are working together on such an exercise. The drill will take place at America’s Service Lines, 300 Elizabeth St., Green Bay.
“During a real emergency, there’s little to no time to discuss options and scenarios,” said Walt Fountain, director of enterprise security for Schneider National. “It’s go time, and you need to be ready to execute. Exercises like Tuesday’s rollover are designed to prepare for just that.”
Getting Ready on the Homefront
“A lot of people think a disaster could never happen here or to them,” says Cullen Peltier, director of Brown County Emergency Management. “The hurricane-induced floods that affected the Midwest within the last few weeks are a prime example; the June floods of 2008 are another. Disasters can happen anywhere and anytime, and that’s why it’s so important to have a plan, both at home and in the workplace.”
During National Preparedness Month, Brown County Emergency Management focused heavily on public awareness. The campaign included partnering with Next Media and our Local Emergency Planning Committee to display billboards warning citizens of the potential risks of floods with their "Turn Around Don't Drown" slogan. Emergency Management also worked with the Brown County Citizen Corps website to run a Preparedness Month banner linked to Homeland Security's ready.gov website. In addition, Peltier visited Howard-Suamico's Bay Harbor Elementary School and conducted a tornado preparedness walk through with school officials. Finally, Brown County Emergency Management collaborated with the Green Bay Fire Department's Safety First Series, with articles encouraging families to create a Family Emergency Plan and prepare an emergency supply kit. The Safety First series highlights what Brown County citizens can do to stay prepared."
Peltier said there are four simple steps every family should take in preparing for an emergency:
• Get an Emergency Supply Kit
• Make a Family Emergency Plan
• Be Informed about the emergencies and their appropriate responses; and
• Get Involved in your community’s efforts
According to Peltier, Schneider National is an example of a local company that is applying the
Ready campaign message at both the employee and business level. In support of associates’ efforts to plan and prepare on the homefront ,Schneider sold emergency kits and other preparedness supplies during September with an added incentive: The company would pick up the cost of taxes, shipping, and handling to encourage associates to take action. Schneider also provided free information at more than 50 Schneider locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as templates for a Family Emergency Plan (available at www.ready.gov).
“For a first-year effort, we’re very pleased with the results,” said Fountain. “Events like 9-11 and Hurricane Ike have made people stop and think, and now, plan.”
About the Ready Campaign
More free preparedness information is just a click away at http://www.ready.gov or http://www.listo.gov (en Espanol) or by calling 1-800-BE-READY. The site has information about the simple steps you can take to prepare and provides templates such an Emergency Supply Checklist. There are also special sections for kids, ages 8-12 (Ready Kids).
About Brown County Emergency Management
The Emergency Management office has participated extensively on preparing year round, through such programs as their Public/Private Partnership, Citizens Corp, and the Local Emergency Preparedness Committee (LEPC). The BCHMRT is an on-call team, operating under Brown County Emergency Government, thatassists other public safety agencies in the response tohazardous materials emergencies. Specialized equipment and training allow the HazMat team to perform actions beyond the capabilitiesof other agencies. This includes mitigation ofspills, leaks and releases of any hazardous chemicals such as acids, caustics, flammables, toxins as well as radioactive and infectious substances. All of these organizations have the tools and the planning experience to better stay prepared. For more information about either National Preparedness Month or our other organizations please contact Cullen Peltier 920-448-4270 or visit these websites, http://www.co.brown.wi.us/public_safety_communications/lepc/, www.bcppp.com, http://www.bccitizencorps.org.
About Schneider National, Inc.
Schneider National, Inc. is a premier provider of transportation and logistics services enhancing the standard of living worldwide. The nation's largest truckload carrier, Schneider serves more than two-thirds of the FORTUNE 500 companies and offers the broadest portfolio of services to small, medium and global shippers across the globe. The company’s transportation and logistics solutions include van/truckload, dedicated, expedited, bulk, western regional, intermodal, transportation management, freight brokerage, air/ocean freight forwarding, customs house brokerage, transloading and distribution, supply chain management, supply chain advisory services, and freight audit and payment (Europe).
Headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., Schneider National has provided expert transportation and logistics solutions for more than 70 years. A $3.4 billion company, Schneider National employs 21,400 transportation and logistics experts worldwide, including operations in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit schneider.com.
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Editor’s note: News media interested in covering the September 30th exercise can register by contacting Janet Bonkowski at 920.592.2865 or bonkowskij@schneider.com.
