CONTINUING WEATHER EVENT PROMPTS ADDITIONAL ACTION

Specialized Incident Management Team requested to
Assist MEMA and Local Agencies

Reisterstown (MD) …In an ongoing effort to ensure the safety of Maryland residents, The Maryland Emergency Management Agency has authorized a specialized Incident Management Team (IMT) to support the on-going response to a complex heat event that is affecting the State. This action will permit emergency management officials to continue to focus on their primary mission of supporting local agencies while ensuring coordination of critical messages and efforts.

“The extreme heat we are experiencing right now is both a public health and public safety event. We do not want people to be afraid – we want them to be informed,” said Ken Mallette, Executive Director of MEMA. “With information comes power and empowered citizens are better positioned to save their own lives as well as the lives of their neighbors.”

Media entities are requested to share the following information with the public so that they can make the right decisions about their safety:

1. Members of the public are asked to check on their neighbors several times each day. Individuals who are experiencing headaches, confusion, dizziness, nausea, or a rapid heart beat should seek immediate attention.

2. Statewide phone numbers have been established to provide all Marylanders with access to essential services including transportation to cooling centers. The phone numbers are 211 statewide and 311 in Baltimore City and Montgomery County.

3. Hydration is the primary way to combat the effects of heat ~ people should be consuming at least eight glasses of water daily. This amount should be increased for those working outdoors. Caffeinated beverages such as soda or carbonated energy drink should be avoided as should alcoholic beverages.

The Baltimore Regional IMT is comprised of representatives from the Baltimore metropolitan region including Anne Arundel, Annapolis City, Baltimore City, and Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, and Howard counties. The team, formed after the terrorist attacks of 9-11, is designed to combine the resources of individual jurisdictions to effectively respond to any incident that has the potential to consume local resources. Past events such as Tropical Storm Isabel and the Amtrak train derailment highlight the potential for disasters in the local area.