The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the city of West Springfield are working together during the 17 days of the Big-E Fair at the Eastern States Exposition by having an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operational. MEMA reached out to a select group of Emergency Management Directors within Western Massachusetts to fill the role of the EOC's "EMD" for a day during the Big E.
Bob Laford, Assistant Director of Emergency Management at UMass filled that role on September 20, helping to oversee and coordinate resources and assist with whatever other needs the community needed during his day in the EOC.
Pictured here is Bob Laford, from UMass Office of Emergency Management, Massachusetts Undersecretary for Public Safety Patrick McMurray, MEMA Regional Director Pat Carnevale, and MEMA Coordinator Bob Barry inside the EOC on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition Center in West Springfield.
MEMA and UMass are frequent partners for event operations and planning, not only for campus preparedness but work together assisting with regional and state-wide emergency planning and operations.