With severe storms forecast for this Sunday the County Commission has released the below information in relation to Safer Places and Social Distancing.
With the impending severe weather expected for Sunday and while we are still practicing social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to remind everyone that the protocol for the activation of Safer Places in Elmore County will remain unchanged. We will notify the Safer Places that Elmore County is under a watch/ warning and each Safer Place can respond if they will be able to open or not. Elmore County EMA will post updates during each event as Safer Places activate and open. You can stay informed of these updates through the EMA app, website or social media feeds.
The decision to open a Safer Place in Elmore County is always made by the individual facility. Safer Places will be provided the latest recommendations regarding COVID-19 from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), Should a Safer Place be opened, individuals utilizing the facility will be asked to follow the same CDC and ADPH guidelines that are in effect the day of the event.
Should you have questions regarding the Safer Places program, please contact the Elmore County EMA office at 334-567-6451 or email ecema@elmoreco.org.
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What are Safer Places?
The purpose of the Safer Place Program in Elmore County is to facilitate the opening of pre-designated areas for citizens seeking a safer place prior to and during severe weather conditions. The Safer Place Program is not intended for long-term opening of a building for a mass care shelter. Instead the intent of the program is to provide a safer place (not safe as in a FEMA approved Safe Room), for individuals to seek shelter during severe weather (tornado, extreme cold or extreme heat). There are no meals or services provided by the host facility. Citizens are encouraged to bring anything they may need to sustain themselves (i.e. food, medicine, etc.). The safer place locations are not advertised as “tornado shelters” or “safe rooms” but as a location of last resort for those who need a safer place to stay prior to and during a severe weather event or during times of extreme cold or heat.