LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraskans who helped their communities prepare for and respond to natural disasters were recognized for their work at the Capitol.
Gov. Dave Heineman on Tuesday presented volunteers and community groups with this year’s “Be Prepared” awards.
The awards program is in its seventh year. It’s sponsored by the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
This year’s recipients included the Beaver Crossing and Cordova Fire Departments, which responded to tornadoes that struck earlier this year, and Wayne County’s Emergency Manager, who worked in the aftermath of several devastating tornadoes.
2014 “Be Prepared” Award Recipients:
The Beaver Crossing and Cordova Fire Departments were presented with an Excellence in Community Preparedness Award,for creating a stronger community through preparedness planning and disaster preparation to enhance community readiness and resilience. The Beaver Crossing and Cordova Fire Departments were instrumental in making sure residents in and around their communities were prepared and informed during the severe weather and tornadoes that took place on May 11, 2014. Both fire departments utilized their volunteer storm spotters to monitor the weather throughout the storms and activate the sirens for Beaver Crossing and Cordova. Throughout the evening, these storm spotters continued to relay information about the weather which was by the National Weather Service and media outlets to alert residents of the impending tornadoes. Their efforts made a difference in making sure their communities were well-informed and safe as the storms passed through.
Ron Pughes of Edgar was presented with an Excellence in Community Preparedness Award, for creating a stronger community through preparedness planning and disaster preparation to enhance community readiness and resilience. Pughes, Unit Coordinator for the Central Nebraska Medical Reserve Corps, has made it his mission to have a prepared and resilient region in Central Nebraska. In order to build partnerships and strengthen resilience, Pughes regularly trains volunteers on activation and deployment protocols. He invites community partners such as emergency management personnel to observe and participate in exercises that demonstrate their level of preparedness. Pughes has also coordinated additional volunteer opportunities by such as providing medical first aid at various community events. In addition to providing a needed service, volunteers have the opportunity to interact with community members to promote preparedness.
Nicholas Kemnitz, Wayne County Emergency Manager, received the 2014 Local Hero Award, which recognizes extraordinary service and leadership in helping residents in an emergency situation.Kemnitz has faced numerous challenges over the past year. In October 2013, a tornado touched down in Wayne and caused damage to a number of businesses and the airport. Working closely with other response agencies, Kemnitz was able to manage the incident effectively. Earlier this summer, severe weather and tornadoes came through northeast Nebraska again, this time causing extensive damage to a large area including the towns of Pilger and Wakefield. Kemnitz drew on his recent experience to assist with the response efforts across northeast Nebraska, providing much needed resources to a number of agencies that were called in to respond.
The Nebraska Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster also received the 2014 Local Hero Award, recognizing extraordinary service and leadership in helping residents in an emergency situation.The Nebraska Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, or Nebraska VOAD, is a membership-based organization that adheres to the principles of cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration in order to foster resiliency in communities statewide. These principles serve as the foundation for the Nebraska VOAD as it collaborates with local, regional, and national partners to coordinate disaster relief, response, and recovery efforts in times of disaster. Nebraska VOAD was an essential partner following both the May 16th and June 16-17 tornadoes through the implementation of its rapid notification and communication system. Once notified of the situations, member organizations quickly came together to discuss the needs of the communities and identify who could provide the resources to fill those needs. Nebraska VOAD was also essential in facilitating long-term recovery efforts in communities impacted by the severe storms and tornadoes.
The Citizen Corps Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Ken Hermsen of Omaha for his outstanding commitment and contribution to the Medical Reserve Corps, one of the Partner Programs of the Citizen Corps. Dr. Hermsen is a member of the Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa Medical Reserve Corps, where he serves on the decontamination team as one of its co-leaders. He is also very active in a number of other volunteer positions. Dr. Hermsen is a founding member of the Nebraska Forensic Dental Identification Team, has been deployed as a forensic dentist to numerous disasters including the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. He also helped found the Nebraska Mission of Mercy, an annual free dental clinic for underserved communities throughout the state. As a professor at Creighton University, Dr. Hermsen is working with his students to encourage a spirit of giving back by developing a Disaster Response elective for those wish to become involved in their communities’ disaster response efforts. Dr. Hermsen’s volunteer efforts have had an impact not only on Nebraskans, but in communities across the nation.
Mark Robertson, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator University of Nebraska – Lincoln Police Department, received the Excellence in Risk Communication Award recognizing his efforts in raising awareness of risks and hazards, and highlighting the need for all Nebraskans to be prepared. Robertson takes an innovative approach to delivering traditional emergency preparedness information to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln community. Robertson uses social media to keep students, faculty, and staff informed of potential emergencies. He has also developed a series of humorous yet informative videos on YouTube called the “Really Obvious Preparedness Facts” series. These videos deliver preparedness information such as how to create a disaster plan, staying safe on campus, and understanding what to do in case of a fire or severe weather. Robertson recognizes that in order to reach students, he must do so in an engaging way. He has embraced social media as a way to interact with the UNL community and provide important emergency preparedness information.
Tom McMahon of Omaha was recognized with the Excellence in Preparedness Education and Outreach Award for demonstrating acommitment and dedication to the safety of the public by volunteering to train, educate and promote preparedness to Nebraskans. McMahon recently retired from the position as the Unit Coordinator for the Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa Medical Reserve Corps. In his time as the Unit Coordinator, McMahon developed strong relationships with partners throughout the Omaha metro area including emergency management, public health officials, hospital administrators and other volunteer organizations. These relationships allowed him to bring in highly qualified individuals to provide training and educational opportunities to the Medical Reserve Corps volunteers. Once trained, the volunteers were utilized by these same agencies to assist with public health screenings, provide first aid at large-scale events like the College World Series, and assist with large-scale disaster drills and exercises. McMahon recognized the value of building relationships in order to have an effective corps of volunteers. His work has made the Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa Medical Reserve Corps a valuable asset to the Omaha metro community.