Today’s Morning Buzz is brought to you by Monica McAlister, Social Media Coordinator for Charter Township of Fenton, MI and the Executive Director for the Michigan Emergency Management Association (MEMA). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.
- What I’m reading: “The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes — and Why” by Amanda Ripley.
- What I’m watching: Stanley Cup Playoffs
- What I’m listening to: Godsmack Mix on Spotify
Time to Dust Off That Emergency Plan
Emergency and disaster planning.
Yep — that folder.
The one stuffed in the back of the bottom drawer. Figuratively, well, maybe literally for some. When was the last time you actually reviewed yours? We’re not talking a quick look over to check a box on your to-do list.
Have you updated it in the last three years?
Run a drill recently?
Gone over it with your team?
If you’re nodding “yes” — awesome. You get a kudos. (Anyone else remember those breakfast bars?)
If not — you are definitely not alone.
But here’s the thing: now’s the time to dust it off and put it into motion.
Did you know? By mid-April of this year, Michigan had already hit its average annual number of tornadoes. And the heart of severe weather season hasn’t even started.
One of our neighboring communities had a tornado touch down in February 2024. February! That sparked a conversation in our office: are we actually ready? Are our plans current? Is our team prepared?
We got lucky — that tornado missed us by just a few miles.
Let’s be real — it’s not if something will ever happen. It’s when.
Emergencies don’t check the calendar. They don’t respect jurisdictional boundaries. But no matter where or when they hit, one thing is always true:
They start — and end — local.
Local responders. Local government. Local people. Local impact.
Before the national news crews show up — and long after they’re gone — it’s on us. The responsibility, the decisions, the recovery.
So here’s your friendly push:
- Pull out your plan.
- Run a drill (bonus points if it’s unannounced).
- See where you’re at right now, because right now is when the next emergency could happen.
What worked? What didn’t?
If a tornado hit this afternoon, what would your response look like?
Emergency planning isn’t just a document or a folder in the back of a drawer. It’s a living, breathing framework. It grows and changes as you train, learn, and adapt.
Step one is having something on paper.
Step two — and the one that actually matters — is using it.
And with shifts happening at the federal level around emergency management and disaster relief, there’s never been a better time to double down on local readiness — your plans, your people, your partnerships.
Not sure where to start?
Check out “7 Best Practices for Disaster Preparedness and Public Health Training” by Bill Brantley — a solid Morning Buzz piece from earlier this year.
Start with what you’ve got. Adjust as you go.
Yesterday’s gone. The next best time to get ready is right now.