Myers presents at national conference

Robbie Myers, director of Butler County Emergency Management Agency, recently presented at a national conference regarding earthquake preparedness.

The 2019 National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference was held the first week of December in Houston, Texas.

Myers represented the Non-Urban Missouri Healthcare Coalition along with Jerie Fluchel, the human resource manager for Cross Trails Medical Center, and Jackie Gatz, the vice president of safety and preparedness for the Missouri Hospital Association. These three composed a panel that spoke at the conference.

The session, New Madrid Seismic Zone: Integrating Risks into Coalition Preparedness and Response Activities, centered on preparation partnerships between health care organizations and emergency management.

These partnerships are known as health care coalitions and are designed to prepare for all-hazard situations and make plans to create safer communities. In Missouri, earthquake awareness and preparedness are often the focus of the coalition’s activities.

“Partnerships are the lifeblood of emergency management activities. I am proud to work with health care professionals to protect our county, region and state,” said Myers. “One upcoming project sponsored by the coalition is the second annual Earthquake Summit to be held Feb. 21, on the campus of Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff.

“Working with the State Emergency Management Agency and others, this event will bring professionals from many disciplines together for an all-day symposium.”

Myers is a Certified Emergency Manager and serves on the board of the Non-Urban Missouri Healthcare Coalition and chair of the Southeast Missouri Emergency Management Association. Information about the Earthquake Summit can be found on Butler County EMA’s Facebook page.