(Above) Pensacola Mayor Mike Wiggins & our visitor from Japan examine a book on the delegate's hometown.
The August 2009 Project on Emergency Preparedness & Disaster Management
Our August visitor from Japan was a Fukuoka City Assemblyman with a background in drug prevention and law enforcement. Along with Northwest Florida, he visited Washington, DC, New York City, Houston, and Honolulu.
Daniel Hahn, the Emergency Management Plans Chief with Santa Rosa County, made it possible for the delegate to participate in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training at the University of West Florida. Later in the week, Mr. Hahn and his colleagues in Milton invited the assemblyman to participate in an emergency preparedness exercise focusing on radiation detection. Hector Tabares, Training Officer of the Emergency Response Group with the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control, assisted our delegate as he worked through eight proficiency stations.
Our delegate's first full day started bright and early in Ensley at a Habitat for Humanity worksite. Rachel Cox, Volunteer Coordinator for Habitat, made a spot on a framing team for him so that he could experience volunteerism in the U.S. through a rebuilding project. He worked alongside Pensacola Boys Base students for a few hours before departing for a quick shower and an afternoon press conference held by Rebuild Northwest Florida. Once there, Maralee Sartain, Director of Operations & Readiness of BRACE, and Greg Strader, Executive Director of the same, introduced our delegate to Robert Ives, Director of the Florida Recovery Office of FEMA, and to Representative Dave Murzin. He also met EscambiaCounty Commissioner Wilson B. Robertson and listened to Ruben Almaguer, Interim Director of the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management, speak about the importance of mitigation.
Next on the agenda was a meeting at BRACE itself to highlight the role between it and the local government and to learn more about their many programs, including childcare for first responders. Afterwards, Mayor Mike Wiggins received the delegate at city hall and bestowed upon him and his interpreter Honorary Citizenship with the City of Pensacola.
His final appointment included an overview on how crisis management response is organized in Escambia County with the goal of gleaning best practices and lessons learned from Hurricane Ivan for possible utilization in Fukuoka. John Dosh, Chief of the Escambia County Division of Emergency Management, and Brad Hattaway, Planning Coordinator, concluded this meeting with a tour of the county emergency center.
An evening of home hospitality with Charles andNina Howard and a sightseeing tour and lunch with Dr. and Mrs. Jack Kichler rounded out the project.
Thank you to everyone who participated.
CERT Training, note the realistic injury sported by our delegate
CERT Training
At the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center
With Dr. & Mrs. Jack Kichler
Learning about BRACE and Rebuild NW Florida
With Representative Dave Murzin
At Rebuild Press Conference
Volunteering at Habitat for Humanity with Pensacola Boys Base
Nina and Charles Howard also invited family friends who were fluent in Japanese to their house for dinner
Our delegate and Charles Howard
Radiation Training Exercise with the Santa Rosa County Emergency Management Office
Radiation Exercise
To see all of our delegation photos, go to www.pnj.com & enter "citizendiplomacy" (one word) under the "Search People" feature. Once on our page, select the photos box to find photo folders organized by event.
Visit our calendar to view upcoming events and to see how you can become involved with the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council.
