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Metropolitan Emergency Managers Committee (MEMC)

The Metropolitan Emergency Managers Committee serves as a forum for local emergency managers to discuss and resolve regional issues, problems, projects and activities related to all-hazards emergency management. The MEMC's mission is to foster coordination, communication and cooperation among local emergency management and allied organizations through the development of policies, procedures, educational programs and resource materials related to all-hazards emergency management.

The MEMC membership consists of formal members -- emergency managers from cities and counties in the MARC region, local representatives from the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the National Weather Service, and representatives from state and federal emergency management agencies -- and affiliate members from public, private and non-profit organizations whose scope of work or interests are consistent with the MEMC's mission, such as construction, engineering, health/medical, insurance/risk management, media, resource and mitigation, transportation and utility companies.

Current Projects and Activities

Preparedness website: MEMC's Citizen Readiness Committee has developed a disaster preparedness website, www.preparemetrokc.org.

Model Ordinance Guidance for Severe Storm Protection Regulation: MEMC was awarded a pre-disaster hazard mitigation grant from FEMA to examine the issues surrounding severe storm protection regulation and provide model ordinance guidance to local communities. Download the Model Ordinance Guidance document>

Warning Systems: The MEMC has been very active in establishing a network in the Kansas City region for warning local governments and the public in the event of approaching severe weather. The components of this warning system are the Metropolitan Emergency Radio System (MERS) and the Emergency Manager's Weather Information Network.

Safety City: For the past seven years, MEMC has set up a "Safety City" display at a Kansas City regional show featuring emergency preparedness public education materials that are free to the public, as well as information on member organizations and their programs and activities.

Project Community Alert: In May 2002, MEMC began Project Community Alert, a campaign to distribute 100,000 weather radios in the metropolitan area. MEMC partners with the Price Chopper grocery store chain to the radios available to area residents at a special price.

Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan: MEMC supported the development of a regional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2004 (to be updated in 2009) and is currently developing the Kansas City Metro Area Storm Shelter Plan.