Community

Noteworthy news, programs & events that may be outside of the Portage County Safety Council but relevant to the community at large.

Emergency Preparedness Symposium was a Success!

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The Portage County Annual Emergency Preparedness Symposium was a great event!

In conjunction with the Portage County Fire Chief’s Association, Portage County Health Department, Portage County Local Emergency Planning Committee, and the Portage County Safety Council, the event took place on Friday, November 15th, 2024, at Northeast Ohio Medical University, and had 3 great presentations!

  • Lithium-Ion Batteries, presented by Nick Zamiska, Bad Day Training and Consulting.
  • 2012 Chardon School Shooting – Lessons Learned, presented by Michael Hanlon, Chardon Schools Superintendent.
  • Cybersecurity and Multi-factor Authentication, presented by Cameron Singer, Portage County Informational Technology.

2024 Holiday Food Drive!

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We’ll be collecting non-perishable food donations at our November and December meetings to support the Center of Hope and Kent Social Services food pantries. Both programs serve hundreds of families in need on a daily basis so we’re honored to be able to help support their work in our county!

Bring in canned or non-perishable food donations to either luncheon and receive a chance to win a gift card! Attendees will receive 1 drawing ticket per item donated.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The Center of Hope has served over 108,000 hot meals and distributed over 22,000 bags of groceries!  They serve the communities of Ravenna, Ravenna Township, Charlestown, Wayland, Edinburgh, North Benton, Palmyra, Eastern Palmyra, Diamond, Paris Township, Deerfield, Newton Falls, and Rootstown.
  • Kent Social Services “serves over 20,000 hot meals a year and provides over 100,000 pounds of groceries to households in need.”

February 20, 2025 – Threat Evaluation & Reporting Overview (TERO) Training

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The Threat Evaluation and Reporting Overview (TERO) is a three-hour introductory training focusing on a behavioral approach to violence prevention. The TERO raises awareness about the risk factors, triggers and stressors, and warning behaviors that could impact a person’s decision to commit an act of targeted violence. Further, it outlines the mitigating factors that could help prevent acts of targeted violence, while emphasizing the importance of community involvement in seeking help for individuals, and respecting their privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.

Click here to view the event flyer.

  • DATE:  Thursday, February 20, 2025.
  • TIME:  9:00AM-12:00PM.
  • LOCATION:  Portage County EMA, 2978 OH-59, Ravenna, OH 44266.
  • COST:  Free but registration is required.
  • REGISTRATION:  Must register online by Friday, February 14, 2025. Seating is limited.
  • INSTRUCTOR:  Faylin Eve Thurn, State Homeland Security Program Manager, Summit County Department of Public Safety.
  • CREDITS: This event qualifies for up to one safety council rebate Attendance Credit (the same as a monthly meeting) for Portage County Safety Council members or up to one External Training Credit for members of other Ohio Safety Councils.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

November 15, 2024 – Emergency Preparedness Symposium

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In conjunction with the Portage County Fire Chief’s Association, the Portage County Health Department, Portage County Local Emergency Planning Committee, and the Portage County Safety Council, you are invited to attend the Portage County Annual Emergency Preparedness Symposium, scheduled for November 15, 2024, from 08:00AM to 12:00PM at the Northeast Ohio Medical University, Cook Hall (4209 OH-44, Rootstown, OH 44272).

The following FREE event qualifies for up to one safety council rebate Attendance Credit (the same as a monthly meeting) for PCSC members and up to one external training credit for members of other Ohio Safety Councils.

This is a great training opportunity covering 3 hot button issues!

  1. Lithium-ion Battery Safety: “While these batteries provide an effective and efficient source of power, the likelihood of them overheating, catching on fire, and even leading to explosions increases when they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored.” – NFPA
  2. Chardon Active Shooter: Professionals who were present during the 2012 Chardon High School shooting will share about what they learned from the tragedy to help improve your policy, preparation and prevention.
  3. Cybersecurity: “The integration of sophisticated technologies not only fuels business innovation but also introduces complex cybersecurity challenges. This reality is further compounded by the growing dependence on third-party and fourth-party vendors, which can extend the cybersecurity risk landscape beyond the organization’s immediate control.” – Security Scorecard

Register online no later than Friday, November 8th, 2024. IMPORTANT: Please make sure to click “Yes” on question 5 (Are you attending for the Portage County Safety Council) so we can make sure you’re on the PCSC sign-in sheets to qualify for the rebate attendance credit.

CREDITS: Please note that attendees for the symposium will be awarded four (4) hours of EMS continued education! In addition, this free event qualifies for up to one safety council rebate Attendance Credit (the same as a monthly meeting) for Portage County Safety Council members or up to one External Training Credit for members of other Ohio Safety Councils.

Portage County HSEMA Earns “Stormready” Designation From National Weather Service  

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2022 

CONTACT: Contact Ryan Shackelford, Director, Portage County Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 330-297-3607, rshackelford@portageco.com

PORTAGE COUNTY HSEMA EARNS “STORMREADY” DESIGNATION
FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  

RAVENNA—The National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Administration has designated Portage County as “StormReady,” a program aimed at preparing cities, counties and towns across the nation with communication and safety tools necessary to save lives and property. 

The county earned the recognition based on work by the Portage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to achieve a standard of disaster preparedness set by NOAA and the NWS. 

“We have been working toward this goal as one more step to making Portage County resilient and ready for any emergency or disaster that comes our way. All of us contribute to a StormReady Portage County,” said Ryan Shackelford, director of PC HSEMA. 

Raelene Campbell, an NWS official with the Cleveland office, presented an official placard, posters and a certificate with the StormReady logo to EMA staff on Thursday at a ceremony in the county Emergency Operations Center. The placard will be displayed in the EOC entrance at the agency facility in Ravenna on Infirmary Road. 

“StormReady communities must stay freshly prepared because the designation is valid for only four years and then must be renewed. Portage County is one of 30 counties in Ohio to receive this distinguished honor. Congratulations on a job well done,” Campbell said in her remarks. 

A voluntary program created in 1998 by NWS, StormReady provides clear-cut advice to local officials and emergency managers that would improve their local hazardous weather operations. 

StormReady uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle all types of extreme weather—from tornadoes to winter storms. To be officially StormReady, a community must:  

  • Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center 
  • Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public 
  • Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally 
  • Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars 
  • Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises. 

For timely information during severe weather or other events please visit the Portage County EMA Facebook and Twitter accounts at Portage Prepares as well as download the Portage County Emergency Management App to your Android or Apple smart phones.  

Portage Prepares: https://www.portagecounty-oh.gov/portage-prepares
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PortagePrepares
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PortagePrep
Find the Portage County Emergency App at: Google Play and Apple App store.