Blog Post  OSD & MEMA's Emergency Preparedness Resources

September is Emergency Preparedness Month, and OSD offers a variety of resources to ensure you’re ready! We've collaborated with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to share expert tips and valuable emergency preparedness resources available on Statewide Contracts. 

Recently, MEMA’s Assistant Director of Operations, Rich LaTour, joined OSD podcast host Layla Palmer on WOSD News. In the podcast, Rich shares his expertise on emergency preparedness and disaster response efforts in Massachusetts.  

From natural disasters to hazardous weather conditions, MEMA collaborates with Statewide Contract Vendors to activate contracts PSE02 and PSE03 for Debris Monitoring and Debris Management. MEMA activated these contracts to address the aftermath of events such as the 2018 Cape Cod tornadoes, Hurricane Irene in 2011, and several large snowstorms impacting Massachusetts jurisdictions in 2012 and 2013. 

When asked about the logistics of monitoring and managing debris, Rich explained, “It sounds simple to just throw everything in a truck and get rid of it, but it's really not because we have to make sure we properly separate it all, properly manage it all, and properly monitor it all so that it's disposed of in a legal, safe way as we're recovering from a disaster.” 

MEMA is at the core of emergency preparedness and recovery initiatives across the state. OSD is one of many agencies collaborating with them to provide resources that help before, during, and after these events. To learn more about MEMA's mission and how interagency collaboration protects the 351 cities and towns of Massachusetts, check out the new WOSD News episode, Emergency Preparedness: OSD & MEMA's Procurement Resources, on the OSD YouTube Channel.