A Michigan State Police staff member will be deployed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide support as an Emergency Management Assistance Compact liaison between state and federal agencies.
The deployment to the regional response coordination center in Philadelphia is the result of a request made for out-of-state support through the National Emergency Management Agency.
“Our thoughts are with those bracing for Hurricane Florence’s landfall on the east coast,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “We’re pleased to respond to the call and provide emergency assistance to our eastern neighbors as they prepare for this intensifying storm.”
As a liaison, the personnel will gather and share resource request information with EMAC participating states and federal partners such as the FEMA, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Emergency Communications and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“As the EMAC national coordinating state, our role is to closely track all resource requests coming from the east coast and work with our partnering states to fill any needs,” said Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, Director of the MSP and State Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. “Our staff is well trained and ready to help wherever there is a need.”
Michigan has served as the EMAC national coordinating state since March 2018. Since joining EMAC in 2002, Michigan has sent resources out of state several times, including response efforts for Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.