Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), in partnership with the City of St. James, is conducting a case study on tracking of vulnerable or at-risk populations – those folks who need special assistance during an emergency because of health related issues or special needs – within the city of St. James for the purpose of emergency planning and response. The study includes promotion of a voluntary registry with the Phelps County Emergency Alert System – Everbridge – for individuals with special needs.

The information gathered is critical for local emergency responders to know exact locations of vulnerable and at-risk populations before and after a natural disaster occurs and to also know the limitations those individuals face, such as reliance on electricity, medical and health needs, lack of transportation, etc.

“We have found that during an emergency, it is critically important to know who in the community has special needs, what those needs are and where those folks are located,” MRPC Assistant Director Tammy Snodgrass said. “This information helps our emergency service agencies know who they need to check on. They also need this information for planning purposes. For example, if there’s an evacuation order, agencies need to know who is going to need specialized help and what kind of help those people need. This information is a critical piece to public health and safety during a disaster.”

Individuals interested in registering on Everbridge can register their information by going to www.stjamesmo.org and clicking on the link under “Emergency Alert System” or by calling Ryan Dunwoody with MRPC at 573-265-2993. Information is stored with Everbridge, an emergency communications provider and online database. Phelps County and St. James use Everbridge to issue emergency alerts to those who have registered via text, email or phone call.

Information collected is available for viewing by emergency response personal, city and county officials and MRPC administration only. Registering does not guarantee immediate assistance during a natural disaster.

Through this study, MRPC will develop a process for identifying vulnerable and at-risk populations so that other local governments and emergency response agencies can address the need in their cities and counties.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 23, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.orgor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.