Emergency management professionals and first responders from across Northwest Georgia recently gathered in Rome for the inaugural Disaster Response Symposium, an event focused on improving emergency preparedness and strengthening cooperation between agencies during major disasters.

The symposium, held at the Forum in Rome, brought together approximately 200 emergency management professionals, first responders and public safety representatives to examine challenges faced during natural disasters and other large-scale emergencies.

A major focus of the event was Hurricane Helene, with emergency response personnel discussing lessons learned from the storm, including the importance of communication, coordination between agencies and planning for prolonged recovery efforts.

The symposium also featured presentations examining the response to an active shooter incident in Pickens County and the historic Pickens County Courthouse fire. Both incidents provided examples of the challenges emergency personnel face when coordinating responses involving multiple agencies.

Representatives from the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City also participated, discussing weather forecasting, severe weather preparedness and methods of communicating critical information to the public before and during dangerous weather events.

Organizers emphasized the value of sharing experiences from past emergencies to help communities improve their response to future disasters.

Chattooga County was represented at the symposium by Emergency Management Agency Director Pamela Vaughn and Chattooga County 911 Center Director Fran Hamilton, who joined emergency officials from throughout the region for the training and discussions.