Members of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee held a public hearing in Juniata Countylast week to examine a proposal to update the state’s Emergency Management Services Code, or Title 35, says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
House Bill 2562, which was introduced by Steve Barrar (R-160), would update existing statute by addressing several areas of the law, including:
• Dependent care facilities planning.
• Powers and duties of county and local emergency management programs.
• County animal rescue teams.
• Public health measures.
• Certification and accreditation of emergency professionals.
• Regionalization of emergency management programs.
Title 35 was last updated in 1996 and testifiers at the hearing indicated the need to modernize the system and enhance communication among responders at all levels to ensure successful emergency response.
Multiple statewide hearings on the bill are planned in the coming weeks.