Macon-Bibb County’s Emergency Management Agency will hold its 4th annual Preparedness Fair on Saturday, May 30, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Theron Ussery Community Center (815 North Macon Park Drive).

Macon-Bibb County’s Emergency Management Agency will hold its 4th annual Preparedness Fair on Saturday, May 30, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Theron Ussery Community Center (815 North Macon Park Drive). People will be able to hear from nearly 20 different preparedness and safety agencies about how they are helping keep the community safe. They will also be able to take information and materials home to help prepare their families and homes, including disaster kit giveaways, CPR and first aid training, public safety vehicle tours, and more. “We are dedicated to empowering our community with the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to help people be ready to face any emergency or disaster,” says EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “We are working to foster a culture of preparedness and resilience, equipping our residents to protect themselves and their loved ones during uncertain times.” “This is one of our most fun outreach efforts each year,” says Special Projects Officer Sophie Rosen. “People are super appreciative for the opportunity to meet different community partners and learn about the resources available to help keep them safe.” Outreach efforts such as this are part of the EMA’s overall work to help create a safer Macon-Bibb County. Other efforts include making sure people get severe weather notifications in a timely manner and get safety information throughout the year. People can sign up for MBCAlert by going to www.maconbibb.us/mbcalert or getting the free mobile app, and people are encouraged to follow the Agency on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram. They can also download the MBCAlert App on both the App Store and Google Play. In the past several years, more than 4,000 weather radios have been distributed to Macon-Bibb County residents by the EMA, and the next distribution event is currently being planned for August. Hawkins also wants to stress to people that follow local media and weather forecasters on their social media channels to make sure they get as much information as possible about emergencies and severe weather. Currently the entire emergency siren system is being replaced and expanded. The nearly $3 million upgrade will replace the 56 current sirens and add 27 new ones. During the upgrades, the current emergency siren system will remain operational. The new sirens are part of a spectrum of notifications used by the EMA to let people know of severe weather; it also includes weather radios, a phone/text/email notification system, a mobile app, social media, and the local media.