PLUMSTED — The nation’s Emergency Management Institute, located in Emmitsburg, Md., has accepted a select team of local school district representatives and emergency first responders from Plumsted into a fourday Multi-Hazard Planning for Schools course.
The course dates are Jan. 25-28 and the information to be presented at the seminar will provide the Plumsted participants with the knowledge, skills and tools for an all-hazard school emergency plan, according to Mayor Ron Dancer.
The course focuses on phases of incident management and explains how to use the National Incident Management System as the foundation for planning and building partnerships with outside agencies such as law enforcement, fire and emergency management.
Additionally, this course will provide the team from Plumsted with opportunities to exercise the school emergency operations plan using the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program guidelines, Dancer said.
Plumsted’s team enrolled in the Multi- Hazard Planning for Schools course consists of representatives from the Plumsted School District, Plumsted Police Department, Office of Emergency Management and fire company. For those accepted into the training course at the EmergencyManagement Institute, there are no course fees and lodging is provided.
The course instructor will be Plumsted Township Committeeman Eric Sorchik, who retired as a lieutenant with the New Jersey State Police after 27 years and was the state’s emergency management training officer.
In other news, the Township Committee at its annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 5 appointed Jan Bilyk (doing business as Whisper Acres) as Plumsted’s new animal control officer for 2010.
Bilyk was the husband of the late Mary Klink, who had served as Plumsted’s animal control officer until she suddenly died on Sept. 10. Residents of Plumsted who are in need of animal control services should call the municipal clerk’s office at 609-758-2241, ext. 131.
Dog licenses, with proof of rabies vaccination, must be purchased for 2010. The Township Committee approved a 50 percent discount in dog license fees for senior citizens and certain volunteers. The township clerk’s office issues dog licenses and provides information on qualifying guidelines for the license fee discount. A late fee charge is enforced beginning March 1 for anyone who has not obtained a 2010 license for their dog. The Township Committee will meet at 8 p.m. Feb. 3 at the municipal building.