Boston,Mass. – The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate met today with emergency managers from across New England and employees in Boston’s FEMA Region I office to discuss the importance of public preparedness and how partners may work together to better prepare, respond to and recover from emergencies.
At today’s meeting, Administrator Fugate was joined by Ed Fratto, executive director, Northeast States Emergency Consortium; Don Boyce, director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency; Bill Hackett, director, Connecticut Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management; J. David Smith, director, and Ed Johnson, deputy director, Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency; and Kathy Doutt, deputy director, New Hampshire Emergency Management & Homeland Security.
“Today’s meeting was a critical step in our efforts to continue to strengthen the national emergency response team,” said Administrator Fugate. “The emergency managers I met with today represent the front lines during the response to disasters, and they play a vital role in the preparedness of citizens they serve. Strong relationships between FEMA and the state and local leaders are the backbone of the national emergency response team, and the work we are putting in now to build this team will go a long way during the next disaster.”
“FEMA’s primary responsibility is to support governors and their emergency managers as we work to protect and assist our states and citizens during disasters,” Fugate added.
Today’s event caps off a week that began with Administrator Fugate addressing the National Governors Association in Biloxi, MS and meeting with governors from several states.