Forum organized to inform residents about the area's emergency management and evacuation plans

As communities across the country begin to take a closer look at their emergency preparedness and evacuation plans in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Augusta Congressman John Barrow (12^th District), along with other area officials, will host a town hall meeting in downtown Augusta this coming Monday to help inform local citizens about the City's response plans in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. 

The Town Hall is open to the public and will be held at the National Science Center's Fort Discovery, starting at 6:00 PM on Monday, October 24^th.  Representatives from local first responders, as well as state, county, and city leaders, will be on hand to discuss the emergency response plans for the City of Augusta and Richmond County, and to take questions.  Confirmed participants include:

·         Willie Mays: Mayor of Augusta

·         Quincy Murphy: Georgia State Representative (HD-120)

·         Ed Tarver: Georgia State Senator (SS-22)

·         Carl Scott:  Deputy Chief of Operations, Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department

·         Major Edward Wilhelm: Homeland Security Coordinator - Augusta/Richmond County Sheriffs Dept.

·         Heyward Johnson: Director of Augusta Public Transit

·         Kathleen Kosmoski: Executive Director, Red Cross of Augusta

·         Meredith Vasquez: Executive Director, Goodwill Industries' Central Savannah River Area

·         Grace Hammock: Social Services Coordinator, Salvation Army of Augusta

·         Wayne Beaty: Asst. Manager of District IV North, Regional Office of Georgia Dept. of Labor

·         Kenneth Joe, Sr.: Director of the Richmond County Dept. of Family and Children Services

WHAT:           Congressman John Barrow, along with state, county, and local officials, will hold a town hall meeting on emergency preparedness in Augusta.

WHEN:           Monday, October 24^th, 2005 at 6:00 PM.       

WHERE:        National Science Center's Fort Discovery, One 7th Street, Augusta.

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Contact: Harper Lawson, (202) 225-2823

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