Haywood County Emergency Services Public Information Officer Allison Richmond is now one of just 11 people in the state to have completed FEMA’s executive level Public Information Officer course.
Richmond was instrumental in the county’s emergency response in the wake of Hurricane Helene as she used every medium possible to provide information during an uncertain time. Based on lessons learned from Tropical Storm Fred in 2021, she orchestrated setting up an emergency power supply to an FM repeater on Chambers Mountain so Canton’s WPTL could get information to those with radios.
Haywood County Emergency Management Officer Zach Koontz announced the completion of the training at an Oct. 5 Haywood County Commission meeting following a discussion of a $77,500 contract commissioners approved to update the county’s emergency operations plan based on lessons learned during Helene.
