Jason Futch
reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
Suwannee County Division of Emergency Management Deputy Director Heather Henderson recently had an opportunity to meet fellow emergency management directors throughout Florida during Emergency Management Day at the State Capitol.
The event, held on Tuesday, March 11, paid tribute to emergency management offices throughout the state as they continue to grapple with ongoing efforts to keep their local communities safe.
“The event was my first time attending,” Henderson said. “Typically, our Director, Chris Volz, attends this event but was out of town and asked me to go instead.”
Henderson said that the event was an engaging and informative experience packed with activities. She observed a budget hearing request before the Florida Legislature, attended training sessions, explored vendor showcases, and toured the Capitol. Additionally, she had the opportunity to meet with staff members who work for Representative Jason Shoaf and Senator Corey Simon to discuss emergency management preparedness in Suwannee County.
Henderson also learned more about Rural County Days, which happened on Thursday, March 20, which Director Volz attended. “That focuses more on rural counties, and we get to go there and do one-on-one meetings with the representatives, along with the Director of Florida Emergency Management,” Henderson said. “Director Volz spoke with our senator and discussed our needs as a fiscally restrained county.”
Henderson also noted that events such as Emergency Management Day play a key role in networking with other emergency management offices throughout Florida. “We get to meet other people from different organizations and get our name out there,” she said. “Unfortunately, Suwannee County has hit the map in the last two years, and we have had a lot of mutual aid in our area. So when you go to these events, you see the people who have been in our county and have an opportunity to actually talk to them and have one-on-one conversations about the work they did here, how it was, and what we could do better.”
Henderson also said that it is an opportunity to personally thank those who helped Suwannee County recover from the violent hurricanes in 2023 and 2024 and say “thank you,” showing gratitude for the work that each county has done to help Suwannee County recover over the last two years.