Mississippi Power Foundation awards $60,000 to local emergency management agencies across the state
Gulfport, Miss. – The Mississippi Power Foundation recently awarded grants to emergency management agencies in 24 counties across central and southern Mississippi.
“We value our strong partnerships with each of our emergency management agencies and would not be able to safely serve our customers during a severe weather event without them,” said Mississippi Power Foundation Executive Director Arnie Williams. “These grants will allow them to maintain or obtain the resources needed to continue safely responding to emergencies in our communities.”
Each $2,500 grant will be used to support the counties’ emergency response operations.
The donations were provided during spring severe weather season and ahead of Atlantic hurricane season, as counties are finalizing this year’s response plans. With the donations, several counties have already purchased items like field equipment, personal protective equipment, emergency communication devices and additional training for their teams. Lauderdale County, for example, used the grant to purchase new life vests for their dive team.
“We are extremely grateful to the Mississippi Power Foundation for their continued support of emergency management,” said Jones County Emergency Operations Center Executive Director Aaron Welsh. “Partnerships like this allow us to enhance our capabilities, invest in resources and ensure that Jones County is better prepared for whatever challenges may come our way.”
Mississippi Power has longstanding partnerships with EMA officials. Company leaders communicate regularly with officials during a storm event, and the company has even hosted officials across the state at its Emergency Operations Center to review the company’s storm preparations and restoration procedures before hurricane season begins.
“The relationships we’ve built over the years with these officials and other first responders are absolutely critical to a successful emergency response,” said Mississippi Power Storm Director Brad Falls. “This collaboration is a true win-win situation. When we prepare alongside our communities, it means a safer response, fewer lives impacted and an overall quicker return to normalcy for everyone involved in an emergency. We thank them for their important work and will remain prepared to work together to serve our customers every single day.”
“This contribution plays a meaningful role in helping us strengthen our preparedness and response capabilities as we work to protect our citizens,” said Jasper County Emergency Management Agency Director Hudson Jenkins. “Partnerships with organizations like Mississippi Power are vital to the success of our mission. This support demonstrates a strong commitment to the safety and resilience of the communities we serve.”
Emergency management agencies that received a grant from the Mississippi Power Foundation are in:
- Clarke County
- Covington County
- Forrest County
- George County
- Greene County
- Hancock County
- Harrison County
- Jackson County
- Jasper County
- Jefferson Davis County
- Jones County
- Kemper County
- Lamar County
- Lauderdale County
- Leake County
- Marion County
- Neshoba County
- Newton County
- Pearl River County
- Perry County
- Scott County
- Smith County
- Stone County
- Wayne County
Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and affordable energy for nearly 194,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Mississippi Power has served its communities for more than a century and is an industry leader in safety, reliability and economic development. The Southeastern Electric Exchange recognized the company for Top Safety Performance in its generation category, and Site Selection named Mississippi Power a top utility driving economic development in the United States. For reliability, The Edison Electric Institute has recognized Mississippi Power with multiple Emergency Response Awards for outstanding storm response. Visit our website at mississippipower.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube for company updates.
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