COUNCE, Tennessee – Hundreds of first responders met in West Tennessee for a planning workshop.

These first responders come from all over West Tennessee – many of them serving in their hometowns – and met in Hardin County on Tuesday morning for an emergency planning workshop.

We spoke with EMA Director for Hardin County, LaRae Smiley-Sliger, about what exactly this event entails.

“So we have about 200 emergency responders from all over the state,” Smiley-Sliger said. “Most from West Tennessee, but some from Middle Tennessee as well. The speakers talk about hazardous materials, and we have medical assistance, but it’s all about the approach of considering all hazards when responding to emergencies.”

This conference has been held alternately at Pickwick and Paris Landing for over 20 years, and in many cases you will see multiple departments from neighboring counties working together on calls.

We asked Smiley-Sliger whether this conference helps with communication.

“That’s true because there’s a face attached to that title,” she said. “You don’t just call another fire department or another county emergency management chief, you have that face that you can put on them. We’re blessed. I’m the emergency management chief here in Hardin County and I’m fortunate to be able to work with some of the other emergency management chiefs in West Tennessee and across the state.”

With a history of over 20 years and several hundred visitors per year, this conference proves to be successful and useful for the participants.

Smiley-Sliger also talked about how great departments are in small towns. She says people are in those positions because they love it and are passionate about their work.

When asked if there is anything we need to be aware of at the moment, she replies that we need to be on guard against burns, especially because of the dryness and heat we are currently experiencing.

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