City Of Hannibal Works To Prepare for When Disaster Strikes 

Release Date: April 24, 2001
Release Number: R7-01-31

» 2001 Region VII News Releases

Kansas City, MO -- The city of Hannibal, the latest Missouri community to join Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant Communities, is thinking ahead on ways to better prepare itself when disaster strikes.

Among 27 disaster mitigation projects it has planned, Hannibal is going to upgrade its outdoor warning system, promote NOAA Weather Radios and conduct a public education campaign. It also is going to upgrade its weather warning system with an alternate power source in the event of a loss of electrical power brought on by severe weather. This system allows Hannibal to notify its residents of severe weather warnings broadcast by the National Weather Service. The city is also planning to conduct flood prevention projects such as improving storm water drainage and a clean up of Bear Creek.

A signing ceremony to welcome Hannibal as a Project Impact community is scheduled for 11 a.m., Wednesday, April 25, 2001, at the Hannibal Inn and Conference Center, 4141 Market St. in Hannibal. FEMA Region VII Acting Deputy Regional Director Robert Bissell and Missouri State Emergency Management Agency Director Jerry Uhlmann will be among governmental and community partners present for the ceremony.

According to SEMA Director Jerry Uhlmann, "Hannibal wisely has prepared a mitigation plan that identifies the community's disaster risk and employs numerous positive actions to minimize as many adverse effects as possible before disaster strikes. In doing so, Hannibal has become one of eight cities in Missouri that have earned official recognition by the state and federal emergency management agencies." The other seven Missouri Project Impact communities include Bolivar, Branson, Cape Girardeau, Maryville, Neosho, Piedmont and St. Joseph.

"No one can prevent disaster but Hannibal has shown that there are many initiatives communities can undertake to help lessen the level of damage caused by a disaster when it does happen," Bissell said.

Hannibal is also getting recognized for joining Project Impact by keepSafe Industries, Inc., a Fredricksburg, Va.-based company that specializes in the construction of severe weather shelters.

keepSafe, a national Project Impact partner, is donating a Safe Room display for use by the community for the promotion of Safe Rooms in new construction or retrofitting in existing structures.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 15-Oct-2003 13:41:27