Bill signed to form Kentucky emergency response team

A Kentucky bill signed into law last Monday will help form a statewide response team for natural disasters and other incidents requiring an emergency response.

House Bill 157 passed both the House and Senate without a single no-vote.

“That tells you that the need is here and what we will gain is response time, by having one in the state,” said Jeremy Slinker, Director of Kentucky Emergency Management.

Slinker said the project has been in the works for nearly a decade.

During the western Kentucky tornadoes and eastern Kentucky flooding, four out-of-state urban search and rescue teams were called in to help. A Kentucky team could also reciprocate in regional scenarios like a major earthquake on the New Madrid fault.

A report is due by December 1st to draft policies, procedures and regulations for the team.

A request for state funding will come early next year.



Emergency responders make water rescues during eastern Kentucky flooding (Timothy D. Easley/AP)