Glynn County emergency management expands community information hubs, formalizes volunteer roles

Glynn County's emergency management director reported that the county is expanding its network of community information hubs and formalizing volunteer roles to improve information sharing and disaster response ahead of the county's strategic plan finish in December 2026. The director said the county already operates community information hubs and is adding locations such as retail partners once letters of intent are in place.

The county's Emergency Management Agency (EMA) described the faith-based disaster network as a key effort: more than 30 faith organizations have signed on and EMA staff expect that number to grow. Director Andy said the hubs provide a place where, during widespread communications outages, people can find updates on sheltering, points of distribution, and where to obtain food and water. "If there was a groupwide communications outage for an extended period of time, we would utilize these sites to share that information," Andy said during the meeting.

EMA reported it is integrating volunteers and the faith network into operations. Faith-based sites will largely be managed by their own staff; EMA's registered volunteers and CERT members will staff shelters, cooling and charging stations, and community information hubs when needed. EMA emphasized the distinction between a "disaster event" and a "catastrophe": in catastrophic scenarios many volunteers could themselves be affected and fewer would be reliably available. The director said historically roughly 10% of trained volunteers can be counted on during a catastrophe, citing similar experience in Columbia County but expressing guarded optimism that local hurricane-prone conditions might increase participation.

The agency described CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and registered volunteer training as central to preparedness. EMA said it now runs near-monthly training and has about 200 registered volunteers who have passed background checks and are treated as "trusted agents." Those volunteers receive vests and backpacks and are assigned roles such as shelter managers, community liaisons to incoming partner agencies (for example, chainsaw teams or mass-feeding groups), and damage assessment support.

EMA said it has completed a master set of emergency plans — mass fatality/mortality, animals in disaster and others — funded in part by FEMA direct administrative (DAC) money and other grant resources. The plans will be exercised before finalization and EMA expects up to 10 exercises next year tied to newly written plans. The director also noted work on FEMA reimbursements and coordination with the Red Cross and that some grant-related metrics may be revised as plans and exercises are completed.

Commissioners and EMA staff discussed outreach and community engagement: the agency reported meeting its goal for community activities (minimum 30 annually), noted partnerships with the city of Brunswick and businesses for outreach events and highlighted the Peraton/Lowe's partnership and a planned weather-radio event with Commissioner Slat. EMA said it will continue to refine performance measures, gray out completed initiatives and focus county assistance on items flagged yellow or red as the strategic plan approaches its end.

Ending: EMA staff requested brief written summaries of accomplishments for the strategic-plan record and said initiatives that are achieved may be transitioned to "business as usual." The agency urged continued coordination with county IT, partners and the county attorney for pending agreements and letters of intent that will expand community information hub locations.