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Farmington board reviews emergency‑management plan update, resident alert option
Summary
The Board of Selectmen heard an update on Farmington’s Emergency Management Plan, including a state resident‑notification service and a $4,000 planning grant that would be matched with in‑kind staff time; the board also discussed adding an off‑site communications node funded from the cable TV fund.
The Farmington Board of Selectmen on May 18 reviewed the town’s Emergency Management Plan and state resources to improve resident notification in an emergency. Chairman Charlie King and Town Administrator Jason Henry reported on a recent meeting with state officials and local first responders.
Henry told the board the state offers a no‑cost resident‑notification program that can target inclusion zones or broadcast to all residents. "The biggest thing I gleaned from it is there is free thru the state a program where we can actually notify residents if we have an emergency," Henry said. He said the capability would dovetail with town floodplain planning and other emergency protocols.
King said Farmington’s Emergency Management Plan — adopted in 2021 — needs updates and noted the town received copies of the Hazard Mitigation Plan. The board discussed a planning grant for an updated emergency plan. Henry said the outside consultant option the town used previously would cost about $4,000, with the state covering roughly $2,000 and the town providing an in‑kind match of staff time and labor.
Board members discussed improving redundancy for town communications. King raised the idea of adding a backup broadcast node that could be funded from the town’s cable TV fund so the town could continue to disseminate information if the main building lost power. "We want to stay in compliance," King said of plan updates and communications readiness.
Next steps: staff will continue follow‑up with the fire chief and state contacts, pursue the grant process, and draft a plan for any additional communications node for future board consideration.
