Keeping people safe – that was the common message in multiple presentations given by Alabama EMA at the Association of County Commissions of Alabama’s annual meeting in Orange Beach. The ACCA meeting brings together county officials and decision-makers for multiple days of learning opportunities. The Alabama EMA sent a group of leaders to speak at the conference and help county officials in attendance learn more about new efforts to keep their constituents safe.

Three new programs are at the forefront of the ongoing effort to build a more resilient Alabama – camp safety, dam safety and a new statewide notification system.

Alabama EMA Field Operations Director Ricky Adams and his team are helping to implement the Sarah Marsh Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Law.

Signed by Governor Ivey on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, the law establishes a licensing process for camps to develop an emergency preparedness plan and implement other safety measures. The law is intended to prevent a tragedy like the one that occurred at Camp Mystic, Texas last year – resulting in the loss of Alabama native Sarah Marsh. Sarah and 26 other campers lost their lives in a catastrophic flood while at summer camp.

The goal is not to put camps out of business or make operating a camp more burdensome – very simply, the goal is to empower camps to operate in a way that keeps children and staff safe.

Dam safety is also part of the flood safety equation; a new law will help the Alabama EMA work with landowners to be sure their dams are safe.

The effort to help Alabamians be ready for anything starts with being sure people know about disaster situations quickly. Governor Ivey and the Alabama Legislature are supporting this effort with a statewide notification system.

Brooke Bone with the Alabama EMA presented on the details of the new “ALalert” system and some of the work done to create it – “we have gone through a lot of steps behind the scenes to get this established. Training for local authorities is ongoing.”