MARATHON – With hurricane season’s official start just around the corner on June 1, now is a good time to start your personal, family and business preparations. You can rest assured, however, that your County government already has been working hard behind the scenes to be ready for any storms that may come our way this year.

On Thursday, Monroe County Emergency Management hosted a hurricane exercise for all Keys’ responders and entities involved in storm preparations and evacuations at the Emergency Operations Center in Marathon. It was part of a statewide hurricane exercise.

The packed room of 86 people – representing 24 governmental and private entities – demonstrates it takes a village to protect residents and tourists before, during and after major storms. The group worked together to respond to a fake storm, dealing with it at different stages of progression as it moved toward the island chain.

Among the participants were Monroe County government’s Fire-Rescue, Public Works, Information & Technology, Airports and Planning & Growth Management departments. The exercise also included the Sheriff’s Office, all the municipalities and their fire rescue and police, all three Keys’ hospitals, the Tourist Development Council, the National Weather Service, Florida Division of Emergency Management, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Florida Park Service and the Florida Highway Patrol.

Oh, there’s more: Monroe County School District, Monroe County Health Department, Florida Department of Health, Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, Florida Keys Electric Co-op, Mosquito Control and the American Red Cross.

Martin Senterfitt, Monroe County’s new Emergency Management director, told the group that when the EOC is activated it’s important to have representatives “with decision-making ability” from all these groups present. “We work together to make decisions,” he said.

Senterfitt is replacing Irene Toner, who is retiring June 30th after 17 years in the position. Monroe County Emergency Services Director and Fire Chief James Callahan pointed out that this was Toner’s last hurricane exercise. She received a standing ovation.