Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that notices have been sent out this week to all Connecticut mayors and first selectmen concerning a spring training session that will focus on Connecticut’s statewide evacuation and mass sheltering planning process.

“We can not leave anything to chance,” Governor Rell said. “This is the first time that comprehensive, statewide regional evacuation planning has been conducted in Connecticut. We want to make certain that at the local and regional levels, Connecticut is ready. We need to do our best to eliminate any and all potential sources of confusion and uncertainty during an emergency.

“Continued input from all levels of government is key. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita taught us many lessons, and what stood out above everything else was that a lack of communication between federal, state and local officials in emergency situations can lead to needless frustration, suffering and trauma.

“We have now developed an inclusive planning process. Local officials have the most direct and accurate input as to what will or will not work. There is always room for improvement. That’s why we are constantly seeking out further input from our local, community, business, and government leaders.”

To this end, the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) is partnering with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) to conduct a seminar on May 1st. The program will include training on the regional evacuation plans for chief elected officials. In addition to evacuation plans, the program will focus on topics such as debris management by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), child safety and universal access for all citizens.

Governor Rell was the first governor in the nation to voluntarily direct state agencies to develop written evacuation plans for all potential emergencies and to order a special Category 4 hurricane drill to assess the state’s readiness.

As part of a multi-agency effort directed by Governor Rell, the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) developed and distributed a sample evacuation and sheltering plan. A total of five regional evacuation plans, encompassing all municipalities, have been finalized.

As part of the process, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has analyzed the most effective evacuation routes and patterns in the event of a large scale disaster. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has also developed a complimentary Traffic Management Plan to facilitate any public evacuation actions ordered by the Governor.

At the Governor’s direction, DEMHS, DOT and DPS worked together to develop evacuation plans for the state’s major population centers.