Disasters like flooding, active shooter situations and terrorist attacks have been in the national news almost daily in the past few months, but would you know what to do if one of these events happened here in Knoxville?

The Knoxville Police Department (KPD), the Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management Agency (KEMA) and the City’s Office of Neighborhoods have teamed up to help Knoxville residents grapple with the difficult “what if” questions.

The “Citizen Preparedness Workshop” will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at the John T. O’Connor Senior Citizens Center, 611 Winona St. Refreshments will be served. 

The workshop will provide tips on being prepared for and appropriately reacting to acts of terrorism, active shooter situations, natural disasters such as straight-line winds, and manmade disasters such as chemical spills. There will be time for questions from the audience.

“There is a limit to what the professional emergency services can accomplish in a short period of time during a widespread emergency,” noted Colin Ickes, Director of KEMA. “It is for this reason that we are always looking for ways to encourage citizens to learn the basics of emergency preparedness. This workshop is one part of that outreach effort.”

In addition, KPD Sgt. Sammy Shaffer will provide insight and advice on how to respond in active shooter situations and to acts of terrorism; Ickes will discuss community preparedness for and response to natural and manmade disasters; and McIver of the Office of Neighborhoods will outline how city neighborhoods can participate in the Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Program.