The East Tennessee Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) will hold an Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cokesbury United Methodist Church (north campus)- located at 9915 Kingston Pike.

The fair is a family friendly event that offers the expertise of emergency management professionals and volunteers to better prepare the public for various emergency situations. Classes, booths, demos, giveaways, and a children's area are all part of this FREE event.

East TN VOAD organizations include: American Red Cross, Knoxville Emergency Management Agency (KEMA), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Cokesbury United Methodist Church, and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.

Severe weather in recent years has put individuals and families in the area in the midst of these situations. Our area has seen its share of downed trees, power outages, and flooding. The fair educates both individuals and families to help them better prepare for these occurrences and more. A wide variety of classes are available to the public to better prepare their families for natural disasters as well as personal emergencies such as job loss.

An opening ceremony will kick off the fair at 9 a.m. with many local and state representatives in attendance. Following the opening ceremony, an expert panel discussion will take place featuring many of the emergency management professionals in Knoxville.

Allen Coggins, author of "Tennessee Tragedies: Grim Reapings of our Past", will speak about how natural, technological, and societal disasters have impacted our state.

There will be giveaways, emergency vehicles, and a children's area to benefit the whole family. This is an event that will educate everyone. ADMISSION is FREE!