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The Covington County Emergency Management Agency is looking for any entity or facility that would be interested in becoming a “Safer Place.”

These safer places would be short-term spaces available to the public during severe weather events. These designated facilities are not considered a FEMA-rated saferoom or community shelter. Only a safer place for citizens to take shelter.

In 2021, Governor Kay Ivey signed laws designed to protect facility owners and volunteers associated with these safe places. The laws ease burdens on Safe Places in two ways:

• Liabilities of Facilities: releases a party from simple negligence claims, barring gross negligence or willful misconduct.
• Protection of Volunteers: grants immunity to volunteers of government organizations and non-profit organizations from civil liability for negligence if damage or injury was not caused by willful or wanton misconduct.

The Covington County EMA office is willing to train Safer Place volunteers and commit to assisting with the establishment of these locations. Those interested in providing a Safer Place should contact the local EMA office at 334-428-2670 or by email at ema@covcounty.com.

Once some of these locations are identified, the CCEMA will conduct a no-obligation Safer Place workshop to review guidelines and laws that protect volunteers, the Safer Place Act and what is specifically required of each location.

EMA officials expressed gratitude in advance to all organizations willing to participate in helping keep the citizens of Covington County safe.