McMinnville officials wise to form emergency plans

Our Viewpoint

With Hurricane Ivan scheduled to hit the Gulf Coast early Thursday morning and eventually make its way to Tennessee, there was apprehension in the air.

Considering how recent hurricanes have relentlessly pounded Florida the past month, that concern was understandable.

With weather forecasters telling us heavy rain and strong winds were on the way, McMinnville officials didn’t wait for disaster to strike before discussing emergency plans.

They took precautions by establishing an appropriate course of action. The Public Works Department was sent to unclog drains in areas prone to heavy flooding, and the Urban Forestry Department was told to be on alert with chainsaws to help remove fallen trees.

Said Mayor Royce Davenport, “We don’t want to sit here when we’ve been told it’s coming and act like we don’t know it’s happening.”

Bravo! Any time our local officials make the effort to consider worst-case scenarios, and provide alternatives such as having the Civic Center ready as an emergency shelter, there is reason to get excited.

All too often we have been known to govern by crisis, to sit back and wait until small fires erupt into infernos before taking action. That’s not staying on our toes.

It’s better to stay one step ahead, whether we’re dealing with overcrowding at the jail or incoming weather. The best time to plan is before disaster strikes.