Emergency Management

collection of 911 home numbers

  1. Egremont Weather: Real-Time Tracking Made Easy with Earth Networks

    If you want to know Egremont's hourly and ten-day weather, check Earth Networks on the town's website. Read on...
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Overview

The Town of Egremont has developed a comprehensive all-hazard emergency management response for residents. The response aims to facilitate the delivery of local, adjacent community, and state resources during a disaster. As no single town has the resources to respond to a significant incident, the Town uses mutual aid agreements with surrounding jurisdictions and the state.

Egremont Emergency Notification System

The Town of Egremont's Emergency Notification System can inform residents of an emergency by landline telephone, cell phone, text, and email. The System can send multiple messages to residents during an emergency. The System may be utilized for emergency notifications for street closures, water issues, meetings, and other general information. In an emergency, the System is set up to call all the phone numbers a resident lists with the Town and email any registered email addresses.

As part of the System, the Town's telephone alert detects a voice when a resident answers the phone. Residents should anticipate a second or two of 'dead air' after saying hello. The System waits to hear a resident to determine if an answering machine is on the line. The message will follow.

If residents prefer, the System can email or text them. It can also call residents' cell phones or VOIP-type (Voice-Over-Internet Phone) numbers.

The System cannot detect unlisted phone numbers, VOIP, cell phone numbers, or email addresses unless residents provide this information to the Town for entry into the System. 

For residents who wish to update or add contact information to the System or have questions, please email Emergency Management or phone 413-528-0182 or 413.528-2160.

Power Outage

It is important to note that National Grid may not know your situation during a power outage. Please inform them of your power loss by calling them at 800-322-3223. Also, please get in touch with the Egremont Police Department so we know of possible downed power lines, etc. You can reach Emergency Management at 413-528-2160.

National Grid Information on Power Outages

Warming Centers and What You Can Do During Weather Emergencies 

In the event of weather emergencies when you are unable to remain in your homes or to find alternate shelter options, local warming centers are available:

  • Egremont Town Hall, 171 Egremont Plain Rd, No, Egremont (413.528.0182)
  • Claire Teague Senior Center. 917 So. Main St., Great Barrington (413.528.1881)
  • Sheffield Senior Citizens Center, 25 Cook Rd., Sheffield (413.229.7037)

What can you do in the event of weather emergencies?

  • Look in on a neighbor in need. See if they are staying warm, have drinking water, and have a method of heating food. 
  • For neighbors without a cell phone or having difficulty with their connection, help contact their electricity provider to register the outage and provide factual updates.
  • If you have power, a generator, or a warm spare room, offer a neighbor shelter or a chance to warm up.
  • Remember, the very young and the very old are particularly vulnerable to temperatures below 65F if they are sedentary, so help them seek a warming center if unable to bundle up.
  • AND be careful about using alternative power and heating sources such as generators, gas stoves, propane heaters, and wood stoves. Make sure your carbon dioxide and smoke detectors are working. 

Lastly, call the Egremont Police Department at 413.528.2160 for assistance.

Select Board Member L. Vermeulen and Grants Adminstrator P. McDonough standing with others at Award

Stockbridge MA, — 8/30/23 The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the award of $28.5 million in Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Action Grants for 79 local implementation projects, including Egremont's $81,500 grant. Present were Select Board member L. Fenn-Vermeulen and Grants Administrator P. McDonough. (photo@E.Eyre)

Egremont Boosts Climate Resilience with $81,500 MVP Award

The Town of Egremont accepted a grant award of $81,500.00 for a project entitled "Bringing Climate Action Home to Egremont," The grant will provide funds to conduct public water supply engineering studies on Karner Brook, review and amend Town policies and Bylaws to reflect new climate-resilient priorities embodied in the 2022 Egremont Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan and conduct public workshops to inform and encourage the adoption of climate-friendly practices at home.

MVP Action Grant projects are focused on proactive strategies to address local climate change impacts. They may include actions to invest in and protect vulnerable populations, improve public health, utilize nature-based solutions to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat or flooding or make climate resilience-focused regulatory updates.

Download the MVP-HMP Plan (PDF)

Egremont Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Plan

The Town of Egremont prepared a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation Plan (MVP-HMP) to create an action roadmap to reduce the impacts of natural hazards and climate change within the community and the region. The Select Board adopted the Egremont MVP-HMP Summary of Findings Report (PDF) on June 28, 2022, to update and replace the Berkshire County Hazard Mitigation Plan from 2012. Egremont's MVP plan has received approvals from the Commonwealth and the Federal Emergency Agency Management (FEMA), opening up opportunities for state and federal grant funding to realize the actions stated in the plan.

What is a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan?

It is a plan to identify priority action items to address vulnerabilities and utilize strengths in preparation for climate change. In 2017, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) initiated the state's MVP grant program to help communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change. The program has two grant phases, of which Egremont recently completed the first phase and, with its recent designation, will be able to pursue the second phase:

The first grant phase is the Planning Grant, which funds the vulnerability analyses, engagement, and planning processes. Towns convene a team of municipal staff, engage stakeholders in a Community Resilience Building (CRB) Workshop, and engage community members in developing the plan. Communities that complete the Planning Grant program and prepare an MVP plan are eligible for the second phase of MVP grant funding and receive increased standing for other state grants.

The second phase of the MVP program is the Action Grant, which funds the implementation of priority climate adaptation actions described in the MVP plan. Since these Action Grants are only distributed to Massachusetts municipalities, they are less competitive than similar grants awarded at the national level.

The following individuals served as members of Egremont's MVP Planning Committee:

  • Will Conklin, Chairman, Greenagers
  • Bruce Bernstein, Council on Aging
  • Will Brinker, Egremont Water Department, 
  • Donna Bersch Gordon, former member Egremont Planning Board
  • Emily Eyre, Green Committee
  • Lucinda Fenn Vermeulen, Select Board
  • Joyce Frater, Associate Member Conservation Commission
  • Fred Gordon, Housing Committee
  • Juliette Haas, BOH Director/Sustainability Coordinator
  • Edward McCormick, Emergency Management Committee
  • Jim Noe, Highway Department Superintendent"
  • Dave Rejeski, Resident

About Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

MEMA is the state agency charged with ensuring the state is prepared to withstand, respond to, and recover from all types of emergencies and disasters, including natural hazards, accidents, deliberate attacks, and technological and infrastructure failures. MEMA's staff of professional planners, communications specialists, and operations and support personnel is committed to an all-hazards approach to emergency management. By building and sustaining effective partnerships with federal, state, and local government agencies and with the private sector - individuals, families, non-profits, and businesses - MEMA ensures the Commonwealth's ability to rapidly recover from large and small disasters by assessing and mitigating threats and hazards, enhancing preparedness, providing an effective response, and strengthening our capacity to rebuild and recover. For additional information about MEMA and Emergency Preparedness, go to Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

Follow MEMA updates on X (Twitter), Facebook, and YouTube.

MEMA Safety Tips for Specific Threats & Hazards

MEMA wants you to learn how you, your families, and your community can stay safe before, during, and after different emergencies and disasters.

As well as preparing for natural hazards and severe weather, Massachusetts residents should be aware of man-made threats (intentional or accidental) and public health emergencies. These events can be smaller in scale but may enormously impact communities.

By understanding the risks of these hazards, you can better prepare yourself, your family, and your community.

Click here for MEMA's safety tips for hurricanes, power outages, nor-easter, extreme cold, thunderstorms and lightning, tornados, earthquakes, hazardous materials incidents, and drought.