OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and Council were presented with grant funds totaling $5,235, which will be used to send three town employees to the National Hurricane Conference.
Jon Burrell presented the check to the Town of Ocean City on behalf of the Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT), explaining that the grant would be used to send three town representatives to the National Hurricane Conference in an attempt to strengthen the town’s defenses against hurricane destruction.
The LGIT is a non-profit, joint-association of local Maryland governments that is owned and directed by its local government members. According to the Maryland Municipal League website, the Trust provides, “coverage for liability, health, and property related risks as well as support services including litigation, administration and management of claims, risk management and loss control services, training, and property valuation.”
The Trust began its operation in 1987, with Ocean City becoming a member in 2001. According to Burrell, the LGIT is the largest insurer of property across the state of Maryland.
Burrell explained that in order to receive the grant money, a staff member of the town must file an application and then be approved by the LGIT board. Burrell applauded town employee Karen Scott for her work on the town’s application.
According to Burrell, the application’s approval warranted the money for three employees to be sent to the National Hurricane Conference, scheduled for March 31 through April 4, 2008 in Orlando, Fla.
According to the National Hurricane Convention website, “the primary purpose of the National Hurricane Conference is to improve hurricane preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation in order to save lives and property.”
According to the website, the conference will emphasize lessons learned from hurricane strikes, state of the art programs, new ideas being tested or considered, information about new or ongoing assistance programs, and the ABC’s of hurricane preparedness, which are response, recovery and mitigation.
Burrell added that the grant money has also been awarded to the Ocean City Police Department in the past to send officers to the National Hurricane Conference.