Rev. Charles Cephas

HURLOCK — The Maryland Municipal League (MML) recently announced the appointment of long-time Hurlock Councilman Charles Cephas to the ad hoc Hometown Emergency Preparedness Committee (HEPAC).

The committee works with the MML staff “to advance emergency preparedness among Maryland’s cities and towns.” It also reviews legislation and policy specifically related to the public health, safety, welfare, and emergency preparedness and can make recommendations to the Legislative Committee.

As an HEPAC member, Councilman Cephas is charged with assisting the north Dorchester County municipality in preparing for emergencies, disasters, or other duties that the MML Board of Directors requests.

The organization says that “every municipal official should understand about emergency preparedness in that every emergency incident is local. Regardless of your town’s size, when disaster strikes municipal officials will find themselves on the front line.”

Knowing where to start is a challenge for municipal leaders interested in developing an emergency operations plan. For this reason MML offers committee members an “Emergency Planning Checklist and guidance document.”

Councilman Cephas is a Graduate Fellow of the Academy for Excellence in Local Government, University of Maryland, School of Public Policy and has served on the town council for the past 17 years.