Coffee & Climate: Emergency Preparedness

Happy Emergency Preparedness Month! On Friday, September 12th, 2025, we hosted two exciting speakers: Aaron Milroy from the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) and Lisa Joyce from South Portland Public Library and Age Friendly South Portland. 

CCEMA helps communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from large-scale disasters like floods or storms. They act as a central hub, bringing together different groups—like first responders, volunteer organizations, and businesses—to work together during an emergency. The agency’s goal is to make communities more resilient, ensuring they can bounce back quickly and fully after any major event. 

In 2024, Age Friendly South Portland received an AARP Challenge Grant to work on emergency resilience. Partnering with the South Portland Housing Authority (SPHA), they have provided residents with information, training, and go-bags. Building on the success of onsite training at all SPHA buildings, Age Friendly South Portland has held numerous public education events, launched follow-up projects, and obtained additional funding from the Governor’s Cabinet on Aging. 

Together, our speakers provided an overview of a variety of ways that Mainers can prepare themselves and their communities in the event of an emergency.

Unfortunately, the recording of this Coffee & Climate is not available, but you can read our newsletter from that month.