Editor’s note: This is the final in a three-part series of stories marking August 2025 as National Emergency Preparedness Month. Read the first story here and the second story here.
From coordinating disaster response with local first responders to helping evacuate pets during emergencies, emergency managers play a vital role across every level of government and in nearly every sector of our daily lives.
August 2025 is National Emergency Management Awareness Month, a campaign led by the International Association of Emergency Managers, or IAEM, to highlight the work of emergency professionals who help keep communities safe before, during, and after a crisis.
Here in Upshur County, Steve Wykoff serves as the director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. His role includes much more than handling natural disasters.
“People often assume emergency management is just weather-related, like floods or blizzards,” Wykoff said. “But we’re involved in everything from structure fires and hazardous materials to mass gatherings, civil unrest, sheltering, and even animal care.”
Wykoff said Upshur County’s emergency management work is interconnected with agencies across the city, county, state, and federal levels. When international bands arrived for the 2023 WAMSB Championships, for instance, his team coordinated with federal agencies like the State Department and CDC to manage safety and public health protocols.
“WAMSB was the first international incident we’ve ever managed locally,” Wykoff said. “We had to show we were capable; our partners at the state and federal level were key to that.”
That event generated a 250-page safety plan after more than two years of coordination, and it now serves as the framework for large-scale events held in the county moving forward.
But large festivals and official emergencies aren’t the only focus. One lesser-known component of Upshur County’s preparedness efforts is the Animal Response Division, which ensures that pets aren’t left behind when disaster strikes.
“We’ve got a trailer with equipment to shelter up to 40 to 60 domesticated animals,” Wykoff said. “It’s not something tied to WAMSB; it’s something we built because we know people won’t evacuate if it means leaving their pets behind.”
The trailer includes crates, supplies, and coordination with local veterinary professionals. During an emergency, it can be deployed alongside a human shelter to allow people to care for their pets nearby.
“Animals are part of the family. If we’re asking someone to leave their home, we need to consider that,” he said.
This type of response to major events wouldn’t be possible without the Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT program. The team is made up of trained volunteers who help with disaster response, traffic control, emergency communication, shelter support and more.
Whether planning months in advance for an international event or preparing cooling stations and shelters during extreme weather, Wykoff emphasized that emergency management only works because of the collaboration between public safety agencies, community groups, and individual citizens.
“No matter the incident, we’re never doing this alone,” he said. “We work with everyone, from the mayor’s office to local volunteers and regional emergency managers. It’s about building relationships and being ready when it matters.”
To learn more about emergency management in Upshur County or volunteer with the CERT program, email cert@upshurcounty.org.
