TEMA public information officer Kurt Pickering says the agency acts as sort of a clearinghouse or traffic cop, getting resources from an agency that has it to one that needs it. For instance, the highway patrol provided some support during the Clarksville tornadoes to prevent looting. That call came to us from Montgomery County. They asked if the patrol could send some troopers over there. When the center is fully activated, each of the 22 departments of state government sends in a representative, called an emergency services coordinator.
Present plans are to only partially activate the center.
We are calling in a few key agencies. The center will be activated at 8 a.m. today and will remain active until at least noon tomorrow. If bad stuff is happening we will stay active. Gov. Don Sundquist plans to attend a New Year's Eve party and fund-raiser for the state museum at the Capitol tonight and plans to go to TEMA after midnight. We think state government is prepared.