Cottonwood Heights praised for emergency preparedness

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — This east-side bedroom community has received an award for Collaborative Preparedness Planning from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The recently incorporated city was chosen for the high honor because of its citywide communication system. When finished, the system will be able to communicate with residents of each street and home in the city, according to city spokesman Robert Warnick.

Local church groups, emergency-trained residents and professional organizations such as the Red Cross were included in the Citizen Corps planning, according to Warnick.

Cottonwood Heights was chosen for the highest recognition from a short list of cities and counties that also included San Francisco, Douglas County, Pa., and Escambia County, Fla. Overall, the Utah municipality competed with 2,395 cities across the country.

FEMA paid to send two elected officials from Cottonwood Heights to Washington, D.C., to receive the award.

"This has been an incredible experience," said Councilman Gordon Thomas. "This is the first time they have given awards, and we were there."