PARIS — A state official praised the Oxford County Emergency Management Agency during a meeting of the Oxford County commissioners Tuesday, saying the agency has been working hard to prepare for potential disasters.

Rob McAleer, director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency, met with the commissioners and staff from the county EMA in the Emergency Operations Center. The center, located near the EMA offices in the basement of the county courthouse, was established to coordinate the response to large-scale emergencies such as an ice storm.

“All in all, I would say Oxford County is in very good shape,” said Rob McAleer. “If I had to think of a grade, I can’t think of anything but A.”

McAleer said the county EMA has mostly completed a disaster mitigation plan to submit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He said the county has also worked to prepare for hazards through training and exercises. They include an emergency care center and alternate care site drill conducted at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and Stephens Memorial Hospital, and an active shooter simulation held at Rumford Hospital.

McAleer said the county EMA has also cooperated extensively with local emergency responders and planners. These activities include working to meet a requirement switching radios to narrow band by 2013 and utilizing federal emergency management performance grant funds to bolster municipal emergency planning.

This approach helps look at emergencies in a regional manner, a method McAleer said is promoted at the state-level agency. He said the cooperation between the EMA and local responders led to a unified response by about 50 fire departments to a major fire at NEPW Logistics in Paris in December  2008.

McAleer said Scott Parker, director of the county EMA, has taken a proactive approach to issues and frequently given input and suggestions to the state agency. He said Parker has done particularly strong work with the Community Emergency Response Team, which trains to operate emergency shelters and perform other tasks during disasters.

“Don’t let this go to your head, but Scott’s basically got the model for the whole program,” McAleer said.

Parker said the achievements of the EMA would not have been possible without the contributions of four other employees.

“I just happen to be the director,” he said.

Steve Merrill, chairman of the commissioners, asked if there were weaknesses the agency needs to address.

McAleer said the EMA faces challenges since it is in a rural community, and encouraged continued operation between the county and municipalities to put responders on a more equal footing.

[email protected]