This is in response to the Sun Journal editorial (July 6) supporting Oxford County Emergency Management Director Scott Parker.

As the Androscoggin County EMA director, I know too well the fine line we must walk between federal and state mandates to have emergency plans, and the “potential” for violating the law when those plans, which may include confidential information, are distributed to police, fire and EMS responders who have the responsibility for carrying out the mandates of those plans in an emergency.

At times, when special systems are in place, such as the CityWatch computer program in Oxford County, training is required to effectively use the system. This may result in a large number of individuals having access to information for training purposes.

We all have a job to do and training is a very important part of doing that job. Training means the difference between just doing our job and doing it well so that lives and property can be saved.

The editorial cited that Scott Parker has worked hard to prepare Oxford County for disasters, and that his aggressiveness in doing so may have rubbed some people the wrong way. All 16 county EMA directors work extremely hard in preparing their respective counties for disasters and, yes, at times, they must be aggressive and that does rub some people the wrong way.

Much of what emergency managers do involves notification of the public. This includes information on personal preparedness actions to keep themselves and their families safe, as well emergency information about evacuation, shelter locations, how to get there, what to bring, etc.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires managers to have emergency notification plans for people with and without accessibility needs. People with accessibility needs require special considerations when emergency information is given and emergency response is required.

The information Parker, and others, has acquired will prove invaluable when emergency information gets to those that need it.

There are numerous reasons why emergency management would have need for “confidential information.”

This agency has attempted, too many times to count, to obtain the kind of information Parker has been brought to task for. Despite HIPAA and other confidentiality laws, despite the lack of cooperation from telephone and power company executives who hide behind HIPAA laws, and despite the reluctance of people with accessibility needs to provide emergency contact information, we continue our attempts to ensure that the public, with and without accessibility needs, gets the information needed for their safety.

As E-911 communications personnel are entrusted with “confidential” information, so should emergency planners and emergency responders. County and local EMA directors and emergency responders should not fear losing their job for doing their job.

Joanne Potvin, CEM/ME, is director of the Androscoggin Unified Emergency Management Agency in Lewiston.