Cole County Ready Festival to promote emergency preparedness Saturday
Marie Moyer
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Editor’s note: The Number of fatalities in the 2019 tornado has been corrected.
The United Way of Central Missouri’s Cole County Community Organizations Active in Disaster, or COAD, is set to host the Cole County Ready Festival Saturday afternoon, focused on emergency preparedness and safety.
In partnership with the Cole County Office of Emergency Management and the American Red Cross, the family-friendly event aims to connect the community with emergency management agencies and provide resources for disaster preparedness.
The county has faced numerous disasters over the years, including flood rescues and a 2024 house explosion. In 2019, a devastating EF-3 tornado that displaced hundreds of residents.
The Cole County Ready Festival will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lincoln University’s Jason Gym. There will be emergency preparedness booths, local emergency response trucks and safety vehicles and food trucks.
“It’s important to be prepared for emergencies, because really, they can strike at any time and knowledge is power,” Cole County COAD Board Member Amber Brondel said. “Just to know what different disasters can impact you or your family and how to respond to them, it’s just so important to make sure that everyone stays safe.”