FW: Message from the PEP President

[Pannell, Donald]

Please see the message below from Michael Fann, President and CEO of Public Entity Partners. There is good information for municipalities who are covered by PEP as well as for those who are not. Stay safe.

 

In service,

 

Donald Pannell, M.S., EFO
Fire Management Consultant
UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service

7777 Walnut Grove Road, Suite 3, Box 14
Memphis, Tennessee 38120

donald....@tennessee.edu
(901) 233-1434 Mobile | (865) 974-0411 Office
mtas.tennessee.edu

 

From: Public Entity Partners <MemberS...@PEPartners.org>
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 1:00 PM
Subject: Message from the PEP President

 

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View this email in your browser Dear Friends & Partners,   We know that many of you are grappling with the impact of Winter Storm Fern and bracing for the potential impact of Winter Storm Gianna. Please know that we are here to help. Our claims team has been working around the clock to process claims and other staff members have been working diligently to respond to your questions about claim-related matters and mutual aid.   As you prepare to either seek assistance from neighboring communities or assist neighboring communities, please review the language in the Mutual Aid and Emergency and Disaster Assistance Agreement Act of 2004 (Act) with your municipal or agency attorney. The Act addresses not only your ability to provide mutual aid to other local government entities, but also liability, reimbursement and the management of the emergency scenes.     Additionally, Governor Lee signed Executive Order 111 on January 27, 2026, which you can access here. The executive order allows TDOT to work with local governments to clear debris from local roadways. While TEMA can be contacted directly, we encourage you to continue working with your local emergency management agency to coordinate any requests for assistance with TEMA.     We also recognize that you are working as quickly as possible to mitigate risks and eliminate exposure to hazards for residents. While doing so, the safety of staff must remain a top priority. Please keep the following safety considerations in mind: Staff should only be working with the proper personal protective equipment. Only experienced and properly trained staff should be operating heavy machinery. Safety protocols and standard operating procedures should be enforced and scenes should be supervised.       While efficiency is important, cutting corners and failing to follow proper safety procedures will lead to unnecessary and costly on-the-job injuries.   Please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the PEP team if you have questions or concerns. As always, we stand ready to serve you. Should you find yourself needing to submit a claim, we encourage you to utilize our online claims portal for the expedited handling of and response to your needs. Stay safe! Sincerely,   Michael G. Fann, President/ CEO Public Entity Partners Our Vision is to make a difference in the lives of Tennessee public entity employees and the citizens they serve. Copyright 2026 Public Entity Partners. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 562 Franklin Road, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37069