When an emergency happens, there is rarely time to stop and figure out what to do.
That is why Tobyhanna Army Depot is using National Preparedness Month this September to remind its workforce that readiness doesn’t begin when the sirens sound. It begins much earlier with knowing the risks, making a plan, having the right supplies and understanding how to receive critical information.
This year’s National Preparedness Month theme, “Americans Stand Ready,” emphasizes the importance of individuals and communities taking an active role in preparing for emergencies before they happen.
At Tobyhanna, Emergency Management Specialist Scott Ahner works year-round to help ensure the installation is ready to respond when the unexpected occurs.
Ahner’s career in emergency management is rooted in high-stakes operations. In 2015, he served as the Pennsylvania National Guard Senior Enlisted Advisor, directing the Joint Emergency Operations Center during the Papal Visit to Philadelphia, a designated National Security Special Event. He helped lead 24/7 operations, planning and life-support coordination for more than 7,000 personnel.
He joined Tobyhanna in 2019 as the Security Operations Branch Chief before transitioning into his current position as the installation’s Emergency Management Specialist in 2023.
For Ahner, the mission is straightforward: protect Tobyhanna’s people, infrastructure and ability to accomplish its mission, but emergency management isn’t simply about responding when something goes wrong.
“While the public often associates emergency management with sirens and flashing lights, behind the scenes on any given day, I am updating emergency response plans, conducting vulnerability assessments, coordinating with local and federal mutual aid partners, and designing realistic training exercises,” said Ahner.
That behind-the-scenes work is what helps an installation remain prepared when circumstances change quickly. Emergency management personnel monitor weather and regional threats, coordinate with partner agencies and conduct exercises designed to identify vulnerabilities before they become problems.
Tobyhanna also maintains several systems designed to keep employees informed during an emergency, including the ALERT! mass notification system, the Giant Voice outdoor warning system and more. Those systems are only effective if employees know how they work and are prepared to respond when an alert is issued.
For Ahner, being prepared isn’t simply about owning an emergency kit. It is about developing the knowledge and confidence to act when circumstances are changing rapidly.
“To me, being prepared means having a state of operational readiness that minimizes panic when the unexpected occurs,” said Ahner. “It looks like a culture where safety is second nature, not an afterthought.”
That culture starts with the four basic actions of knowing your risk, making a plan, building a kit, and staying informed.
For members of Team Tobyhanna, knowing their risk means understanding the hazards they could encounter in the region, from severe winter weather to industrial emergencies. Making a plan means knowing evacuation routes, workplace rally points and how family members will communicate if normal communication methods are unavailable.
Building a kit means having basic supplies available before they are needed, including water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries and necessary medications. Staying informed means ensuring contact information is current in the installation’s ALERT! system so emergency notifications can reach employees when they matter most.
Of those steps, Ahner said there is one employees can take immediately.
“The single most impactful thing anyone can do right now is to verify and update their emergency contact and notification settings,” said Ahner.
That applies both at work and at home. Employees should ensure their information in ALERT! is current, while families should establish emergency contacts, enable local weather alerts and identify an out-of-area contact who can serve as a central point of communication if local networks become overwhelmed.
Ahner said that preparedness also means knowing your surroundings.
Employees should identify at least two ways out of their immediate work area and know the locations of nearby fire extinguishers, first aid kits and automated external defibrillators. They should also know where to shelter during severe weather and understand how that differs from an evacuation during an event such as a fire.
Understanding the difference between a watch and a warning, knowing where to go and recognizing what an emergency notification is asking you to do can save valuable time.
Employees should also familiarize themselves with Tobyhanna’s Emergency Action Plans, commonly referred to as the “Rainbow Flip Chart,” which provides guidance for responding to various emergencies.
Installation training opportunities can provide another layer of preparedness. Courses such as CPR/AED certification and Stop the Bleed training give employees practical skills they can use when professional help may not immediately be available.
Preparedness doesn’t stop at just the workplace. Families should have a plan that identifies evacuation routes, meeting locations and methods of communication if family members become separated. Plans should account for children, elderly relatives, and pets.
Ahner said having those decisions made in advance is particularly important because emergencies can make it difficult to think clearly.
“Emergencies create chaos, and chaos will spike our adrenaline and will degrade our ability to think clearly,” said Ahner. “A well-rehearsed plan acts as your pre-written roadmap, removing the guess work so you can act decisively.”
According to Ahner, one of the most common preparedness vulnerabilities is assuming technology will always be available.
Smartphones have made it easier than ever to find information, contact emergency services, and receive alerts, but a major emergency can also disrupt cellular service, internet access, or electricity. That makes a smartphone a useful tool, but a poor single point of failure.
Ahner recommends keeping physical copies of emergency contact information and family plans, along with basic backup equipment such as a battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio and backup power banks.
Those things may seem unnecessary during an ordinary day, but that’s precisely the point. Preparedness is about making sure those resources are already available when the ordinary is no longer an option.
National Preparedness Month serves as an annual reminder, but emergency preparedness is a year-round responsibility.
At Tobyhanna, the work of emergency management continues every day to identify risks, strengthen response plans and maintain the installation’s ability to operate through unexpected events. However, no emergency management program can succeed without an informed and prepared workforce.
Whether it is updating a phone number in ALERT!, learning two ways out of the workplace, putting together an emergency kit or simply talking with family about what they would do during an emergency, small actions taken today can make a significant difference tomorrow.
“The peace of mind that comes from knowing you have a plan, your equipment works, your communication channels are established, and you do not have to make critical decisions under extreme duress,” said Ahner.
When an emergency happens, being prepared shouldn’t be something you start doing, it should be something you already did.
Tobyhanna Army Depot is designated as the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, electronics, avionics, and missile guidance and control. TYAD provides cradle-to-grave lifecycle support through depot-level repair, systems integration, software and cyber engineering, and field support.
A key enabler of operational readiness for joint and allied forces globally, TYAD leverages new and emerging technologies to further expand the Department of War’s organic capabilities for microelectronics, secure communications infrastructure, unmanned aerial systems, joint all-domain command and control, integrated air and missile defense and the Army’s Next Generation Combat Systems.
TYAD’s ability to rapidly surge production, deploy field support teams and scale for contingency or theater-level operations makes it a vital contributor to strategic readiness and operational reach.
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