The Federal Emergency Management Agency has named a 21-person New England regional advisory council that includes an Alstead, New Hampshire selectman who helped the town deal with severe flooding.
Joel McCarty is from Alstead, which was ravaged by the floods in 2005. New Hampshire Governor John Lynch and Adjutant General Kenneth Clark also are on the council. Lynch is an honorary co-chair.
The council is charged with reviewing preparedness, protection, response and recovery programs to identify weaknesses and recommend improvements. A primary goal of the council will be to improve communication and understanding among the various organizations involved in emergency management and response in New England.
The first meeting is on Tuesday in Boston.