The 48th Annual Kansas Emergency Management Association Conference being held in Junction City this week saw a larger crowd this year compared to last year.

Garry Berges, Geary County Emergency Management Director explained that they have more than 175 people registered for this years conference, up 10 or 15 from last years conference held in Topeka.

“We’ve got probably about 90 percent of the counties in the state represented. Some of them, for one reason or another, some of them are part time Emergency Managers and have other full time jobs. If something else is going on in the county, that takes precedent over this,” says Berges.

The conference is being held at the Geary County Convention Center and Courtyard by Marriot.

Thursday’s conversations had to do with communication, and the changes in communication, especially through social media.

Berges said that the biggest thing he is taking away from the conference is the networking he is able to do.

“The local, state, and federal personnel. We need to be able to communicate before an incident so when an incident happens we know who we’re talking to. We have that face to face connection and we know how each other work, our capabilities, what we have available and how to contact each other.”

The conference continues through Friday morning. It will be held in Junction City for another two years and Berges has heard nothing but good things about the location.