Dear Partners, Stakeholders, and Contributors,
It is with a heavy heart that the Maine Emergency Management Agency announces the decision to pause the Maine Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference for 2025. This decision was not made lightly, as we deeply value the connections and progress fostered through this annual event.
A variety of challenges have led us to this conclusion. Hosting a conference of this scale demands significant time and effort from our dedicated staff, who are already stretched thin managing critical day-to-day operations. Additionally, our agency faces financial constraints due to a challenging and uncertain federal funding environment, which has impacted our ability to prioritize large-scale initiatives like this.
Beyond these logistical and financial realities, we’ve also reflected on how best to meet the evolving needs of our audience. Feedback from past events has highlighted an opportunity to refine the focus of the conference to better serve those who most need actionable guidance on preparing for emergencies and disasters.
We understand that this news may come as a disappointment. Our hope is to return at some capacity with a renewed vision and approach, but when, where and how remains to be seen.
Thank you for your understanding and unwavering support of our mission.