Dear Colleagues,

I am honored and excited to invite you to my hometown, Cleveland, Ohio for the NEMA 2021 Annual Forum, October 12-15.

By the time we arrive in Cleveland it will have been two years since our last NEMA forum. We've all been through so much during that time but we are beginning to see a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Now is the time to look back with perspective, have candid discussions and plan for the future, and that begins in Cleveland.

The pandemic has taken a toll and continues to deeply impact our professional and personal lives, but it isn't the only issue to discuss. Wildfires, drought, flooding, hurricanes and other impacts of climate change are increasing the frequency and severity of disasters. We are also challenged by systemic inequity throughout our disaster programs.  These are serious and impactful issues, and we must lead in how they are addressed.

In working with NEMA Board of Directors we are committed to ensuring your time spent at the Annual Forum is successful, full of information but most of all SAFE! Health safety guidelines will be in place and enforced, including a mask requirement. We ask for your cooperation and understanding as some aspects of the forum will be different in order to keep all guests, staff and our host city of Cleveland as safe as possible.

NEMA is strong because of the participation by YOU the members – please help to strengthen and grow our professional association with your attendance and contributions at the Annual Forum.

Thanks for all you do every day as we continue to move emergency management to the next level.

Sima Merick, Director – Ohio Emergency Management Agency
NEMA 2019-2021 President

Forum meetings, meals and exhibits will take place at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. The Hilton Cleveland Downtown is the headquarter hotel for the forum and is connected to the convention center through a tunnel. 

The President's Reception will be held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a 10 minute walk (1000 steps) from the hotel. Limited bus transportation will be available but the walk is easy and a good way to get your steps in!

Registration will be at the Convention Center close to the meeting rooms and exhibit area. Participants will pick up their badge from registration in a contactless process. Hard copy handouts will not be available. All meeting materials, agendas, lists and so on will be posted to the NEMA website and in the forum app.

It is NEMA's intention to conduct a successful meeting while also keeping everyone as safe as possible. A great deal of thought and preparation has gone into determining the guidelines under which the meeting should proceed. We understand that some of these rules may seem overly cautious but under the circumstances the NEMA staff and leadership believe it's better to proceed with an abundance of caution. We ask for your cooperation, patience and understanding as we try to navigate a large meeting safely. All participants will be expected to follow the Safe & Successful Meeting Guidance and agree to the Code of Conduct, Terms and Conditions when you register. Please read them carefully and mindfully.

Here are some of the ways we'll be working to keep everyone safe:

• Exhibits Floor plan
• Shipping information
• Electrical ordering
• AV and other equipment ordering

• Submitting your registration and payment constitutes an agreement on your part to accept the NEMA Forum Code of Conduct, Terms and Conditions. PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY.

• Please reserve only the number of hotel rooms to accommodate confirmed forum attendees. Past forums have seen the room block fill very early, necessitating an overflow hotel be contracted, only to see large numbers of cancellations at the original hotel just prior to the forum. This makes NEMA vulnerable to fees for not meeting the room block and inconveniences other forum attendees who are forced to stay at different hotels. Your cooperation in this is appreciated. Payment in full prior to the forum is required. Credentials and forum materials will not be assigned to those with outstanding fees.
  
  
• Cancellations received in writing prior to September 24, 2021 will receive a refund less a $250 administration charge.
  
  
• Registration fees for cancellations received after September 24, 2021 will not be refunded.
  
  
• Registrations are transferable.
  
  
• You will be given a confirmation number at the end of your registration that serves as your proof of registration. If you do not receive a confirmation number, please contact NEMA as you will *NOT* be registered for the conference.