Auburn, Kent, Renton and southwest King County chambers of commerce will conduct an Emergency Preparedness Symposium on Sept. 23.

The conference will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the ShoWare Center, 625 W. James St., Kent.

The symposium is about raising awareness about the potential threat of flooding by the Green River this winter and have plans in place to continue their operations, said Bill Taylor, president of the Renton Chamber of Commerce.

The concern exists because a support abutment of the Howard Hanson Dam was damaged in last winter’s massive storms, reducing the dam’s storage capacity.

“We don’t want to scare people,” said Taylor. “We just want to make sure they are aware.”

Preparation includes purchasing flood insurance before floodwaters are lapping at your doorstep, Taylor said. Typically, it takes about 30 days for flood insurance to go into effect.

A plan to continue business operations is needed even if a business is located above the ground-floor level of a building, he said, because a flood could take out utilities. The same is true for businesses and residences above the valley.

“If the valley floods, the power will be down for a considerable amount of time,” he said.

Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Puget Sound Energy, FEMA and Washington State Business Continuity and Planning will be on hand to address concerns and answer questions.

There will be breakout sessions with respective cities as they discuss the threat of possible flooding in the Green River Valley in wake of repairs being made at Howard Hanson Dam.

To make reservations, contact Nancy Wyatt, president, Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce, at 253-833-0700 or Nancy@AuburnAreaWA.org.