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April 17, 2008

Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting

Minutes April 17, 2008

Members attending were Don Button, Richard Everett, Dan Bynum, Anita Alvarado, Randy McCauley, Ruben Flores, Richard Banes, Beverly Myers, Al Baker, Jim Spooner, Roger Gardner, Alan Olson, Jeff Baier, Ramona Fonseca-Nava and Sharon Phelps.

Meeting was called to order at 12:01 pm, by Chairman Button. Introductions were done by members. Minutes of the March 20, 2008 were discussed, with Al Baker making a motion to approve the minutes, and Beverly Myers seconded. Motion carried.

Don discussed the new Local Emergency Operations Plan. Don went over the Emergency Support Functions, advising which departments were involved with those functions and that they needed to look over their responsibilities to make sure they were correct. Don advised that most of the departments had a password to get on line to look and correct their sections. Don also said if they needed help to come to his office and they would work on it together. Don has sent this to the State to look at to make sure it met all of the NIMS (National Incident Management System) guidance and it has been approved by the state. As soon as the departments agree with what has been written, Don will get the signature pages signed, and send a copy to the state.

Don showed the committee a copy of the Citizen Preparedness brochures, which the SW Regional Council had prepared for the 18 counties in our region.

Don discussed with the committee about narrow-banding of public safety radio communications. Don said that all of the radio frequencies used in our county will have to be narrow-banded by 2013. Many of the radios and repeaters used now will not work on the new narrow-banded frequencies. Don has requested that each department put together a list of radio and repeaters used by each department (make, model, number on hand, number needed, mobile, hand held) and get to him as he is developing a plan to start changing over radios now to help offset the cost of doing this at one time. Some of the departments have radios that will work with narrow-banding but once they have requested a narrow-band frequency, only those with narrow banded radios will be able to communicate with each other.

Resource Typing was discussed with the committee. Part of being NIMS compliant is resource management. Using FEMA guidelines, all counties are to type their resource (equipment), to be better prepared to respond to disasters locally, regionally, or state wide.

An update on the CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training was given. Twelve (12) local citizens attended the first training April 11, 12, and will finish their required 20 hours training April 25, 26.

Ramona Fonseca-Nave advised that Bob Wilson Hospital would be participating in a Regional exercise April 25^th in Garden City. They were also working on getting their employees trained in ICS 100 & ICS 200. They were also updating their hospital plan.

Anita Alvarado and Richard Everett stated that the health department was working on a food borne illness exercise for their regional health departments, which include, Grant, Stanton, Morton, Stevens and Seward counties.

Al Baker advised that Columbia Chemical had completed the ISO certification for the plant.

The next meeting for the LEPC will be May 21, 2008 (correction May 15, 2008) at the Fire Station at noon. Don said that he would send out reminders before the next meeting, and would need an RSVP, as he would furnish Pizza for lunch.

Don invited the members to look over the Hazmat and Communications trailers that Grant County has before leaving.

Ruben Flores made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Roger Gardner. Motion carried

Meeting adjourned at 1:00pm

Don Button, Chairman