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Grant County Local Emergency Planning Committee

Minutes June 17, 2010

 

Don Button called the meeting to order at 12:06 PM with eight members present and two guests.   Members present Don Button, Jerry Deckert, Sheila Brown, Richard Everett, Roger Gardner, Vivian Button, and Keith Henderson.  Gene Pflughoft and Aaron Hickert were guests.

 

Jerry Deckert made a motion to accept the minutes to the last meeting as distributed.  Motion seconded by Sheila brown.   Motion carried.

 

Don went to an Interoperable Communication meeting in Wichita with state and federal representatives.  They discussed the National plan.  They want all 105 counties to do capability assessments and set up a contact person.  This will be discussed at the Regional Councils.  Each county has to demonstrate the use of the communications we have either by an exercise or actual event from 2008 to current. You have to have documentation to prove this was done. They will also look at Performance Data and roles and responsibilities. There is also a survey to fill out with 14 elements and 31 pages questions.  The county has to receive 60% or above to be eligible for grants. Jason Moses with the Kansas Interoperable Communication will be coming to the Regional Councils to assist with this information.  Department of Homeland Security was asked ?What if do not do this??  They said you could lose grant funds.  The main problem with this like everything else from DHS is they look at communities with 100,000 or more population and not the rural areas. 

 

Grant County Fair will be July 17 to July 24. Grant County Fire, EMS and Emergency Management will have booth at the fair.  Jerry Deckert stated ?EMS hopes to be in the parade but they also have to be at a rodeo standby and make sure an ambulance is available for call.  It is hard to get out of the parade and go to a call if it becomes necessary?

 

The group was asked to look at the available training from Kansas Emergency Management and see what they would like to have brought to our region.  Keith Henderson stated he would like to see the MGT-332 - Agriculture and Food Vulnerability Assessment Training Course brought to our region.  Don also stated we could set up ICS300 and ICS 400 classes.

 

Human Services in Disaster Summit will be held in Topeka on July 15 and 16. This is a free conference with training.

             

Dr. Bill Brown, Livestock Commissioner will be in area the week of July 5th.  He is originally from this area.

 

The Regional Council did not meet this month, but they are still working on getting all of the grant funds spent.   As part of the 800 MHz radio project, the Kearny County Tower which has Grant County also, has been digitalized and is now functioning.

EMS or anyone with the 800 radio should be able to talk to Ulysses from Wichita or other areas of the state.  We will try to set up some evening meetings with the emergency responders to go over how the radios work.

 

Mitigation plan update, we are waiting on the City of Ulysses and USD 214 paperwork.  Then we will set up public meeting for the plan.

 

We are working on the Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans for county, thru the State of Kansas program on line. We are looking at July 8, 9 or 19 to set up the second COOP training.

 

Keith Henderson, State Regional Coordinator, stated Kansas Emergency Management e-mail is down and they are working on the problem.   About three weeks ago a Business and Industry Summit was held in Salina, It was very good. The first day was spent at Crisis City. Crisis City is a training area for the state. It has areas set up for train accidents, chemical spills, tower high rescue, and a village or town area for search and rescue. They are working on a new rubble pile for search and rescue and a block valve for pipeline training. At the summit Salina Fire Department came and demonstrated a railcar chemical spill, from the time it was discovered thru decontamination and until it was completed.  Crisis City was modeled after Disaster City at Texas A&M.

 

Richard Everett and Sheila Brown with the Health Department stated that H1N1 has not gone a way. Sheila stated the health department still has vaccine available.  This fall the H1N1 vaccine should be in the regular flu vaccine. 

 

Aaron Hickert with BP stated they are going to be doing some training exercises soon.

 

Roger Gardner with Pioneer communication stated they are still laying new fiber mostly around Lakin.

 

The Natural Gas leak from yesterday was discussed.  Everyone was glad no one got hurt.  Lightning struck a tank battery disposal site, Sunday morning. The company emergency number was called but no answer. It was later found that the information on the sign was incorrect. The group discussed how important the signage to show who owns the pipeline and wells and who to call in an emergency are, especially to the First Responders.

 

Sheila Brown stated they are busy doing kindergarten physicals and immunizations. They are also planning a retirement party for Sharon Phelps on July 1.  They have completed their requirements for their Bioterrorism Grants.

 

Jerry Deckert with Grant County Emergency Medical Service stated they have an Advanced Cardiac Life Support class scheduled for August 13 and 14. If they have enough people interested in the class they may schedule another.  Last week an Emergency Pediatric Care class was held and locally 4 EMS personnel became instructors and 16 new instructors throughout southwest Kansas.  Jerry Jo also stated to dress your children in the brightest swimming suit you can find.  Some colors blend in with the pool and it is difficult to see children at the bottom of the pool.  

 

Next meeting date is July 15, 2010

 

Motion to Adjourn made by Sheila Brown. Motion seconded by Jerry Deckert.

Time Adjourned 12:51PM

 

Minutes Respectfully submitted by Vivian Button