Health Dept.

June 28, 2007

Wahkiakum County commissioners agreed Tuesday to act on two emergency planning proposals in July meetings.

Sandi Benbrook-Rieder, emergency planning coordinator for Wahkiakum Health and Human Services, recommended two actions—formation of an emergency management council and authorization of a set of classes for county employees and the public on how to plan for continuation of their particular business or service during a disaster.

Benbrook-Rieder said a recent survey of county employees showed that about 16 percent had a family plan for dealing with emergencies.

She recommended a series of classes be offered so that county employees and members of the public could develop strategies for dealing with disasters.

“All county employees may be required to respond in some fashion during an emergency or disaster,” she said. “Taking the step to prepare at home, work and school is very important in reducing stress during the initial phases of disasters.”

The state Department of Emergency Management would furnish materials for the classes, she said.

Commissioners said they would study the proposal and act on it at their July 3 meeting.

The training would fit in with Benbrook-Rieder’s other proposal to form a Continuity of Operations Plan for use during major emergencies such as an earthquake or epidemic.

The operations plan would identify essential services that must be restored and operate during a disaster.

“Essential services are those functions and capabilities that must be restored within the first 12 hours after a major disaster,” she said.

Commissioners said they would act on the proposal at their July 10 meeting.