Probe set to find cause of depot false alarm

This story was published Fri, Feb 18, 2000

By Terry Hudson
Herald Oregon bureau

HERMISTON - A 60-day independent investigation into the cause of the Dec. 30 false alarm that warned area residents of a chemical emergency at the Umatilla Chemical Depot is about to begin.

Stephanie Hallock, an aide to Gov. John Kitzhaber, made the announcement Thursday night during the Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission meeting at Good Shepherd Community Hospital.

"The investigation will begin on Feb. 29 and shall be finished by the end of April," Hallock said.

Hallock read from a letter written by Wayne Kinney, a staffer from the office of U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Kinney organized a group of officials from the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program, Oregon Emergency Management and the Army which set the scope of the investigation.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency contracted Bell-Atlantic for the investigation.

Bob Grow, a director of preparedness training for FEMA, didn't have the exact cost of the contract Thursday, but estimated it to be between $100,000 and $125,000.

"It's probably at the low end of that," Grow said. "I was less concerned about the cost than in getting the investigation under way."

Grow said the money is being provided through FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and will not affect FEMA funding to the state and local levels.

The investigation will cover several components of the Alert & Notification System.

"The group wants the investigation to be as broad as possible," Grow said. "It's not just about equipment. It will involve people, training, software and maintenance. They will look at everything necessary to make the system operational and acceptable.

"The investigators are being asked to have a report with recommendations within 60 days. The objective will be that everyone receives the same information at the same time, so no findings are sent out in advance."

On Dec. 30, sirens and reader boards warning of a chemical emergency were activated. At that time, a Morrow County CSEPP employee was attempting to activate a Boardman reader board from the Heppner Emergency Operations Center to warn about icy road conditions.

 

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