Evaluation of depot's notification system starts

This story was published Wed, Mar 1, 2000

By Terry Hudson
Herald Oregon bureau

HERMISTON - The independent evaluation of the Alert & Notification System kicked off Tuesday when federal, state and county emergency management officials met with the main investigator.

Tony Rubal, a program manager with Bell Atlantic, met with about 20 representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Oregon Emergency Management and members of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program at the Hermiston Armory.

Rubal will head a 60-day evaluation of the entire system. The evaluation was called for because of several incidents in the past six months - the most notable of those being the Dec. 30 incident in which sirens and recorded messages falsely warned area residents of the Umatilla Chemical Depot of a chemical emergency.

"I haven't met any of you before, so I have no set, preconceived notions," Rubal said. "This is a tough job. We have 60 days to evaluate and correct the system with your help and input."

FEMA is contracting with Bell Atlantic for the investigation at a cost of up to $125,000.

Bob Grow, the director of preparedness training for FEMA Region 10, said the money is being provided through FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and will not affect state or local FEMA money.

About 3,717 tons of lethal nerve agents are stored at the depot - about 12 percent of the nation's stockpile of chemical weapons.

The evaluation of the warning system will include aspects of the entire Alert & Notification System including personnel, training, procedures, systems management, maintenance, programming and equipment hardware and software.

Equipment to be evaluated will include the warning sirens, the control units that activate the sirens and voice messages, the highway message reader boards, tone alert radios and phone communication systems.

"It's a very aggressive schedule, but I feel it can be done in that time period," Rubal said after the meeting. "The schedule should be met with the cooperation of the people here. That's the key to the whole process, and I don't think that's going to be a problem."

Wayne Kinney, a field representative from Sen. Ron Wyden's office, organized a group of officials from the CSEPP, Oregon Emergency Management and the Army, which set the scope of the investigation.

"We want all of the parties to have the results at the same time," Kinney said. "When the report is finished, we'll have another meeting and everybody will get a copy for the first time. Whether FEMA or Bell Atlantic hands it out - either one is fine with me."

A few CSEPP officials briefly spoke during Tuesday's meeting, including Chris Brown, the region's CSEPP coordinator for Oregon Emergency Management.

"You have our full cooperation with this investigation," Brown told Rubal. "Any recommendations you have in your report will be taken care of as soon as resources allow.

"The public confidence can only be restored by looking at the operation system. Your final report is one of the most important steps in restoring our credibility with the public."

Meg Capps, the Umatilla County CSEPP coordinator, also was on hand.

"We realize there are flaws in our system," Capps said. "We want to evaluate it as soon as possible so residents around the depot are protected if the unlikely should occur."

Rubal stressed the evaluation is not designed to point fingers.

"There are things here that obviously work and work well," Rubal said. "This will not be a one-sided, negative report. During the process, we will identify those parts that are doing a good job. That goes with the requirement of restoring confidence in the system.

"I'm going to be as impartial as can be. I have the utmost respect for the people living around the depot. I will be as open as I can."

Rubal was planning to take part of the day Tuesday to set up an office at the depot, and he said he would like to visit the Emergency Operation centers in Hermiston, Pendleton, Heppner and at the depot.

"With your help, we can work through this and come up with an evaluation," Rubal said.

 

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