Chemical depot alert radios await distribution

This story was published Fri, Mar 17, 2000

By Terry Hudson
Herald Oregon bureau

HERMISTON - Although most of the tone alert radios have arrived from manufacturers, it could be weeks before they are distributed.

The radios are a vital component of the early warning system to warn residents in case of an emergency at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. The depot, seven miles west of Hermiston, stores 220,604 munitions and containers filled with 7.4 million pounds of deadly nerve and mustard agents. The Army plans to begin burning the weapons in an incinerator in October 2001.

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials still are working out distribution details with Radio Services Inc., the Kennewick company under contract by FEMA to distribute the radios to area residences and businesses in communities near the depot.

At Thursday's Citizen's Advisory Committee meeting in Hermiston, Bob Flournay, committee chairman, asked FEMA spokesman Jesse Siegel when he expected a significant number of the radios would be distributed. Distribution had been anticipated to begin by the middle of this month, but Siegel said it may take up to another four weeks to start.

"The background checks and drug testing has to come back before the contractor can hire people to distribute the radios," Siegel said. "There also has to be some training."

During the meeting it became apparent there were some sensitive issues. Committee member Wayne Thomas asked FEMA officials how distribution crews could be identified in the neighborhoods and if they would approach homes individually or in two-person teams.

Siegel said those issues were still being discussed with the contractor.

"The sensitivity of the public since Dec. 30 is very high," Thomas said. "If there are questions about the approach, it needs to be looked at soon. We can't get reports from people saying they don't know who these people are, and they don't trust them in their house. We can't have another failure."

Thomas was referring to the false alarm on Dec. 30 when sirens around town and highway reader boards were activated, warning residents of an emergency at the depot.

Terry Hobbs, a FEMA official from Washington, D.C., said: "This is viewed by headquarters as a No. 1 priority. It's true some of these should have been dealt with before. The point is, it's being done now and we have to look forward. We all agree there needs to be confidence in the system."

Casey Beard, the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program Coordinator for Morrow County, said he expects the final shipment of radios from Hong Kong to arrive by next month.

That would be the last of the 17,000 radios to be distributed.

In the event of a chemical emergency, the radios are designed to instruct residents on emergency procedures.

Those procedures could include sheltering in place or evacuation.

Residents will receive an information booklet and a laminated "quick operational guide" with their radio. Both pieces will be printed in both English and Spanish.

A Braille version also is being created.

 

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