Firm to study emergency management at depot

This story was published Tue, May 2, 2000

By Mary Hopkin
Herald Oregon bureau

The same Louisiana company contracted to help communities surrounding the Umatilla Chemical Depot meet national guidelines for emergency preparedness was awarded another state contract Monday.

Oregon awarded Innovative Emergency Management Inc. a new contract to "study and propose improvements to the emergency management system" in the depot area, according to a company news release.

Staci Boudreaux, a spokeswoman for the company, said the state issued the new contract in response to public concern over a Dec. 30 incident in which off-depot Oregon alarms accidentally sounded.

"We are very excited about conducting this study for Oregon," said Madhu Beriwal, president of Innovative Emergency. "It is an essential step in the state's comprehensive plan to bolster its emergency management system and restore public confidence in the system."

The study is expected to recommend changes to the organizational structure, administrative processes, training, policies and equipment that comprise the Umatilla emergency management system.

Beriwal's company previously was contracted by the state to help the community become certified under Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program, or CSEPP, guidelines, said Tom Worden, public information coordinator for Oregon Emergency Management.

CSEPP is the federally funded program to prepare the area surrounding the depot for a possible accidental release of the deadly nerve agents stored at the depot near Hermiston. The Army is building an incinerator there now to destroy the nerve agents.

Innovative Emergency has developed possible chemical release scenarios to test the community's emergency response efforts and make sure the community is prepared.

Each scenario includes the release of a specific nerve agent and common local wind directions and speed. Based on those elements, Innovative Emergency has made conclusions on which areas would be affected, how many people would be at risk and how long emergency services would have to notify those people.

Emergency operations response is being prepared and tested on those scenarios.

Boudreaux said Oregon selected Innovative Emergency for the new project because of the success of the other project.

"Over the last 10 years, IEM has developed a comprehensive set of unique analysis tools and processes specifically for analyzing protection issues related to the chemical stockpiles," Beriwal said. "Our knowledge of emergency management and its application to technological hazards allows us to meet our customers' need for comprehensive analysis and quick turnaround."

But it's questionable whether the counties will use the results of Beriwal's new study when it's complete, said Casey Beard, Morrow County emergency manager.

Beard said the counties already are working on proposals to improve emergency management.

"We'll look at their recommendations and if they meet our tenements, then we would go along with them," Beard said.

The recommendations, which Beard said will soon go before both Morrow and Umatilla county commissioners for approval, will ask for greater local control and more involvement for cities and first responders.

Perhaps the most important factor would be making sure the counties have more control over the money spent for CSEPP.

"Congress mandated the program and put weapons there for national defense, and we have hosted those for them," Beard said. "It's only equitable that we get the money so counties to have to use general funds for the program."

 

Copyright 2002 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.