![[The Brazil Times nameplate]](http://www.thebraziltimes.com/images/nameplate.png)
|
|
Fair ~ High: 57°F ~ Low: 38°F |
|
'It will never happen here'
Posted Wednesday, October 15, 2008, at 9:16 AMRead comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
If summer was any indication of what type of problems this year's weather will bring, standby for winter.
My name is Bryan Husband and I am the Clay County Emergency Management Director. I have started this Blog for numerous reasons, but the main one is to pass along information as it becomes available and to keep the communication links open between emergency management and you. The title of this entry is an example of what the majority of society thinks about major disasters and emergencies that happen at home. I was told many years ago that the public emergency response personnel deal with everyday is either ignorant or indifferent. Although there may be a few that are ignorant about things that happen, that is not the norm. I do feel that a lot of people are indifferent, they know about disasters and emergencies, they feel compassion to the people involved, but they don't think it will ever happen to them. During the June flooding, I felt we were spared the tragedy that hit some of our neighboring counties. I was told about 400 homeowners applied for help from the floods in Clay County. Parke County had about 200, which was less than ours, but Vigo County had 4000. I can't say we were lucky but I can say it could have been much much worse. For the flood victims of our county, we may have some more help if FEMA funding left you a little short. We have started a Wabash Valley Long Term Recovery Coalition that may be able to help with construction issues (walls and floors with mold) and heating and cooling units that were damaged by flood waters. Contact me if you need further assistance from the June flooding. This was the first major disaster I have ever dealt with, and I want to do a lot better on the next one than this time. Please comment on this Blog, ask questions about emergency management and/or tell me what you want to hear about. I will tell you what I think is right, whether it is what you want to here or not. Bryan Husband/Director Clay County Emergency Management 611 E. Jackson St. Brazil, Indiana 47834 Office 812-446-2535 Ext 156 Fax 812-448-8400 Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
Hot topics Calling all HAM radio operators(3 ~ 10:40 PM, Jul 10)
Are we ready for what spring will bring!!
How prepared are we
'It will never happen here'
|
![[Feed icon]](http://www.thebraziltimes.com/images/icons/feed-icon-14x14.png){kind=icon}
In what way does the county interact with other EMA personnel when a disaster or emergency involves livestock or pets? In particular when it may involve protecting our agricultural food industry and food safety? Are there local animal health officials or volunteers trained in this area or does the county rely on personnel at the state level and/or has there been active coordination between Clay County and the state in order to be prepared for such emergency such as agri-terrorism or an outbreak of a communicable livestock disease disaster? I look at what happened several years ago in England, which is an island that made depopulation and containment easier but now the US federal government is talking about taking some of the livestock disease research off of the Plum Island facility and putting it on the mainland. How are we to contain it if a pathogen were to escape this facility without the natural barrier of being on an island? Thank you
My question is why no emer. responders or training in CLay CIty. Doesnt that cause a fire department to get less funding from the state? I think you should but on here when you have training. I know there are quite a few people in Clay City that are interested, but if you go to the Fire Chief for that info you will geet shot down. I ask hime about it 3 years ago & the man hasnt spoke to me sense. No lost though.
Jenny, I remember your visit to my office and still have your contact information, I will reply to you today.
As far as animal emergencies we do have a rescue team in our district and it is operated through vet's with the Board of Animal Health. We are planning an exercise this fall/winter to do a large animal rescue. We are using the district concept to have response teams for different types of emergencies available within our area. We are in District 7, Clay, Greene, Sullivan, Owen, Parke, Putman, Vermillion and Vigo comprises this district. Not every county can support the many different types of rescue teams that may be needed so the district concept helps us have that service available.
We also have a CEMP, Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, it was scheduled for updating this year but the flooding event that we are still dealing with has delayed that process
We have monthly district task force meeting in the Terre Haute area and if you would like to attend these please let me know, they are usually the first Wednesday of every month but the location varies.
kd323, thanks for your question.
Because it says Emergency Management does not mean I, or the county, control management of the local fire departments; that responsibility belongs to the local fire chief, their board of directors, or funding entity. It is up to them to determine what services will be provided to their community. In Clay County there are 10 fire departments, of these departments 6 are certified as Basic Life Support, (BLS units carry everything a basic ambulance carries), that service is part of what they feel they can provide with the funding they receive for fire protection. Most of the fire departments certified or not, still respond to medical calls to help in any way they can. Almost every fire department in Clay County has some medical trained personnel even if they are not a certified provider.
Clay County Search and Rescue is also a certified BLS provider but are not considered a fire department.
Most of the funding for all these agencies comes from local funds, township or city government, and not from the state.
I cannot answer why some departments are certified to provide more services than the others do. I do know some departments are working to provide more services, but it is a longer process than most people think it takes to accomplish.
Thanks I was just wondering . I know my father a retireed vol. fireman was always taking training I just wondered when there is so much training adv. why not take advantage. Also do you have to be serch & rescue or a fireman to take first responder & can you tell me how & where you can sign up? thanks
I want to say first that this is not any sort of accusation towards any EMA agency at any level but just to try to find out if the public can REALLY rest at ease, thinking that all aspects have been worked out when I don't personally think they have been nor do certain levels of government act to reduce possible incidences but are making decisions that will possibly increase the chances of an emergency in the future.. I am still having a problem with figuring out how the county and state mesh together and exactly where each thinks the other fits in. This graph looks at an emergency that has been deemed so from the top but what if it is discovered at county level first? The state vet comes in quite low on the graph if your local ASERT volunteers are only called in when state gets involved. Are ASERT people called something else at state level??
See attachment:
http://www.in.gov/boah/files/WhatHappens... This is from the BOAH web site.
Who on your county team is the contact person who can correctly identify that it is in fact an animal emergency so SAVE can be called in and proper containment can occur before a communicable livestock disease spreads so far that it cannot be contained? I don't mean to be an alarmist here but truly want to know that all who are on board are fully aware of what happened in UK with the foot and mouth outbreak just a few years ago which could have a much larger impact in the US since the US is not an island like the UK is. Also ALL need to be aware of congress's and Bush's moves to put research that has been formerly contained to an island onto the mainland in the US. Read about it if you haven't heard about it:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/...
From where I sit, a lot of money has been spent but we still aren't there as far as some of the various levels of agencies talking to each other as well as congress acting without the benefit of knowledge from the veterinary community who have been working on Plum Island for years and know about local accidents from the labs on the island that have been contained BECAUSE it is an island.
Livestock are an important part of our economy and we have just not done enough in my opinion on any level to safeguard it and the public needs to put pressure on all from congress on down to assure that we are and to test the gaps in the current system. Better to know now than later when something happens. WE can all write to congressmen about the Plum Island thing and we can ask for details on how the different EMA agencies link together to make sure all the t's are crossed and i's dotted. Have a good day.
kd323
If you would like to take some of the medical training just send me your e-mail, mine is listed with my blog, and I will let you know when classes are in the county. Most of the firefighters have to pay for there own classes so there may be a fee but that information will be included with the e-mail. Thanks for your comments
Bryan, is there any way that we can be volunteer EMA personnel? I'm just sure if we have something big there would be a need for a list of volunteers you could call on. Sign me up!