Table Top exercise brings a plan for disaster

BONNERS FERRY — Practice makes perfect ... and for first responders, practice means planning.

To establish a set plan in the event of a major fire, first responders came together for a May 18 tabletop exercise which brought the fire departments from Bonner and Boundary counties together with the Sheriff’s Offices and dispatchers at the Great Northwest Territories Event Center.

The exercise began with a real life scenario, utilizing the Parker Ridge Fire, which happened on Aug. 15, 2015. It started with a house fire during the dry season, and then escalated quickly with wind and thick, dry brush and trees, bringing the need for nearby residents to evacuate.

The dispatchers discussed how they would handle the call, including who to send and who needed to be notified of the situation. For example, while the firefighters work to contain the blaze, the Sheriff’s officers would notify nearby residents about the situation and assist in evacuating both people and animals, and where they were going to go as needed.

Crews would keep a keen eye on the wind speed and direction, both short and long term, in order to anticipate potential threats and provide quick responses. There would also be personnel assigned to public safety, allowing community members to assist under safe conditions, or barring entry to hazardous conditions.

There was an in-depth discussion as to what resources were available and how to obtain additional resources. There was also a discussion about water carrying aircraft, and which nearby bodies of water that were large enough to draw from, as well as funding for extra resources.

The main reason for the Table Top exercise was to allow the various branches of responders to communicate ahead of time and discuss a plan, touching mainly on communication and jurisdiction.

Similar to a family having a fire evacuation plan for their home, having a plan for a large scale fire is imperative.

Also discussed were power outages in relation to those who need machines for medical reasons and how to contact those residents. There was also discussion about communicating with hearing and sight impaired individuals and how first responders can handle those situations, as well as available avenues to notify the public about the situation.

see PLAN, A8

In the case that a fire jumps over the highway, there was stress about visibility through the smoke, how and when to shut down the highway, who to contact, and who enforces the closure, as well as plans for how to avoid that outcome and how to overcome it.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to get to know our counterparts and who we are working with, we don’t get to see all these people all the time, so getting to know your partners is important,” said South Boundary Fire Chief Tony Rohrwasser.

The exercise went into thorough detail about any and all aspects of a disaster and everything that can go wrong, so that all responders would be able to communicate and know what to do.