Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Plans Needed For Disasters

Having a plan on what to do when a disaster hits was the message given to the Gurdon Rotary Club Thursday, July 24.

Jim McAlister, Arkadelphia City Manager, said having a disaster plan is critical. He said the documentation should identify key people and organizations, with what they are capable of doing should a disaster hit.

It is important to be flexible with the plan as each disaster is different. McAlister said the response to a tornado will be different than responding to a train derailment. Therefore, communities need people who can think on their feet and make snap decisions in emergency situations.

After the March 1 tornadoes ravaged Arkadelphia, the city government developed a book detailing what it did when the storms hit and how the people reacted. The book includes what was done right and what they did wrong.

McAlister said one person needs to be in charge of working with organizations and agencies to coordinate their efforts.

It is also important to remember some of the mundane details of day to day life such as getting everything in writing and keeping receipts. This type of documentation could prove valuable later on when trying to get reimbursed.

In Arkadelphia's case, the city's hand held radios were all knocked out by the tornadoes. This meant officials had to buy new ones. A representative from the Federal Emergency Management Agency gave verbal approval for the purchase, but later no one knew who had said it and the city had to absorb the cost of the radios.

McAlister said it is also important to keep up with those who volunteer. Once the emergency is over, he said, these people can be recognized for their efforts.

He also suggested having one person designated to deal with the media. This frees others to get essential work done while providing the press with the information it needs to inform the public of what's going on.

Another important detail, McAlister said, is where the command center will be located.

When the tornadoes hit Arkadelphia, the first command center was established in the parking lot of the Western Sizzlin restaurant. However, this was too far removed from where the damage was heaviest, so the center was moved to the fairgrounds.

Unfortunately, he said, there was only one entrance and exit at the fairgrounds. This led to bottleneck traffic.

The best idea, McAlister told the Rotarians, is to identify the outer limits of the disaster and establish a command center as close to this point as possible. This identification is also vital when the National Guard has to be brought in to help prevent looting.

Once the outer limits have been determined, a pass system needs to be developed to identify who should and should not be in the area. Those with passes would be allowed to go to their homes, if they lived in the affected region, and also identify emergency personnel.

Anyone without a pass would not be allowed in the disaster area. This cuts down on sightseers and possible looters.

He said it is a good idea to keep up with the cellular phone numbers of local leaders. When a disaster hits, someone needs to be in charge of getting the cell phone numbers of other officials, agencies and organizations.

It is also important to have access to auxiliary generators, flood lights, port-a-potties, barricades and waste containers when an emergency arises.

However, McAlister said the most important thing a community needs is an advance warning system, such as the emergency sirens Gurdon is trying to get with a one-half cent sales tax issue.

Residents of Arkadelphia had 20 minutes advance notice before the tornadoes hit on March 1. McAlister said without this notice the death rate could have been 60 or higher, instead of six.

This type of siren system gives people time to respond and find shelter.