Gem County LEPC
October 18, 2016
Meeting Minutes
Laurie Boston, SWDH
Curt Christensen, City Fire
Mike Knittel, City Systems Admin
Gordon Petrie, Mayor
Gary Scheihing, Emmett Police
Anita Taylor, Emergency Mgr
Ricky Bowman, SWDH
Abra Dodson, GCRD
Bonnie LaBonte, EM Assistant
Mark Rekow, Commissioner
Ken Sheldon, Gem Co. EMS
Joanna Taylor, Gem Co. EMS
Rick Welch, Gem Fire 1/EMS Dir.
Bill Butticci, Commissioner
Bruce Evans, Public Works
Dale Nalder, ID OEM
Lisa Resinkin, Dispatch
Paul Standley, ITD
Dennis Weaver, Ola Community
Meeting called to order by Rick Welch at 8:30.
September meeting minutes were approved.
• Motion to approve, Curt Christensen; second, Anita Taylor
Presentation - Looking Glass Academy:
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Report on a 2-day study done by 20 community members to identify how walkable Emmett is.
o Identified ideal conditions for walking and/or bicycling, and also identified areas where
challenges/hazards are located.
o Discussed policies and design parameters, took part in walking audits, and training modules.
o Gem County chosen because of Mayor’s involvement in getting local citizens out of their
vehicles to walk or bike.
o Study included evaluating safe routes to schools.
o “Walkability“ improves health of citizens and economy.
o Emmett’s sidewalks are in great need of repair, working with Public Works to correct.
o 3 year strategic plan proposed to improve walking routes to school.
o Techniques shared to allow compliance with standards for safe walking routes.
o Other experiences pointed to additional areas for improvement.
o Problems for wheelchair users were identified by having study participants try to maneuver a
chair across a street.
o Training walks included testing the timing of traffic lights.
Great Idaho Shakeout – Anita Taylor
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October 20th, yearly exercise to prepare for what to do if an earthquake occurs.
o Register to participate at: http://www.shakeout.org/idaho/resources/
There are several good videos for different earthquake scenarios at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSDmqLQmMN0&list=PLs1gMujRSBY2t7JB4VS-AymFwN-6Lvg20.
If not able to actually practice on October 20th, take a few minutes to think about how you would react
if an earthquake were to hit at that moment.
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General Reports:
Bill Butticci, Commissioner:
• Update on the need to upgrade the dispatch center.
• Lisa Resinkin: We don’t need to take action at this time. The State is not ready with the needed
equipment and there are no other counties that we need to link to yet. Gem County dispatch has the
most up-to-date equipment at this time and will not need to take any action for the next 5 or 6 years.
Mark Rekow, County Commissioner:
• Inspection of the new roof on the jail found one area that still leaked, but it was not a big problem,
project came in on time and within budget.
• Attended a 10 county meeting on the problems left by the Pioneer fire. Still discussing the salvaging of
the burnt lumber, erosion will now be a factor to deal with.
• I-11 project, proposed by Humboldt County, NV, will build a highway from Mexico to Canada. This
could impact the Twin Falls area or possibly the Canyon/Payette areas.
Bruce Evans, Emmett Public Works:
• Getting ready for winter.
• Office move is complete, old site has been offered to first responders for training facility.
• Shoring protection training being considered, in conjunction with Police and Sheriff’s departments.
Ricky Bowman, SWDH:
• Idaho Childcare Program, which creates the rules and regulations for licensed child care facilities, has
instituted a requirement for every individual providing care for 6 or more children to have an allhazard emergency plan. Plan to cover natural disasters, infectious diseases, shelter-in-place, etc.
Paul Standley, ITD:
• Report on ITD projects
o Railroad crossing repair is complete.
o Guardrail work continuing.
o Crack sealing on Hwy 52/Washington scheduled.
o Preparing for winter.
o Training, classes ongoing.
• One less person on response crew this year.
• Dispatch needs advance warning of long term projects to put them on the map.
• Cameras at temporary stoplights on road construction sites are monitored. Phone number for
monitoring company would be beneficial for dispatch to be able call ahead and warn of arrival of first
responder units.
Dale Nalder, Idaho Office of Emergency Management:
• Each department needs to identify what type of information they need to operate in an emergency
situation and what information they need to pass on to partners during that same situation.
o What do you need to share and what doesn’t need to be passed on.
• What is the point at which you need to pass information to your first responders or the hospital or to
the EOC or to dispatch. And, what information do they need to function.
Ken Sheldon, Gem County EMS:
• 1807 calls responded to this year, 17% increase in volume.
• Completed class with Sweet – everyone is now certified.
• Fill the truck, Stuff the Ambulance on 11/18 and 11/19, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, at Albertson’s and Bi-Mart.
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Laurie Boston, SWDH:
• Get your Flu shot.
• Prescription drug collection, Saturday, at the Weiser hospital and Fruitland St. Luke’s facility.
• Locally transmitted ZIKA found in Florida. Advisory against travel to this area.
• West Nile winding down
• Source for E-coli in South Nampa wells has still not been identified, tests still coming in.
• Triangle restaurant won the Food Merit award from the Health District.
• Active Shooter exercise in Caldwell had over 90 attendees, 6 from Emmett.
o A. Taylor: Hospital has security cameras for incidents like this, need to make sure that dispatch
has access to those cameras.
Gary Scheihing, Emmett Police Chief:
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Halloween approaching, drive carefully.
Mike Knittel, Emmett City Systems Administrator:
• Portable call center received.
• LEPC demonstration once programming is complete.
Curt Christensen, Emmett City Fire Chief:
• 16 calls last month, average of 9 firefighters per call with a 4.5 minute response time.
• Received grant for a forcible entry prop for training has been approved. Prop available for loan to
other first responders.
• Received grant for cutters (auto steel).
• Waiting for approval for new brush truck (Brush 2).
• Bringing in an instructor for modern firefighting methods in January/February.
• Working with PD on how they can assist when they are first on scene.
Rick Welch, Gem County Fire #1 District:
• 21 calls last month, 11 grass fires, 7 extrications and 3 EMS assists.
• Trunk or Treat on October 31, 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
• Bruce Evans: Offer to come out on a drill night to demonstrate the correct procedure for shutting off
the new fire hydrants. Overtightening causes problems and will allow the hydrant to leak.
• New command vehicle has 60 gallons of water and 5 gallons of foam, running on high pressure and
100 ft of hose. This allows a quicker response to take place before the bigger fire truck arrives.
Anita Taylor, Gem County Emergency Manager:
• LEPC minutes and agendas on LEPC e-mail. Bonnie has taken on the LEPC Secretary duties of sending
these out.
• Gem County Office of Emergency Management now has a Face Book page.
• Great Shake Out page has multiple resources for different groups – family, business, schools, etc.
• Next meeting will be LEPC Leadership, discussing use of grant moneys.
Next meeting is Tuesday, November 15, 2016.
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