Planning committee discusses power outage concerns

During an informal meeting of the Hot Springs County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) on Monday, members discussed the issues that can arise as the result of a power outage.

Emergency Management Coordinator Bill Gordon spoke with other emergency managers about the topic as well as others in the community. He noted what people need to remember with this particular topic is conversation needs to be kept under control. To that end, the committee began with a small outage scenario, one that would encompass one block in any direction from the stop light, for a period of two to four hours. The weather and forecast would be the same as it was on Nov. 4.

Among the concerns brought up were: traffic control, loss of power to streetlights, getting out information about the outage and downtown businesses not being able to conduct business as usual. It was further noted that loss of business as usual could lead to irate customers.

Other concerns were who is living in the residential areas and whether they’re power dependent or on oxygen, business and bank security, refrigeration and HVAC systems, lighting on lower levels — particularly at the museum — stretching law enforcement too thin, panicked phone calls and people losing cell phone power.

Gordon noted they came up with quite a few issues in just 10 minutes, but hadn’t hit all of them. Taking things a step further, the committee looked at concerns that could come if the outage lasted longer, for example 12 hours. Additional issues raised included loss of cold storage — which would also cause a need for people to consolidate multiple trips to a refrigerator or freezer into one.

When considering an action plan, Gordon said, it’s important to consider every aspect that an outage could impact. One consideration raised is that neighbors could work together to provide services for each other and the community. For instance, those with gas water heaters could supply hot water, and those who aren’t in the affected area or who have generators could provide additional heated areas or refrigeration capacities.

Shelly Fish pointed out that, if the outage were to happen in the severe cold, refrigeration would be less of an issue. However, she also noted an extended outage in freezing temperatures would cause water lines to break. Water lines would then have to be shut down, expanding the impacted well outside the one-block radius. Gordon added this is a good example of how something that might be considered a minor issue can suddenly “mushroom.”

A big point raised during the discussion is just how unprepared people are in an outage. The committee plans to continue discussion on outage concerns at their Jan. 13 meeting, and will expand the area and time of the scenario.

Also at the meeting, Catherine Crumpler noted the transition of WellSpring Counseling, being picked up and taken under administrative management by High Country Counseling. She further added that the LEPC has, in the past year or so, achieved involvement of most of the mental health players in emergency planning. She plans to follow up with Al Braaten to determine if there is a designee from High Country Counseling that can be involved.

Gehrig Haberstock, the disaster program manager for American Red Cross of Wyoming, presented information on a training opportunity for Hot Springs County, for family assistance and planning in mass fatality/casualty events.

A lot of the focus is on the initial incident or attack, and neutralizing that threat, Haberstock noted, and the Red Cross wants to bring to light that things continue to affect people after that initial threat. The organization has a mass casualty incident basics course that can lay the groundwork for caring for individuals that are impacted and the responders.