Meeting Minutes
November 5, 2008
Present Tony Rohrwasser, SBFD; John Moss, CCVFD; Barry Coleman, LDS Church; Cynthia Taggart, PHD; Jay Baker, ID-BHS; Rick Alonzo, BFPD; Rich Stephens BCSO; Tish Lagerwey, CBP; Deanna Galbraith, Boundary Comm. Hospital; Joel Minor, BFPD; John Youngwirth, City of Bonners Ferry, Linda Mc Fadden, Forest Service; Jock Johnson, PVFD; Pat Warkentin, BFFD; Wesley Portry, SBFPD; Ken English; MSFD, Chet Savage, FVFD; Chris Lund,IDL, Dustin Kralik, ISP, Susan Bowman, Valence Communications.
Next meeting: December 3, 2008 0800, Bonners Ferry Visitors Center Meeting Room
Tony Rohrwasser brought the meeting to order at 0805. Tony has 3-4 items for the agenda this morning. The recent PIO class that Cynthia Taggart, John Moss, Dave Kramer and Tony attended, Cynthia was also one of instructors, various media organizations attended and was very help with tips for dealing with the public. On
November 15,2008 there will be a Joint Information Committee Functional Exercise in Coeur d’Alene, from 8-12, lunch will be included, everyone is welcome to attend. Please contact Cynthia or Tony if you need further information.
The E- 911 Communication fee, was passed at the recent election, a $1.oo surcharge will added to each phone line and the county commissioners may add another $.25 to this charge. Once all the details are worked out and it is put into place it will be a huge asset to the county.
Tony and Tish Lagerwey met with Regional Dist. Central Kootenay recently, they came back with questions from that meeting. The main one being, that if a disaster (wildfire etc.) were to happen in Canada and people needed to be evacuated, how would this be handled? For now, it is thought that they would be sent as far as Mt. Hall junction and then re-routed back to Canada by way of Eastport or Porthill. The sheriff’s office and Border Patrol would primarily be in charge of this as well as Red Cross if needed. Forest Service campsites and campgrounds will be evacuated by the sheriff’s office, not by the Forest Service.
Rich Stephens inquired about the Pack River fire Dist., Tony has spoke with them and as it stands right now, Tony has cancelled the Mutual Agreement with them.
Linda McFadden from the Forest Service spoke about the Conference she attended and forest fire management. At next month’s meeting she will have a video presentation.
Tony Rohrwasser South Boundary Fire now has an ambulance that can respond in the Naples area, it has been a great contribution to that end of the county.
Dustin Kralik ISP is working to slow down truck traffic on the highways
Barry Coleman with the Amateur Radio club and the LDS Church has exciting news to share about the communications with several new repeaters they have been able to link up with. They were able to connect to 31 this past Sunday evening and feel that it will improve the communication with emergency personnel as well as others.
Pat Warkenton Bonners Ferry Fire Chief is working with the Ambulance personnel to respond with them as often as possible
With no further business the Meeting adjourned at 0905
Minutes submitted by J. Jeske BFPD