THIRA brings problems, solutions to county table

One thing became very apparent at the Threat and Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (THIRA) meeting last Thursday, a flood taking out the bridge at Fort Steele would affect Carbon County’s economy for months.

Around 25 representatives from around the county attended the THIRA meeting in Rawlins to discuss the worst case scenario of a flood washing out the Fort Steele bridge crossing the Platte River on I-80.

Carbon County Emergency Management Coordinator John Zeiger hosted the meeting to assist him in brain storming all the possibilities that could occur if the bridge washed out.

The proposed scenario included the bridge deckings at Fort Steele washing out during the day-time hours on Memorial Day Weekend. Heavy traffic was backed up in both directions, 200 head of cattle were dead in a pasture beside the river, and 13 people were missing.

A unified command is the first priority to make sure that the right information is disseminated correctly and in a timely manner, Zeiger said.

This would also require that all county emergency responders from Public Health to the veterinarian to Sinclair Refinery have the ability to communicate if phone wires were affected – something that doesn’t currently exist in the county.

Kenda Colman, a councilwoman for Medicine Bow, pointed out that if volunteers were to be pulled from outlying towns to assist, that would leave those towns vulnerable if they were also in an emergency situation.

This was something to consider. One attendee pointed out that if the flood is capable of washing out the bridge at Fort Steele, a lot of damage has already been done in the Platte Valley.

Sheriff Jerry Colson said that the situation would have to be monitored by air, because access to the river is limited.

Another point that was brought up – roads would have to be closed to truck drivers and tourists, especially in the light that many of them use a Global Positioning System (GPS), which doesn’t specify which roads are closed.

An example is Highway 70, also known a Battle Scenic Byway. Traffic would attempt to use that road to get to the east side of I-80, but Battle Scenic Byway is not opened by Memorial Day weekend.

Several ideas, problems and solutions came to light during the two-hour session, which will now give Zeiger a lot to work with as he completes his THIRA for Homeland Security.

Zeiger was very pleased that 25 people turned out. He took the feedback and is already working on the workbook. He plans to have it submitted to the state Homeland Security Office by the end of the week.

They will compile THIRAs from 23 counties and two Native American tribes which will be submitted to the Region 8 Federal Emergency Management Agency in Denver.

FEMA will review the THIRA to ensure all the Core Capabilities of the THIRA have been covered. Once any gaps have been identified, they will be addressed by the Emergency Management Coordinators.

 

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