Sheriff Fielders encourages 'survival in support groups'

Sanders County Sheriff Shawn Fielders held a community meeting at the Plains Alliance Church Friday evening to discuss public safety during a local or widespread disaster.

Friday’s meeting was the inspiration of Blair Blizzard, who expressed concerns about recent local events and wanted the Plains community to meet the new sheriff. About 105 people attended.

Fielders said at the opening of the meeting, “everyone is concerned about the state of the United States, and what’s happening in our communities. I wish I had every answer that you might want to know, but I don’t. What I do know is that any community or civilization that has survived throughout history survived because they were just that, a community. They worked together, they came together and were able to survive because they worked together. So, this is what brings us here tonight.”

Fielders went on to say, “we are not preparing for war, we are preparing for survival in support groups.”

The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office has 2,770 square miles to patrol and with 12 patrol officers. Fielders said Sanders County does have the largest population of former law enforcement officers and retired military personnel in the state.

Discussion centered on forming close knit neighborhood support groups that could share resources, such as food, water, shelter, medical assistance and communications. Get to know your neighbors. Fielders said.

“This is the foundation that I would love to have the entire county to start thinking about,” he added.

He went on to say the groups need to be formed into small local groups like the houses that you see near you that can support each other without driving in your car.

Fielders said more fatalities that happen during disasters are due to medical emergencies than the actual event. He stressed the importance of having some medical training, or having someone in your support group with medical knowledge. Fielders said that there are a lot of medical professionals that are willing to help train groups in Sanders County. He recommended that concerned citizens form support groups and after they are organized, inquire about specific training classes that could be available.

Fielders said he supports the Montana Constitution and will not support any federal orders that infringe upon any Montana law.