Emergency services committee reviews hazmat spills
The Mineral County Disaster and Emergency Services aims to build, sustain and improve the ability to prepare, protect against, respond to and recover and mitigate hazards in Mineral County.
Plans and training operations are prepared and practiced with the Local Emergency Planning Committee. Members of the committee must be residents of or conduct business in Mineral County. Their meetings are conducted in the county commissioners' room on the first Thursday at 4 p.m. and are open to the public.
Amy Parks is the DES coordinator for the county, while Scott Dodd is the chair and Frank Magee is the vice-chair. At the December meeting, two different hazmat incidents were discussed, both being on I-90.
A semi wreck in the east bound lane at mile-marker 5 had an estimated spill of 250 gallons of diesel and mixed oils with remediation expected in the spring by West Central Environmental. The accident involved another semi and fortunately there were no reported injuries.
However, a fatality occurred at mm 51 in the westbound lane earlier this year and the spill team hasn’t received a response from Great West Casualty on reimbursement so Parks will follow up with the state and Department of Environmental Quality.
Protocol checklists are followed and in Hazmat cases as these two were, an informal discussion takes place where questions, concerns and suggestions occur as training and learning is paramount.
Another incident was discussed where a squatter had been burning garbage on Tami Drive outside Superior and advised that open burning ended Dec. 1. The owner of the property was notified and the DEQ will be doing a follow up.
The Response Planning Committee reported that they will be working again on an Emergency Operation Plan with the Superior School District. The Courthouse Security Committee continues to work on hardening security inside and outside the facility with cameras and motion detectors. The Westend Volunteer Fire Department reports that they continue having difficulty hearing dispatch and being heard by dispatch. This has been ongoing and Parks will set up a trouble shooting meeting Gold Communication Services in Kalispell.
Several training opportunities are coming up.
CPR and basic first aid for non-medical personnel is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18 at the Superior Volunteer Fire Department. Call (406) 396-7223.
An EMS refresher course is at the Superior Area Ambulance Service. Contact Angela Parkin with questions saas@blackfoot.net.
In late February, the HAZWOPER refresher course will take place. On March 16, a Wildland refresher course is scheduled in St. Regis at a location yet to be determined. It is $45 per person for fire department members and $50 for all others. Contact Kat Kittridge to sign up katkittridge@gmail.com. Jerry Dockter is working on getting a traffic control training/refresher set up.
Roundtable updates:
Forest Service: Open burning closed Dec. 1 in Mineral and Missoula counties, however, residents can obtain a winter burn permit. The drought index is moderate to severe going into winter.
Environmental Health/Planning: Received Phase 3 preapplication for Shyrock.
LifeFlight Network: Socked in and unable to fly recently so they are providing ground services.
Media: Mineral Independent is no longer receiving weekly information from the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office and asking if dispatch can start providing it for weekly publication. Parks will find out.
St. Regis Volunteer Fire Department: Jack Lincoln Clinic closed with Mineral Community Hospital taking over the space with plans to open the doors for patient care in January or early February being open Monday through Friday. Big Sky Forest Products is proceeding with a post treatment plant. CWPP meeting/dinner didn’t draw the amount of people they had hoped for but good feedback and ideas from those who participated. Gary Kelley is no longer with the SRVFD and Russel Cleveland is the new board chair.
The next committee meeting is Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025