After Hurricane Katrina decimated the south, officials discuss
Morgan Hill
’s emergency plan
In case of a natural disaster, like Hurricane Katrina which created chaos in the Gulf States region, or even a terrorist attack, Morgan Hill officials have plans in place, Rotary Club members were assured Wednesday by MHPD Chief Bruce Cumming and Santa Clara County Fire Department Battalion Chief Ken Kehmna.
“Preparing for the unknown, some kind of disaster, strikes me as being a museum guard watching the Mona Lisa. Nobody better steal that painting, and nothing happens for 10, 15 years, then all of the sudden, someone makes a move,” Cumming told Rotary members during a presentation on post-9/11 preparedness. “You have to be on guard, ready to act, even if nothing ever happens during your watch.”
Cumming talked about the fact that the department now has a detailed emergency plan and has hired a part-time OES (Office of Emergency Services) coordinator, Ken Foot, but disaster plan funding is hard to come by, he said.
“There are only so many federal dollars available, and we are a small fish in a big pond,” he said. “We must make the most of what we have.”
Kehmna said a $3 million grant was shared between all county agencies, and the fire departments focused on acquiring equipment and training.
“We decided what we needed most was equipment,” he said. “We now have equipment caches spread throughout the county. We also spend money on training, putting ourselves in realistic situations. Recently, we and other county agencies participated in WMD training at Christopher Ranch.”
Both Cumming and Kehmna stressed the importance of agencies working together in the event of an emergency, Kehmna said SCCFD is part of the California Mutual Aid Rescue System, which enhances the depth of response available.
“In the Gulf states, the resources were stretched thin,” said Kehmna. “As a part of our mutual aid system, we should be in better shape. The Santa Clara County Fire Chief, my boss, is the operational area coordinator. We are in region two, which extends from Del Norte to Monterey County. The state would provide, at a moment’s notice, assistance from other agencies, and it’s free. It’s also a reciprocal agreement.”
One of the concerns raised during the meeting is the safety of Anderson Dam, perched to the west of Morgan Hill, with a capacity of 90,373 acre-feet of water.
“If there was to be a catastrophic event, the water would move swiftly through the town in about an hour,” Cumming said. “The town would be destroyed.”
But, Cumming said, he has learned about the construction of the dam, met with representatives from the Santa Clara Valley Water District and has educated his staff.
“There are sensors on it, it is checked every week, and there have been improvements over the years,” he said. “I asked what would happen if someone flew a 747 into it, and they told me it wouldn’t harm the dam.”
Cumming said he feels comfortable that the water district has plans in place to deal with dam problems. And MHPD’s emergency plan for the city, created over a period of months, is very comprehensive.
MHPD Cmdr. Joe Sampson, who coordinated the creation of the emergency plan, attended Wednesday a gathering at the new San Jose City Hall of city mayors and officials in the county to discuss response to Hurricane Katrina.
“The focus was on evacuees from the Gulf states area, letting people know how to get help,” he said. “We want to get the word out that anyone who has taken in people displaced by the disaster need to make sure they register with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) through the Red Cross.”
To register, evacuees can call 1-800-HELP NOW, or visit the website at www.redcross.org.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at md****@mo*************.com.
