March 7, 2001
Diana Cross
(208) 378-5020

Grand Coulee Dam Exercise to Evaluate Response Plans

The Bureau of Reclamation’s Grand Coulee Power Office, along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other public safety agencies, will be engaged in an emergency response exercise March 9-16, 2001.

"The purpose of the exercise is to ensure staff are fully aware of their responsibilities in an emergency and ensure that procedures are tested and updated as necessary," said Dave Lyngholm, Manager of Grand Coulee Power Office.

According to Jerry Jenson, emergency exercise training officer for Washington Emergency Management Division, the exercise develops a realistic, if extreme scenario that will also evaluate the adequacy of emergency response plans for Washington and Oregon states as well as up to 20 downstream jurisdictions along the Columbia River.

"The February 28 earthquake in Olympia should serve as a reminder to all of us of the importance of emergency preparedness, whether it be an earthquake, flood, fire, or other natural disaster," said Jenson.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the goal of emergency preparedness is to prioritize possible hazards and take prudent precautions before disasters strike to mitigate their worst effects, minimize loss, and speed recovery.

The exercise presumes an event that would take about 7 to 10 days to run its course. During that period, Reclamation and cooperating participants will place actual notification calls to County, State, and other Federal agencies. Local Emergency Management offices will be responding to the scenario during various days of that week. Warning and evacuation planning and implementation are the responsibility of the downstream local authorities having jurisdiction in areas that would be flooded.

Participants and partners in this exercise include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Chelan, Douglas, and Grant County Public Utility Districts; Washington and Oregon State offices of Emergency Management and other state departments; the Confederated Colville Tribes; Bonneville Power Administration; National Weather Service; Federal Emergency Management Agency; county emergency directors, and local emergency personnel.

 

Note to Editors: The exact date that a local agency will conduct their exercise, and the extent that local media will be allowed to observe the exercise, will be determined by each participating agency (see attached list for the appropriate contact for your media service area).

Craig Sprankle US Bureau of Reclamation Grand Coulee Power Office Grand Coulee WA 99133 509/633-9503	Mike Talbot US Department of Energy PO Box 1000 Richland WA 99352 509/376-5632
Korenza Burris or Rick Garza Benton County Emergency Services 651 Truman Avenue Richland WA 99352 509/628-2600	Jerry Jenson Exercise Training Officer Washington State Emergency Management Building 20 Camp Murray WA 98430-5122 253/512-7045
Susan Gillin or Kimberly Craig Chelan County Public Utility District 327 North Wenatchee Avenue Wenatchee WA 98807 509/663-8121	John Clouse Columbia County Emergency Management Columbia Court House 138 Strand St Helens OR 97051 503/366-3905
Dan LaRoche Douglas County Emergency Management 110-3rd NE East Wenatchee WA 98802 509/884-0941	Brian Crawford or Mike Hanson Bonneville Power Administration 905 NE 11th. Avenue Portland OR 97232 503/230-5130
John Scheer Franklin County Emergency Management 502 Boeing Street Pasco WA 99301 509/545-3546	Mike Howard Federal Emergency Management Agency 130-228th Street SW Bothell WA 98021 425/487-4610
Gary Garnant Grant County Emergency Management 6500 32nd Avenue NE, Suite 911 Moses Lake WA 98837 509/754-5027	Clare Perry US Army Corps of Engineers 220 NW 8th Street Portland OR 97208 503/808-3710
Gene Dana Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office 205 West 5th Ellensburg WA 98926 509/962-7525	Ian Finseth Department of Emergency Services 595 Cottage Street NE Salem OR 97310 503/378-2911 ext.252
Bob Kendler or Larry Luloff Klickitat County Emergency Management 205 South Columbus Goldendale WA 98260 509/773-4036	Tom Groat Umatilla County Emergency Management 4700 NW Pioneer Place Pendleton OR 97801 541/966-3708
Wade Magers Lincoln County Emergency Services 404 Sinclair Davenport WA 99122 509/725-3501	Cassy Beard Morrow County Emergency Management 325 Willow View Drive Heppner OR 97836 541/676-5161
Connie Humphrey Okanogan County Emergency Services 149 3rd Avenue North Okanogan WA 98840 509/422-7204	Karl Tesch Hood River County Emergency Management 309 State Street Hood River OR 97031 541/386-1213
Don Marlatt Walla Walla County Emergency Management 27 North 2nd Avenue Walla Walla WA 99362 509/527-3223	Doug McGillivray Multnomah County Emergency Management 1333 Northwest Eastmann Parkway Gresham OR 97030 503/618-2353
Tony Wentz Yakima County Emergency Management 128 North 2nd Street, Room B-10 Yakima WA 98901 509/574-1900	Jan Glarum Clatsop County Emergency Management 355 7th Street Astoria OR 97103 503/338-3600 ext 2425