Deep East Texas Regional Emergency Managers Group Formed

Deep East Texas Regional Emergency Managers Meeting
July 23, 2009, 10 AM
Polk County EOC

This was an organization meeting with ten (10) of DETCOG’s twelve (12) counties represented.

Meeting was opened by Billy Ted Smith and by general consensus the group decided to elect officials to preside over these gatherings; with the following results:
Billy Ted Smith – President
Larry Shine – Vice President
Joe Wilkinson – Secretary

Billy Ted Smith stated the purpose of this group was to network between all counties in the DETCOG area and to operate in the most efficient manner that results would be in the best service possible to the citizens in our region. The Deep East Texas Regional Emergency Managers Group (REM) was established to provide an opportunity for Emergency Management professionals in Deep East Texas to network regularly in order to discuss current issues and hear topical discussions or presentations. To provide an organized format for correspondence with State or Federal contacts on issues important to the Group

The decision was made to hold monthly meetings and that these meeting would be rotated to different locations in the Region. The meetings will be held the 3rd Monday of each month at 10:00 AM. The locations are to be determined at a later date. The following meeting dates have been set:
August 17: Houston County
September 21: Lufkin
October 19: Nacogdoches
November 16: Tyler County
December: OPEN

There was discussion on a website(Web page) for communication between participating members such as North Central Texas Council of Government use. (A) This should be a secure site that requires prior approval for entry. Billy Ted would talk to Walter Diggles to progress this.

Discussion on NIMCAST – ICS Compliance

Discussed need for County Officials and Volunteer Fire Department Member needing more ICS training. Billy Tedand Jeff Baun has just completed the training necessary to teach ICS 300/400.

Larry Shine spoke about ADAPT pens with USB port to download damage assessment; (A) Larry Shine will set up a time for a presentation.

Discussion on RAC ( Regional Assistance Committee – Brenda Anderson Cole – Request that she supply available (current) information on H1N1 to all EMC’s as this information becomes available.
(A) Billy Ted Smith to attend a summit in Austin on August 10, 2009
(B) Several others have attended locally.

Discussion on EMPG – Emergency Management Performance Grant

Larry Shine discussed HB 1831.
During declared disasters when mandatory evacuation is orders by County Judges:
(A) Person can be arrested for not evacuating.
(B) If you did not evacuate, can be fined and charged for Emergency Services

Discussed important of VOAD – Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster
Larry Shine discussed GDEM – Jack Colley’s State Concept of operations Strategy
(A) Presentation on Star Board
(B) Shine will send e-mail attachment to all members
Discussion of States policy on POD – Points of Distribution locations within counties.
The States Recommendation:
(A) One (1) County Staging Area (CSA)
(B) Four (4) PODs (Points of Distribution) as determined by the county. *

Discussion that the DETCOG Emergency Management Coordinator’s have input on the location and number of POD’s provided. The new term CSA has a connotation of a place that all commodities are dropped at a point and the counties have a task of distribution to individual POD’s.

Due to time constraints meeting was adjourned on a motion a second.

Billy Ted Smith
President