My first job at the State of Washington back in 1991 was the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Training and Exercise Coordinator. What I know about CSEPP is a little dated other than trying to keep up with it from afar.
There is a nice article in Government Technology Oregon Protects Communities From Deadly Chemical Weapons With Massive Wi-Fi Network It talks to all the technology that has been put in place over the years, specifically a wireless Wi-Fi network that helps control signs, barriers, etc.
The missed opportunity is this: The system described is pretty much replicated in Washington State, just across the Columbia River that the Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot sits adjacent to. There are only two casual references to Benton County and Washington State.
If you want to build a regional coalition that lasts you have to include the other jurisdictions when taking about the regional accomplishments. There are electronically controlled road signs in Washington, a siren system on the Columbia River, over pressurized schools also exist on the Washington State side of the river. An opportunity was missed to highlight how the two states and multiple counties collaborated in a cross border fashion. What about the virtual Joint Information Center (JIC) that connects the two states and other jurisdictions?
Other Interesting Notes:
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There is a nice article in Government Technology Oregon Protects Communities From Deadly Chemical Weapons With Massive Wi-Fi Network It talks to all the technology that has been put in place over the years, specifically a wireless Wi-Fi network that helps control signs, barriers, etc.
The missed opportunity is this: The system described is pretty much replicated in Washington State, just across the Columbia River that the Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot sits adjacent to. There are only two casual references to Benton County and Washington State.
If you want to build a regional coalition that lasts you have to include the other jurisdictions when taking about the regional accomplishments. There are electronically controlled road signs in Washington, a siren system on the Columbia River, over pressurized schools also exist on the Washington State side of the river. An opportunity was missed to highlight how the two states and multiple counties collaborated in a cross border fashion. What about the virtual Joint Information Center (JIC) that connects the two states and other jurisdictions?
Other Interesting Notes:
- Politicians and citizen groups fought hard not to have the chemical weapons destruction happen in their jurisdiction. Now, many years later they don't want it to end because of all of the funding that it has pumped into the region.
- All those technological systems were 100% funded by the federal government. Just keeping them running is going to be a costly proposition. My guess is that they will melt away over time once the last of the mustard agent is destroyed.
- These same federal funds have allowed the states and counties to have a much more robust emergency management systems. Funding for new county EOCs, and staff that have pumped up their all-hazard emergency management capabilities for a generation are also going away--and they are concerned.
