Minutes

Lower Connecticut River Valley Selectman’s Association

                                                                                                  April 9, 2008

Attendance:

Chester:                       Tom Marsh, Joel Severance                                                                                                    

Clinton:                      

Deep River:                 

Essex:                          Phil Miller, Bill Buckridge, Carol Speare

Killingworth:               Richard Cabral

Lyme:                        

Old Lyme:                  

Old Saybrook:             Mike Pace, Lt. Mike Spera, Assistant Emergency Manager Mike

                                     Gardner, Bob Fish

Westbrook:                  Noel Bishop, George Pitlick                                                                                                                 

Guests:                         Jeff Nelson, representing Gov. Rell, Ellen  

                                     Paul representing Congressman Joe Courtney                                   

CRERPA Staff:           Wini Olson                                                   

I.                   Members of Lower Connecticut River Valley Selectmen’s  Association,

Together with the Emergency Management Directors of the Region, gathered in the Emergency Management suite in the basement of the Old Saybrook Town Hall.

            Chairman Mike Pace introduced Old Saybrook Emergency Management Director Mike Spera. Lt. Spera welcomed the group and urged them to improve technology in their towns.  Lt. Spera explained that Old Saybrook has formed a Public Safety Leadership Team. The team includes the Emergency Management Coordinator, the First Selectman, the Superintendant of Schools, the Director of Public Health, The Chief of Police and the Fire Chief.  The team meets to coordinate all disasters.

            Lt. Spera announced that this is true regional planning. It is being modeled in Old Saybrook. It simply has to be replicated. Old Saybrook has purchased used “deuce and a half “Army trucks to use during hurricanes, thereby saving more costly equipment from undue exposure to risk.

            The EOC uses current technology with two large flat screen TV sets, two touch boards, and a time lapse recorder for the roof top weather station that records wind speed and direction, together with temperature at two second intervals. The weather station also sends the data to a duplicate recorder at the communication center across the street.  Since the EOC is in the basement, in a flood plain, all wiring is near the ceiling. Equipment is portable and can be moved upstairs if necessary. Lt. Spera mentioned that the cost would have been prohibitive if Mike Gardner had not done all of the wiring himself. The EOC has long rows of generic desks. Each desk has an independent phone line, its own lap top computer and an interoperability station.  Another room upstairs is pre-wired to accept all of the equipment if flooding occurs.

           Equipment was secured using local, state and federal money together with donations. Lt. Spera stressed that the key is the First Selectman. He urged all emergency Management Directors to stay in touch with their First Selectmen.

            Lt. Spera noted that this is a special part of the state with a great deal of talent. He, Bill Buckridge and Joel Severance all hold state offices in the Emergency Preparedness hierarchy. George Pitlick has a long history of service.

            Lt. Spera noted that the smaller room that serves as his private office has a 100% redundant dispatch service with teleconferencing ability.

The entire building has complete generation back up with enough fuel on site to last for three days.  He declared the team “Masters of Disasters”.

            Unfortunately, the suite has been frequently tested when used for local mishaps including- bad chocolate milk at the middle school, evacuating a motel to deal with a shooter, or coordinating a marijuana bust.

            Rich Cabral asked if Old Saybrook has an evacuation plan. How many people would be sent to Killingworth?

It was agreed that every town has to be ready to serve as a host town.  Are we ready to help one another in a crisis?  Can the concept be sold to the general population?

            Phil Miller noted that the forests in Connecticut are mature.  A hurricane would be apt to topple 75% of the trees. Citizens would be out with chain saws and gloves. Where would we put the debris? It needs to be planned prior to a disaster.

            How would evacuations be handled? Knocking on doors and hanging fliers on doors is still the most efficient method. Millstone sirens cover half of Old Saybrook.  Reverse 911 is a terrific debacle. The installation needs to be handled by the state.

First responders need to be included in the planning. The Old Saybrook command center is available for any town that needs it. Numbers can be cross patched.

            The group adjourned to the side yard where Lt. Spera’s command vehicle was on display, together with a converted ambulance that serves as a portable command center with complete dispatching ability.

Respectfully submitted,

Wini Olson, Clerk