8
S moke S ignals
NOVEMBER 15, 2018
‘This exercise was definitely a confidence booster’
EXERCISE continued
from front page
“Having it done is a relief because
it went well and I gained a lot from
it,” she said. “I was able to see some
areas for improvement.”
The main takeaway is that more
knowledge of departmental evacu-
ation plans is needed.
“This exercise brought to light
that concern,” she said. “But over-
all, the evacuation of the Gover-
nance Center went well and people
met in the correct places. I was also
able to get the Emergency Opera-
tions Center (at the Tribal Police
Station) up and running.”
At approximately 8:18 a.m. sirens
sounded in the Governance Center
and employees who subscribe to
Tribal AlertSense notifications
received an e-mail, phone call or
text stating that the exercise had
begun. E-mails also were sent to all
employees the day before to remind
them about the exercise.
Central Phones Operator Scarlett
Holtz stood near the front entryway
and used a megaphone to give in-
structions.
Most employees gathered at the
old powwow grounds across the
street from the Governance Center
and huddled in small groups while
sirens continued to sound.
Tribal Council member Steve
Bobb, a Vietnam-era Marine Corps
veteran, has seen his share of vio-
lence in battle.
He said exercises such as this are
beneficial because they help give at
least a small idea of what a real-life
scenario would entail.
“It is much better to have a plan
in place than no plan at all,” he
said.
General Manager David Fuller-
ton said that practice helps employ-
ees prepare for the worst.
Tribal Police Chief Jake
McKnight ensures
that the Governance
Center is evacuated
during the emergency
management training
event held on
Thursday, Nov. 1.
“I ran out as quickly
as I could,” she said.
“You need to know
Central Phones Operator Scarlett Holtz uses
where to go and what
a megaphone to announce the evacuation of
to do in an event like
the Governance Center during an emergency
this.”
management training exercise.
Budget Manager
DeAnne Norton sug-
“We want people to know what to
gested having a drill with no warn-
do and where to go,” he said. “It’s
ing in the future.
all about preparedness.”
“I think it would be good to have
It was the second emergency pre-
them when we weren’t expecting it,
paredness drill for several Tribal
like the schools do,” she said.
employees, who also participated in
Volunteers, complete with make-
the Cascadia Rising event in 2016,
up and clothes giving them the
which simulated the aftermath of a
realistic look of bombing victims,
major subduction zone earthquake.
wandered out from the Governance
Staff Accountant Gloria Schwal-
Center. Some were dazed, and oth-
ger said the alarms going off were
ers were crying and yelling. The ex-
a jolt, despite knowing this event
ercise simulated a bomb exploding
was an exercise.
in the Tribe’s Finance Department.
Employees took them to the med-
ical clinic, but personnel had been
directed not to open the doors and
had to give instructions on first aid
from inside the glass.
Meanwhile, Tribal Police Chief
Jake McKnight and Sgt. Rod McAl-
lister searched the building and
walked the perimeter to ensure
safety.
Colin Kolb was the moulage artist
for the event, as well as a volunteer
victim.
The former police officer and
emergency medical technician said
it was fairly easy to get into char-
acter because he has ample expe-
rience with emergency situations.
“These events are helpful for
law enforcement and emergency
responders,” Kolb said. “It also
gives a little bit of reality and kind
of prepares people for if something
does happen. They have an idea of
what to do.”
Responders included Tribal Po-
lice, West Valley Fire and Rescue,
the Salem Police and Oregon State
Police bomb squads, Willamette
Valley Hospital, Salem Hospital,
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and
Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
“This exercise was definitely a
confidence booster,” Bishop said.
“When I first started the process,
it was overwhelming and new. Now
I know I can do it because I have
the support of my co-workers, Tribe
and community to get it done. I
want to thank the moulage artists,
volunteers and everyone involved
in the planning of this event.”
Bishop said she hopes to have
another emergency preparedness
event in the near future.
“Hopefully, people are as open to
doing this next time as they were
today,” she said. “I learned a lot in
this process about how to get the
exercise to run smoothly.” n
Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez
Lt. Jacob Alguire, West Valley Fire District training officer, guides the extension of a ladder during the emergency management training event held at the
Governance Center on Thursday, Nov. 1.