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Burns Flat Community Newsletter

Online Edition of What's Up! in Business Development for Burns Flat

BURNS FLAT DISASTER PLAN

--as promulgated via public meeting on 19 March 2009--

This is an overview of what will be taking place by the Departments of
the Town, if the Town is affected by a disaster!

THE PUBLIC STORM SHELTER IS AT THE OLD SCHOOL
NORTH OF TOWN (John Ross)

Several different citizens will be involved with opening the shelter.
NO PETS (except seeing eye dogs) WILL BE ALLOWED, SO IF YOU SHOW UP
WITH A PET YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN.

The Town will follow the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
The U.S. Government has developed this plan, to provide a
comprehensive (multi-use) emergency management guideline. It seeks to
mitigate the effects of hazards, prepare for measures to be taken
which will preserve life and minimize damage, enhance response during
emergencies and provide necessary assistance, and establish a recovery
system in order to return the Town to its normal state of affairs.
Several people (elected officials, fire, police, EMT’s and utility
workers) from Burns Flat, surrounding communities and the state have
been involved with this training and certification.

The first stage immediately after an incident, a COMMAND POST will be
established at an unaffected area such as: CITY HALL, FIRE STATION,
CRASH RESCUE, SWODA. If the town has been severely affected, the
location of the COMMAND POST could be Foss or Dill City.

The Incident Command Post will be a unified command post, since
several departments will be involved such as fire/rescue,
police/security, and emergency medical personnel. This command post
will be responsible for overall incident management.

After the command post has been established, an OPERATIONS SECTION
will be implemented. Operations identifies, assigns, and supervises
the resources needed to accomplish the incident objectives. Operations
will be at locations other than the command post.

Search and Rescue/ Fire Suppression will preferably set up at a site
with a large parking lot to accommodate the many different fire
departments that will be arriving to help.

Emergency Medical Services will be set up at the following locations,
if these locations are not affected: Cumberland Presbyterian Church

- severely wounded, can use parking lot as helicopter pad.
Baptist Church-walking wounded Church of Christ- morgue
If these places have been affected the next location will be different
locations at the WESTERN TECHNOLOGY CENTER.

REMEMBER ALL OF THESE SITES COULD CHANGE!

Town of Burns Flat Utility Department employees will be trying to
maintain the water supply for fire suppression, calling other utility
companies and assisting to set up the command post. We will not be
clearing any streets or using any equipment unless directed to do so
by INCIDENT COMMAND. At this stage Town, County, State or Federal
equipment cannot be used on any private property!

POLICE/SECURITY will be responsible for shutting down the town and
designating alternate traffic routes. This stage is going to make
people very angry! Unfortunately, this stage has to be done to protect
the safety and property of citizens, especially against looters.  NO
admittance will be allowed without some form of identification. There
will be a location established for everyone to get an ID, which will
be at City Hall, if it is not affected.

Town Council:  Will be responsible for approving a Disaster Emergency
Proclamation, which will be done immediately.

After this Proclamation has been approved, it will go to Oklahoma
Emergency Management.  This is all the Town Council can do for the
citizens at this time. It will be up to Oklahoma Emergency Management
and the Governor of Oklahoma to decide if the Town warrants
assistance. Please don’t expect The Town Council to do anything until
The State of Oklahoma has declared the town a disaster.

After the State of Oklahoma has declared the Town a disaster it will
go to the President of The United States. If he declares the Town a
disaster, this is when FEMA will be involved. This process could take
weeks. So please make arrangements now for your own disaster plan!

RED CROSS / SALVATION ARMY/ BAPTIST MENS GROUP will be deployed to
assist with food, clothing and to set up an emergency shelter. The
emergency shelter could possibly be the old gym at the high school.


No matter how much pre-planning is done, it will be a time of panic,
confusion and chaos for the majority of the general public. We are
asking our citizens to be calm, patient, and most of all, use common
sense.


It is up to you, personally, to be prepared.

BURNS FLAT DISASTER PLAN

--as promulgated via public meeting on 19 March 2009--

This is an overview of what will be taking place by the Departments of
the Town, if the Town is affected by a disaster!

THE PUBLIC STORM SHELTER IS AT THE OLD SCHOOL
NORTH OF TOWN (John Ross)

Several different citizens will be involved with opening the shelter.
NO PETS (except seeing eye dogs) WILL BE ALLOWED, SO IF YOU SHOW UP
WITH A PET YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN.

The Town will follow the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
The U.S. Government has developed this plan, to provide a
comprehensive (multi-use) emergency management guideline. It seeks to
mitigate the effects of hazards, prepare for measures to be taken
which will preserve life and minimize damage, enhance response during
emergencies and provide necessary assistance, and establish a recovery
system in order to return the Town to its normal state of affairs.
Several people (elected officials, fire, police, EMT’s and utility
workers) from Burns Flat, surrounding communities and the state have
been involved with this training and certification.

The first stage immediately after an incident, a COMMAND POST will be
established at an unaffected area such as: CITY HALL, FIRE STATION,
CRASH RESCUE, SWODA. If the town has been severely affected, the
location of the COMMAND POST could be Foss or Dill City.

The Incident Command Post will be a unified command post, since
several departments will be involved such as fire/rescue,
police/security, and emergency medical personnel. This command post
will be responsible for overall incident management.

After the command post has been established, an OPERATIONS SECTION
will be implemented. Operations identifies, assigns, and supervises
the resources needed to accomplish the incident objectives. Operations
will be at locations other than the command post.

Search and Rescue/ Fire Suppression will preferably set up at a site
with a large parking lot to accommodate the many different fire
departments that will be arriving to help.

Emergency Medical Services will be set up at the following locations,
if these locations are not affected: Cumberland Presbyterian Church

- severely wounded, can use parking lot as helicopter pad.
Baptist Church-walking wounded Church of Christ- morgue
If these places have been affected the next location will be different
locations at the WESTERN TECHNOLOGY CENTER.

REMEMBER ALL OF THESE SITES COULD CHANGE!

Town of Burns Flat Utility Department employees will be trying to
maintain the water supply for fire suppression, calling other utility
companies and assisting to set up the command post. We will not be
clearing any streets or using any equipment unless directed to do so
by INCIDENT COMMAND. At this stage Town, County, State or Federal
equipment cannot be used on any private property!

POLICE/SECURITY will be responsible for shutting down the town and
designating alternate traffic routes. This stage is going to make
people very angry! Unfortunately, this stage has to be done to protect
the safety and property of citizens, especially against looters.  NO
admittance will be allowed without some form of identification. There
will be a location established for everyone to get an ID, which will
be at City Hall, if it is not affected.

Town Council:  Will be responsible for approving a Disaster Emergency
Proclamation, which will be done immediately.

After this Proclamation has been approved, it will go to Oklahoma
Emergency Management.  This is all the Town Council can do for the
citizens at this time. It will be up to Oklahoma Emergency Management
and the Governor of Oklahoma to decide if the Town warrants
assistance. Please don’t expect The Town Council to do anything until
The State of Oklahoma has declared the town a disaster.

After the State of Oklahoma has declared the Town a disaster it will
go to the President of The United States. If he declares the Town a
disaster, this is when FEMA will be involved. This process could take
weeks. So please make arrangements now for your own disaster plan!

RED CROSS / SALVATION ARMY/ BAPTIST MENS GROUP will be deployed to
assist with food, clothing and to set up an emergency shelter. The
emergency shelter could possibly be the old gym at the high school.


No matter how much pre-planning is done, it will be a time of panic,
confusion and chaos for the majority of the general public. We are
asking our citizens to be calm, patient, and most of all, use common
sense.


It is up to you, personally, to be prepared.