REGION 5/6 EMERGENCY

MANAGEMENT

Serving Burt, Dodge & Washington

Counties since 1973

STAFFBill Pook Director

IAEM Region 7

Lori WelbesOffice Manager

Emily Wageman EmergencyManagement

Specialist

BOARD

ofGOVERNORS

Rob George Chairman

Dodge County

Board Members Burt County

Matt Connealy

Dodge County Gary Osborn

Washington County Ron Hineline

Mary Alice Johnson

DEPUTYDIRECTORSTerry Schroeder

Burt County

George Wagner Dodge County

Dan Douglas Washington County

Issue No. 15 - September, 2013Master ExercisePractitioner Program

Region 5/6 Director, Bill Pook, recently completed the Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP). He attended the FEMA classes on campus at Cal State. The program was sponsored by the California Emergency Management Agency.

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) created the MEPP in 1999 to recognize those individuals who have completed prescribed training and demonstrated, through hands-on application, a high degree of professionalism and capability in the arena of emergency management exercises.

The MEPP mission is to improve the capabilities of emergency management exercise personnel in exercise program management and in every phase of the overall exercise process.

The MEPP goal is to increase the capabilities of MEPP candidates in mastery of the essentials of exercise program management and the overall exercise process in accordance with the policy, doctrine, practices and tools in the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).

Approximately 2,175 individuals have completed the MEPP as of September 1, 2013. EMI has empowered these graduates to place “MEP” after their names in recognition of this accomplishment.

There are four MEPP graduates in Nebraska. The other three came from the public health field.

Bill Pook conferring with members of the MEPP evaluation team.

Region 5/6 WinsWebsite Award

At the EPA Region VII Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Conference held in Kansas City, Region 5/6 EMA took honors for public awareness and education best website! EPA Region VII consists of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.

This is not the first time our website has received awards. In 2007, we took 1st place with the International Association of Emergency Managers and again with EPA Region VII.

www.region5-6.org

Bill Pook and FSX EOC players check the exercise status board.

Region 5/6 Emergency ManagementContact Information

435 North Park AvenueRoom 404

Fremont, NE 68025

Phone: (402)727-2785Fax: (402)727-2840

Website: www.region5-6.org

Email bill@region5-6.org

lori@region5-6.orgemily@region5-6.org

Websites of InterestRegion 5/6 Exercise Design Team members need these 2

FEMA training courses:

IS-130 Exercise Evaluation & Improvement Planninghttp://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code=IS-130

IS-139 Exercise Designhttp://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code=IS-139

Region 5/6 Supports CSEPPThe US began destroying our stockpiles of chemical weapons long ago. Some chemicals dated back to WWII.

Today there are only 2 US chemical weapons storage depots remaining. There is a depot in Pueblo, Colorado, which is due to close shortly, leaving Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky as the last US chemical weapon storage depot.

Region 5/6 Director, Bill Pook, has supported the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) since 2011. September 16-20, 2013 he participated in the annual CSEPP field exercise as lead

evaluator for off-site decontamination.

Ensuring public response preparedness while these deadly nerve agents are being destroyed is extremely important to Bill. He spent 18 years in the Air Force as a chemical weapons survival instructor. During his AF training he worked in a positive pressure chemical chamber handling live nerve agents such as VX and Sarin. Sarin is the nerve agent that was released in Syria and in the Tokyo subways on unprotected civilian populations.

Kentucky field decontamination during CSEPP exercise.

Fort Calhoun Fire & Rescue held a celebration for their 100th Anniversary on July 6, 2013. Below is Ricky Neumann, the winner of the Region 5/6 Big Red folding chair that was given away at this event.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

State of Nebraska CredentialingThere have been several changes and updates to the new State ID and Credentialing card system. A lot of questions have recently been answered so we think we can move forward now within Region 5/6.

To reach the ultimate goal of what all this system can provide for Incident Command and First Responders will still take time. There are some progressive steps needed...here is our forecasted timeline for full implementation.

1. Starting now, Region 5/6 can produce a “credentialed” ID card for area first responders. a. All pictures must be a head shot...no hats/sunglasses and must have a white background b. Each person needs a Resource Manager Application filled out and signed off by the department chief who vouches for the qualifications c. Driver’s license number is needed d. Medical Information is optional

2. Qualification codes currently approved by the State are available for review and can be sent to you. This list is governed by a committee. If you feel a qualification is needed... just ask and we will forward that request.

Eventually each department will need a touch pad or some sort of smart-phone type device and most likely a laptop with Wi-Fi to gather, receive and manage the incident data. There will be some software licensing costs involved in which we have been told will be affordable.

There is a lot this system can do for you...and there are lots of questions...so please call Emily at Region 5/6 with any questions you may have.

ID Card Front ID Card Back

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDOMAHA, NE

PERMIT NO. 711

Region 5/6 Emergency Management435 North Park AvenueRoom 404Fremont, NE 68025

Return Service Requested

Please be sure to contact Region 5/6 by mail, fax, phone, email or in person to update

your address and phone numbers.

Moving??

Upcoming Dates of Interest

October 22 & 23 Regional Assistance Committee Meeting Kansas City, Missouri

October 24 Washington County Mutual Aid Table Top Herman VFD

October 25 - 30 International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Conference & EMEX Reno, NV

December 3 Radiological Emergency Response Plan (RERP) Rescheduled Evaluated Drill Washington County Courthouse