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County disaster plan done Friday By JILL BRISKEY It's highly unlikely that terrorists would target the Rogue Valley, but the Oregon Department of Justice wants to know how Jackson County would cope in the face of such a disaster. Sandy Eccker, Jackson County's emergency management coordinator, said local committees spent the past nine months compiling a report that included short- and long-term reaction plans that would be carried out following an act of terrorism. Being prepared Jackson County officials urge community members to be prepared for any disaster by keeping the following items on hand. Food and water for three days (one person usually requires a gallon of water per day) One battery-powered flashlight per person Spare batteries First-aid kit Prescription and non-prescription (such as pain relievers, eye wash) medication Sanitation supplies such as soap and disinfectant One complete change of clothes per person, including shoes Additional items recommended for a disaster supply kit are listed in Jackson County's emergency planning handbook. Copies of the Emergency Preparedness Plan for Families are available at the courthouse, 10 S. Oakdale, or at www.jacksoncounty.org on the Web. In addition to coping with a large-scale disaster, the report includes information about preventing and reacting to the threat of bio-terrorism - which includes communicable and exotic diseases. County officials said such threats in Jackson County might involve far-fetched scenarios like deliberately poisoned produce being shipped nationwide. The county's report also outlined plans for the first emergency service provider that might respond to a local terrorist attack. "We just basically compiled a document that says where we are today," Eccker said. "It says this is what we have, this is we want and this is what we need to get there." The Department of Justice requested similar reports from counties across the state. "We do have a lot of plans in place, and the idea was to have plans like that all over the United States," said Gary Stevens, program manager for the county's Environmental Health Division. "The whole idea (behind the report) is to sharpen the tools." The results were due Friday, Eccker said, just four days before the largest terrorist attack in the history of the United States. A review of that report by the state Justice Department - which could prompt the county to make improvements to the plan - could take months. The county already has an emergency management plan that outlines the proper responses to dozens of possible disasters besides terrorism, including fires, floods and storms. Eccker said practice drills take place several times a year, and the plan - which involves the city, state and private agencies - is regularly evaluated and updated. The Red Cross, for instance, is not a county agency but provides shelter and food during natural disasters and is included in the emergency plan. "We can rely on them to do that in a very excellent way," Ecckert added. Rogue Valley Medical Center operates under its own emergency management plan that works in tandem with the county. RVMC's emergency management protocol is under regular evaluation through research and practice exercises, she added. "Every time we have a drill, we evaluate it," RVMC safety officer Eric Johnson added. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.