| Wildland
fire tabletop exercise
Idaho and Lewis County hosted a wildland fire tabletop- discussion based exercise in Kamiah, Idaho on Saturday, April 7th. Rural volunteer fire department personnel met with wildland fire agency and department officials, including representatives of the Nez Perce Clearwater NF, Idaho Department of Lands, Maggie Creek, the Nez Perce Tribe, and Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protection Association, Kamiah Marshalls Office, Grangeville Interagency Dispatch, Idaho and Lewis County Dispatch. The Idaho Transportation Department, Idaho Office of Emergency Management, the American Red Cross, District II Public Health, and Avista representatives also attended to review protocols, standards and requirements for working together on multi-jurisdictional fires that threaten life, property and the environment. The topics discussed and exercised included initial dispatch and fire size-up; incident radio communications; evolving command structures applicable to multi-jurisdictional emerging fires, local MOUs between Rural Fire Districts; evacuation routes, roles, responsibilities and terminology for public messaging; structure protection responsibilities, resource ordering, documenting and tracking; and potential cost share allocations. In addition to those participating directly in the exercise, Idaho and Lewis County would especially like to thank Commissioner Ponozzo, Forest Supervisor Cheryl Probert, and Maggie Creek Supervisory Area Manager, Pat Hagan for their presence, support and insights. Approximately 60 people attended. 
Table top Training Facilitator Don Gardner, Clearwater County Emergency Manager, giving an overview of the day’s activities. Photo by Bob West, Lewis County Emergency Manager. |
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