Sisters officials polish emergency plans

There wasn't a hint of smoke in the air and the winds were calm on Wednesday morning, June 17, as Sisters and Black Butte Ranch residents arose for their first cup of coffee.

Nevertheless, the Deschutes County 9-1-1 Dispatch Center received a call from the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center (COIDC) reporting that several fire lookouts were calling in a large column of smoke rising approximately six miles west of Sisters and two miles from Black Butte Ranch.

This fire was reported to be growing rapidly, fueled by 35 mph gusts of wind. This fire report prompted the immediate dispatch of one U.S. Forest Service engine and a mutual aid wildland fire unit from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District.

The full-scale Greater Sisters Area Emergency Operations Drill had commenced.

This tabletop wildland fire exercise, which was designed and facilitated by Riley and Karen Caton of ESCI (Emergency Services Consulting, Inc.) had several objectives: test the Greater Sisters Area Emergency Operations Plan, test the coordination of all participating agencies, test communication systems, test and exercise the Emergency Command Center's (ECC) physical layout, exercise all of the functions of the Incident Command System and determine if any training gaps exist.

Participants in this comprehensive drill included representatives from Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Protection District, City of Sisters, Black Butte Ranch Fire Protection District, Deschutes County Sheriffs Office, Deschutes County Emergency Management, Deschutes County 9-1-1, U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry, American Red Cross and Oregon Department of Transportation.

The exercise was funded through a grant from the Homeland Security Agency.

During the emergency simulation, participants were faced with a growing wildland fire which ultimately led to the mock evacuation of Black Butte Ranch, the City of Sisters and surrounding communities, the simulated closure of Highway 242 from the County Line to Sisters.

Additional complications in this exercise included a missing family reported to be lost on Highway 242, an emergency medical call for a patient suffering from a bee sting and subsequent anaphylactic shock, the activation of AirLink to transport this critical patient, and a sudden loss of power and phone services at the Incident Command Center as a result of a massive lightning strike.

According to Assistant Chief Ken Enoch from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District, this exercise provided all involved with an excellent opportunity to test the Emergency Operations Plan, and the Emergency Coordination Center.

"The drill went very well," he said " ...and we have an excellent Emergency Operations Plan."

The plan covers not only wildland fires, but includes plans to successfully deal with pandemics, floods, earthquakes, hazardous material spills, acts of terrorism, mass casualties, severe weather events and possible volcano activity.

Assistant Chief Enoch also said that the Fire Service, law enforcement, the city and all participants have worked very well together for many years.

"This exercise tested our plan," he said, "and we found areas in the communications piece of the plan that could use some improvement.

"This is our third test of the plan," he added, "and we learn a little more with each simulation."