August 27, 2024 |
Photo – Photo of generic emergency plan document cover – Courtesy Amerisafe Group
The town of Medicine Bow and the local medical clinic will work together to develop an emergency plan for the community.
During the August 12th Medicine Bow town council meeting, Medicine Bow Rural Health Care District Treasurer Kay Embree told the governing body that the clinic needs a new emergency preparedness plan, or EPP. Embree said the existing EPP does not lay out what to do if the clinic is completely destroyed. A new plan should be developed in coordination with the town, said Embree.
Embree said the new emergency preparedness plan should include procedures for handling a chemical spill on the railroad tracks, similar to what occurred in East Palestine, Ohio last year. The rural health care district member suggested that Medicine Bow should coordinate with other municipalities along the Union Pacific line on the emergency plan. Without an EPP, Embree said the town is unlikely to receive federal disaster assistance.
Embree said the Medicine Bow Health Center has had a plan in place for years that lays out how clinic staff will respond to different emergency situations. If phones and the internet fail, Embree said Rural Health Care District members will act as runners to relay messages around town.
Embree said if power goes out, the clinic has a backup generator to keep medications fresh and refill oxygen bottles. The health care district board member said the town and the clinic must work together to ensure residents know what to do during an emergency.
Embree said a toxic chemical spill, either on the railroad or on the nearby highway, is her greatest concern. Medicine Bow Fire Chief Ed Standish said firefighters are trained to handle chemical spills. Chief Standish said a phone application is available to help people identify the type of hazardous materials a vehicle is carrying. Embree said older Medicine Bow residents prefer a physical copy of the emergency response guide over using an app.
Mayor Justin George said the town will cooperate with the Medicine Bow Health Center on the creation of a new emergency preparedness plan. Fire Chief Standish and a town council member will participate in the planning process to ensure everyone is on the same page.
