Local Emergency Planning Committee picking up a ham radio

The Havre and Hill County Local Emergency Planning Committee Tuesday passed a motion to allow Hill County Health Department Public Health Nurse Bridget Kallenberger to look into getting the emergency operation center, located in the Hill County Detention Center, a handheld ham radio.

“I think it would be a good addition, something good to have on hand,” committee Chair Sheriff Jamie Ross said.

The item, which was not on the meeting agenda, was approved unanimously by the committee.

Kallenberger said before the vote that the state Department of Justice has 200 handheld ham radios it is going to give out to different entities across the state, and she thought it would be a good addition to the emergency operation center. She added that if the committee wanted one they would need an antenna and possibly a second power source to power the radio as well as a ham radio operator. She said that the Department of Justice is offering the radios with no strings attached.

Ross said that a number of the Hill County Search and Rescue members are certified ham radio operators and also have their own equipment. 

Hill County Commissioner Mike Wendland said it would be a good addition to the emergency operations center because ham radios are reliable and useful in an emergency situation.

“Obviously, one of those things about ham radio operators, everything else goes down, they still operate,” he said. “It’s a good thing.”

Ross said that he will be having a contractor come in during the weekend to install two antennas on the top of the roof for the emergency operations center. The antennas will allow two radio units to communicate with other agencies, such as Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and the Rudyard ambulance. 

Kallenberger also will be having a flat-screen TV put in the emergency operations center, replacing two of the older TVs. She said the new TV will still be owned by the Hill County Health Department although it will be located at the detention center.

She said the health department has preparedness calendars available for the public. She said the calendars, for a 24-week time period, listing items to buy and things to do each week to be prepared for a crisis. 

For example, for week one on the current calendar, the health department suggests people get a gallon of water for each person and pet in the household, one jar of peanut butter, one large can of juice per person, one can of meat per person and one hand-operated can opener. Diapers and baby food also are suggested if needed. 

The calendar also has action items for community members outlining what a person should do if a crisis was to occur. For week one on the calendar it says people should find out about what kinds of disasters can happen in their area, and register their cell phones for the local “Code Red” alerts.

People can contact the Hill County Health Department for more information and to pick up a copy, Kallenberger said.

She said the health department will be starting its flu shot clinics soon and will conduct a test with the state on how fast supplies can get from state to Hill County in an emergency situation.

Wendland said work on a pressure chamber leak at Beaver Creek Dam was completed Monday.

Northern Montana Hospital Patient Care Service Vice President Eric Koch said that hospitals around the state will start performing table-top emergency scenarios practices. He added that Northern Montana Hospital will have one before the end of the year.

Hill County Undersheriff Stan Martin said the sheriff’s office has just hired a deputy who will be starting at the end of the month.

Havre Fire Department Chief Mel Paulson said that the department has two new firefighters who should be going into service by the end of the month.