COBRA Training Facility

Some people may wonder why a person would voluntarily dress out in a Type C Chemical Suit and go into a room filled with Gx (aka Sarin Nerve Gas). For me, it was to better understand what our responders might face in having to deal with a CBRNE attack.

I recently traveled to the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston Alabama for what is known as TERT or Technical Emergency Response Training for CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive) events.  This was my third trip to the CDP and my second to include time in the COBRAtf (Chemical Ordinance, Biological, and Radiological training facility) Although this is something I will never need to suit up and respond for, it has given me a better understanding of what our responders face.

We may never again see a Terrorist attack such as we saw on September 11^th 2001.  I believe we will always be in danger of attack, but there are many other weaknesses our Nation has that terrorist can exploit.  To prepare our Nation, we must prepare our cities to respond to, recover from and mitgate against all types of disaster.  That includes CBRNE attacks from Domestic or International Terrorist.  Even the small City of Pacific has many vulnerabilities that could impact our City and citizens.  We must take appropriate steps to prepare for and defend against these types of attacks.

As I previously stated, I have some background in CBRNE events from other classes I have taken.  However day one consisted of 10 hours of lecture aka “Death by PowerPoint.” All aspects of the threat were discussed as well as the impacts each type of weapon could have on a community.  Also discussed was the impact on the responder including stress management and the impact on the family.  Some of this information was review from other classes, but it never hurts to go back over so you don’t forget important points.  Day two and three were more hands on although they still made for long days. But Day two starts with a blood test.

Days two and three were what the CDP calls Lanes training.  There are four areas or lanes that responders must train in; operations and decon in a contaminated environment, survey and monitoring of contaminants, triage of victims and recognition of devices.  My first morning was spent suiting up in a Tyvec suit, using SCBA (self contained air) and performing cut out and gross decon of victims.  Although this was a simulation, the stress and the heat build up inside the suit is real.  We then downgraded to what is known as Type C protection in which we replace the Air tank with an air purifying respirator.  We then went through what is known as Technical Decon that is to remove any contamination the responder may have received treating victims inside the hot or warm zones.  As the temperature that day was a record 98 degrees, spending an hour and ½ in these suits was torture. But at least we were the first group to go through it; later groups got most of the heat.  That afternoon we again dressed out in type C to practice survey and monitoring of both victims and the incident scene.  We practiced on utilizing many different electronic monitors as well as M256A1 kits and M8 paper.  By this time though I was getting use to the heat of the protective suits.   

The third day we did not have to dress out.  The first part was on the rapid assessment of an incident site and triage of victims.  As operation inside of a contaminated area is time limited, responders must be able to quickly and accurately sort and remove viable victims from the scene and get them into the hands of medical personnel. That afternoon was what many of the students call Mad Bomber 101.  We got the opportunity to learn about IEDs, how they are used and how difficult they can be to spot.  We then went into two different mock scenarios with fake bombs and booby traps.  Each device used was a non functioning copy of real explosives used in terrorist and criminal cases in the US.  I left both impressed and concerned at how creative someone can be in creating an IED.

The last day was putting it all together for real.  The COBRAtf, left over from the Fort McClellan Chemical Depot days, is the only toxic agent facility in the US that is available for Civilian use.  As this is where all of our old Chemical Munitions have been sent for incineration as well as holding the live agent facility you can imagine this place has very tight security.  Leaving our dorm area at 5:45 am we made it to the training facility. 3 ID checks later, along with 2 locked gates a host of armed guards and a metal detector we made it into the COBRA classroom for orientation and a safety briefing. Following the first of our medical checks we started assembling our gear.  As everything that enters the Toxic area stays in the toxic area they issue a complete change of clothing along with all of the gear for both the outdoor and indoor exercises.

We start out dressing in Type B gear (Tyvec Suit and SCBA) and participating in what is called the Northville Exercise.  The Scenario is that Terrorist have attacked and derailed a train carrying multiple cars containing chemicals. An large area is contaminated and multiple victims with direct injuries from the derailment to those only effected by Cx (Phosgene Gas).  My job was to transport those victims from the edge of the hot zone, cut off all clothing and run them through Gross Decon.  A second crew then took those victims, ran them through a decontamination line and transported them to medical help in the cold zone.  As this is a terrorist event, we also need to deal with evidence preservation and maintain chain of custody for all evidence including the clothing we cut off. 

After taking a short break, we downgraded to Type C PPE’s and continued our day doing survey and monitoring.  After going through Decon we left Northville hot and tired and made it back into the dressing room.  Next we changed into a Charcoal lined Chemical suit (often called a marshmallow suit) and prepared to go into the toxic agent facility.  Now the first rule of the facility is that nothing is left to chance.  Everything is checked, double checked and then tested again just to be sure.  Where OSHA requires a fit test of 50 on a mask/respirator,  COBRAtf requires a fit test of over 3000.  My particular mask finished with a fit of over 25,000. Every piece of clothing is designed for a tight fit so once inside the toxic facility; participants can feel secure that they will be insulated from any toxic agent.  For one final check we step into a room where we are check one last time using Banana Oil.  This vary fragrant substance will find any gap in our mask and let us know if we have any leaks. Finally we are ready to go inside.

The COBRAtf is broken into 7 smaller rooms, all coming off a common area.  Before moving into any portion of the facility, Operations is called and permission is granted to enter into one of the rooms.  In the first room we enter what looks to be a loading dock or industrial facility.  Under the close watch of instructors, a small amount of a substance is placed onto chilled plates and our adventure begins.  First using M-8 paper and our M256 kits we perform initial test to determine the substance. Initial reports test positive for a G type Nerve Gas and it is noted that Gb is present not only in liquid form on the dish, but also in gas form in the air.  The M256 kits are placed on the outside walls of the room and left to work through the process.  Other testing equipment is then used to test the samples and it is proven that Sarin Gas (Gb) is present.  The M256 kits also confirm the results.  Each dish is then neutralized using bleach.  Prior to leaving this room each person decontaminates their gloves and is given a quick eye test to check for possible exposure. (One of the initial symptoms of exposure is pin pointing of the pupils).

After receiving permission to travel into the second room we enter a much different type layout. This room is a simulation of a homemade lab for the manufacture of chemical weapons.  As the agent is applied we discover with our testing that the toxic agent is Vx, , however this substance is more persistent and does not off gas so the only positive sampling we received is from close contact of monitoring and the M8 paper.  Between the two rooms, it was shown why multiple forms of testing are required to accurately determine what you are dealing with.

The final room we entered inside the toxic facility is a simulation of an incident on main street USA.  In this simulation multiple victims are down, a responder vehicle is included and to top it all off multiple Pipe bombs or IEDs were dispersed to get additional victims.  We had to quickly size up the scene, evacuate victims and plan our initial response.  Sirens, shouts and other noise added to the reality of the situation.

One part of this whole experience that I was impressed with was the procedures that were maintained to ensure our safety.  Going through Decontamination from exposure to live agent is no different.  Being careful to not transfer any contamination we work in teams to unhook and remove our gear.  First to unhook, unzip and untie our coats which are passed on to a safety team.  Then unhook our heavy bunker gear type pants and prepare to remove our pants and boots at the same time.  As we remove these items we carefully turn our body so that no part of our body touches anything or anyone that is in the contamination area.  We then remove our gloves with the help of our safety team and separate into male and female decon areas. (In my group there were 6 men and 4 ladies plus a male and female instructor).  Hear we removed our shorts and socks leaving our t-shirts and mask as the only things we still have on.  Pulling our arms out of the sleeves and then removing the mask using our t-shirts we exit to what is erroneously called the Hot Shower.  This shower contains the coldest water they could get directly off a Siberian glacier.  This cold water is to quickly close all of your pores to prevent any residual contamination from being able to soak into your skin.  Luckily the next stop is a traditional warm shower where you can warm back up.

After dressing back into our street clothes we gather back together for a debrief and to receive our COBRA pins.  As this is my second time through this facility this year (I attended an Incident Command Course that included a trip through COBRA) I received a special Cobra pin signifying I have been in more than once.  Following the final medical exam we prepared to come back home.  Our final step was a 5 am blood test to verify we did not get exposed and off to the airport.

Since Fort McClellan was closed and the facility transferred to DHS, more than 70,000 people have entered the Toxic facility.  Out of those 70,000 trips not one accident has occurred.  I am just glad that my group did not break that record.  I know I will attend more classes at the CDP as they are 100% funded by DHS.  I most likely will enter the COBRA facility again as well. As long as I continue to learn things that I can bring back to our area to improve our planning and preparedness I have no problem with the training.  And I have gained a lot of experience to better protect my city and our citizens.

Budget Cuts

How do you make large cuts in an already tight budget?  You do it by taking little steps, by doing the little things that individually might not seem like a lot of money, by transferring some of the load off of the general fund and by making strategic investments.  Although we are seeing many positive signs that our economy is turning around, at least in our city, we are not there yet. We need to maintain fiscal responsibility and be 100 percent accountable to how we spend your tax dollars. I believe that at least from my position, the City of Pacific is attempting to do that.

I have stated before that I look at this recession as more than a time of cutting back and tight budgets.  I look at this as an opportunity for our city to position itself to take advantage of our recovery.  We need to be creative in keeping our city moving forward in a positive direction, but do so without large tax increases. We need to not only keep our infrastructure from falling apart, but make strategic investments that provide additional benefits for our future.  The investment we made last year of extending lines down West Valley Highway is now starting to pay dividends as we are seeing new businesses start the process of locating there.  The investment we made then, on something that needed to be done anyway will now generate new revenues that will quickly exceed what we spent.

We also have issues where we need to make investment to keep infrastructure from falling apart.  A road project recently rejected by your City Council is an example of that.  This proposal included the shifting some of the burden for road repairs over to utility accounts that have had impact on the road condition (IE: A water or sewer line break has caused partial failure of a road or repairs have resulted in only a patch repair.) It also included an investment of approximately $100.000 that would be in the form of an Interfund loan from utilities to pay for the balance of some critical repairs.  This Interfund loan would be made in place of borrowing the money from the revolving trust account that would otherwise fund these types of repairs.  It was decided in 2005 that it made more sense to loan ourselves the money instead of paying the interest back to other interest outside our city.  It should also be clear that this is not an Interfund loan used to just balance the budget, a practice I fought hard to stop when I first took office.

Council voted this down at an extended meeting on September 20^th.  I expect this measure to be brought back at tomorrow night’s meeting and I want any Council member who votes against this tell our citizens how it can be done better.  To not make these repairs is not an option.  One of the areas that would be included is the road directly in front of our Fire Station. If the road fails here does it only affect those who use 3^rd ave or does it impact our entire city?  Tune in tomorrow night to find out what your council decides to do.

This next month I will be presenting my proposed budget for 2011.  This budget will be built on current revenue forecast, a slight increase in taxes (1% increase in total property tax value is allowed under State Law) and will be the tightest budget I have had to produce.  Its balance will reflect the priorities that citizens developed with the survey in July and will include creative ways of keeping important programs from collapsing.  It will also, as all of my previous budget proposals have been, be 100% accountable to the citizens of this city.  We will have to see how the political dynamics on our council comes up with as alternatives.

Should we have Firearms Safety Education in our Schools?

Every time there is a tragic accidental shooting, it can be certain that the debate over gun rights and gun safety will reemerge. The latest shootings triggered another debate, at least on KOMO radio’s “the Commentators”.   Should Gun Safety be taught in the schools?

The National Rifle Association does have a decent program that is aimed at younger children.  The Eddie Eagle safety program teaches children in pre-K through third grade four important steps to take if they find a gun. These steps are presented by the program's mascot, Eddie Eagle^®, in an easy-to-remember format consisting of the following simple rules:

If you see a gun:

STOP!
Don't Touch.
Leave the Area.
Tell an Adult.

The purpose of the Eddie Eagle Program isn't to teach whether guns are good or bad, but rather to promote the protection and safety of children. The program makes no value judgments about firearms, and no firearms are ever used in the program. Like swimming pools, electrical outlets, matchbooks and household poison, they're treated simply as a fact of everyday life. With firearms found in about half of all American households, it's a stance that makes sense.
Eddie Eagle is never shown touching a firearm, and he does not promote firearm ownership or use. The program prohibits the use of Eddie Eagle mascots anywhere that guns are present. The Eddie Eagle Program has no agenda other than accident prevention -- ensuring that children stay safe should they encounter a gun. The program never mentions the NRA. Nor does it encourage children to buy guns or to become NRA members. The NRA does not receive any appropriations from Congress, nor is it a trade organization. It is not affiliated with any firearm or ammunition manufacturers or with any businesses that deal in guns and ammunition.
But is that the answer?

I grew up in a time where this question would not have even come up.  I grew up in a time when many of our Nation’s high schools not only had discussions on Firearms Safety, but had a rifle team that shot competition matches and was a lettering sport.  When I was 8 years old I took and passed the National Rifle Association Firearms Safety Course that was required of all hunters.  As my father was the coach for the Wilson High School Rifle Team, I was exposed to firearms relatively early.  I would go shoot with the Wilson High Team on Saturday mornings upstairs at the old Point Defiance Boathouse. I quickly became a marksman with small bore rifles.
Saturday was not my only day to go shooting.  I joined the McCord Sportsmen Rifle Club which had practice on Tuesday and Thursday and the Fort Lewis Rod and Gun Club which practiced on Wednesday. By age 14, I was a seasoned competitor in match competition and had earned the rank of Distinguished Expert, which required the ability to, on a regular basis shoot a near perfect score. 
I bring this up for a point.  I grew up around firearms and even had my target rifle stored under my bed.  I often had over 5000 rounds of 22 ammo (since that is how we purchased it) also stored nearby.  I knew the danger of firearms and that they were not toys.  There was never any thought of accidental shootings and gun storage.
Somewhere in the mid 70’s it seemed many of the Tacoma schools dropped their rifle teams.  I heard a rumor (since I had moved to California by this time) that the debate centered on these rifle teams were teaching our children about guns and was too militaristic. I do not know if that is true, but I have heard similar statements from many different people.  I spent more than 8 years involved in competition and rifle clubs and did not seem to grow up too out of control.  I also choose to look at other options than the military, so it did not seem to indoctrinate me.
I believe that our children today are constantly exposed to guns, but not always in a healthy way.  Video games, television and exposure to violence all teach our children something about guns.  But the debate is whether we should teach simple gun safety in schools?  I would think that this is the first thing we would do is to try to counter all of the hype and misinformation children gather from video games and movies. I would even take it a step further and bring back the rifle teams.  In all of my years, I have never heard of a member of a youth rifle team accidently shooting anyone.  We know that rifle was a toll for us to use and compete with, not a toy and not something to carelessly handle.

Tax Cuts, The Economy and political games

I had an interesting conversation with a person that, well let’s say, is far more conservative than I am.  He was commenting on how President Obama had destroyed our economy and how Republicans (and by that he means Tea Party Republicans) were going to take over and reverse everything that President Obama and Congress has done.  All I am going to say about that is let’s pray that does not happen.

Now I do not mean that everything is perfect or that Democrats have displayed great leadership.  I believe that Democrats have made as many mistakes trying to get us out of this mess as both sides made in getting us into it. I do not claim to be an expert at economic theory or how to restore our economy, but there are many ideas that would have done a better job.

First, neither President Obama’s actions nor those of Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid got us into this mess.  This mess was caused by greed, by poor regulatory oversight and by inaction by both President Bush and by Congress.  It cannot be blamed on Republicans or Democrats, each must take equal responsibility.   Forest Gump could have told you that selling a $400,000 home to someone working part time at 7-11 was not a good business practice.  The deregulation of the market that allowed those contracts to be sold and traded on the open market was even less intelligent.  Congress and the President stood by and did nothing to address this issue when it was brought up more than five years ago that we were heading for a cliff.  The people selling these contracts, and pushing for even looser regulations were in this solely for the profit and did not care what damage it would leave in its wake.

Secondly, the stimulus package pushed by both President Bush and President Obama was the right idea; however it was not the right method. I do not disagree that if we allowed more banks to fail that the hole we are in now would have been deeper.  I believe that you would see fewer banks and more of a stranglehold on our economy by monetary power brokers. I do not however believe that the way things were done were effective or were the best choice at that time.  First with the bank bailout, I believe that government dealt with it the same way they typically do, just threw money at the problem.  Much of the problem, after you get past the greed, was that banks now held paper on homes that were sold to people who never should have bought, at least at that level of purchase.  Foreclosures, upside down mortgages that resulted from plummeting prices and the spiraling effect of money tightening up because of that was the issue that needed to be addressed. Just bailing the banks out without addressing what the issue was is like telling a drunk driver to not drink and drive and then filling up his gas tank. Although I think these new ideas being floated at now starting to address this issue, the damage done to local communities will take years to recover from.  If instead the government had somehow purchased the bad contracts and then either refinanced them or as I would have loved to see, establish them a benefit for our deserving Veterans it would have made more sense.

I am also someone who believes in strategic investments and in the carrot and stick approach to fiscal accountability.  If you invest in what makes our nation strong you invest in its future.  Investments in transportation, communication, power generation and in our greatest asset our citizens would have paid much higher dividends and would have resulted in jobs then and in our future. Conservatives are right when they say that government does not produce jobs.  But government strategically working with business does. One of the reasons we saw such a strong economy in the late 90’s was because of the investment made into and by business.  Tax breaks for purchasing of computer systems, modernization of manufacturing processes and in this little known thing that was called the internet all contributed.  As businesses built up it created jobs to meet the needs of the modernization, when completed it allowed businesses to be more profitable which resulted in more jobs as business expanded.  The same concepts are now being debated in Congress, but these ideas should have been the focus two years ago.

Finally, I want to talk about the debate to extend the Bush Tax cuts.  This was one of the most remarkably brilliant moves by the Republican Party to put this into play nearly a decade ago.  The strategy to make the tax cuts temporary was not just to get the votes at the time, but to set up a long term strategy that they could manipulate as the expiration date approached. Now, going into a midterm election they can claim that Democrats are trying to raise your taxes.

As I have stated in other post, I am not a big fan of taxation to begin with.  I feel the best way to increase revenues is to grow the economy.  If these tax cuts were such a great idea then, why they were not made permanent then?  If reducing the taxes on those making over $250,000 would result in those people reinvesting it back into the economy why didn’t those people do that?  The economic theory of lower taxes on wealth and business helping grow the economy only works if those who have the money do not sit on it.  If you apply the carrot and stick approach then those who do reinvest in our communities can do so in partnership and those who only want to sit on their hands can pay the higher taxes.  As for the idea that failure to extend the Bush Tax Cuts is raising taxes is political manipulation.  I saw in the newspaper today the headline “GOP to Battle Democrats on Tax Hike”.  Again that is something that Forest Gump would even think is idiotic.  You work to block any bill and the Bush Tax cuts expire.  You work together to make the Bush Tax cuts actually work as they were intended.

Taxes too high or is Trust in Government too low?

When it comes to taxes there are two things that will always be constant. The only fair tax is one that someone else pays and no matter what the tax rate is or how frugal government is taxes will always be too high. Those people who know me understand I am not a big government kind of guy. I believe that Government should only be as large as is needed to get the job done. I also do not believe that government always needs to provide all of the services it does, at least not by itself.


There are certain important functions in all levels of government. On the Federal Side there is of course the Military Defense and Homeland Security of our Nation. I do believe that Congress should pass laws based on the Constitution of the United States and work for the common good. I believe that at the Federal level issues like foreign trade, an Interstate Highway system and ensuring that everyone has access to the tools to make them successful.

At the State level, economic development, protection of the environment (laws can be federal, enforcement needs to be in touch with the local area) and issues of common good for the citizens of a state. I believe that the power of government does and should rest in the local government role. Local governments are the service providers. They see firsthand how the application of laws effect the citizens. They see firsthand the needs of their community and how best to meet those needs.

Now this gets to my second point in this matter, how those services are provided. 200 years ago communities had to be self sufficient. If someone got sick, some of those person’s duties were picked up by other community members and that persons needs were met, often by the Church. People who were refused to carry their weight were often made outcast or suffered the consequences of their actions. It was not perfect, but it did work. As government stepped into the fray, providing services for the sick and infirm it took the burden off of communities, however the way the government’s services were provided often left much to be desired. Attempts to reform this part of the system has been partially responsible for where we are at today.

I once read that government typically looks at a community backwards. They look at it as a glass half empty and then design government programs to fill that glass. This is typical of how many of the services that I agree we need are currently provided by government. Instead if government looks at a community as a glass half full. Looks for and develops the resources all ready in that community that glass can fill itself. It also helps build a stronger community by empowerment of community and promoting more self reliance. This is the model of government that we need to promote in our society.

Now I know that community cannot meet all needs. I know that for some groups, some individuals that government assistance will always be needed. I do not have a problem with providing those services. I also do not have a problem with government making strategic investments that can pay off increased benefits in the future. I support making investments in the critical infrastructure that makes our nation strong. Education and training programs so our workforce is always able to compete on a global scale. I support making investments in communication and power generation, not only so our economy can benefit from efficient power and communication but so we are constantly looking to make our systems even better. Government should make Investments in roads and other critical infrastructure that can attract new businesses and build stronger local economies.

We need to build our communities up by empowering citizens to take an active role in their own governance. Although sometimes government needs to provide some guidance, pushing for more citizen involvement at least allows those citizens to see from the inside how government functions. I believe that our real problem is not really that people think their taxes are too high. I think the problem is they believe their trust in government is too low. That is the first issue we need to address as government. And that is true at all levels.

Why Emergency Management Training is so important to me

Some people have asked why Emergency Management and Homeland Security issues are so important to me as an elected official. First and foremost is because I will always care for the people and businesses of this city and will do whatever I can to help protect them from harm. Now that being said let me explain why I feel some of the courses I take are relevant.


Some of the first courses I took were the IEMC or Integrated Emergency Management courses at the Emergency Management Institute (EMI). These courses combine lecture and theory with hand on exercises in a simulation lab. I have taken three of these classes; All Hazards Planning and Response, All Hazards Recovery and Mitigation, and Hazardous Materials Planning and Response. With these courses I learned where our city and where my knowledge needed to be in preparing our city. EMI, located in Emmitsburg Maryland has some of the best programs in the Country for this and my classes and travel cost were funded by FEMA. Although I do not get reimbursed for lost wages from my job as a Union Electrician, I have decided that when I retire it would be nice to go back and teach other elected officials some of what I have learned. I have an application in for a contract instructor for the IEMC courses.

Some of the gaps I realized by taking the IEMC courses were our cities ability to meet requirements set in place by the National Incident Management System (NIMS), our Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP)and the training and testing of staff. First with the COOP Planning I was able to find a class being taught in Richland Washington. This class, along with knowledge I learned from many other resources including extensive online training allowed me to create our draft Emergency Planning Documents. After convincing the Course Manager that I was serious about building a strong training and exercise program for our city, I was accepted into the Master Exercise Practioner program at EMI. This program included three weeklong classes in Maryland along with considerable course work in between the classes. During this time I wrote a Table Top and a Functional Exercise as well as certified in writing, conducting and evaluating disaster exercises. When I graduated in 2009, I was the first elected official to earn a MEP and still am the only person who held office at the time to graduate from the program. Since that time I am happy to say that one of my classmates won a seat on his City Council in Pennsylvania.

A big part of the NIMS requirements is for training in the Incident Command System (ICS). Taking classes both online (ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800) and at Pierce County EOC (ICS 300, and 400) I became the first person in our city to meet the NIMS requirements and kept our city qualified for certain federal funding. Since that time Police Chief John Calkins, Lt. Edwin Massey, and Community Development Director Jay Bennett have all reached those same requirements. Our Emergency Plan requires all City Council members to have completed ICS 100 by next month and to complete up to 300 next year. The Council President and Mayor Pro Tempe, because they need to be able to take over for the Mayor in their absence will need to also take ICS 400. Other city employees and volunteers who might staff certain positions during times of disaster are required to take at least ICS 100.

In January 2010 (not the warmest time of the year to be on the East coast) I returned to EMI to take the ICS Training the Trainer. This allows me to teach ICS 100 – 400 (ICS 700 and 800 are online programs dealing more with the NIMs Structure and the National Response Framework). Last Spring we offered our first ICS 100 class to the public and next week we have our first ICS 200 class. The plan is to offer these at least once per year. ICS 300 and 400 are available only in the classroom format and require multiple instructors to teach. I am on the list as an instructor with the State of Washington, Pierce County and King County EOC’s.

With these classes and a host of online programs I continued to refine our emergency planning documents. Last year we had a great intern who worked with staff and me and completed our COOP Plan. Jay Bennett, our Community Development Director and Deputy Emergency Management Director wrote our Hazard Mitigation Plan and I developed a multiyear training and exercise plan. Last spring we conducted our first stand alone exercise. We have another scheduled for the end of this month. In addition we have participated as an independent participant in the Statewide Sound Shake 08 exercise as well as worked with the VRFA in a drill on that same scenario. All of these documents were then included in our Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan that was adopted by City Council last year.

One of the issues I discovered from taking these classes is a big gap exist nationwide in classes specifically focused at the Policy role. An elected official, although their role is critical in the success of any program is typically not directly involved in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) most of the training programs developed have been towards the operational side and not specifically on the critical thinking and impacts of policy in the planning for, responding to, recovering from and mitigating against disasters. Because of this I am now writing a Plan of Instruction for a new class; The Policy Role in Incident Command and Emergency Management as part of the Master Trainer Program at EMI. I will be teaching a six hour version of this program this November in cooperation with Pierce County DEM and the Association of Washington Cities. The final version will be a 24 hour class that like most successful Adult education programs combine lecture with hands on application through exercises.

Another gap that I noticed was in my personal education. Disasters are not always natural or accidental. As we saw on September 11, 2001, disasters sometimes are purposeful and acts of terrorism. None of my training had been specific to these types of disasters. Although I do not expect to see a terrorist explode a dirty bomb at city hall or someone to release a chemical weapon during Pacific days, as a policy leader I need to understand the realities of these types of events. Next Sunday, I will be leaving for the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) to take my third class in awareness of and management of WMD type events. Both my last class and the one I am attending this month include hands on training inside the COBRA Training Facility, the only live agent training facility in the United States that is available to civilian training programs. Suiting up in a chemical suit and monitoring levels of real VX and Sarin Gas has given me a much more realistic conception of what it takes to operate in a WMD type environment. It was as exciting as suiting up in bunker gear and going into a training fire.

Also I have been accepted to attend a program offered at Texas A&M University on Advanced Unified Command by the Texas Engineering and Extension Service. Like EMI and the CDP, this program at TEEX is funded by FEMA and DHS.

So that gets down to what I plan on doing with this training. First, I want to make sure that our city is prepared to face any disaster. I want to make sure that we have in place both the planning and the training that even after I retire as Mayor that Pacific’s citizens and businesses will always be protected. Second, I want to help prepare our region. Many of my mentors, Sarah Miller of Auburn Emergency Preparedness, Dominick Marzano of Kent and staff of Washington State Emergency Management have given so much to me that I want to give back to others. That is why I am writing this policy training program, I have been given a rare opportunity to combine what I have learned in emergency management with what I have learned is important as Mayor. I will use these skills in any way I can to help our region become better prepared. Finally I want to help our Nation. If the class I write can be used nationally, I want to make it available. I see my future will most likely be involved in emergency management. This is still a few years off as I will not retire as an electrician for a few more years. My father raised me to believe that when you see a problem that needs to be corrected, you do not just wait around for others to do the work, you roll up your sleeves and figure out how to do it yourself. That is what I am doing with emergency management. That is why it is so important to me.

September 11th Comments at City of Pacific Rememberance

Just a note on this somber day as we remember the battle fought here on our own soil.


This battle wasnt conducted by military forces, with a declaration of war, but by those who would wage terror on civilians.

Our Heroes that day were men and women of Fire Department New York, New York Police Department and the New York Port Authority who fought through the smoke, ash and flames to save those that they could.

Our Heroes that day were the Construction Workers who ran to the site of the World Trade Center some with equipment, some with only their bare hands to help their fellow Americans and fellow heroes.

Our Heroes that day were the Members of 15 separate Fire Departments who battled together in an attempt to save the Pentagon and save the lives of those who were trapped inside.

Our Heroes that day were the forty passengers on United Flight 93 who crashed a plane into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania instead of letting it continue to its intended target somewhere in Washington DC.

It is the innocent lives that were lost that day that should be remembered, but let us also remember the heroes that day that showed what real American Spirit is about, To value the lives of others.

I want to thank each of you for coming out tonight to remember those heroes, to remember how our Nation united, even for one brief moment. I want to thank the members of our Fire Fighters and Police Officers as well as their families because I know that if you were there 9 years ago, you would not have done anything different.

May God always Bless our First Responders, May God Always Bless our Fighting Men and Women and may God Always Bless this Great Nation, The United States of America