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City of Centerville
<br />Council Meeting Minutes
<br />Apri123, 2008
<br />Mr. Halstrom went on to introduce Terry Stolzman, Director of Anoka County
<br />Emergency Management and Professional Development Chair for the Association of
<br />Minnesota Emergency Managers, Sergeant Aldridge with the Center City Police and
<br />Officer Ron Nelson from the Centennial.
<br />Mr. Halstrom began by talking about the traditional Minnesota threats/hazards, most of
<br />which are tornados, floods, hazardous material accidents, snow emergencies, and major
<br />transportation accidents. He stated that, in addition, there are agricultural disasters, civil
<br />disorder, dam failure, fire (urban, forest, wildfire), a hazardous material incident -which
<br />could force evacuation, a National security event, and public utilities failure.
<br />Mr. Halstrom clarified that natural disasters are things like floods, severe weather,
<br />tornado, or blizzards. A Public Health Event would be a pandemic outbreak,
<br />environmental health, or biological. In addition, there are radiological incidents, fixed
<br />facilities and transportation incidents, school crisis events, transportation accidents and
<br />terrorism from chemical biological radiological nuclear explosives.
<br />Mr. Halstrom stated that our new threat is terrorism and weapons of mass destruction
<br />(chemical, biological and nuclear). In Minnesota, this would apply to port areas, the
<br />international border with Canada, or a high profile area like the Mall of America.
<br />Mr. Halstrom named local agencies working to prepare for these threats: County, city and
<br />township governing bodies, County emergency management, City Emergency
<br />Management, County highway/city and township maintenance crews, county health
<br />department, law enforcement (Sheriffs Department, City Police Departments), Fire
<br />Department, hospitals and clinics, schools and churches and ARES (Amateur Radio
<br />Emergency Services) (Ham Radio Operators).
<br />Mr. Terry Stolzman stated that he has an ARES group of 15-20 members, which have a
<br />strong presence. He explained that when radio traffic was lost in Houston County, they
<br />were able to use ARES.
<br />Councilmember Lee questioned why the Emergency Broadcast System was not used on
<br />9/11.
<br />Mr. Halstrom responded that he didn't know the answer to that, but there are other ways
<br />to warn people (i.e., sirens, TV and other communications and the element of personal
<br />responsibility).
<br />Mayor Capra stated that cell phones do not work at times. She pointed out that when a
<br />major event came through Centerville, there were no sirens.
<br />Mr. Halstrom explained that installation of sirens was expensive (approximately
<br />$15,000), and we have no grants for them. He suggested that new developers could be
<br />required to put them in as part of their negotiations.
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