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Emergency center up and running

by MADISON HARDY
Staff Writer | March 2, 2021 1:07 AM

The once-vacant Army Reserve building at Coeur d'Alene Airport-Pappy Boyington Field is serving a renewed purpose — keeping Kootenai County residents prepared in case of emergency. 

After being acquired by the county last October, the old facility has been transformed into a home for the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Management's Emergency Operations Center. 

Before moving to the 9,400-square-foot building, the OEM operated out of the basement of KCSO's Government Way facility and was frequently displaced due to a lack of space.

Issues were starting to pile up, OEM director Tiffany Westbrook said. Telephones and cords were stored in the ceiling, extra tables were constantly cycled in and out, and when the pandemic hit, Westbrook realized there wasn't enough space to distance. 

"What we had at the sheriff's office was very small," EOC Coordinator Cheryl Watanabe said. "During COVID, we were just on top of each other. Now we have room to spread out."

Now, the Emergency Operation Center has more than enough space, featuring a radio communications room, multiple storage areas for personal protective equipment and emergency supplies, a briefing room, several offices, a kitchen, and a larger room temporarily occupied by Panhandle Health District's COVID-19 call center. 

"It's actually created a dedicated space that's for this, and as we've transitioned to more of a vaccine appointment role, it's helped us keep our message clear," said Zach Taylor, Panhandle Health District call center supervisor.

In the building, the OEM hosts training exercises for first responders and acts as a central hub for incident commanders and section chiefs to gather and prepare, Westbrook said. Since moving in late December, the facility has become a viable location for the Local Emergency Planning Committee, hosting the Health District and training public safety officials. 

"Having PHD come here and utilize that space is something we could have never offered before to our partners," Westbrook said. "To help support their response to COVID-19 is pretty cool."

The OEM is technically prepared for any hazard that could affect the area, Westbrook explained. Typically in Kootenai County, they see flooding, fires and windstorms, but with continued growth and increased urban density, more safety measures will be required. 

When conducting a damage assessment on the January windstorm that shook the five northern counties and ended up totaling about $2.6 million, Westbrook said the EOC hosted state officials and partnering agencies to perform training and discuss a path forward. 

Discussion of purchasing the building began in August when Westbrook brought it before the board of county commissioners. The idea of expanding the OEM had been in the wind for about a decade, she noted. However, there wasn't funding for it. 

"Realizing that as this area is growing, there are certain infrastructure things that residents want to feel safe and that the county is being proactive in looking after the needs of the population," Watanabe said.

Though the department had available funding through CARES Act grants to renovate the space, an official financing plan for purchasing the building delayed its approval for two months. The county was tasked with a mad dash to complete updates to the building before the CARES Act expired in December. The remodel includes:

• An updated fire alarm system and security system

• Resealing and striping of the parking lot

• A new HVAC system

• Flooring

• Cabinetry work

• A fresh coat of paint

Usually, this can take four or five months, but the facility finished on schedule, Westbrook said.

"It provides us with a space that is accessible to our volunteers, accessible to our partners, and provides us with a space that we've never had before," Westbrook said. "This has been a godsend."

The OEM and EOC rely on volunteer support, Watanabe said, and they're hoping that with the move to the new building, they can increase the number of people who work with the department.

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Construction staff worked overtime between October and December of 2020 to complete the rapid renovation of the Coeur d'Alene Airport/Pappy Boyington Field vacant Army Reserve for the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office of Emergency management. Photo courtesy Chris Chaffee.

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Now fully refinished, the Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management's Emergency Operations Center is the temporary home for Panhandle Health District's COVID-19 hotline which fields on average about 500 calls a day. (MADISON HARDY/Press)

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Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management director Tiffany Westbrook stands in the new Emergency Operations Center briefing room that is used for trainings and meetings between local law enforcement and safety providers. (MADISON HARDY/Press)