DETREM Training and Exercise Planning Workshop

The Deep East Texas Regional Emergency Management group will meet on January 24, 2012 at the Deep East Texas Council of Government Conference Room in Jasper, Texas at 1:00 PM. The meeting will be hosted by Jasper, Newton and Sabine Counties Emergency Management/Homeland Security.

The Training and Exercise Planning Workshop is a discussion-based workshop, providing our jurisdictions in the DETCOG area an opportunity to review its homeland security strategy and develop or update a Multi-year Training and Exercise Plan (MTEP).

Please make plans to attend. For further information feel free to contact me at 409-994-2543 or email billy.smith@co.jasper.tx.us Please forward this message to others you feel would benefit from the meeting.

Jasper, Sabine & Tyler County End A Near Nine Month Burn Ban

Officials in Jasper County announced on Tuesday that after reviewing the amount of rain received earlier in the day a decision had been made to drop the ban on all burning in the county. The decision allows resident to burn trash and yard debris as needed and also allows individuals to have camp fires. The move comes after months of prohibiting such fires due to the extreme drought conditions that have existed. On Tuesday, Jasper and the surrounding area received anywhere from 1.36 to 1.5 inches of rainfall as a line of thunderstorms moved through the area. Officials in both Tyler and Sabine Counties also lifted the ban on burning there on Tuesday morning. The ban on burning in nearby Newton County ended last week. Citizens are urged to be aware of the dangers associated with burning.

Emergency Planning Guidance for Culturally Diverse Communities

Guidance for Integrating Culturally Diverse Communities into Planning for and Responding to Emergencies: A Toolkit. Recommendations of the National Consensus Panel on Emergency Preparedness and Cultural Diversity. Feb 2011
http://www.healthpolicyinstitute.org/files/OMHDiversityPreparednessToolkit.pdf





Gregory T. Banner
MS, CEM
Regional Emergency Coordinator
Rgn I (New England)
US Dpt of Health and Human Services

Citywide power outage planned for February

According to Tommy Boykin, City Manager, the City of Jasper will experience a planned power outage on Sunday February 13, 2011 from 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

Boykin said the outage is necessary due to a faulty main switch that must be replaced in the 138,000 volt Jason electrical substation on Milam Street.

Boykin said that there is simply no way to replace the switch without shutting off all power and that after considerable discussion it was decided that black out will take place on the Sunday evening while most people are asleep.

Boykin said that local citizens should remember that the outage will mean that all traffic lights, street lights and other lights will be out.

Boykin said that over the next few weeks residents, especially those with special needs should be making plans for the outage. However, he also said that the Jasper Fire Department, which has emergency power on Water Street will be open and would serve as a shelter for those who want to go there.

City officials have said that in the case of a hard freeze or cold weather, the outage will be postponed.