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Hazelwood Changes Emergency Plan In Wake of Flood Rescues
A HAZELWOOD FIREFIGHTER carries a boy from the flood waters of an apartment complex on Sept. 14. Hazelwood Fire Department photo
BY JEANETTE EBERLIN-RIZZELLO
The Hazelwood Emergency Operations plan was amended at the Sept. 17th city council meeting but ironically, the two changes didn’t apply to the Coldwater Creek flooding situation on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 14.
That morning the creek had flooded a huge area of Hazelwood and Florissant and caused havoc in both cities.
The two changes weren’t used in the disaster and rescue activities needed in the Coldwater Creek situation, however, after the meeting Fire Chief Jim Matthies said, discussing the flood situation, “We have a plan, (Emergency Operations Plan) we used the plan, and everything worked the way it was supposed to. As always we learn from every emergency we handle.”
At the council meeting the mayor and several council members commended the city’s police, fire, public works and other city departments and department heads on their work at handling and coordinating the disaster operations.
Chief Matthies described the city’s operations this way: “About 7 a.m that morning it had been raining very hard and the water was becoming a concern by 7 a.m.
“By 8:30 it was flooding in the French Quarter area and we started evacuating people, and at that time we had police and fire equipment in and by 8:45 we activated the Hazelwood Emergency Operations Center; and at that time we notified the city council.”
He explained that the EOC, which is coordinated by Firefighter John Otte, is a group of residents who are assigned to handle disaster operations; the group includes all city department heads and supervisors.
“Overall we had three command posts operating in the city at one time and at one time we had four boats in the operation helping people from their homes,” he said. The areas involved were the French Quarter, the Chez Paree complex and the homes in the area around St. Cinn and Aubuchon Park, he added.
In an interview Carol Rodgers, a member of CERT ( Citizens Emergency Response Team) described the activities of the group that day. “About 20 persons, and one dog were brought to the Hazelwood Community Center on Teson Road; most were from the French Quarter area. Many were wet and we provided food, blankets, dry clothing, diapers, first aid and shelter.
“If they requested over-night accommodations they were moved to the John F. Kennedy center on Howdershell Road in Florissant,” she said.
Concerning the two changes in Hazelwood’s Emergency Operations Plan, Chief Matthies explained that one, the Preface Page simply summarizes the reason for the plan. The other, the Pandemic Flu policy has been copied from the plan designed by the St. Louis Department of Health.
“I can assure that those charged with carrying out today’s Emergency Operations Plans are well trained and aware of all optionopened to them,” he concluded.
