Bryce Nielson, Rich County Emergency Officer

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  April 21, 2016. Bryce Nielson has been Rich County’s Emergency Officer for the last eleven years.  He wanted to inform the City Council the duties and responsibilities that he has in this position. 

He has written Rich County’s Emergency Operation Plan.  He also has created the Rich County All Hazards Mitigation Plan.  The plans lay out actions that should be taken if and when a disaster occurs in the County.  Bryce has been involved in buying equipment, supplies, and items that are needed when there is a major disaster.

Emergency management is a four phase program.  First, mitigation is attempted—try and fix a problem before it happens.  Second, preparedness is attempted.  Equipment is purchased such as trailers, four-wheelers, boats, and so forth.  Medical supplies and other items that would be needed are bought and stored in different locations. The third phase determines responses that ties together people with different skills to help them work together in an emergency.  The final phase is the recovery.  Cleanup, renewal, anything required to take care of people and things after the disaster is attempted to get things back to normal.

Nielson tries to make people aware of potential threats to the community.  Urban fire interface is a possible threat.  If something happened that all communications were lost, it is good to have someone like Eldon Kearl who has a trailer equipped with a ham radio set that would operate in such a situation.

Participation in mitigation and prevention of such disasters is important.  Fire is probably the biggest threat to Garden City.  However, weather events and the lake also pose other possible problems that need to be considered.  Plans need to be made to handle such disasters.  In other words, plans for emergencies needs to be put in place.  Individuals also need to be taught to operate effectively in emergency situations.

Nielson's responsibility is to coordinate all components of an emergency.  Firemen, law enforcement officials, medical responders, and others need to be contacted so they can respond and work efficiently together. Equipment and supplies required need to be available.  Bryce is supposed to coordinate the planning process, advise and inform the chief elected officials, identify and analyze the potential effects of hazards, take inventory of resources, and identify resource deficiencies and correct them.

In addition, the public needs to be made aware of possible hazards and attend education programs concerning this issue.  The community needs to establish a system to alert officials and the public if an emergency occurs.  Networks of people need to be established and given opportunities to work together.  Also current plans needs to be reviewed and improved as things change.

Families need to be prepared for emergencies by creating a family disaster plan.  Teach your children what to do in an emergency   Educate yourself through public information campaigns.  A family disaster plan should include a disaster supply kit.  The family should create a disaster plan and practice it.  A complete checklist of preparedness should be made.  Learn what to do in an evacuation event.  Know what to do if a disaster strikes.  Learn about your community’s warning signals, what they sound like, and what you should do when you hear them. 

 Nielson wants everyone to be aware that disasters are a possibility.  He wants everyone to be prepared and able to act quickly in such a situation.