Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Coordination between Tucumcari and Quay County for warning sirens as well as the duties and funding of the Quay County Emergency Manager were discussed during Monday’s regular county commission meeting.
“I have been working with the City of Tucumcari to develop the best plan for the use of the new warning siren system,” said Daniel Zamora, county emergency manager.
Zamora said after discussion with Project Manager Ralph Lopez, it has been decided that having one alert tone and one all clear tone would be the best for alerting residents.
“How would residents, other than there being an obvious severe weather situation know that an emergency was taking place?” asked Mike Cherry, District 2 commissioner.
Cherry said there needs to be another form of alert to let residents know what they are being warned about. He said this would help to limit confusion and panic from the residents.
Zamora said in conjunction with the siren, there would be a mass text and email sent out with information for the residents. He said once the system is in operation, there will be opportunity for residents to sign up for the alerts.
“There is still a matter of deciding who would have the authority to issue an alert and sound the sirens,” Zamora said.
Zamora said the actual controls for the siren are located at central dispatch. He said there would need to be protocol set in place that would have someone be responsible for the sounding of the alarm.
“We can not have it be an additional responsibility for dispatch to make the call to sound or not sound the siren,” Zamora said. “I could be a choice for someone who would make the determination for the use of the siren.”
Cherry said there would have to be another person, a secondary choice in the event Zamora is out of town or unable to make the decision.
Zamora said he will continue to work with the city to develop the best plan for the warnings.
Along with his duties as emergency manager Zamora would be the best choice to appoint at the E-911 County Coordinator, said Richard Primrose, county manager.
The commission approved Zamora’s appointment as the E-911 coordinator and approved the submission of Emergency Manager Planning Grant application to the New Mexico Finance Authority.
Primrose said the grant application helps to pay for the salary increase for Zamora’s added duties as the county’s emergency manager.
“I was nervous at first taking over as the emergency manager,” Zamora said. “After taking a few courses and attending several training seminars, I am confident I can perform the duties requested of me.”
Other items before the commission:
• Presbyterian Medical Services Administrator C. Renee Hayoz gave a presentation of the monthly Rural Primary Health Care Act report. Hayoz said the clinic treated 476 patients in the last month and the clinic has made home visits to senior citizens.
• Quay County DWI Coordinator Andrea Shafer was not present to give the quarterly report. Primrose presented the DWI statistics from the first quarter of 2018.
• Quay County Fire Marshall Donald Adams requested the approval of the submission of the firefighter protection funds for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The submission was approved.
• Quay County Finance Director Cheryl Simpson requested the approval of the Department of Finance Authority third quarterly report, DWI third quarter financial report and the fiscal year 2018 Audit contract. All three were approved.
• The commission held a closed executive session for the discussion of threatened or pending litigation. No action was taken.