Local Emergency Planning Committees gather for semi-annual meeting

OKANOGAN – The Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) gathered for a meeting with the Okanogan County Department of Emergency Management on April 11 to discuss elements critical to the preparedness agenda of the local groups. More than two dozen agencies and organizations were represented for the two-hour meeting.

Among those making presentations at the LEPC gathering was Clay Thedy of the Army Corps of Engineers who reported that conditions looked good for minor to no flooding in Okanogan County in the months ahead. Dang emphasized that weather spotters are important in the county owing to mountain ranges that interfere with NOAA radar.

Emergency Management personnel endorsed that spring runoff shows no dangers of anticipated flooding but that plenty of sandbags are on hand at Okanogan County EM.

Ron Wonch of the Department of Natural Resources warned that wildfires are already kicking up. Precipitation levels are predicted to be well below normal in the county this year.

Tom Dang of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explained the NOAA weather systems, how his agency works and the difference between weather watches and warnings. Dang emphasized that weather spotters are important in the county owing to mountain ranges that interfere with NOAA radar.

Attendees were advised that local search and rescue is looking for volunteers. Those interested can email SAR@co.okanogan.wa.us to learn more.

For latest county updates, citizens can check the Okanogan County Emergency Management Facebook page or call (509) 422-7206. OCEM is located at 123 Fifth Avenue North, Room 106, in Okanogan.