Emergency Mutual Aid Ok’d

Post Falls is leading the way in disaster preparedness by forming a mutual aid agreement between its public agencies.

The Post Falls school board approved the emergency aid agreement with the Post Falls Highway District, the city of Post Falls and Post Falls Fire District at its Monday meeting.

The agreement has been called a model for community cooperation by Kootenai County’s director of disaster services.

Superintendent Richard Harris said the agreement “cuts the red tape and says we authorize that type of emergency use” of school facilities and bus transportation.

One scenario he offered was a hazardous waste spill, in which school buses were needed to evacuate neighborhoods.

Another benefit of working with the other agencies, Harris said, is that now the district’s transportation department has direct radio contact with Post Falls emergency personnel.

In other business Monday, the school board postponed launching a before- and after-school day care service until next year. The decision was made because the YMCA has closed its branch office in Kootenai County, and it was the lone applicant for a contract to provide in-school day care service.

Rich Wallis, director of the Inland Empire YMCA, said the branch office will not be reopening.

The board also heard the first reading of a policy that defines and prohibits sexual, racial, ethnic and other forms of harassment.

, DataTimes