Coordinator helping town get ready for disaster
GREENLEAF, Idaho – Perhaps this town of 900 residents 35 miles west of Boise has reason to be concerned.
Or perhaps it’s just trying to live up to its unofficial motto: “Prepare to Care.”
Whatever the reason, in recent days city officials have been gathering canned food, flashlights, emergency blankets, and heavy vinyl to seal windows and doors to protect city employees for several days if necessary.
“We’re trying to do the planning and trying to do it right,” said City Clerk Lee Belt. “The general purpose for government as a whole is to provide for the health and safety of citizens.”
The town made news in November 2006 when it passed an ordinance asking residents who didn’t object on religious or other grounds to keep a gun in the home.
Several months ago city, officials hired a part-time preparedness coordinator, Rosalee Stewart, paid for through the federal program “Experience Works.”
She recently visited the town’s 13 businesses and urged them to make plans for sheltering employees in the event of a disaster.
“People just don’t think about hard times,” said Art Bailey, owner of the Greenleaf Store. “They’ve never experienced it, and they think they never will.”
On Feb. 29, the town completed a “continuity of operations” plan detailing how to respond to various disasters. Then the city started stockpiling items, and has encouraged residents to do the same and form “carehoods,” where neighborhoods agree to look out for each other.
“What we’re working on here is a long-term attitude, and we might be in a position to help other people in the area,” said Greenleaf Friends Church Pastor Alan Weinacht. “I laud that. It strikes me as smart city planning.”
With its high ground, the community could help others displaced by possible floods.
“They’re a pretty close-knit community,” said Lynn Thompson, the risk management coordinator for nearby Nampa and chairman of Canyon County’s Local Emergency Planning Committee. “They like each other, and there’s some good leadership from the mayor’s office and the city clerk.”
Belt hopes the community can save enough money to buy generators for City Hall and the community center, which would be used as a shelter and base of operations if needed.
Stewart said the two main threats to the town are a toxic-chemical spill from a truck or severe wind.
“Since we’re up on a hill, we get some pretty wild winds,” said Stewart.