Federal agency hands out emergency handling marks

Courtesy photo DETCOG Executive Director,Walter Diggles (at podium), reports to his board of directors on Tuesday's regional disaster drill. The DETCOG Board was meeting at Waterwood National Resort in San Jacinto County. Also pictured are Polk County Minority Representative, Elgin Davis (left); Houston County Commissioner,Willie Kitchens and DETCOG Board President, Joe Folk.

"A really good evaluation," was the way Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) Executive Director, Walter Diggles, characterized the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center's (NERRT) appraisal of Tuesday's twelve-county emergency response drill. He received a call from his emergency preparedness staff relaying the good news just before the DETCOG Board met. The disaster exercise was the first test of the regions recently installed interoperable communications system. The new equipment allows law enforcement, fire and medical agencies to talk to each other over their radios and other communications devices. The installation of these interoperable systems has become a national priority following 9/11 where the fire and police agencies could not easily communicate. The need to be able to communicate regionally was also apparent during the Columbia and Hurricanes Rita disasters. A good evaluation would validate the region's communications capabilities to state and federal officials. It would also prove that DETCOG has followed the disaster response planning requirements of the Governor and office of Homeland Security. Meeting these requirements could effect the DETCOG region's future Homeland Security funding.

Diggles also reported to the board that the Texas Commission on State E m e r g e n c y Communications had committed the funds to DETCOG to replace the additional remaining Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP's) in the region. The PSAP equipment is used by dispatchers in 9-1-1 call centers in each of DETCOG's twelve counties. The Board previously approved funding to replace equipment at 8 PSAs for a total of $736,846.00.

The DETCOG Board gave regional approval to a one million, six hundred thousand dollar grant request from the East Texas Community Health Clinic based in Nacogdoches. The funds would be used to cover operating expenses of the Community Health Clinic that were not recovered from its patients. That grant request will now be forwarded to the Health Resources and Services Administration for review and funding.

In other business, the accounting firm of Alexander, Lankford & Hiers, CPA gave their report on DETCOG's 2006 Annual Audit. The CPA firm representative told the board it was a "clean" audit with no deficiencies or reportable conditions. The Board commended the COGs fiscal staff for getting the highest rating - an unqualified audit report for its 2006 fiscal year.