Brian Sandoval briefed on state’s emergency plan after flooding

By Cy Ryan

Published Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010 | 2 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010 | 6:19 p.m.

Amateur radio operators working alongside county officials supplied the best information on last week’s Las Vegas-area flooding to the state’s emergency operations center, a state official said today.

Frank Siracusa, director of emergency planning for the state, and Public Safety Director Jerry Hafen briefed Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval on emergency preparedness. Sandoval toured the $12 million emergency operations center, which has a multitude of television sets and two weeks of food and supplies to help local governments in the event of an emergency.

“They (the amateur radio operators) are right on the spot," Siracusa said.

He said amateur radio operators volunteer to come into the center and help gather information during emergencies, adding that Clark County provided "tremendous information" to state officials.

Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said officials in Carson City received regular updates through e-mails and conference calls about conditions in the county.

"The amateur radio operators are important to all of us. That's why we have them in our emergency operations center," Kulin said. "During this crisis we had emergency management, forestry, police, fire and other officials with the state of Nevada and Clark County working side by side."

During the tour, Sandoval asked what would happen if he declared an emergency. Siracusa said the governor has the power to remove people from their homes, close businesses and order evacuations.

“It makes you God,” he told the governor-elect. He assured Sandoval he “would not cry wolf” if a dire situation did not exist.

The agency is geared to handle man-made or natural disasters. It has also developed a plan for recovery if a nuclear detonation takes place.

And “We’re set for New Year's,” Siracusa said. He is working with local governments in Las Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe to prepare for any emergencies that might crop up.

The Nevada Highway Patrol in Southern Nevada will be stopping commercial vehicles and trucks to search for narcotics and explosives. The Nevada National Guard could also be called in if needed.

“We do this every year and fortunately nothing has happened,” Siracusa said.

Sandoval sought and got assurance from public safety officials that he would be kept up to date on any developing emergency. “I don’t want to read about it in the newspaper,” he told them.

There is a working group of public information officers from various state agencies that would gather to coordinate information during an emergency. Nothing is worse than having confusing information sent out during an emergency, Siracusa said.

There will be “one voice” in emergency situations and that will be the governor’s, Siracusa said.

Storms pummeled Clark County last week, prompting officials to issue an avalanche advisory for Kyle Canyon and close roads throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

Utility workers today restored electricity to a handful of Mount Charleston homes a week after a snow storm knocked down power lines and closed roads there.

NV Energy spokeswoman Andrea Smith said Tuesday crews had repaired transmission lines to homes in the Echo hamlet on Mount Charleston and were working to make sure power was working in individual homes.

Roughly 300 homes on the mountain lost power Dec. 21 after the storm deposited more than 2 feet of snow and sent trees tumbling into power lines.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.