VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Barnes County Dispatch and Barnes County Emergency Management hosted the Barnes County Sheriff’s Department, Barnes County Highway Department, Valley City Police Department, Valley City Public Works Street Department, Gille Auto, North Dakota Highway Patrol, North Dakota Department of Transportation, and North Dakota State University Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute for a Severe Winter Weather Response Tabletop Exercise on September 19th, 2024, in Valley City.
The exercise was led by Barnes County Dispatch Director and 911 Coordinator, Sarah Miller, and Barnes County Emergency Manager, Jessica Jenrich, with the goal of connecting local and state partners together to review response, procedure, and communication during a severe winter weather event. In an open table format, the departments were presented a scenario
describing a severe winter storm creating near zero visibility, stranded motorists, and local accommodations reaching capacity for an extended period of time. Representatives from each department discussed their perspective roles, procedures, capabilities, and resources during winter weather events such as: road closures, stranded motorists, emergencies during road closures and severe winter weather, and reopening of roadways during the described scenario.
Barnes County Dispatch, North Dakota Highway Patrol, and the NDSU Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute initially worked together in developing a “Barnes County Traveler Information” pamphlet for a study being led by NDSU UGPTI and ND Highway Patrol. The goal is that it would be included in the study, used as an example for other agencies, and be available to all travelers through the Barnes County Area.
Barnes County Shift Lead, Chrissy Drake, took point on the design and worked with Barnes County Emergency Manager, Jessica Jenrich, to compile the resources included in the pamphlet. During a meeting regarding the pamphlet development, Dr. Kimberly Vachal, Program Director for the Rural Transportation Safety & Security Center, NDSU UGPTI, and her team expressed interest in seeing a region or area host a tabletop type exercise about severe winter weather. Barnes County Dispatch Center and Barnes County Emergency Management agreed it would be only of benefit to area responders and decided to host the Severe Winter Weather Tabletop Exercise.
“Seeing the winter storm planning exercise and (traveler) resource piloted by the Barnes County 911 Team, ND DOT, NDHP, and other experts was great. A terrific exercise of communication and coordination for safe winter mobility and traveler information, to intentional and unexpected stays in Barnes County! We look forward to hearing about exercises in other jurisdictions in preparation for our upcoming winter driving season” stated Kelly Bengtson, Bridge and Pavement Engineer with NDSU UGPTI.
“Barnes County and its responders are always looking for ways to train and improve. It felt natural to engage our Emergency Manager and make it happen. I am grateful for the NDSU Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute and the North Dakota Highway Patrol for engaging Barnes County Dispatch in their research of severe winter weather events along the Interstate 94 corridor” stated Dispatch Director, Sarah Miller. “What started as an ask for information blossomed into an outstanding partnership between local and state resources to provide the best possible care and response for our community.”
Barnes County Emergency Manager, Jessica Jenrich, added “Barnes County looks forward to continuing this partnership and continuing to host tabletops for responders covering a wide range of scenarios to benefit the communities we serve.”