Emergency Management Activities

Specific activities within Bayfield County Emergency Management that support the four phases of emergency management include:

Fire Departments

Citizens of and visitors to Bayfield County receive fire protection from 15 fire departments. These departments include Ashland, Barnes, Bayfield, Brule, Cable, Cornucopia, Drummond, Herbster, Grand View, Iron River, Mason, Namakagon, Port Wing, Red Cliff and Washburn (get the jurisdictional map of these deparments). Fourteen of those 15 departments are staffed completely by volunteer firefighters who have taken the training on their own time in order to better serve their communities. If you wish more information about the department that serves your area, or would like to volunteer to assist your local department either as a firefighter or in a less traditional role (mechanic, cleaning apparatus, secretarial duties, etc.) please contact a member of your local department, or get hold of Bayfield County Emergency Management for local contact information.

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Ambulance Services

Citizens of and visitors to Bayfield County receive emergency medical response from nine ambulance services. These services include Ashland, Barnes, Bayfield, Great Divide, Iron River, Mason, South Shore, Red Cliff and Washburn ( get the jurisdictional map of these deparments). Seven of these nine services are staffed completely by volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) who have taken the training and fulfill continuing education requirements on their own time in order to better serve their communities. Seven of these services are staffed at the EMT-Basic level trained to provide Basic Life Support or BLS skills including defibrillation and administration of oxygen, epinephrine, glucagon and nebulized albuterol. Ashland and Great Divide are staffed at the EMT-Paramedic level trained to provide Advanced Life Support or ALS skills including cardiac monitoring, additional drug therapies, and other advanced interventions. If you would like to volunteer to assist your local ambulance department as an EMT, medical First Responder, or in a less traditional role (mechanic, billing clerk, maintenance, etc.) please contact a member of our local service, or get hold of Bayfield County Emergency Management for local contact information.

Intercepts

It is not uncommon for a basic ambulance service to request an intercept with a Paramedic service in the area. An intercept request would be made by an EMT on scene with the patient if it appears that more advanced care would benefit the patient. Paramedic personnel would meet up with the ambulance as it travels toward the hospital, join the ambulance crew in assessment of the patient, provide additional interventions as appropriate, and continue transport of the patient to the hospital.

Helicopters

Two medical helicopter services are located in our region. Lukes ONE, associated with St. Luke's Hospital of Duluth and LifeFlight, associated with St. Mary's Duluth Clinic of Duluth, work closely with local ambulance providers and fly to a location (weather permitting) as requested by local responders when it appears that advanced care and quicker transport to the hospital would be of benefit to the patient.

EMS System

The Emergency Medical Services System in Bayfield County is made up of many components. It begins with the call reporting a medical emergency, and continues with the dispatching of the ambulance, the first medical responder on scene (often arriving before the ambulance), the ambulance response and transport, the resources of an ALS intercept or medical helicopter, medical direction, and continued patient care at the appropriate hospital.

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Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

The Bayfield County Emergency Operations Plan, or EOP, is based upon the State of Wisconsin planning guidance. The basis of the EOP is the Basic Plan providing an overview of emergency operations as well as mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities. Additional components of the EOP are functional or hazard specific chapters or annexes. The annexes to the Bayfield County EOP are as follows:

  • A - Direction and Control
  • B - Communications and Warning
  • C Resource Coordination
  • D - Law Enforcement
  • E - Evacuation and Shelter
  • F - Human Services
  • G - Highway
  • H - Health and Medical
  • I Radiological
  • J - Public Information
  • K - Fire and Rescue
  • L - Damage Assessment
  • M - Hazardous Materials
  • N - Domestic Preparedness

If you would like additional information on the EOP in general or specific portion of the EOP, please contact Bayfield County Emergency Management.

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911

Bayfield County's 9-1-1 system is operational as of the spring of 2004. 9-1-1 is the one call that provides access to ambulance, fire and police coordinated response. Dial 9-1-1 to report serious illness or injury, a fire, a crime in progress, or any situation that requires immediate response of ambulance, fire or police agencies. When 9-1-1 is dialed, you may not hear a ring for ten seconds. It is important that you stay on the line. This time is required for the 9-1-1 system to process the call and display the telephone number, address and response information for the dispatcher. The dispatcher will need you to speak slowly and clearly. Tell the dispatcher your name, your emergency, your address (number and road name), the location of the emergency (if different) and your phone number. The dispatcher may ask additional questions in order to collect the needed information and may ask you to hold while notifying the appropriate agencies. Stay on the telephone and do not hang up until told to do so.

If you should dial 9-1-1 by mistake, please stay on the line and talk with the dispatcher. This way the dispatcher knows immediately that this call does not require emergency actions. If you do not stay on the line the dispatcher may call you back or send a response to assure no emergency is occurring.

If you have any questions or know a group that would like additional information about 9-1-1, please contact us.

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Local Emergency Planning Committee

The Local Emergency Planning Committee has several purposes:

  1. Provide a forum wherein representatives of local government, community leaders, emergency response agencies, long term response agencies, reporting and planning facilities, the media, and other concerned parties may cooperatively examine and discuss the political, financial, environmental and personal safety issues of emergency planning activities.
  2. Conduct fact-finding, planning, exercising, evaluating, and coordinating activities for the development of a comprehensive area-wide response system to hazardous materials emergencies.
  3. Identify local response needs and resources.
  4. Serve as the primary information source for residents of Bayfield County regarding emergency response activities, especially hazardous materials information and activities.
  5. Fulfill requirements set out in the Emergency Community and Right to Know Act (EPCRA), Wisconsin State Statutes 166.20 and 166.21, and administrative rules promulgated by Wisconsin Emergency Management.
  6. Establish liaison, maintain communication and exchange information with other LEPCs in the northwest area.
  7. Advise the Bayfield County Board and local governmental agencies of LEPC activities.

Membership of the LEPC is by County Board appointment with approval by Wisconsin Emergency Management. Membership categories are defined by the federal Emergency Community and Right to Know Act. Bayfield County LEPC members are as follows:

Verne Gilles, Chair
Representing the County Board
Robert P. Miller, Vice-Chair
Representing Fire Departments
Jan Victorson, Information Coordinator
Representing Emergency Management
Dan Dalaet
Representing the US Coast Guard
Claire Duquette
Representing The Daily Press
Robert K. Follis, Sheriff
Representing Sheriff's Department
George A. Koval
Representing Towns
Amelia Lindsey
Representing Public Health
Dick Reese
Representing Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Gary Victorson
Representing EMS (Emergency Medical Services)
Jim Whyte
Representing MMC and coroner's department
Tim Willoughby
Representing Amateur Radio
Rick Zenz
Representing local police

For more information about the LEPC, or if you have interest in serving on the LEPC, please contact Bayfield County Emergency Management.

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Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD)

The Chequamegon Area Critical Incident Stress Management Team provides debriefing services to emergency services agencies throughout the region. The team is made up of emergency services and mental health personnel who have special training related to emergency services stress and critical incident stress debriefing. It is the purpose of the CISD team to keep our emergency services personnel healthy and able to respond by speeding their recovery from traumatic events.

There are several components to Critical Incident Stress Management including pre-incident education, defusing, debriefing, and other associated services. The most commonly requested service is a critical incident stress debriefing or CISD. A debriefing is a confidential meeting of all emergency services personnel who responded to a specific event. It is not a critique but rather a discussion of the incident during which no notes are taken. If you would like more information, or would like to request educational or debriefing services from a team, please contact Bayfield County Emergency Management.

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