Tom McGee, the county’s acting emergency management director, updated the Adams County Board of Supervisors on emergency management training and completion of a standalone decontamination shower facility at the reception center.

McGee said the county scheduled a one-day pet decontamination training on June 12 and listed staff who will attend: Robert Bradford, Billy Humphreys, Connie Mason, Mike Ellis, Nash Sanders and Ashley Comer. He said the training is aimed at preparing staff to decontaminate animals brought to reception centers during incidents.

McGee reported that the reception-center shower building is about 90% complete; the contractor is finishing interior work and adding privacy walls. He said the structure is a standalone building with no permanent utilities connected, a condition he attributed to grant and FEMA specifications (staff described the facility as built to grant/FEMA-related requirements). Because it lacks permanent water and power hookups, staff must run a water hose from the safe room building and provide power with a generator. McGee said a portable county generator needs inspection and possible repairs; staff plan to take the generator to Taylor Equipment for an inspection and quote, and requested authority to have Mike Ellis transport the unit for service.

Board members asked whether the shower could be tied to the safe room’s utilities. County staff and a caller on the line explained the building must remain standalone to preserve the integrity of the grant/FEMA installation and to avoid modifying the safe room structure. Because of that requirement, temporary hoses and a generator will be used to supply water and power when the shower is in use, and the hoses/generator will be disconnected afterward.

McGee said the shower should be completed in July with no additional county cost expected for construction; the remaining issue is generator service and whether repair costs will require additional board action depending on the quote amount. He also said the emergency management plan is being updated and that staff will submit plan changes to the board for approval before sending them to MEMA.

Board direction: staff were authorized to obtain a repair quote for the generator and to return with the cost; McGee was asked to bring the updated emergency management plan and highlight the changes for the board prior to submission to MEMA.