Kennebec County emergency officials highlight dam inspections, hazmat planning; director recognized as certified emergency manager

Kennebec County emergency management staff told commissioners Tuesday that the county has recently completed dam safety inspections and is advancing a hazmat mitigation plan, and commissioners recognized the county emergency management director for completing the Certified Emergency Manager program.

Darren Woods, who identified himself at the meeting as director of emergency management for a multi-county region and chair of a 16-county directors council, said the county submitted a reimbursement request for roughly $9,500 and expects another reimbursement request for about $80,000 for an HSTP grant. He said the county’s mitigation and recovery planning work began July 7 and that Kevin Anderson has joined the team overseeing recovery work.

Woods said staff attended the State Emergency Response Commission meeting and a hazardous materials team chiefs meeting, and participated in two dam safety inspections conducted with the state dam program and a contractor, Kleinschmidt, at New Mills Dam in Gardiner and Branch Pond in China. Woods said staff also met with the Gardiner fire department about grants and provided maps related to Gardiner’s wastewater plant, which serves Gardiner, Farmingdale, Randolph, Pittston and Chelsea.

Woods said the county has received a commodity flow study and that a county drone policy is with legal for review. He said the hazmat mitigation plan will emphasize identifying direct threat profiles. He also noted that Angela, the county emergency management director, completed the Certified Emergency Manager program in July and described her as experienced with grants and mutual aid work.

No formal commission action was taken. Staff indicated they will continue work on the mitigation and recovery plan and will circulate contract and policy drafts as legal review and grant reimbursements proceed.