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John “Jack” Helin
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TAB 5
The Chieftain (Bonner Springs, KS)
September 15, 2005
How Safe is Our City?
Author: Clark Corbin
Looking at images of devastation along the Gulf Coast brought grief, sadness and a full range of
emotions from people across the country. From the emotions came generous offers of support
from around the country.
However, a big question has also come to light. Cities and residents are asking themselves if they
are prepared if disaster should strike. Locally, Bonner Springs and Wyandotte County have plans
in place to help reduce the impact of a disaster and return life to normal. Involving everything
from the training of emergency crews to mutual aid agreements struck between cities, counties
and states, those plans provide the roadmap that would be followed should a disaster strike.
"I feel like we are probably as prepared as we can be," City Manager John Helin said.
In September of 2001 the national focus shifted toward preparing for the unthinkable -- a
terrorist attack. Natural disasters last year and last month, in the form of a tsunami and a
hurricane, reminded the world that weather is still capable of wreaking unspeakable damage.
While Helin and Police Chief John Haley have not ruled out the possibility of confronting a
terrorist attack, they say the risk appears small. On the other hand, a specific natural disaster, a
tornado, is always a threat, they say. Helin said preparation plans are also in place to deal with a
large chemical spill or a break in the city's dam.
Although disasters are often unforeseen and, in some cases, unavoidable, the key to managing
them is to be prepared long before a problem occurs, they said. The city's police officers
continually take part in training and certification programs. The idea is, in the event of a largescale
tragedy, that their training and skills click in, Haley said. "Training is something that unless
you continually use it, you lose it," Haley said. "The training they receive is, of course, vast and
has many different facets." Police department policies are designed to make the most of that
training and establish known procedures to be followed in during emergencies, he added.
Should a large-scale emergency occur, the city's staff and emergency crews know the procedures
to follow, Helin said. If the disaster occurred in Bonner Springs local police, firefighters or
medics would arrive to the scene initially, as first responders. Their training prepares them for
nearly every event within the imagination -- from a large chemical spill to a train wreck to a
natural disaster like a tornado. Next, crews from outside agencies that possess additional
manpower and equipment would be called in. Helin said he would work with the Wyandotte
County Emergency Management Department to secure additional resources. That department
could bring in an Emergency Operations Center and set up a mobile command center.
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