By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
It's not often that you can predict a disaster, but officials with the county, the city of Forrest City, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City and the Forrest City School District will know down to the date and time that next Wednesday, a major disaster will take place in Forrest City. Fortunatley, it's only a drill.
Officials involved in the planning of the drill met Wednesday morning to make final preparations for next week's drill, which will include all of the schools in the FCSD with major events taking place at Lincoln Middle School.
According to Lisa Drake with the LMS, the district is planning events based around a tornado striking the area and how the district and area entities would handle the problem. According to Drake, each school in the district will hold separate catastrophes with Madison Elementary undergoing a simple tornado drill; students at Caldwell being shifted from one end of the building to the other as if the roof had collapsed and students at Forrest being kept in the building under the scenario that the neighborhood surrounding the school has a gas leak.
At Central Elementary and FCHS, students will be locked down as police officers patrol the area due to a train derailment, while children at Stewart Elementary will be evacuated from the building.
"We're going to get everything that's breathing out of that building and on a bus. We're really testing to see our response time for evacuating the students in case of an emergency. We want to see how long it takes to mobilize available drivers and get them there and the children out. The buses will take them out to the municipal complex and then bring them back," said Drake.
The largest effort of the day will take place at LMS where emergency crews will come into the effort. According to Drake, the building will be completely totaled with several injuries and fatalities. Crews from the Forrest City Fire Department and Police Department, BMH-FC and the county's Search and Rescue Unit and Sheriff's Department will all be on-hand to handle the disaster.
"This drill is going to pretty much be the real deal. We'll have a triage unit set up, students and faculty will be tagged and left in the building so that they can be rescued and transported and we hope to have at least one teacher that will be transported via helicopter to the hospital," Drake said.
The drill at Lincoln will begin on Wednesday, at 9 a.m. when Drake makes the call to 911. According to Drake, any parents that wish to pick-up their children will be allowed to do so.
"We know that we may end up having a case or two where grandparents or parents drive by the school and see everyone outside and all of the emergency personnel and they stop to pick up their children . If they insist on getting their kids then we're going to let them go," she said.
The drill will be videotaped by Mustang 17 and will be viewed by the committee planning the drill at their next meeting on May 21. The group is also attempting to get someone to view the drill from a critical standpoint so that officials can see what they can do in case of errors.
"We're not looking to pick at anyone, but we can't get better without someone pointing out our mistakes. We're going to try to find someone who will come in and critique our drill and tell us maybe what we can do to be more effective," said Drake.
The March of Dimes 2003 Walk America will be held on Saturday, May 3, to help the charity raise funds to prevent infant prematurity and birth defects. Chairperson of the St. Francis County March of Dimes, Debra Ford, said this year's event is a welcome home of sorts.
"This is the first walk we have held since 1991 in downtown Forrest City," stated Ford. "Between 1991 and this year, it was held at Village Creek State Park. We are glad to bring the event back to Forrest City."
According to Ford, the walk itself will begin at the Forrest City Civic Center at 9 a.m. The route will be from the FCCC to the intersection of Washington and Arkansas streets. From the intersection, the walkers will head down Arkansas to Division. From Division street, the route goes to Hill street and then Rosser street back to the center.
"Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and will end at 8:15. From 8:15 to 8:45 team pictures will be taken. We encourage anyone interested in this to take part. Children in strollers and leashed pets are welcome. Also, Baptist Memorial Hospital (Forrest City) will be on hand throughout the day offering health screenings and our Ambassador Child, Sherelle Lee, will be there." Lee is the daughter of Carolyn Farr and is a kindergarten student at Stewart Elementary School. She was chosen to represent March of Dimes because of her personal battle with prematurity.
Bank day for the event is Friday, May 2, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the Forrest City Police Department Building located on Rosser. T-Shirts may be picked up during that time. All proceeds will go towards the March of Dimes.
The St. Francis County Extension office and the St. Francis County Farm Bureau Women's Committee will sponsor the county's 2003 Dairy Foods Contest on Tuesday, May 6, at 6 p.m. in the Farm Bureau office boardroom.
Entries will be received beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Students enrolled in the fourth through 12th grades and living in St. Francis County, may enter.
Home schooled students may also enter.
There will be a first, second and third place winner in each of the categories and both first place winners will receive gifts from the Arkansas Farm Bureau.
Cash prizes will be awarded for all places, $15, $10 and $5.
The categories are Main Dish and Party Ideas. Each first place winner must agree to participate in the state cook-off on June 4 in Little Rock, if their recipe is selected for the semifinals.
Contest requirements are as follows:
1) Two copies of the recipe must be provided, one copy with the contestant's name on it.
2) The recipe must make use of real milk and dairy foods.
3) Originality of recipe.
4) Clarity and accuracy of recipe (how easily it can be followed).
5) Easy availability of ingredients in local food stores.
6) Ideas for serving.
For more information, contact County Extension Agent Stephanie Bryant at 261-1730, or Farm Bureau Women's Committee Co-Chairpersons Judy Jayroe at 581-2459 or Denelda Michaelis at 581-2277.
The fourth Widener Day will be this Saturday, May 3, in the area around the city hall and community center.
Events will begin at 9 a.m. with BINGO for senior citizens (age 50 and older). Kids' games will begin at 10 a.m.
Also at 10 a.m. the kitchen will open with a wide variety of food until 5 p.m.
The mammogram van from Lee County will not be at Widener Day, after all. Mayor Dot Halford said the cancellation was due to a mix-up. However, there will be a booth were women can get information on mammograms, find out if they are eligible to receive the service free, and even schedule mammograms for the future.
The St. Francis County Health Department will be on hand all day, checking cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure.
From 9 a.m. until noon, there will be live music, featuring the Joyful Noise Harmony Trio. From 1-5 p.m., music will be by Granny's Kitchen Band and Gospel Express.
Dr. Robert Cole, of Colt, has been named as the ninth member to the Delta Regional Airport Authority by St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco and Cross County Judge Billy Lee.
According to Cisco, the decision to appoint Cole, who currently serves as consultant to the East Arkansas Enterprise Community, was chosen for the board due to his experience on various committees and to provide the board with someone from the proposed area for the airport. Cisco also said that Cole's appointment would bring more diversity to the board.
"This was really an easy decision for myself and Judge Lee, because this allows us to appoint someone to the board that lives in the Colt area and that's where the airport is projected to be located. Dr. Cole will also bring years of experience in working with committees to the board as well as more diversity," Cisco said.
"I am honored and appreciative that the judges in both counties thought enough of me to appoint me to this committee. I think that they were both looking to add a rural perspective to the board and I fit that mold. I will work hard to see that the best interests of the community are reached as we attempt to get a needed regional airport," Cole said.
Last week, authority members voted to add an additional person to the board. The decision was made that the new member would be selected by the county judges.