Stillwater County DES

11/07/2023

Our administrative, non-emergency phone lines will be temporarily down while our system is being replaced. On Wednesday November 8th from 8-10am. 911 WILL NOT BE AFFECTED.

You will be able to reach us using these alternative cell phone numbers, we have in dispatch.

406-321-1342
406-321-1780
406-290-4523

*911 WILL NOT BE AFFECTED*

10/26/2023

Good morning everyone! ☃️ Winter weather will continue to create hazardous driving conditions today with snow packed and icy roads. Enjoy the snow, but take care driving and walking outside!

09/20/2023

It's been over a year since last summer’s historic flooding in Montana. Since then, piles of debris have been removed from Motnana’s waterways, but a lot more remains, and that has some worried.

09/05/2023

Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office & Department of Emergency Services Transforms First Responder Communications with FirstNet

New Technologies Expand Our Capabilities to Better Serve Stillwater County

Columbus, MT, September 5, 2023 — Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Emergency Services are connecting our first responders to FirstNet®, Built with AT&T – the only network built with and for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. Allowing us to better serve Stillwater County, this advancement equips our first responders with new technological capabilities and reliable access to critical information in the field and in the office.

FirstNet is delivering interoperable communications across public safety entities nationwide, allowing first responders to communicate with one another easily and quickly during everyday situations, big events and emergencies. This is integral to solving the communications challenges public safety has experienced in the past.

Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Emergency Services are using FirstNet on our department-issued phones, which are equipped with Mission Critical Rapid Response push-to-talk. The first county in the state of Montana to integrate cellular wireless connectivity with their Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system, Stillwater County can better coordinate large-scale incident response and stay connected.

“With FirstNet, we are able to enhance our overall communications and stay connected when we need to the most,” said David Stamey, Chief of Emergency Services. “The flexibility and connectivity that FirstNet provides allows us to better coordinate resources, whether we are responding to an everyday call or large-scale incidents.”

Recently, a dedicated FirstNet Satellite Cell on Light Truck (SatCOLT) was deployed to give the county first responders dedicated connectivity while responding to a train derailment in Yellowstone River. Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Emergency Services, and the Roads and Bridges Department also utilize the ruggedized FirstNet Ready® devices during their response to local wildland fires and search and rescue incidents.

Stillwater County joined FirstNet to provide our first responders an entire public safety ecosystem of mission-ready tools and capabilities, including:
· Always-on priority and preemption to give us reliable access to the connection we need– and protect us from network congestion.
· A separate, dedicated and highly secure network core purpose-built for public safety and its sensitive communications.
· Innovative tools – public safety-centric innovative applications, mission-critical solutions and smart connected device options – to give public safety the actionable information and heightened situational awareness they need.
· A dedicated fleet of 150+ deployable network assets public safety agencies can call upon for additional connectivity at no extra charge during planned events, urgent crises and operations in remote areas— a unique benefit to the industry.
· Access to holistic public safety health and wellness tools and resources, like ROG the Dog, that go beyond network connectivity— all powered by the FirstNet Health & Wellness Coalition, which represents more than 5.1 million first responders.

“We’re honored that Stillwater County Sheriff chose FirstNet to improve its communications technology and connectivity,” said Tara Thue, President, AT&T Mountain West States. “As public safety’s partner, we believe it is our mission to give public safety the cutting-edge tools they need to keep our communities safe. FirstNet will help first responders in Montana and across the country perform at the highest levels to keep themselves and those they serve out of harm’s way.”

“FirstNet is the only broadband network built for public safety, by public safety,” said Jeremy Zollo, Chief Market Engagement Officer at the First Responder Network Authority. “We look forward to working with Stillwater County to make sure FirstNet continues to deliver the coverage and innovation they need to serve communities throughout the state and help save lives.”

To learn more about Stillwater County Sheriff or the Department of Emergency Services, visit:
Sheriff | Stillwater County, MT (stillwatercountymt.gov)
Disaster & Emergency Services (DES) | Stillwater County, MT (stillwatercountymt.gov)
To learn more about FirstNet, go to FirstNet.com. Individual first responders can also subscribe to FirstNet at a local AT&T store.

About FirstNet, Built with AT&T
FirstNet is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. Shaped by the vision of Congress and the first responder community following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, FirstNet stands above commercial offerings. It is built with AT&T, in a public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) – an independent agency within the federal government. The FirstNet network is providing public safety with truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it. These advanced capabilities help fire, EMS, law enforcement and other public safety professionals save lives and protect their communities. Learn more at FirstNet.com.

© 2023 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

# # #

08/24/2023

08/17/2023

08/17/2023

Stillwater Train Derailment Press Release
Reed Point, Montana (August 16, 2023) – 12:00pm
Cleanup teams reached an initial river cleanup end point at 136 miles downstream from the incident site, just below the confluence with the Bighorn River. As outlined in the Guidance for End Point and Treatment document, cleanup efforts on the river will wind down when 3 or fewer actionable asphalt areas are identified within a 10 mile stretch of river. In the current final 10 miles of cleanup, a single actionable asphalt area was observed, therefore meeting the wind down criteria. River operations also must be scaled down due to low water levels preventing safe boat access to cleanup areas. Additional cleanup operations will resume during the summer of 2024.

While extensive cleanup efforts are scaling down, a local cleanup taskforce will remain in the area to respond to reports of asphalt material submitted through [email protected]. The public is encouraged to continue reporting asphalt material to this email box. This crew will specifically target actionable asphalt material, defined as asphalt material that can be safely removed without causing significant damage to natural habitat, such as removal of natural sediment and vegetation. If the reported asphalt material is not actionable, the taskforce will attempt to break it into smaller pieces and cover it with sediment to aid in the natural break down process.

To date, teams have collected approximately 231,700 pounds of asphalt material. The mass balance, or total volume, for the asphalt material that entered the river has been calculated at approximately 419,442 pounds of material. Therefore, crews collected approximately 55% of spilled material.

Anyone with information about oiled or impacted wildlife are encouraged to continue call the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) Response Hotline at 888-ASK-OWCN (888-275-6926).

As of August 15, eight snakes and eleven birds died after encountering the asphalt material; one snake encountered the material and was released back into the environment for 20 total confirmed animals impacted by the material.

The natural resource damage process to evaluate the damage caused to the environment due to this event will continue through the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program.
This will be the final regularly issued press release for the incident, but further press releases may be issued on an as-needed basis.
# # #

08/17/2023

Vehicles can start wildfires, especially when conditions are hot and dry. Avoid driving over dry vegetation and check for vehicle issues that can throw sparks. Together we can prevent human caused wildfires!

08/02/2023

Stillwater Train Derailment Press Release

Reed Point, Montana (August 2, 2023) – 12:00pm

Cleanup teams have returned to areas immediately downstream from the site due to dropping water levels. They have been prioritizing collecting large pieces of actionable asphalt. Assessment teams have assessed 102.5 miles downriver; operations teams have reached river mile 98. As of Tuesday night, teams have collected approximately 215,000 pounds of asphalt material.

All material collected by crews thus far has been collected by hand. Though a time consuming, laborious process, crews will continue prioritizing and maximizing cleanup efforts while limiting impacts to the environment.

Safety remains a top priority; heat is dropping slightly and crews are continuing to take precautions to avoid injuries. Crews remain on the river every day and aided in the rescue of two recreational boats over the weekend.

On Saturday July 29, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reopened the section of the Yellowstone River that had been closed 1 mile upstream to 2.5 miles downstream of the derailment. All other fishing access sites that were closed in response to the incident have been reopened.

Cleanup and assessment crews continue to look for impacted wildlife daily. Eight snakes and eleven birds died after encountering the asphalt material; one snake encountered the material and was released back into the environment for 20 total confirmed animals impacted by the material.

Unified Command is moving to a two-week operational period based on continued work; press releases will now move to every other week.
# # #
EPA’s river operations dashboard on the incident website has up-to-date information on the amount of collected asphalt material and assessment locations and is available online: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/719ee8d6c1d743e89b95ee946d1d4d45/page/River-Operations/

Members of the public are encouraged to continue avoiding touching the asphalt material with bare skin and reporting it to the email below. This email can also be used for any impacted landowners to start the process of filing a claim. To report observed asphalt material, submit information to: [email protected]

Anyone with information about oiled wildlife are encouraged to call the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) Response Hotline at 888-ASK-OWCN (888-275-6926).

For more information, please visit the response websites at: https://response.epa.gov/stillwatertrainderailment
https://www.stillwatercountymt.gov/train-derailment/

--
This response is operating under a Unified Command which enables different jurisdictions and organizations to jointly manage and direct incident activities. Unified Command for this incident is comprised of representatives from Stillwater County Disaster and Emergency Services, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Montana Rail Link.



Beth Archer
Public Information Officer
U.S. EPA
720-512-1917