Emergency Management An ongoing Work in Progress Citrus County BOCC June 16, 2009

Emergency Management Take care of the Needs of the Victims. Take care of the Needs of the Responders. When in Doubt, Re-Read number 1. Attributed to Craig Fugate, former Director, FDEM, presently The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator.

Emergency Management Pre-Event Close coordination between EOC and DPW as details develop. Inventories of available vehicles, personnel and materials are provided to ESF 7 (Resources). Top off fuel tanks and divert county fueling needs to local economy. I.e. begin hoarding fuel. DPW man’s the ESF-3 position in the war room upon activation of the EOC. Upon direction of EOC, Road Maintenance will establish sand bag locations. Primary locations are on the west side, Grover Cleveland and SR 44. Community Center on the east side. Flooding will be monitored by roving patrols and road closures will be reported to the EOC. DPW will assist in evacuations as directed by EOC.

Emergency Management Immediate Post-Event DPW will provide technical advice and evaluations, engineering services, construction management and inspection, emergency contracting and emergency repairs. Clearance of debris for reconnaissance of damage, passage of emergency personnel, supplies and equipment for life saving, life protecting and health and safety. Clearing, repair or construction of damaged emergency access routes to include streets, roads, bridges and airfields.

Emergency Management Immediate Post-Event Emergency restoration of critical public services such as potable water and water for fire services. Emergency demolition of damaged and unsafe structures designated as immediate hazards to health and safety. Coordination with the City’s DPW, FDOT, Water Resources and Solid Waste.

Staff Efforts To Date Organization Each Department/Office has developed an emergency management plan/SOP based on the Incident Command System. FEMA documents have been downloaded to “jump” drives and made a part of each departments emergency take away kit. All department COOP’s are now updated annually.

Staff Efforts To Date Training All Senior Staff have received the minimum required training in the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS). On-going training is underway or planned for FEMA administration and document control and other pertinent emergency management topics. Many staff have taken on-line FEMA courses on their own and received certification. Participation in tabletop exercises conducted periodically by EOC. Selected attendance at annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference for education, instruction and knowledge.

Staff Efforts To Date Personnel County Employee Handbook has been updated to include an Emergency Activation section. Depending on an individual’s job classification some level of NIMS/ICS instruction is required of every BOCC employee. Instituted an Employee Emergency Activation Assessment Form and compiled into a data base.

Staff Efforts To Date Recovery Staging Area Employees are required to stay and respond to emergency events during a declared evacuation. Post event recovery efforts include debris removal, damage assessment, monitoring of vendors and subcontractors, restoring communications and data, assisting in setting up and manning distribution centers, search and rescue assistance, assisting in shelter management, mutual aide coordinators, fuel distribution, purchasing, financial accounting and other duties as assigned. Provide central staging area for rescue/recovery equipment and county responders. Provide food and shelter to county responders. Established preliminary staging area staffing requirements, protocol and organization.

Staff Efforts To Date Communications External Prepared “canned” public service announcements for pre and post event media distribution. Designated PIO’s County web page Internal Updated 800 MHz Radios and call list Limited cell phones Pre-established notification phone trees Two-way radio back-up (minimal) Lap top computers

Staff Efforts To Date Debris Management Disaster Debris Management Plan completed and submitted to FEMA. Road Maintenance – “First Push” clearance of roads to allow for search and rescue and damage assessment. Pre-event contracts in place for debris removal from county property and legal disposal. Pre-established Temporary Debris Staging Reduction, Recycling & Disposal site.

Staff Efforts To Date Mapping The following Maps have been produced for post event use by staff and outside responders and aide. They currently reside on jump drives and in hard copy. All features are located with GPS coordinates. Bridges and Boat Ramps Generator refueling sites Assisted Living Facilities Hazard Material Sites Airports, Nuclear Power and Armory

Staff Efforts To Date Mapping - continued Hospitals, EOC, VA Clinic, Health Dept and Staging Area Communication Antennae locations Fire station districts - stations EMS Station districts Shelter sites Water facilities Wastewater treatment facilities Road Maintenance offices Flood prone streets and homes Flood prone roads

Other Endeavors Local Mitigation Strategy Working Group Withlacoochee Region Evacuation Study Post Disaster Redevelopment Plan Emergency Generator CIP Program Established a Pet Friendly Animal Shelter Pre-event contracts Fuel source – delivery Equipment “type coded” all county vehicles and equipment per FEMA designations. On going efforts in preparing to be self sufficient for the first 72 – 96 hours.

An ongoing process To become more disaster resilient, communities must prepare and mitigate before a disaster, respond and recover/redevelop in the aftermath, and then again begin preparing and mitigating for the next one.