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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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.