Are You Prepared for a Disaster?

Cory Harms, Iowa State University

What Happened at ISU/Ames

The previous flood occurred when a trio of storms on Aug. 8 through 10 dropped heavy rainfall on central Iowa. According to the National Weather Service, some portions of the Squaw Creek watershed north of Ames received between 10 and 15 inches of precipitation in the days leading up to the flood.

From the Ames Tribune,

August 11, 2010 storms rip through Ames dumping an additional 3-5 inches

What Happened at ISU/Ames

Flood Summary: Ames Boil Alert, I -35 Closed, 1 Dead

POSTED: 8:29 am CDT August 11, 2010 UPDATED: 9:59 pm CDT August 11, 2010

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DES MOINES, Iowa -- Flooding caused problems across the Ames and Des Moines area on Wednesday, including the closure of Interstate 35 near Ames. The area of most concern is the Skunk River valley extending from Ames to Colfax and south. Flooding the in the Des Moines metro area is limited to the Four Mile Creek area and is not impacting Fleur Drive or downtown Des Moines. Ames Loses Water Supply Residents in Ames, more than 56,500 people, were told Wednesday afternoon that they must now boil their water before using it or use bottled water. The city's water system is now considered contaminated after a water main break

2010 ISU Flood - Jack Trice Stadium

2010 Flood - Hilton Coliseum

The Community and the University

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Disaster StagesAssessment and PlanningImmediate Recovery/Clean-up

Repair/Reconstruction/Replacement

Post Recovery

Assessment and Planning

THE MOST IMPORTANT STAGE!This is the time that you will take or

lose control of the situation.Important that institution buys in and

vests control to the committee that oversees the process.

Purchasing should play a MAJOR roll.

Assessment and PlanningTasks

Form a disaster committee.Inventory the damage to the

University.Establish tracking mechanisms. Research and understand guidelines

and rules that will govern repair, recovery and replacement.

Communicate to campus, community, contractors.

Forming the Disaster Committee

Who to include?o Facilities, Purchasing, Business Office (Business

and Finance/Controller), Major affected departments, EH&S, Risk Management, Public Safety, Student Affairs, etc.

Schedule weekly meetings to assess progress and issues.

Have FEMA, Homeland Security, insurance representatives visit the meetings when needed.

Track progress of projects on campus and have a reporting mechanism to gather input from Purchasing, EH&S, Facilities, etc.

Inventory the Damage to the Institution

Roads/Sidewalks/LandscapeStructuresContentsPower/Network/PhonesNon-University itemsStudent/Tenant property

Establish Tracking Mechanisms

Discuss all avenues for procurement that may need to be tracked.

Establish fund accounts or commodity/accounting codes to record disaster expenditures.

Establish a central record of expenditures including dates of order, vendor, quote number, P.O. number, amount, invoiced amount, etc.

Establish separate files for disaster records.

Research and Understand Guidelines

Get information from insurance carriers, FEMA, OMB -A110, or any other source that affects how you bid and document recovery and replacement efforts.Repair versus replacementLike for likeUpgrades for safety or mitigationPrice reasonableness

Communicate guidelines to disaster committee, campus, and agents so that purchases are not made that may be rejected for coverage later.

Communication

Emergency Contractor◦ Do you have one?◦ When can they mobilize?

Campus (students, faculty staff)◦ Communicate the need to work with committee on

recovery. ◦ Distribute information regarding health and safety

issues.◦ Warn campus about companies trying to do

unapproved work.

CommunicationCommunicate with vendors that visit

campus.◦ Vending companies, sales reps, maintenance,

package delivery, lawn care, etc. Street closings Buildings access Safety issues

On-site contractors.◦ Concessionaires, dining, security, etc.

Have they sustained damage? Any facility issues that affect them? Relocation needed?

Visitors ◦ Tours, alumni, camps, conferences, etc.

Events canceled, postponed, rescheduled. Changes to street and building access. Safety issues.

Community◦ Work with community to address common needs

(water, housing, traffic, public safety).◦ Collaborate on security, disposal, contracting.◦ Look for ways to eliminate duplication of effort.

Others?

Communication

Immediate Recovery/Clean-up

Primarily concerned with getting things back on line, safe, stable.

Reconstruction is not yet part of this stage.

It is important to control purchases at this point, particularly replacement items.

Figure out what coverage you have.

Immediate Recovery/Clean-up

Primary Clearance◦ Trees, water, power lines, debris

Meet the Critical Needs◦ Power, water, safety, relocation

Establish Priorities◦ Buildings, rooms, items

Cleaning/Sanitation◦ Abatement and Remediation◦ Disposal of removed items

Immediate Recovery/Clean-up

Inventory Items for Repair/Replacement.◦ What did we lose? ◦ What is damaged?

Emergency Bidding and Documentation Procedures.◦ Communicate to departments, agents,

committee. ◦ Understand FEMA recovery versus

restoration issues.

Repair/Reconstruction/Replacement

This stage is where the most procurement happens.

Documentation is key.Processes should be controlled and

consistent.Understand your constraints.Establish Timelines.

Repair/Reconstruction/Replacement

Formal and Informal Bid Processes◦Compare your policies/procedures to FEMA,

insurance, etc. and utilize the most stringent.◦Document your award process carefully.◦Consult with FEMA or Homeland Security to

ensure compliance.◦Add federal terms if needed

Cost Reasonableness◦Follow existing procedures for cost

reasonableness or establish policy.◦Document every purchase.

Review Current Contracts◦ Federal terms?◦ Be careful with T&M and cost plus contracts.

Repair Versus Replacement◦ Repair when possible.◦ Document need for replacement if safety is an

issue.

Like for Like◦ Items should be same model, size, etc.◦ Need to justify if model discontinued or if

replacement will help to mitigate in future.◦ Used versus new.

Repair/Reconstruction/Replacement

Disaster Documentation◦Electronic files for transmission.◦Separate files for FEMA/Insurance.

Insurance Versus FEMA◦Know what is covered (liability, business interruption).

◦Understand how to match FEMA funds.

Mitigation Potential

Repair/Reconstruction/Replacement

Post Recovery

Commences once a majority of repair/reconstruction is completed.

Opportunity for committee to review processes.

Concerns move to documentation, auditing, filing.

Tests how well you did your job in the initial stages.

Post Recovery

Perform Mitigations.Auditing of Contract Billings.Establish Needed Contracts for Future.Review Data.

◦ Query systems to ensure that you have accounted for all purchases.

◦ Check that all Purchasing documentation is complete.

Submit Documentation to External Parties.◦ Insurance, FEMA, etc.

Review Your Plan.◦ What worked, what didn’t?◦ Document any changes to plan.

Review of Disaster StagesAssessment/Planning

◦ Form the disaster committee◦ Inventory the damage ◦ Establish tracking mechanisms ◦ Research and understand ◦ Communicate

Immediate Recovery/Clean-up◦ Primary Clearance◦ Meet the Critical Needs◦ Establish Priorities◦ Cleaning/Sanitation◦ Inventory Items for Repair/Replacement◦ Emergency Bidding and Documentation Procedures

Review of Disaster StagesRepair/Reconstruction/Replacement

◦ Formal and Informal Bid Processes◦ Cost Reasonableness◦ Review Current Contracts◦ Repair Versus Replacement◦ Like for Like◦ Mitigation Potential

Post Recovery◦ Perform Mitigations◦ Auditing of Contract Billings◦ Establish Needed Contracts for Future◦ Review Data◦ Submit Documentation to External Parties◦ Review Your Plan

Questions