Effective Disaster Effective Disaster RelationshipsRelationships

Developing Partnerships in Developing Partnerships in AdvanceAdvance

Walter Dickerson, Executive Director

Mobile County Emergency Management AgencyMobile County Emergency Management Agency

Mobile County EMA Mobile County EMA MissionMission: T: The mission of the Mobile County Emergency he mission of the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency is to protect Mobile County Management Agency is to protect Mobile County citizens from all hazards by providing and citizens from all hazards by providing and coordinating resources, expertise, leadership and coordinating resources, expertise, leadership and advocacy through a comprehensive, risk-based advocacy through a comprehensive, risk-based security and emergency management program.security and emergency management program.

  

Emergency Management Emergency Management CycleCycle

Four Phases of Four Phases of Emergency Emergency ManagementManagement MitigationMitigation Preparedness Preparedness ResponseResponse RecoveryRecovery

MITIGATIONMITIGATION Reduce or eliminate the cost of damage Reduce or eliminate the cost of damage

caused by disasterscaused by disasters Minimize the impact on citizens, Minimize the impact on citizens,

businesses, and propertiesbusinesses, and properties

PREPAREDNESSPREPAREDNESS DisasterDisaster

PlanningPlanning Emergency Operations Plans (EOP)Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) Hazard ID and Risk AssessmentsHazard ID and Risk Assessments Emergency Management Assistance Emergency Management Assistance

Compact (EMAC)Compact (EMAC) After action evaluations following After action evaluations following

disasters and exercisesdisasters and exercises TrainingTraining

Emergency management and Emergency management and homeland security-related training for homeland security-related training for Mobile County and the State of Mobile County and the State of AlabamaAlabama

ExerciseExercise All-hazards and WMD-related exercises All-hazards and WMD-related exercises

for Mobile County and State of for Mobile County and State of AlabamaAlabama

MCEMA - Central point of coordination within the MCEMA - Central point of coordination within the county for response to and recovery from disasterscounty for response to and recovery from disasters

Activate MCEMA Emergency Activate MCEMA Emergency Operations CenterOperations Center

Coordinate State ResourcesCoordinate State Resources

Conduct Damage & Needs Conduct Damage & Needs AssessmentAssessment

Recommend Actions to the Recommend Actions to the State EMA and Mobile CountyState EMA and Mobile County

Coordinate local ResponseCoordinate local Response

RESPONSE

RECOVERYRECOVERY Restore governments, Restore governments,

systems, and people to systems, and people to

pre-disaster levelspre-disaster levels Administer local Administer local

assistance programsassistance programs InfrastructureInfrastructure Individuals & familiesIndividuals & families

Assist with long-term recovery activitiesAssist with long-term recovery activities

David Paulison on David Paulison on PartnershipPartnership

““While emergency management should remain While emergency management should remain first and foremost a state and local first and foremost a state and local responsibility, the federal government has to be responsibility, the federal government has to be prepared to engage more proactively during the prepared to engage more proactively during the initial stages of a disaster. To do this, we need to initial stages of a disaster. To do this, we need to enhance partnerships with state and local enhance partnerships with state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, governments, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to identify where the and the private sector to identify where the weaknesses exist. The federal government weaknesses exist. The federal government should work with states and municipalities to should work with states and municipalities to close capability gaps and improve our combined, close capability gaps and improve our combined, integrated response. Katrina has taught us the integrated response. Katrina has taught us the value of early and unified engagement”.value of early and unified engagement”.

- David Paulison, Director, FEMA- David Paulison, Director, FEMA "Weathering the Next Storm", Washington Post, 08/27/06"Weathering the Next Storm", Washington Post, 08/27/06

Mobile County’s Local Mobile County’s Local PartnersPartners

County Commissioners County Commissioners City Mayors City Mayors City Fire & Police Depts. City Fire & Police Depts. County EMS County EMS City & County Engineers City & County Engineers City & County Public City & County Public

Works Works Medical Services Medical Services County Agent County Agent Dept. Human Resources Dept. Human Resources Private SectorPrivate Sector

HospitalsHospitals Private companiesPrivate companies

County Medical Examiner County Medical Examiner County Public Health County Public Health County Sheriff County Sheriff Public School Board Public School Board Volunteer agenciesVolunteer agencies

Red CrossRed Cross Voluntary Voluntary

Organizations Active in Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD)Disasters (VOAD)

Citizen CorpsCitizen Corps Salvation ArmySalvation Army

Alabama Defense Force Alabama Defense Force

State PartnersState Partners State EMAState EMA State Fire MarshallState Fire Marshall AL DOHAL DOH State Highway PatrolState Highway Patrol Marine PoliceMarine Police AL National GuardAL National Guard State DocksState Docks Civil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol ALDOTALDOT AL Forest ServiceAL Forest Service Community ActionCommunity Action AL Environmental Protection AgencyAL Environmental Protection Agency AL Agriculture DeptAL Agriculture Dept Public Utilities CommissionPublic Utilities Commission

Federal PartnersFederal Partners DHSDHS FEMA FEMA U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Army Corps of Engineers FBI FBI OSHA OSHA ATF ATF

County of AlabamaCounty of AlabamaEmergency Operations PlanEmergency Operations Plan

All-hazards frameworkAll-hazards framework through which through which Mobile County responds to and recovers from Mobile County responds to and recovers from disasters that affect the health, safety and disasters that affect the health, safety and welfare of persons affected by emergencies. welfare of persons affected by emergencies.

Emergency Operations Plan span Emergency Operations Plan span emergencies from emergencies from initial monitoring initial monitoring through post-disaster response and through post-disaster response and recoveryrecovery

Defines Defines interagency coordinationinteragency coordination and and assigns specific assigns specific functional responsibilitiesfunctional responsibilities

Emergency Operations Emergency Operations PlanPlan

Describes how Describes how citizens and citizens and propertyproperty will be protected in a will be protected in a disaster or emergency.disaster or emergency.

Describes Describes actionsactions that will be that will be taken in response to hazards, taken in response to hazards, and details and details taskstasks to be to be performed by specific entitiesperformed by specific entities

National Incident National Incident Management System Management System

(NIMS)(NIMS)Created to provide Created to provide

the the standardization standardization and interoperabilityand interoperability required to prevent, required to prevent, prepare for, respond prepare for, respond to, recover from, and to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of mitigate the effects of

domestic incidents, domestic incidents, regardless of cause, regardless of cause, size, or complexitysize, or complexity

NIMS – Key PrinciplesNIMS – Key PrinciplesSix primary components that work together to provide a Six primary components that work together to provide a national framework for preventing, responding to and national framework for preventing, responding to and recovering from domestic incidents:recovering from domestic incidents:

Command and ManagementCommand and Management PreparednessPreparedness Resource ManagementResource Management Communications and Information Communications and Information

Mngmt.Mngmt. Supporting TechnologiesSupporting Technologies Ongoing Management and Ongoing Management and

MaintenanceMaintenance

NIMS REQUIREMENTS…NIMS REQUIREMENTS…New and Ongoing New and Ongoing

RequirementsRequirements Ensure that the Public Information System Ensure that the Public Information System

can gather, verify, coordinate, and can gather, verify, coordinate, and disseminate information during an incidentdisseminate information during an incident

Promote mutual aid agreements with Promote mutual aid agreements with private sector and non-governmental private sector and non-governmental organizationsorganizations

Consistent application of Incident Action Consistent application of Incident Action Plans and Common Communications PlansPlans and Common Communications Plans

Coordinate and support emergency incident Coordinate and support emergency incident and event management through the and event management through the development and use of multi-agency development and use of multi-agency coordination systemscoordination systems

Public Information System included in the Public Information System included in the jurisdiction’s Emergency Operations Planjurisdiction’s Emergency Operations Plan

ICS Related Definitions

EmergenEmergency cy OperatioOperations ns Center Center (EOC)(EOC)

The physical location at which The physical location at which the coordination of the coordination of information and resources to information and resources to support domestic incident support domestic incident management activities management activities normally takes place.normally takes place. An EOC An EOC may be a temporary facility or may be may be a temporary facility or may be located in a more central or located in a more central or permanently established facility, permanently established facility, perhaps at a higher level of organization perhaps at a higher level of organization with a jurisdiction. EOCs may be with a jurisdiction. EOCs may be organized by major functional organized by major functional disciplines (e.g., fire, law enforcement, disciplines (e.g., fire, law enforcement, and medical services), by jurisdiction and medical services), by jurisdiction (e.g., Federal, State, regional ,county, (e.g., Federal, State, regional ,county, city, tribal), or some combination city, tribal), or some combination thereof.thereof.

EOC PRIMARY EOC PRIMARY FUNCTIONSFUNCTIONS

EOC PRIMARY EOC PRIMARY FUNCTIONSFUNCTIONS

Direction & ControlDirection & Control

Information Collection, Information Collection, Evaluation and DisplayEvaluation and Display

CoordinationCoordination

Establishment of Establishment of PrioritiesPriorities

Resource ManagementResource Management

CommunicationsCommunications

Needs AssessmentNeeds Assessment

Action ItemsAction Items

Damage AssessmentDamage Assessment

Warning Warning

Continuity of Continuity of GovernmentGovernment

Public Information Public Information CenterCenter

Routine OfficeRoutine Office

OtherOther

Current MCEMACurrent MCEMAEOC CapabilitiesEOC Capabilities

200KW Generator, with a 6000 gallon fuel tank, capable 200KW Generator, with a 6000 gallon fuel tank, capable of operating for 14 days. of operating for 14 days.

100 telephone lines, with an additional 100 in place 100 telephone lines, with an additional 100 in place should they be needed. should they be needed.

State, County, and City of Mobile 800MHZ Radio system. State, County, and City of Mobile 800MHZ Radio system. Emergency Alerting System (EAS). Emergency Alerting System (EAS). Amateur radio communications. Amateur radio communications. Local and national television monitoring, plus 3 satellite Local and national television monitoring, plus 3 satellite

monitoring systems. monitoring systems. Internet and Local Area Networking capability. Internet and Local Area Networking capability. Computer modeling programs for various natural and Computer modeling programs for various natural and

technological disasters. technological disasters. Specialized Emergency Management computer software Specialized Emergency Management computer software

for maintaining, analyzing, and reporting emergency for maintaining, analyzing, and reporting emergency situations. situations.

Web EOC Web EOC Interoperability Communications Capability Interoperability Communications Capability

Proposed New Proposed New MCEMA EOCMCEMA EOC

Provide adequate work space, technology and Provide adequate work space, technology and shelter for EOC operations during disaster shelter for EOC operations during disaster situations situations

The new proposed EOC would allow county and The new proposed EOC would allow county and municipal governments a place to function in the municipal governments a place to function in the event their facilities were impacted by disaster event their facilities were impacted by disaster

Provide a full-time training facility as well as Provide a full-time training facility as well as adequate space to conduct meetings adequate space to conduct meetings

Allow space for projects such as damage Allow space for projects such as damage assessment & long term recovery assessment & long term recovery

Provide a facility that will withstand a Cat 5 Provide a facility that will withstand a Cat 5 Hurricane Hurricane

Proposed New Proposed New MCEMA EOCMCEMA EOC

Proposed New Proposed New MCEMA EOCMCEMA EOC

Emergency Medical

Health

Hospitals

Red Cross

COUNTYEOC

Fire Service

Public Works

Fire Services

Emergency Management

Law Enforcement

SAMPLE EOC SAMPLE EOC STAFFINGSTAFFING

NOTE: Utilization of these positions will depend on the type and magnitude of the disaster. NOTE: Utilization of these positions will depend on the type and magnitude of the disaster. Other positions may be created to fulfill special needs as they arise.Other positions may be created to fulfill special needs as they arise.

OPERATIONS GROUPOPERATIONS GROUP Emergency Management DirectorEmergency Management Director EOC Operations OfficerEOC Operations Officer Law EnforcementLaw Enforcement County, City, Township, State, FederalCounty, City, Township, State, Federal Fire ServiceFire Service LEPC RepresentativeLEPC Representative Public WorksPublic Works EngineeringEngineering HealthHealth Medical (Local Hospital)Medical (Local Hospital) Mental HealthMental Health EMS CoordinatorEMS Coordinator Human/Social ServicesHuman/Social Services Red CrossRed Cross Department of EducationDepartment of Education Volunteer CoordinatorVolunteer Coordinator Representative from Voluntary OrganizationsRepresentative from Voluntary Organizations Utility RepresentativeUtility Representative WaterWater ElectricElectric Natural GasNatural Gas TelephoneTelephone SanitationSanitation Representatives of Private OrganizationsRepresentatives of Private Organizations State and Federal RepresentativesState and Federal Representatives Damage Assessment CoordinatorDamage Assessment Coordinator Disaster/Situation AnalystDisaster/Situation Analyst

OPERATIONS GROUP (continuedOPERATIONS GROUP (continued)) Resource ManagerResource Manager Other RepresentativesOther Representatives Food and HousingFood and Housing TransportationTransportation Fuel Source groupsFuel Source groups CoronerCoroner EXECUTIVE GROUPEXECUTIVE GROUP Commissioner, Mayor, or Other Chief Commissioner, Mayor, or Other Chief

Elected OfficialElected Official Emergency Public Information OfficerEmergency Public Information Officer Legal RepresentativeLegal Representative Emergency Management Director Emergency Management Director

(Optional)(Optional)

SERVICES SUPPORT (Administrative)SERVICES SUPPORT (Administrative) FacilityFacility TypistsTypists CoordinatorCoordinator SecuritySecurity ComputerComputer OperatorsOperators

SUPPORT SERVICES (Communications)SUPPORT SERVICES (Communications) Message ControllerMessage Controller Message RunnersMessage Runners Information PlottersInformation Plotters Communications OfficerCommunications Officer Radio/Telephone OperatorsRadio/Telephone Operators Amateur Radio OperatorsAmateur Radio Operators 9-1-1 Coordinator9-1-1 Coordinator

STATE-LEVEL EMERGENCYSTATE-LEVEL EMERGENCYSTATE FOCUS

Policy

•Support

•Coordination

•Priority

•Planning

COUNTY OR

AREA FOCUS

•Policy

•Support

•Coordination

•Priority

•Planning*

LOCAL FOCUS

•Policy

•Support

•Coordination

•Priority

•Planning*

INCIDENT

FOCUS

•Operations

•Finance

•Logistics

•Planning

*Function not included in current EOC structure.

IC

IC

LOCALEOC

IC

IC

LOCALEOC

COUNTYEOC

IC

IC

LOCALEOC

IC

IC

LOCALEOC

COUNTYEOC

IC

IC

LOCALEOC

IC

IC

LOCALEOC

COUNTYEOC

IC

IC

LOCALEOC

IC

IC

LOCALEOC

COUNTYEOC

STATEEMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

(EOC)

COUNTYEOC

Steps to Establish Steps to Establish RelationshipsRelationships

Strategically partner with all emergency stakeholders

Think regionally, act locally

Federal, state, local, NGO inclusiveness

Engaged partnership philosophy

Collaboration is the key

Build a ‘culture of preparedness’

Strengthen all relationships/partnerships

Memorandums of understanding

Benefits of the Team ApproachBenefits of the Team Approach

The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) is more likely to be used and followed if the tasked organizations have a sense of ownership and their views were considered and incorporated

More knowledge and expertise are brought to bear on the planning effort

Closer professional relationships among response and recovery organizations in the planning process should translate into better coordination and teamwork in emergencies

Benefits of CollaborationBenefits of Collaboration

Strengthening the overall response to the disaster

Elimination of duplication of services

Expanding resource availability

Enhancing problem solving through cross-pollination of ideas

EOC

Disaster Message FlowDisaster Message FlowDisaster Message FlowDisaster Message Flow

CMDOPNSPLNGLOGFIN

PIO

PUBLICRELATIONS

FIREPOLICEEMSHOSPPIO

"Incident Site"9-1-1

STATE EOC

ICSMEDIA CENTER

FIRE STATION

ADJACENT COUNTY

Recent Disaster Recent Disaster DeclarationsDeclarations

• 03/03/07• Severe Storms and Tornadoes

 • 08/29/05

• Hurricane Katrina   • 07/10/05

• Hurricane Dennis   • 09/15/04

• Hurricane Ivan   • 05/12/03

• Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

   

• 11/14/02• Severe Storms and Tornadoes

   • 10/09/02

• Tropical Storm Isidore

• 12/07/01• Severe Storms and Tornadoes

• 03/05/01• Severe Storms & Flooding

   • 12/18/00

• Tornadoes   • 03/17/00

• Severe Storms And Flooding   • 02/18/00

• Winter Storm

Key IssuesKey Issues Build appropriate relationships BEFORE the Build appropriate relationships BEFORE the

disaster…include non-traditional partnersdisaster…include non-traditional partners Planning EffortPlanning Effort

Process builds relationshipsProcess builds relationships Invite ALL appropriate partnersInvite ALL appropriate partners

TrainingTraining ExercisingExercising After Action Reviews/Corrective Action PlansAfter Action Reviews/Corrective Action Plans Revise the PlanRevise the Plan Continue the CycleContinue the Cycle Know the plan; Know your roleKnow the plan; Know your role

Questions?Questions?

Contact InformationContact Information

Walt Dickerson 251-460-8000Walt Dickerson 251-460-8000 wdickerson@mcema.netwdickerson@mcema.net