Utah Department of Public Safety Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management

Transcription

1 Utah Department of Public Safety Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management Salt Lake City Tornado '99 Key Issues - Action Items State of Utah Agency Debriefing August 26,1999

2 SALT LAKE TORNADO '99 State of Utah Agency Debriefing Key Issues -Action Items TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary... Page 2 Issues from Governor's Office.... Page 3 Issues from State Emergency Response Team... Page 9 State of Utah Top Five Issues and Action Items... Page 13 Attachments... Page 15

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This history-making tornado gave Utah emergency management officials the rare opportunity to respond to a disaster that was not catastrophic in nature. The unfortunate loss of life, critical injury and significant property damage were serious in nature and truly tested the State's ability to respond. The Utah Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM) and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) agencies approached their jobs with professionalism and dedication. Overall, the response to the tornado was well handled, but valuable lessons were learned and will be applied to future training and exercise opportunities to improve response to any future events. ISSUES: Communications is the weakest link in the emergency response chain. Additional resources, including equipment, planning, training and exercise, must be dedicated to resolving the issues in the critical area. Emergency Operational Plans (EOPs) of some agencies show deficiencies in providing quick response, accurate information, and inter-agency cooperation. CEM and SERT agencies must work together to improve plans by addressing issues raised, and to improve response and coordination through the use of checklists. Emergency Public Information is a critical element during disaster response. In order to provide the media and the public with accurate and timely information, better coordination must be planned for and exercised. Involvement of SERT agency Public Information Officers (PIOs) must be incorporated to ensure that appropriate coordination takes place during response to a disaster. Additional training and exercises, especially unannounced exercises, must be utilized to improve CEM and SERT response. Training must also include Individual and Family Preparedness to ensure that emergency responders reduce the chance that they become disaster victims, or inhibit their ability to respond to the command center. Concern for the health, safety and welfare of State employees must be an integrated part of the response. Employees need to receive information on their families, and be able to provide information to their families concerning their safety. All SERT agencies must develop comprehensive business resumption plans to ensure the quick and effective return to normal operations. Identification of service priorities and plans to address those issues must be developed by each agency and discussed within their respective organizations. The following information addresses these issues in greater detail, and includes recommendations from the Governor and his staff, and from the SERT agencies.

4 ISSUES FROM GOVERNOR'S OFFICE: MORE MUST BE LEARNED ABOlJT THE COMI'REIIENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (CEM) PROCESS: 1) Who authorizes executive authority to open the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)? Governor Commissioner of Public Safety CEM Director CEM Deputy Director CEM Emergency Response Officer (ERO) as outlined in the ERO Manual 2) What is the CEM chain of command in an emergency? During regular business hours, if circumstances are such that CEM management staff is immediately available, the primary authority rests with the CEM Director, followed by the Deputy Director, the two Bureau Chiefs, and the Operations Section Managers. In an off-hours event, the Emergency Response Officer (ERO) is the first link in the chain of command. The ERO has immediate authority and responsibility to activate the EOC and initiate response efforts. 3) How is the chain of command made evident to the Governor's office in time of crisis? This information is available in the State EOP that is available both in hard copy and on the H drive of the CEM network. An additional copy will be clearly labeled and placed on the credenza in the Governor's Policy Room in the EOC. 4) Who makes the command and decision calls on messaging - the Governor or CEM? Protocol dictates that the Govemor and his staff maintain effective communication with county and city elected officials such as commissioners, mayors, etc. D ovemors immediate staff can be expanded to include The Commission r if P blic Safety or the Emergency Management Director. The Emergency gement Director or his designee as per the chain of command will work directly with the Governors Policy Group. Operational requirements such as mass care, sheltering and traffic control are handled through the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) and coordinated through the ECC and CEM. The Govemor is kept apprised at all times on these activities through briefings and situation reports available on the EOC computer network or from the Director of Emergence Management or his designee.

5 -. Messages intended for distribution to the public through the media are regularly coordinated with the Governor's Deputy Chief of Staff. Recently, the Deputy Chief of Staff indicated a desire to delegate the authority for public information dissemination to the Joint Information Center (JIC) Manager. This represents a departure from previous procedures requiring approval of the Governor's Press Secretary on all releases. Historically, the CEM Public Information Officer (PIO) has sewed as the JIC Manager and as the contact point for SERT PIOs in the,- dissemination of information. 5) Are the early warning systems in this state sufficient given the probability risk of various natural disasters? The greatest risks to the citizens of Utah are rapid onset events, such as earthquakes for which early waming systems are not effective. Unlike a storm system (hurricane) that can be tracked for days, or perhaps weeks, the most probable events in Utah, particularly along the Wasatch Front, are those that provide little or no advanced warning. The recent tornado in Salt Lake is a clear example. a regular occurrence in Utah is usually preceded by and the weather service in the event of a flash The Emergency Alert System (EAS), employed by all broadcast media across the United States, is designed to provide residents with waming information. Unlike the earlier Emergency Broadcast System, which was initially designed to provide early warning in the event of a nuclear attack, the EAS is designed to provide information relating to technological and natural disasters. These, again, tend to be rapidly evolving events. Despite advances in satellite and other weathertracking technologies, it is still difficult to predict with any great degree of accuracy the occurrence or location of a tornado. Even when predictions can be made, they may occur only moments before the tornado actually strikes. While the National Warning System (NAWAS) is used to relay important weatherrelated information, that information must still be broadcast through traditional media outlets which requires a certain time to receive and relay to the public. Utah does have some distinct advantages over many other states because of the stockpile at Deseret Chemical Depot and the efforts of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). Because Utah is the storage location of the largest stockpile of obsolete chemical weapons, it has been singled out for additional funding and resources to help prepare local communities in the unlikely event of a disaster. A state-of-the-art tracking system has been installed at the State EOC, Desert Chemical Depot, and the EOCs in Tooele, Utah and Salt Lake Counties. Also, a sirenlvoice warning system has been installed in Tooele and parts of Utah Counties. This system is primarily for use in the event of a chemical emergency, but can also be used for warning and response in other natural and technological disasters.

6 6) Does CEM protocol provide for coordination with railroads near disaster areas? 0 The Utah Department of Transportation and the Utah Highway Patrol are tasked with coordination efforts through the SERT. This activity would normally take place in the EOC. Greater efforts must be made to insure the connectivity between Public Safety personnel and the railroads. ACTION ITEMS FROM GOVERNOR'S OFFICE PROTOCOLS MUST BE ESTABLISHED: 1) Create a first-hour protocol for Governor's Office. In addition to the Governor's copy of the State EOP, a checklist of tasks and functional requirements will be developed and updated as necessary. This information will be located in the Governor's Policy Room in the EOC. A series of generic messages will also be developed and made available for use by the Governor and his Deputy Chief of Staff. 2) Create a first-hour protocol for all of State Government from senior staff on down. (During an emergency, government agencies will turn to the Governor's office not CEM for direction.) 0 As referenced in the Utah Code, the State EOP, and as noted in the copy of the attached letter, the CEM Director acts as the Governor's Authorized Representative during times of emergency. This designation allows the Director to coordinate the disaster response and recovery with other state agencies, the local Governments and the Federal Emergency Manager Agency (FEMA). The coordinating is done in cooperation with the Governor and his chief of staff. 0 All agencies responding as SERT members to the EOC have developed a concept of operations and associated emergency response plans. CEM will continue to work with each SERT agency to develop a specific set of first-hour protocols and easily-followed checklists. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS PROCESSES MUST BE IMPROVED: 1) Establish a clear method for the national media to respond to a central location. The CSEPP Appendix to the State EOP calls for the establishment and operation of a Joint Information Center (JIC) during an emergency. This option is available and allowed for in any emergency, and many members of the CEM staff have received training in the Joint Information System (JIS). The Public Information section of the State EOP will be updated to specifically identify JIS procedures

7 and potential JIC sights. Providing a JIC allows for improved coordination of SERT PIOs, reducing the risk of misinformation and providing the media with "one-stop shopping" for information. The media may still independently go out in search of information and stories, but the most reliable information is available through a JIC. 2) Network the computer in the Governor's policy room with the Governor's capitol office server. Currently, the computer in the Governor's policy room is connected to the statewide area network, allowing the Governor access to his account. The computer in the State Capitol works on a different operating system than that used at the CEM offices. In order to accommodate the Governor's needs, the Information Technology Systems (ITS) Local Area Network (LAN) Manager from the Governor's office and the ITS LAN Manager from CEM need to meet and discuss the system requirements to link the two computers. The Governor's assistance in providing the CEM and Capitol ITS managers with a list of required applications will help to quickly resolve this issue. 3) Install a direct phone line between the Governor's Office and the Governor's policy room. The phone on the Governor's desk in the Governor's policy room is programmed to reach any number in the Capitol complex through the five-digit extension. It can also be programmed with speed dial to reach any number by pressing the speed dial keys... &,i The Communications Manager from CEM and r the e - C - +t-\ 7 fiom the Crlpltalwill meet to address the needs of the Governor and the most practical solution. 4) Provide access to contact phone numbers for key players by networked computer or hard copy lists. An itemized list of phone numbers is available through the Federal Emergency Management Information System FEMIS system on the computers in the EOC. Printed copies are also located at each SERT station in the EOC. A list of current phone numbers will be updated and maintained in the Governor's policy room and will be located near the phones in that room. 5) Furnish Governor's policy room with AM/FM radios. There are a number of AM/FM radios available in the EOC. A radio will be designated for use only in the Governor's policy room and will be located in a convenient place for the Governor and his staff. 6) Provide a remote control for the televisions in the "bunker."

8 Provisions are being made to provide several remote controls to operate the televisions in the Governor's policy room. 7) Make speed fax machine with dedicated line readily available for Governor's staff. A high-speed fax is located in the Operations center at the rear of the EOC. This fax machine is preprogrammed with frequently used numbers, but can be reprogrammed to accommodate the Governor's specific needs. This machine will be made readily available to the Governor and his staff. In addition there will be a small fax machine put into the Governor's policy room. 8) Maintain supply of Governor's office letterhead for official communication. A supply of the Governor's letterhead is kept by the CEM Executive Secretary to maintain close control of its use. An additional supply will be made available to the Governor and his staff, and will be located in the desk in the Governor's policy room. 9) Ensure solid communication link between the Mobile Command Center and the EOC. Using the Department of Public Safety's Mobile Command Vehicle, the CEM Communications Center and Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) volunteers, an enhanced system of radio communications will be developed for use during an emergency and will be coordinated by CEM. Additional communications training and exercises for staff and volunteers will be provided. 10) Keep a hard copy of the Utah Code in the Governor's policy room A hard copy of the Utah Code will be obtained and placed in the Governor's policy room in the credenza near the Governor's desk. Also, the Utah Code is available on the Internet, and the computer in the policy room is connected to the Internet. 11) Press staff must be present at the command center. CEM has a long-established record of close coordination with the Governor's Deputy Chief of Staff in an emergency. During a disaster situation, the CEM PI0 may not be immediately available. As stated previously, many members of the CEM staff are trained in the functions of PIO, including the JICIJIS activities. Using the State EOP and the PI0 checklists, the employee fulfilling the PI0 role will be able to adequately respond during an event.

9 12) Extend immediate executive protection to the Lt. Governor in the event that he or she needs to assume the Governor's role. The importance of the chain of command is understood and supported by CEM. The safety of the Lt. Governor at all times is an important issue that will be referred to the Utah Highway Patrol Executive Protection personnel for implementation.

10 ISSUES FROM STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (SERT): 1. COMMUNICATIONS MUST BE ADDRESSED. During the tornado, landline and cellular systems were immediately overloaded. While this has been anticipated and even practiced during disaster exercises, the actual response demonstrated the need fo; redundancy inthe communications system, as well as a need for additional staffing and training. In the initial phase of a disaster, the public will turn to their telephone for information. The public wants to know that their loved ones in the affected area are safe and that government and businesses will continue operation. This may render the phone system almost unusable during a disaster response. With the expansion of cellular phone use, many people turn to this option to obtain information. Many cell phone systems were overloaded and ineffective during the tornado response. Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM) had radio capability at the Emergency Operation Center (EOC), however, there were not enough volunteers or trained staff to adequately handle the equipment, and there was a general lack of knowledge that the equipment was available for use by State Emergency Response Team (SERT) members. In addition to the radios, and fax options were also available, but were underused either as a result of lack of awareness, or loss of power at the receiving site. For example, the Department of Human Services could not send or receive or faxes because their building had been damaged during the tornado and they were experiencing a power outage at that facility. Based on this information, additional planning, training and exercise will be provided to SERT agencies on backup methods of communication. SERT agencies will be tasked with identifying employees and resources to address communications needs and plans must be adapted to address weaknesses in the area of communications. Additional volunteer staff from the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), and Ham Radio organizations must be recruited and trained for response during times of disaster. CEM staff will also be trained in the operation and use of the radio systems to provide backup and support in this critical area. CEM staff will also provide information on the resources that are available at the EOC and provide additional training on their use during an emergency. Additional exercises will be conducted to test the effectiveness of the plans and training designed to address these areas of concern.

11 2. PLANS MUST BE UPDATED AND CHECKLISTS DEVELOPED FOR IMPLEMENTATION DURING 'TIMES OF DISASTER. It was clear that there was a lack of knowledge on behalf of many of the SERT responders regarding the details of their emergency operations plans. As noted by Governor Leavitt, while much activity was taking place, it wasn't always critical activity based on the needs of the event. All SERT agencies must review and update their EOPs to accommodate lessons learned from this event. Additionally, a checklist of "first-hour" response activities must be developed to provide an easy-to-follow guide for the personnel responding to the EOC. Because a responder may not be able to reach the EOC before elements of their response plan need to be activated, a checklist allows for action to be taken regardless of who responds to the EOC. Additional training and exercise will be conducted to ensure that issues pertaining to the use of EOPs have been addressed adequately. 3. 'I'HE MEDIA AND THE PUBI.IC MUSI' HAVE LMMELIIATE ACCESS TO ACCURA'I'L.: INFORMATION IXJRING A DISASTER. During, and immediately following the tornado, the media and the public began demanding information about what had happened. CEM and SERT employees were besieged by requests for public infomation. A lack of coordinated information could have led to additional problems following the disaster... CEM will work in coooeration with the Governor's De~utv Chief of Staff and the SERT agency PIOs to develop a comprehensive public information plan that allows for the establishment of the Joint Information System (JIS) and designation of a Joint Information Center (JIC) during times of disaster. These plans must include generic, pre-scripted messages that can be immediately updated and released to the media to ensure timely information is available from a central location. Provisions for locating PIOs at the EOC should be included, though the JIS allows for release of information even when PIOs are unable to co-locate. Additional training for SERT PlOs will be provided to ensure that they are familiar with the JICIJIS process, and that they are aware of their agency's EOPs and their responsibilities during a disaster. Exercises will be conducted to test the plans, the JICIJIS process, and to address the issues concerning the public information issues related to disaster response.

12 4. TRAINING AND EXERCISES MUST BE CONDUCTED TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE RESPONSES WILL NOT BE HINDERED AND THAT LESSONS LEARNED HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO PLANNING AND RESONSE EFFORTS. Many of the problems that arose during the tornado response could be directly attributed to a lack of knowledge concerning operational plans and responses. The artificial environment created during a disaster exercise, while not as effective as an actual response, is still critical in assisting SERT responders to identify plan and performance weaknesses. It is an opportunity for agency responders to gain familiarity with emergency operations without the risks associated with an actual disaster response. Additional training is available through CEM, and can also be conducted with the individual agencies. Exercises can be developed to test only one aspect of response, or can be created to simulate an actual event. Exercises can also be held without notice, more realistically simulating an actual event as responders will not have had time to prepare for the event, and will not be aware of the scenario they are responding to. Cross training must be addressed, too, to allow all SERT responders to gain a more complete understanding of disaster operations, and to see how their agency fits into the larger picture. SERT agencies must work with CEM to develop additional training and exercise opportunities to address all aspects of emergency response operations. 5. HEALTH. SAFETY AND WELFARE OF S'I',YI'I< EMPLOYEES AND 'I'HEIR k.amilies MUST BE AD1)RESSED DURING EMERGENCY KIISPONSE- As human beings, our first response in a disaster is concern for our loved ones. This issue is particularly difficult for the Governor's staff, SERT agency and CEM employees. A system must be developed to allow EOC responders to communicate with their families while still responding to the disaster. Additionally, SERT agencies must identify a system to account for their employees who are EOC representatives and ensure their well-being before departing for the EOC. Once the safety of the responder is assured, notification must be provided to their family that they are safe and determine if the family is also okay. This eliminates the need for the family to call in search of their loved one, and reduces the concern of the responder in assuring that their family is safe. Training in Individual and Family Preparedness is available to State employees and their families. This program is available through the CEM staff and can be presented in State offices or at CEM as part of the SERT training program.

13 6. SERT AGENCIES MUST INCLUDE BUSINIESS RESlJMPTlON PLANNING AS PART OF THEIR OPERATIONAL PLANNING EFFORTS. - When the initial phase of response is over, plans must address the resumption of business and services to our constituents. For state agencies that are not SERT responders, information must be incorporated to keep them apprised of the status of the response, and the impact it has on their work. For example, many State offices closed down as a result of the tornado, even though their buildings were not damaged. Many employees left work early, and some did not report to work the next day because they were not informed on the status of their offices. SERT agencies must identify and prioritize those activities that will lead them back to normal operations as quickly as possible.

14 STATE OF UTAH TOP FIVE ISSUES AND ACTION ITEMS FOLLOWING TORNADO RESPONSE 1. COMMUNICATIONS - Equipment -too much reliance on cell phones; phone systems inoperative or overloaded; additional systems available but under-utilized or not used at all. Training/Exercise - additional training for CEM staff, SERT responders on communications availability and operations. Exercise activities that focus on communications and links between agencies. - 0 Planning/Protocols - work with SERT responders to improve communication plans and develop checklists for communication elements during a response. 2. FIRST-HOUR PROTOCOLS - Plans - SERT responders lacked specific knowledge of their plans, or had difficulty activating plans. Checklists - easy-to-follow lists that clearly identify tasks to be accomplished during the initial response (Top 10 list of things to do). TrainingExercise - additional training and exercise (both announced and unannounced) opportunities to address strengths and weaknesses in plans and to identify items to be included in first-hour checklists. Cross Training - provide SERT responders with training on the various activities in the EOC that take place during an event. 3. EMERGENCY PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MEDIA RELATIONS - Plans/Checklists - develop and update plans, including initial response checklists and pre-scripted messages. ExerciseITraining - additional training and exercise opportunities, to improve coordination between agencies. JICIJIS - Identify, secure and utilize potential sites for a Joint Information Center Develop and implement plans for a Joint Information System for all SERT Public Information Officers. 0 Identify and trains additional PIO's to assist in an emergency. 4. HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLFARE OF STATE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS - First Aid - ensure the care of SERT agency employees can be addressed. CERT - provide training for State employees in the Community Emergency Response Team program. Family and Individual Preparedness - provide training for State employees on family and individual preparedness at home and work.

15 Security - education and training for State and local security personnel (including local police) for Governor and staff, and for SERT responders. Identification - education and training for local emergency responders to reduce the possibility of confusion (disaster scene access, response to EOC) concerning SERT responders. Family -allow for State employees to ensure the safety and well-being of their family, and address concerns regarding leaving work. 5. BUSINESSISERVICE RESUMPTION - Plans -work with state agencies on plans for business resumption following a disaster, and how to notify employees of when to return to work. Responsibility to constituents - identify immediate needs of those served

16 Acronym Explanation Sheet CEM: Comprehensive Emergency Management SERT: State Emergence Response Team EOP: Emergency Operational Plans POI: Public Information Officer EOC: Emergency Operation Center ERO: Emergency Response Officer JIC: Joint lnformation Center EAS: Emergency Alert System NAWAS: National Warning System CSEPP: Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program JIS: Joint Technology Systems ITS: lnformation Technology Systems LAN: Local Area Network FEMIS: Federal Emergency Management lnformation System ARES: Amateur Radio Emergency Service RACES: Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service CERT: Community Emergency Response Team

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