Sam Houston State University SEVERE WEATHER ANNEX 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. SITUATION a. Hurricane Response b. Executive Summary of Hurricane Harvey Response II. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS a. KatSafe Website Hurricane Response Information b. KatSafe Tornado Information c. SHSU 120-Hour Hurricane Checklist and Videos Available d. Emergency Planning and Situational Updates e. Alerts, Communication, and Notification III. AFTER ACTION REVIEW 2
I. SITUATION A. Hurricane Response. Our Hurricane response plan information is located on our KatSafe Website at shsu.edu/katsafe. The KatSafe link can be found the SHSU Homepage and is also available from the SHSU KatSafe Emergency Preparedness app available for phone/tablet use. B. Other severe weather includes a response to tornado warnings and severe cold that causes unsafe road conditions. C. Executive Summary of Hurricane Harvey Response Efforts. 1. The SHSU Emergency Operations Planning team coordinated the University s response to Hurricane Harvey. Due to severity of the storm during this period, the President decided to suspend classes for five days and restrict operations on campus to essential personnel. During the response, emergency operations included daily situational updates to the leadership that included State Emergency Response information, Walker County updates, and status of University support operations. 2. Prior to the storm, the President directed the emergency operations team to present the University s response. The planning group met and developed the update based on the SHSU Hurricane Response 120-hr timeline checklist. The update included the NWS forecast, an assessment of the impact on operations to include athletic events, and the continuity of operations status. The staff provided recommendations that included a key decision timeline, messaging, and modifications to campus operations. 3. The emergency operations team developed and disseminated warnings and updates from our KatSafe alert system that included text and social media messages to warn our community about the impending inclement weather and essential information about safety and support services. Over the storm period, students, faculty, staff, parents, and the community visited the KatSafe emergency website 57,409 times. 4. The team also coordinated numerous internal and external support operations. The University provided support for staging operations with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Arlington Police Department, and units from the Texas, Arkansas, and Indiana Army National Guard. The University also sent four UPD Officers to support forces in Beaumont and Lamar University. The coordination also included student, faculty, and staff volunteering to help those displaced and recovering items from 3
II. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS flooded homes. Support for students remaining on campus included health and counseling services, food and recreation, and physical fitness facilities. 5. During the recovery process, the emergency operations updates to the leadership focused on setting the conditions for the continuity of operations. The conditions included adjustments to the academic calendar, financial aid and payment schedules, damage assessments to the infrastructure, faculty and staff availability, and capturing lessons learned for the after action review. A. KatSafe Website Hurricane Response Information 1. Key references are immediately available on the Hurricane response site including links to the Texas Department of Public Safety Weather Threat Briefings, Hurricane Preparedness Kit checklists, access to the Harris County Emergency Preparedness App, and the Texas Disabilities Task Force Effective Communications Toolkit, and a personal readiness video. http://www.shsu.edu/katsafe/hurricane.html 4
2. To prepare our faculty, staff, and students for a pending hurricane, the site includes checklists that cover methods of notification and considerations that personnel should take in the event of a University closure. This also addresses how the SHSU community will continue to receive updates via our KatSafe communication system. 5
3. In the event of a notification, the site defines terminology that may be used in emergency notifications. The definitions for flood watches and warning definitions are those provided by the National Weather Service. The can be referenced from the site. B. KatSafe Tornado Information. To prepare our faculty, staff, and students for a pending hurricane, the site includes checklists that cover methods of notification and considerations that personnel should take in the event of a University closure. http://www.shsu.edu/katsafe/tornado.html 6
C. SHSU 120-hour Hurricane Checklist and Videos available. 1. The information contained on the Hurricane Response includes the SHSU 120- hour checklist that identifies key tasks by staff agency, training videos that review overall response information, volunteering, and lessons learned. The site also address after the storm information. 2. The 120-hour checklist is based on lessons learned from previous SHSU hurricane response everts and recent input from hurricane response planning team reviews. The checklist is modularized by 24-hour response blocks. This is meant as a guide given that the hurricane timeline may not be exact. The checklist also incorporates recent information shared from the Texas Emergency Management Conference hurricane response updates. H- Hour ACTION REQUIRED AGENCY Phase PRE Confirm all required equipment for EMC and Reception is available EMC PRE PRE Update staff as the storm develops or is downgraded EMC PRE PRE Complete MOUs with IHEs Shelter PRE PRE Establish MOU with medical supply source (POD) Shelter PRE PRE Create signage kits for each shelter Shelter PRE PRE Review food service plan for shelters Aramark PRE PRE Confirm procedures for obtaining and delivering of food Aramark PRE PRE Identify shifts and shift change protocols Red Cross PRE PRE Procure office supplies and equipment Red Cross PRE PRE Review emergency power generation plans Facilities Mngt PRE PRE Establish MOU with fuel and emergency equipment suppliers Facilities Mngt PRE PRE Determination about prohibited concealed carry areas EMC PRE PRE Set up phones in PACE Information Tech 7
PRE Determine cooling fan availability (athletics) EMC 120 Attend TSOC updates at Walker County EOC EMC 120 Notify of possible activation of Volunteers Volunteers 120 Confirm with local school district the availability of School Buses and EMC Drivers 120 Confirm personnel available to support shelter leaders Shelter 120 Review Security Plan for shelter sites UPD 120 Review road conditions, construction, etc. on established evacuation routes Facilities Mngt 120 Review Traffic management plan for check-in, staging and reception center Shelter 120 Update Communications Plan for EOC (cell phones, email, etc.) IT 120 Receive notification from EOC of activation EMC 120 Start tracking costs and payroll Finance 120 Confirm Evacuation Area and establish communications EOC 120 Verify Location of Staging and Operations Shelter 120 Confirm availability of radios for back-up communications IT 120 Alert shelter managers Shelter 120 Confirm availability of teams to support shelter set-up Shelter 120 Confirm procurement of supplies for shelters and delivery instructions to Shelter Logistics 120 Monitor Weather Channel, national news sources EMC 120 Communicate with Service Area status of preparedness Red Cross 120 Review and activate feeding plan as needed Red Cross 120 Review and activate logistical needs for shelter hub Red Cross 120 Alert volunteers about possible activation Shelter 120 Confirm availability of supplies and materials that will be needed Volunteers 120 Activate Traffic plan at Check-in/reception center Shelter 120 1000 TSOC Update, INVITE 1100 Conference Call, 1200 Recommendation EMC 120 Issue PO's under MOU for emergency equipment, fuel, and tools at 72 Facilities Mngt hours, delivery 120 FPC review of construction site preparedness Facilities Mngt 96 Deploy directional signage to Check-In, electronic messaging sign EMC 96 Tracking costs and payroll Finance 96 Conduct daily conference calls with shelter managers Shelter 96 Update shelter status (ongoing) Shelter 96 Conduct radio checks for all Motorolas and SAT Phones EMC 96 Preparation of Public Information PIO 96 Assure adequate supplies and equipment are ready at the Staging Area Shelter 96 Activate staff and assign to appropriate location and responsibility Red Cross 96 Confirm signage Shelter 96 Prepare area to receive evacuees Shelter 96 Set-up Orientation for incoming staff Shelter 8
96 Set-up staff shelter and meals Shelter 96 Move equipment and supplies to shelter Shelter 96 Face to face update to leadership on recommendations Team 96 Activate minimal Katsafe alerts, soft notifications (social media) PIO 96 Alert visitors center on university decisions, direct them to Katsafe PIO 96 Confirm WiFi and entertainment packages Information Tech 72 Coordinate with EOC regarding media advisories and/or press releases PIO 72 Initiate media advisories and/or press releases as needed PIO 72 Develop media release for traffic plan for evacuees coming PIO 72 Confirm evacuation status (voluntary/mandatory) with Walker County EOC EMC 72 Provide shelter availability to Walker County EOC - status of shelter EMC 72 Initiate traffic patrol of evacuation routes and review traffic plan for UPD affected areas 72 Coordinate with Shelter managers to determine Shower and Porta Pottie Shelter needs 72 Confirm communications needs at shelters IT 72 Tracking costs and payroll Finance 72 Deliver signage to shelters EMC 72 Deploy cots to shelters Logistics 72 Conduct daily evacuation updates EMC 72 Confirm availability Transportation to support transportation needs EMC 72 Monitor supply needs and request resupply as needed from Logistics Shelter 72 Confirm shelter status and other reporting requirements Shelter 72 Ensure signage is still up Shelter 72 Monitor office supply and equipment needs Logistics 72 Confirm inside signage Shelter 72 Review shifts with staff Shelter 72 Activate Volunteers Volunteers 72 Process arriving volunteers (registration, background checks, training, Volunteers assignments) 72 Identify Vehicle assets available Logistics 72 Prepare for EOC Activation with equipment and communications EMC 72 Send road closures to Walker County Public Communications Center c/o Debbie Gilbert EMC 48 Develop recommendation for closure of main campus and TWC All 48 Participate in daily conference calls with Walker County and TSOC EMC 48 Confirm Storm Track to determine continued operations, project landfall EMC 48 Continue traffic patrol of evacuation routes UPD 48 Confirm portable signage on evacuation routes UPD 48 Activate Shelter Registration Shelter 48 Update volunteer needs and availability Volunteers 48 Conduct Information Update via KatSafe and social media PIO 9
48 Confirm Storm Track to determine continued operations, project landfall EMC 48 Request shelter population status reports Shelter 48 Transition from Check-In to Reception Center Volunteers 48 Confirm shelter capacity and determine need to open additional shelters EMC 48 Tracking costs and payroll Finance 48 Conduct daily updates Shelter 48 Monitor supply needs and request resupply as needed from Logistics Logistics 48 Monitor map requirements, produce, distribute additional maps for bus Facilities Mngt drivers 48 Update status of hospital evacuations and confirm frequency of report Shelter 48 Confirm signage Shelter 48 Monitor water supply Volunteers 48 Monitor portable toilets for sanitation Shelter 48 Direct clients to shelters and meet any immediate needs Volunteers 48 Confirm numbers and staffing needs Volunteers 48 Facilities protected (tropical force winds) 24 Update recommendation for closure of main campus and TWC All 24 Conduct Information Update via KatSafe and social media PIO 24 Conduct shelter status reports, track projected landfall and post map Shelter 24 Re-fuel all vehicles at the end of the operating period Logistics 24 Continue traffic plan at reception center Volunteers 24 Monitor shelter activities (sanitation, medical issues, biohazardous waste) Shelter 24 Confirm Storm Track to determine continued operations EMC 24 Shelter Status Report Shelter 24 All Sections status report EMC 24 Tracking costs and payroll Finance 24 Monitor shelter activities (sanitation, medical issues, biohazardous waste) Shelter 24 Continue processing spontaneous volunteers Volunteers 24 Confirm numbers and staffing needs Volunteers 24 Fill remaining Volunteer Operations staffing needs Volunteers 12 Update shelter population numbers Shelter 12 Continue security plan for general population/medical shelters UPD 12 Continue traffic plan at reception center Shelter 12 Monitor shelter activities (sanitation, medical issues, biohazardous waste) Shelter 0 Re-evaluate reception area and shelters for resources Shelter 0 Monitor supply needs and request resupply as needed from Logistics Logistics 24-72 After the Storm All 24-72 Publish website with essential recovery information PIO 24-72 Execute timeline for business continuity All 24-72 Conduct Walk through of facilities for necessary repairs Facilities 24-72 Redistribute supplies accumulated during evacuation Logistics 10
24-72 File claims for reimbursement and damage Finance 24-72 Store signage, material, and products All 24-72 Donate items collected to local shelters, resale, or donation shops All 24-72 Sanitation clean-up All 3. The training videos introduce our hurricane response and also breakdown key steps from 120-hours out to execution. There is also a video describing volunteer lessons learned. The hurricane response instructional video can also be linked directly by clicking here: SHSU Hurricane Introduction D. Emergency Planning and Situational Updates 1. To provide command and control of the SHSU hurricane response, the University publishes a weather outlook that provides a forecast, events planned during the period, and staff actions. The example format for the weather updates can be accessed via the KatSafe site or here: SHSU Weather Outlook 2. The emergency planning staff activated from the Crisis Communication Plan includes staff representatives from SHSU, the City of Huntsville, and Walker County. We have a Blackboard Connect text message group to notify the team about meeting time and locations. Below is the emergency planning group with contact information omitted but maintained by each representative. 11
3. The staff utilizes the 120-hr timeline and prepares a situational update. To provide situational updates to SHSU leadership and staff, the emergency planning team provides updates using the format that can be found from the hurricane response site and here: Hurricane Situational Updates 12
E. Alerts, Communication, and Notification 1. The situation update also includes recommended KatSafe messaging to be send via our KatSafe alert system and our KatSafe website. 2. The alert messages are sent via our Blackboard connect system (text, phone, email, desktop, and social media) and our messages to the website are posted via WebCMS. III. AFTER ACTION REVIEW A. After the storm, the SHSU leadership and staff conduct an after action review (AAR) of the campus emergency response. The emergency planning team also publishes after the storm information. The format and example are available on the KatSafe website. SHSU Hurricane Harvey AAR 13
B. After the storm, SHSU publishes information and references to the KatSafe hurricane response website that follows a checklist format. This includes links to applicable references. 14