Jefferson Parish Department of Drainage Emergency Plan
Emergency Plan Purpose, Pre-Storm Plan, Approaching Storm/Hurricane Plan and Recovery Plan I. Purpose The Drainage Department is responsible for all three major components of the Jefferson Parish Drainage System, which includes: all subsurface drainage conduits larger than 24 inches, open canals and ditches, and pump stations (major and minor). The purpose of this document is to establish procedures for the Department of Drainage during hurricanes, tropical storms, and any emergency which causes disruption of floodwater conveyance and pumping operations. Hurricanes Tropical Systems Rain Events (Floods) Tornadoes Accidents Natural Disasters Terrorists Acts To reduce the effects of these emergencies, the following emergency procedures have been developed. Procedures defined here are designed to help in restoring floodwater conveyance and pumping operations as quickly as possible with proper documentation required to thoroughly track all necessary work. In this Emergency Operating Procedure (EOP), identifying all types of disasters which may disrupt floodwater conveyance and/or pumping operations is not the primary objective. Preparing system components, equipment, and personnel to ensure readiness and the ability to convey and pump floodwater is the primary goal. The degree of destruction from a hurricane or any event listed above is impossible to predict, but from information collected from past experiences, we have developed this EOP. Recognizing and acting-on the potential of destruction from any of the above emergencies previously listed can differ greatly. With each requiring a different means of preparation and response. Potential emergencies can be classified as either:
An emergency Situation with warning (example: a hurricane with many days notice before landfall) An emergency Situation without warning (example: flash flood, tornado, or terrorist act) All major components of the Pumping Stations and floodwater collection system are vulnerable to different hazards in different ways. Each asset has been analyzed on vulnerability and for each different hazard, this plan has been put in place to mitigate damage and recover as quickly as possible. This plan includes hazards such as: Extreme winds Flooding from rain Flooding from tidesurge Explosion Lightning Fire Chemical Leak Tornadoes For all none essential first responders, be sure to have a Jefferson Parish ID or proper re-entry pass, security operations may include checkpoints that may require valid identification with your work and/or home address to be able to return to Parish. Supervisory personnel may be contacted if needed to assist employees in need. II. Start of Hurricane Season Pre-Storm/Hurricane Plan Other than scheduled maintenance of equipment and routine running of engines, pumps, and backup generators year round, the following issues must be addressed at the beginning of each hurricane season. Review this entire plan and if a procedure is not fully understood, ask your supervisor for clarification. Review Essential Superintendent Personnel (ESP Info List) Attachment A, including phone numbers, Essential Vehicular/Fleet Evacuation Plan (EV/FEP Info List) Attachment B, and Current Contractors List (CC Info List) Attachment O, and email any corrections to the assistant director and your supervisor.
Contact representatives for current emergency contracts (service and supply) to confirm availability of supplies and service during an emergency, also check on contracts expiration dates and if any possible amendments are needed. Perform a detailed inspection of all essential list equipment and have any repairs required completed on an emergency basis. Prepare areas to house essential personnel for an extended stay after storm passage and check for proper number of sleeping gear, bath facilities, etc. Perform all necessary preventive maintenance of the parish drainage and pump system. Maintain updated parish drainage and pump station location maps. Provide for situation reporting to the EOC. (Drainage system, pumping, and equipment status, screen, and canal conditions). Maintain adequate supply of sand and sandbags and other supplies needed during emergency operations. Maintain essential departmental facilities and secure against damage. A. All Drainage pump station safe room lead operators shall be assigned and approved by the Director of Drainage Department. B. Pre-disaster duties include: each of these items must be completed annually by no later than March 1 st. 1. Prior to every hurricane season the Drainage Department shall inspect each safe room and test all of the equipment to insure that it is in good working order. 2. Each year the Drainage Department shall review and update the list of essential duty employees that are assigned to each safe room. 3. Every hurricane season the Drainage Department shall provide training to each essential employee assigned to a safe room on the use of the room and all of the safety equipment. 4. Each year the Drainage Department shall determine which two employees in each safe room will be designated to receive the first aid and CPR training and shall make sure that their training is up to date. 5. Each year the Drainage Department, with the assistance of the Human Resources Department, will determine whether each essential employee assigned to a safe room is fit for duty. C. Hoey Basin Emergency Flood Plan Year Round Hurricane Preparedness Procedures a) Inspect and maintain flat valve boxes at Jefferson Highway, Airline Drive, Northline Avenue, and Metairie Road. b) Inspect and maintain all flap valves along 17 th Street Canal west wall between Airline Drive and Pump Station No.6. c) Inspect and maintain flap valves and flap valve boxes within Pontiff Playground, all eight (8) locations along the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and the Causeway retention pond.
d) Year round inspection and maintenance of all pumps, hydraulic units, and fuel tanks by pump station operations and contracted support if required. e) Inspect and maintain backup emergency generator, fuel tank, air compressor, and regular maintenance (grass cutting, trash pickup, etc.) for the Hoey Gate structure operation. Warehouse Check critical material stock to ensure orders have been received and maintain maximum inventory of critical material throughout hurricane season. Inspect warehouse facility and yard; remove or secure any material or objects that may become a hazard during high winds or flooding. III. Approaching Storms or Hurricanes Plans and Procedures Stage 1:Pre-Activation Situation-National Weather Service issues a weather notice and identifies a tropical storm or hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. The storm s projected landfall is within 120 hours (5 days) and a greater than 10% chance of the storm impacting Jefferson parish. Action Director or his designee will instruct supervisors to notify all essential personnel of situation and to be prepared for activation. Stay tuned to radio and/or TV for official bulletins, however refer to your supervisor and/or J.P. officials for verbal directions. DO NOT LISTEN TO OR SPREAD RUMORS. Verify weather conditions with Department of Emergency Management. Ensure that drain inlets and lines are free of debris. Ensure that debris removal equipment is in operating condition. Review and update all public works maps of jurisdiction. Review emergency staffing plans. Secure all equipment against damage. Maintain emergency operations plan and procedures for Drainage Department., accounting for key personnel, assignments, and equipment available during an emergency Assist other departments in all phases of emergency operations. Check flashlights and battery supply.
Start departmental emergency log. Activate Stage 1 (Pre-activation) of the Hoey Basin Emergency Flood Plan. Activate Stage 1 of the Pump Station Safe Room Operation Plan (OPSSR). Stage 2: Activation Projected Situation- Tropical storm or hurricane enters the Gulf of Mexico with projected landfall within 96 hours (4 days) and a greater than 10% chance of impacting Jefferson Parish. Action Using the attached Disaster Contractor/ Contract Contact List (Attachment O), the assigned employee is to make contact with contractors and/or vendors, inform them Jefferson Parish may soon be activated and collect updated vital information on requesting services or materials. Crews are ordered not to start any new jobs and to complete jobs in progress. Check supply of maps and emergency supplies. Ensure fuel storage tanks at pump stations are full or topped off- (Pump Station Fuel Storage Capacities List) Attachment C. Determine that all equipment is operational and prepare for emergency conditions (pumps, generators, radios, vehicles, etc.) Continue departmental emergency log. Inventory critical material stock. Coordinate with Parkway and Streets Departments on screen cleaning operations as per policy. Pre-position equipment, supplies, and materials when/where necessary/required. Coordinate communications procedures with EOC. Review contingency plans and coordinate task assignments with other agencies and volunteer groups. Review and activate Stage 2 (Activation Anticipated) of the Hoey Basin Emergency Flood Plan. Activate Stage 2 of the Pump Station Safe Room Operations Plan (OPSSR). Stage 3: Activation Predicted Situation- When the hurricane is less than 72 hours away from landfall (based on the National Weather Service advisories) and is a major hurricane and Jefferson Parish has a 10% chance of greater of being struck.
Action All employees are contacted by their supervisor or the emergency dispatcher for their reporting status and ordered to secure personal property and address family needs. Any essential employee not contacted must call his supervisor or the emergency dispatcher for emergency preparedness as per the Essential Duty Policy. Designate first shift crews, relief crews, standby crews, and screen cleaning crews. Continue departmental emergency log. Secure in-profess field job sites with proper barricades and lights and secure/tie all loose material. Organize system damage survey teams. Check all employee foul weather gear supplies. Notify employees of the capacity in which they will function. Activate Stage 3 (Activation Expected) of the Hoey Basin Emergency Flood Plan. Activate Stage 3 of the Pump Station Safe Room Operation Plan (OPSSR). Stage 4: Activation Situation- when the hurricane is less than 50 hours away from landfall (based on the National Hurricane Weather Service advisories) and is a major hurricane and Jefferson Parish has a 15% chance or greater of being struck. Action All non-essential and essential vehicular fleet/equipment are to be moved to pre-defined safe storage area. Essential duty personnel are to be allowed to collect clothes and supplies needed for an extended stay during and after an emergency. Essential personnel are required to bring at least a 60-day supply of any prescribed medicine which may be needed during the activation time. Personnel are instructed to return to assigned locations at a scheduled time and assignments are issued. Superintendents are to have crews prepared and ready to act on any type of work which may be directed from the EOC. This may include levee work, pump work, transporting food, water and ice, etc. Activate screen cleaning operations as per screen cleaning policy (Attachment D). Continue departmental emergency log. Prepare to purchase food, water, and any non-contract supplies with Emergency Purchase Order received from Emergency Management as per Emergency Purchasing Policy- Attachment E.
Perform emergency assignments directed by Drainage Director, Public Works Director, and/or Emergency Management Department. Inspect all pump stations and canals; maintain water levels in canals to comply with set standards. Inform Emergency Management via the Emergency Operations Center Department radio operator of status of emergency operations (screen and canal conditions, water levels, rainfall amounts, etc.) Review and activate Stages 4 of the Pump Station Safe Room Operation Plan (OPSSR). Review and activate Stages 4 (Activation) and 5 (New Orleans Pump Station No. 6 Observation Activation) on the Hoey Basin Emergency Flood Plan. Stage 5: Transportation and Reporting to Shelters Situation- Parish President along with the Emergency Management Director will notify all essential duty employees, through their respective departments when the Parish begins to experience winds in excess of 50 miles per hour. The Drainage Department shall move their Essential Duty Employees (EDE) to their designated shelters and Stages 4 & 5 of the Pump Station Safe Room Operation Plan (OPSSR) will go into effect at this time. Action All East Bank Drainage Essential Field Employees upon activation will store personal vehicles at the Rheem Facility. (One personal vehicle per employee.) When essential duty employees are notified by Emergency Management to report to their designated shelters, transportation to their designated shelter (EB1) will be by Drainage Department vehicles assigned by Superintendent III. All West Bank Drainage Essential Field Employees upon activation will store personal vehicles at the LA18 Facility. (One personal vehicle per employee.) When essential duty employees are notified by Emergency Management to report to their designated shelter, transportation to this designated shelter (WB2) will be by Drainage Department vehicles assigned by Superintendent III. All East Bank Pump Station Essential Employees upon activation will report with their person vehicle to their assigned pump station. Pump Station essential duty employees not scheduled for stationing in an existing safe room shall use the method of transportation selected by the EOC for travel to their assigned essential duty shelter in Jefferson Parish. (See Attachment K) All West Bank Pump Station Essential Employees upon activation will report with their personal vehicle to their assigned pump station. Pump Station essential duty employees not scheduled for stationing in an existing safe room shall use the method of transportation selected by the EOC for travel to their assigned essential duty shelter in Jefferson Parish. (See Attachment K)
Stage 6: Occupy Shelters, Return to Work & Re-entry of Pump Stations While sustained winds are in excess of 55 miles per hour and weather conditions are hazardous all Drainage field employees located in an EDE shelter shall remain secured inside the facility until the EDE managers are notified by the Emergency Management Director that the sustained winds have fallen below 50 miles per hours and conditions are safe for travel around the Parish and perform their duties. Stages 6,7,8,9 & 10 of the Pump Station Safe Room Operational Plan (OPSSR) will be activated at this time. Stage 7: Return to Work (Non-Essential Employees) Unless notified otherwise, all non-essential employees are expected to return to work during normal working hours as soon as possible after the state of emergency is cancelled by the Parish President or when notified to do so by his/her supervisor or through media. If roads are impassable, report on the first business day the roads are open to normal traffic. Stay tuned to your local radio station for advice and instructions about emergency medical aid, food, and forms for assistance and when you can return home and/or to work. IV. Emergency Recovery Plan Floodwater Conveyance and Pumping System I. Damage Investigation- Stage 1 (1-3 hours after returning from shelter area) a) Inspect and retrieve vehicles and equipment from designated evacuation areas; create a detail report (include pictures) of all damages observed. b) Make contact with (pre-defined) lead-person for contracted workers. The following will be our source for equipment and laborers: i) In-house Drainage Department crews and pump station personnel ii) Emergency and annual maintenance contractors (RamJ, Bud Talli, A&H Armature, Boland Machine shop, etc.) Attachment O iii) Emergency tree and debris removal contract. iv) Additional contractors if needed and approved by Parish President. c) Assign superintendents, inspectors, and crews for inspection of all levees floodwater conveyance conduits and pumping stations. All damages are to be reported to Superintendent III s via radio (if functional) and documented for end of the day assessments and scheduling.
d) Damage assessment at the end of each day will determine the locations and number of crews and equipment required for field maintenance and pumping stations repairs and contractors on an as needed basis. II. Damage Assessment Report and Repairs Started- Stage 2 a) Report damage to EOC and request any assistance that might be needed in clearing canals and ditches and repairing pumping stations. Main objective is floodwater conveyance and pumping ability and all resources are to be focused on this task. b) Outside firms and vendors to be contacted as needed. Replacement pumps, valves, fittings, and electrical controls components are to be ordered as soon as possible, knowing that many components may need to be built (not being available on the shelf). c) If portable water will not be available within a couple of days, a request to the Emergency Operating Center should be made to have water trucked into the Parish and distributed at locations such as large department stores and grocery stores. III. Tracking and Documentation- Stage 3 a) Information on all maintenance and repair work completed and in progress concerning field operations and at pumping stations is to be collected on a Jefferson Parish Daily Work Order Form Attachment I. This information will to be given to all Drainage Department Superintendents at the end of each day. This information will be entered into the work order system and progress tracked. Pumping Stations I. Damage Investigation- Stage 1 (1-3 hours after returning from shelter area) a) A complete check of all building and shop areas for structural damage along with a check of mechanical, water, and electrical systems. b) Check for power failure: If both A and B" power feeds are out, check back-up generator system and create a detail report (with pictures) of all damage. c) Have crew investigate trash screen rake systems and create a detail report (with pictures) of all damage. East and West Bank Field Office Facilities I. Damage Investigation- Stage 1 (1-3 hours after returning from shelter area) a) A complete check of all building and shop areas for structural damage along with a check of mechanical, water, and electrical systems and create a detailed report with pictures of all damages.
II. Assigning Work and Repairs Started- Stage 2 (Start 2 nd day after returning from shelter) a) Drainage Department superintendents initial system inspections by superintendents and inspectors. b) Standard Drainage Department work order forms will be completed for each job by the foreman of the crew. This form is to be turned in daily to the Drainage superintendents. This same daily work order form Attachment I, will be returned the next morning to the foreman until the job is completed. All forms related to a job location must be kept together. c) Primary concern, to repair damages that limit or stop pumping activity. d) All major canals shall be cleared of trash and debris allowing uninhibited water flow to pumping stations. III. Tracking and Documentation- Stage 3 a) Information on fieldwork, pump station activities, repairs, and completed work will continue to be given to the Drainage Superintendent III s at the end of each workday. This information will be keyed into the work order system for progress and documentation.