Maryland Emergency Management Agency Camp Fretterd Military Reservation 5401 Rue Saint Lo Drive Reisterstown, Maryland 21136 410-517-3600 877-MEMA-USA Toll Free 877-636-2872 WWW.MEMA.STATE.MD.US Executive Director: Richard Muth Director of Administration: Erin Easton Director of Operations: Michael Fischer Director of External Affairs: Edward Hopkins Report to the Maryland State Firemen s Association March 2012 1
The Maryland Emergency Management Agency MEMA Mission To protect the lives, property and environment of citizens by providing the emergency management leadership and coordination of response and support agencies throughout a comprehensive all hazards approach. MEMA Vision We will be the most effective emergency management agency in the country, integrating and coordinating services and resources for the safety and welfare of the public. MEMA Values The values for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency are: Professionalism Integrity Compassion Teamwork Creativity 2
MEMA Executive Director s Update To the MSFA February, 2012 MEMA Administration Erin Easton, Director MEMA Administrative Directorate MEMA Staff Changes Hired: Posting:. Angela Bernstein, MEMA s Office of Resiliency MEMA has just completed interviews for a personnel associate and will be interviewing for 2 administrative officer positions in March. Reassigned: Retired: Ruth Mascari Grants Administration Gary Harrity, Agency Grants Coordinator FY11 State Homeland Security Program/Urban Area Security Initiative awards have been released. Overall program awards were reduced from FFY 10 by 28% (UASI) and 50% (SHSP) respectively. FFY 12 grant program awards are pending release by DHS. February 17, 2012, is the tentative date for this announcement. Unofficially, States were told to expect funding reductions of 50% or greater for the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) program. SHSP funding is the largest homeland security grant program within Maryland. In light of significant funding cutbacks to the UASI program the possibility of a complete loss of funding for the Baltimore UASI is considered high. Likewise funding for other annual programs: Citizen Corps, Nonprofit Security Grants, Metropolitan Medical Response Systems and Port Security may be also completely eliminated External Affairs and Communications Eddie Hopkins, Director MEMA recently conducted conference calls with Emergency Management PIO s. The goal is to establish regional meetings where the PIO s can meet and discuss information sharing and media trends. Of current interest is the rising popularity of social media and how/when it is used. MEMA will be scheduling these meetings over the next several months. MEMA has been attending the legislative session and is meeting regularly with elected delegations from each of the counties. Presentations to the delegations are less than 15 minutes and designed to 3
dissect a disaster from MEMA s perspective as it relates to disaster declarations, resource coordination, MMD liaison, FEMA liaison, MEMAC/EMAC, and recovery, etc. Essentially helping our elected officials to manage expectations MEMA meets with the Fire Caucus Working Group every Friday at 9am; the Law Enforcement working group every Monday at 10am and with the MIEMSS working group as needed. MEMA has an established education and training partnership with the Maryland Municipal League. We attend and present on emergency management and disaster preparedness at their meetings throughout the year and at their summer conference. We are meeting soon with MACo to set up a similar partnership. Operations Michael Fischer, Director MEMA Operations Directorate Office of Resiliency: The Office of Resiliency was established within MEMA on January 30, 2012. Its purpose will be to develop a network for effective engagement in all areas of emergency management, particularly response and recovery, among its private and public sector entities, NGOs, voluntary groups, vulnerable populations, faith-based groups, and regional counterparts through aggressive outreach, education and training. Resource sharing, accurate information exchange and identification of needs during emergencies are critical to the success of mutually beneficial partnerships. The Office of Resilience will work to increase the ability of Maryland s various constituencies to plan for, and react to, potential interruptions to reduce the duration and potential negative impact in order to restore pre-event normalcy. SEOC Update: IDEO/CATT have completed their interviews with MEMA staff and SEOC reps. They shared that there were some underlying consistencies across the spectrum of interviews, most notably the technology. We will be sharing that information as it is presented to us. IDEO Team leaders visited a live CBS News show in NY, as well as a visit to the New York City Emergency Operations Center. The news show was an analogous observation of an information heavy environment that requires significant amounts of collaboration with people on- and off-site. The NY EOC visit was designed to view how a city like New York handles emergency operations on a day to day basis. On February 14 th from 1300 to 1600 hours the IDEO/CATT team will be visiting MEMA to brief Senior Staff on their findings so far and to utilize this briefing as a brainstorming session, as well. On February 15, 16 MEMA/IDEO/CATT staff will be visiting the NASA s Johnson Flight Center (Mission Control) in Houston. This will provide an analogous observation on 4
information sharing and collaboration in a high pressure environment across a range of communications and operational platforms. On February 21 st. the same team will be visiting the Emergency Operations Center in both Washington DC and Fairfax Virginia. These EOC s are both state of the art facilities..exercise and Training MEMA s Exercise and Training Unit conducted several exercises during this past quarter. Exercises included the following scenarios. Exercise Name: BMC Regional Disaster Debris TTX Exercise Dates: November 1, 2011 Description: Tornados touchdown in the Greater Baltimore region Participants: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Maryland Environmental Service, Maryland Department of General Services, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland State Highway Administration, Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Department of Transportation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District Exercise Name: Governor s Cabinet Winter Weather TTX Exercise Dates: November 8, 2011 Description: Winter weather event in Maryland with a major highway obstruction Participants: Maryland Governor s Executive Council (Cabinet) Exercise Name: MD SEOC Recovery TTX Exercise Dates: December 15, 2011 Description: Category 3 hurricane comes ashore in Ocean City, Maryland and causes significant damage to a large portion of the state. Participants: Maryland Emergency Management Agency, State Emergency Operations Center representatives Exercise Name: NCR Technology TTX Exercise Dates: December 19, 2011 Description: Showcase of technology currently being used by Maryland s public safety, emergency management, and transportation management agencies within the NCR. Participants: Maryland Emergency Management Agency, University of Maryland (CATT Lab), State Highway Administration, Prince George s County, Governor s Office of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Maryland State Police, Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Department of the Environment, Department of Information Technology, District of Columbia Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency, Towson University, Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems Exercise Name: Baltimore FCC Table Top Exercise Exercise Dates: January 9, 2012 Description: Demonstrate mobilization plans for reception teams. Demonstration of reception operations to include activation of Emergency Operations Center, receipt of patients and planned 5
regulation of patients to NDMS partner hospitals through discussion and paper patients. Demonstrate collaboration and integration with respective partner agencies and participating hospitals. Test of communications pathways to include alerting systems. Synthesize all components of Baltimore FCC through simulation. Identify gaps and process issues for improvement prior to full scale exercise. Sponsoring Agency: Veteran Health Administration Main Players: Bon Secours Hospital, Calvert Memorial Hospital, Doctors Community Hospital, Franklin Square Hospital, Harbor Hospital, Harford Hospital, Northwest Hospital, Sinai Hospital, Upper Chesapeake, Maryland Aviation Administration, Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene, Maryland Department of Human Resources, Maryland Emergency Management Agency, Baltimore Regional Incident Management Team, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security (TSA), Veterans Administrations Maryland Health Care System Exercise Name: Peach Bottom 12 Dress Rehearsal Exercise Dates: January 17, 2012 Description: Test of State EOC response to an incident at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station Sponsoring Agency: Federal Emergency Management Agency Main Players: Maryland Emergency Management Agency, Maryland Department of the Environment, Cecil County, Harford County, State Emergency Operations Center representatives, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC)/ Maryland Joint Operations Center (MJOC) Public Assistance and Individual Assistance: Individual Assistance Mark Demski, Assistant Director of Operations Cynthia Spindler, Disaster Individual Assistance Officer John Harding, Public Assistance Officer The annual update of the State of Maryland Administrative Plan for Individuals and Households Program Other Needs Assistance (ONA), has been approved by FEMA Region III however, it is still under review by FEMA HQ/Washington; Monitoring current SBA Disaster Declarations: 1. MD #12959 Prince George s County EIDL 2. MD #12953 & #12954 Cecil County Administrative Declaration Attended the National Disaster Recovery Framework Stakeholder Engagement Seminar, sponsored by FEMA Region III on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 in Harrisburg, PA Attended a U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration seminar on Thursday, January 26, 2012 topic of discussion was community resiliency.; There an upcoming course, Crisis Leadership for Local Officials, hosted by Carroll County OEM. The training was developed through the National League of Cities and 6
will be hosted by Jim Weed and the Carroll County Emergency Management Agency on April 18 th and 19 th, 2012. There is no fee to attend; USDA Farm Service Agency announced on February 3, 2012, limited disaster assistance funding has been made available in Charles County for the severe damage caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Farms and ranches suffering severe damage may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program administered by the Maryland Farm Service Agency/Charles County Office. During the approach of Hurricane Irene, a Presidential emergency declaration was issued for 23 Maryland local jurisdictions for the Public Assistance program. As a result, Federal grants for 75% reimbursement of costs related to Hurricane Irene response are available to State and local governments and public services in Baltimore City and all Maryland counties except Garrett. After Hurricane Irene, in addition to the emergency declaration, a Presidential major disaster declaration was issued for 15 local jurisdictions for the Public Assistance program. As a result, Federal grants for 75% reimbursement of costs related to Hurricane Irene for response, debris removal, and the repair or replacement of stormdamaged facilities are available to State and local governments and public services in Baltimore City and the counties of Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne s, Somerset, St. Mary s, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester. After Tropical Storm Lee, a Presidential disaster declaration was issued for 7 local jurisdictions for the Public Assistance program. As a result, Federal grants for 75% reimbursement of costs related to Tropical Storm Lee for response, debris removal, and the repair or replacement of storm-damaged facilities are available to State and local governments and public services in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Cecil, Charles, Harford, Howard, and Prince George s Counties. As a result of the Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee disaster declarations, Federal funding is available for all counties in the State of Maryland and the independent City of Baltimore to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Officials from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) scheduled Public Assistance applicants briefings for areas included under President Obama s emergency and disaster declarations issued for Maryland. The briefings helped representatives from the State, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations (not households and individuals) apply for Federal disaster assistance to supplement response and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Irene during the period of August 24 to September 5, 2011 and the Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee during the period of September 6 to 9, 2011. 7
Hurricane Irene & Tropical Storm Lee Update Number EM3335 Declaration Project Worksheets Eligible Costs*** estimated currently final currently Name approved* total approved* estimated final total Hurricane Irene Emergency** 15 142 447,777 5,743,491 DR4034 Hurricane Irene Disaster 182 678 3,227,715 19,965,697 Irene Total: 197 820 3,675,491 25,709,188 DR4038 Tropical Storm Lee 37 324 859,499 33,813,920 $ $ Irene & Lee Total: 234 1144 4,534,990 59,523,108 * as of 2/2/2012 ** for Jurisdictions not approved for the DR4034 declaration *** FEMA reimburses 75% of Eligible Costs. Timeline estimates Feb Payment processing begins Mar Begin receiving payments All RPAs written (by Mar/Apr FEMA) Apr/May Most RPAs approved May/Jul Most payments received Annual call statistics (approx) o MDE 1,767 o OSFM 1,295 o MOSH 236 o Silver Alerts 65 MJOC: MJOC involved with Polar Bear Plunge. Nate Durman wrote the communications plan for the event. Goal was to provide on scene & reach back to MEMA of video, voice and text between Feds, State & Locals responders A Cave Rescue occurred during the State of the Union Address. MJOC and Ops Staff assisted with coordinating the dispatch of rescue team from Montgomery County to 8
Washington County. A communication patch was also set up in the MJOC so staff could monitor & coordinate with on scene responders Visit MEMA s website at www.mema.state.md.us, for all the latest highlights, events and local profiles. A link to MEMA s most recent newsletter, The Coordinator can be found on the home page under Quick Links. Follow MEMA on: Twitter www.twitter.com/mdmema Facebook www.facebook.com/mdmema Youtube http://www.youtube.com/marylandmema 9