Responsibilities in a Disaster

1. Responsibilities in a Disaster Dr. Bill Thomas

2. ALL Disasters • START LOCAL • Farmers/Agribusiness/Owners • First Responders • Supporting Agencies • STATE RESPONDERS • Georgia Emergency Management Agency • Primary Agency • Supporting Agencies • FEDERAL • Federal Emergency Management Agency • USDA/FDA

3. Emergency Management System Local Event individual local state federal

4. Individual Responsibilities • Essential participants in emergencies • Prevention • Quick response • Effective response • Awareness of diseases • Ability to interact within an emergency management framework

5. Local Agencies • County Emergency Management Agencies • First Responders Actions • Damage assessment, response plans activation • Facilities, resources, supplies and equipment provision • Warning systems establishment • Recovery

6. State Agencies • Initiate a response plan. • Supply money, personnel, or other resources • Assist communities, and coordinate Emergency Management activities • May assist in law enforcement, including quarantines and interstate travel

7. Tying together State and county-based response: SARTs and CARTs • SART – State Agriculture Response Team • CART - County Agriculture Response Team

8. Federal agencies • FEMA coordinates Federal agencies to help states • Provide resources and financial assistance • Help citizens recover and return to normal life as soon as possible

9. Example of previous slide

10. USDA - APHIS • The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: • USDA agrosecurity services • Ensure the nation’s safe and affordable food supply

11. THE APHIS “UMBRELLA OF PROTECTION”

12. USDA APHIS & FDA overarching lines of defense (alternate to previous slide) • Plants, Animals and Food are protected from: • Agricultural Bio-terrorism • Food contamination • Animal and agricultural health events • Zoonotic diseases • Wildlife diseases

13. Supporting agencies • Department of Health and Human Services: • FDA Food and Drug Administration • CDC Centers for Disease Control • Environmental Protection Agency

14. EXAMPLE: Georgia Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) Emergency Response Plan ESF 11 Agriculture and Natural Resources • Nutrition assistance • Animal/Plant disease response • Safety of food supply • Natural disaster impact on Ag & wildlife • Protect natural resources

15. EXAMPLE: Georgia Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) Emergency Response Plan Georgia FMD Emergency Response Plan is first Incident Annex

16. Georgia FMD Emergency Response Plan Presumptive Positive: • Consider Governor’s Declaration of Emergency and activation of GEOP • Statewide quarantine on all livestock • Activate appropriate SARTs • Establish ICP and ICS • “Intensive Quarantine Zone” >/= 10km around presumptive positive • Daily inspections and epidemiology of each herd within zone • Depopulation and disposal of affected herd

17. Georgia FMD Emergency Response Plan Presumptive Positive: • Consider Governor’s Declaration of Emergency and activation of GEOP • GEMA and all state resources available • Statewide quarantine on all livestock • State and local law enforcement, DOT • Activate appropriate SARTs • Local, state and federal members • Establish ICP and ICS • GDA, USDA, SART, local EMA

18. Georgia FMD Emergency Response Plan • “Intensive Quarantine Zone” >/= 10km around presumptive positive • Daily inspections and epidemiology of each herd within zone • SART, Ag Extension, local law enforcement, state and federal vets and AHTs, etc. • Depopulation and disposal of affected herd • SART, GDA, USDA, local EMA, local public works, DNR-EPD, state DOT, etc. • C and D of infected premises • SART, local EMA, hazmat/fire team,etc.

19. Georgia FMD Emergency Response Plan Confirmed Positive: • Joint Command will designate control areas and zones • Enforcement of movement restrictions • Surveillance activities within zones • Implement “Stamping Out” or “Modified Stamping Out” policy • Determine risk to and from wildlife • Consider appropriate use of vaccination

20. Georgia FMD Emergency Response Plan Confirmed Positive: • NRP likely activated bringing in all federal resources • Joint Command will designate control areas and zones • Enforcement of movement restrictions • Surveillance and response activities within zones • Same players as above to include many more local, state, federal (possibly DOD), and likely contracted individuals

21. Georgia FMD Emergency Response Plan • Implement “Stamping Out” or “Modified Stamping Out” policy • SART, GDA, USDA, local EMA, local public works, DNR-EPD, state DOT, EPA, DOD etc. • Determine risk to and from wildlife • UGA CVM SCWDS, DNR WRD, USDA WS, FWS • Consider appropriate use of vaccination • UGA Ext Ser, local practitioners, GDA, USDA, etc.

22. NATIONAL DISASTER MEDICAL SYSTEM • Disaster Mortuary Team (DMORT) • Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) • Disaster Veterinary Assistance Team (VMAT) • Deployed under the Catastrophic Incident Annex Coordinated by FEMA

23. VMAT • Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams: • Established by the AVMA, in 1993 • National Special Security Events • Veterinary support during disasters • Response to any CBRNE incidents affecting animals • Goals: to help limit the damage caused by FADs, and to help protect the public from zoonotic diseases

25. The Terrorist Threat In addition to the “Group of Eight” leaders, 20-30 additional heads of state may attend.

31. G8 LIFE SAFETY

32. G8 LIFE SAFETY

33. G8 LIFE SAFETY

34. G8 LIFE SAFETY

35. G8 LIFE SAFETY

36. G8 LIFE SAFETY

38. G8 LIFE SAFETY

39. G8 LIFE SAFETY

40. G8 LIFE SAFETY

43. What do you feed 20000 cops? • 300,000 Donuts • Who protects The cops?

44. G8 FOOD SAFETY • 20 Congregate feeding stations • 3 Under the authority of the USSS • 17 Under State Authority State Food Safety Task Force State Department of AG USDA, FSIS FDA State Public Health EPA

45. G8 FOOD SAFETY • Limit the number of vendors to one or two if possible • Large National Vendors that move huge amounts of food and have had good inspection records • Provide LE security for warehouses, shipping and handling areas one month before the event • Move in sealed trucks with security escort to the venues • Provide routine food safety inspections at all stages of food movement and handling

46. Companion animals in disasters • 65 million owned dogs • 77 million owned cats • 70% considered members of the family • 60% of GA households own companion animals • People that own companion animals behave differently in disasters than people that do not • Organizations involved in animal relief: • American Veterinary Medical Association • American Humane Association • Humane Society of the United States • Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters

47. WHY COMPANION ANIMALS? Life Safety? • Owners refuse to evacuate if animals cannot go with them • Owners will try to re-enter before all clear • Owners will not stay in shelters if animals cannot stay nearby • Animal friendly shelters • Have a disaster plan for family and animals (where to go, how to get there) • In mandatory evacuation animals usually requiring interstate health certificates etc. may pass. 3 days to get back after all clear.

48. VOAD and NVOAD • (National) Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster: • VOAD groups include: • The American Red Cross • The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Mennonite Disaster Services, and other local church and civic organizations • Humane societies, veterinarian organizations, rescue groups and individuals • Goals: to help to sustain life, reduce physical and emotional distress, rescue animals, and promote recovery of disaster victims

49. Online brochures • AVMA’s guide “Saving the Whole Family” http://www.avma.org • HAGA’s brochure “Preparing You and Your Companion Animal for Disaster” http://www.HumaneAssociationofGeorgia.org/resource_materials.htm

50. EMAC • Emergency Management Assistance Compact • Mutual aid partnership • 48 states + 2 territories + DC