Water/Wastewater Agency Response Networks

1. Water/Wastewater Agency Response Networks • Mike Snyder, PA-AWWA • Gregg Haney, City of Harrisburg

2. Objectives • Who and what is a WARN • Why consider a WARN • Support for creating a WARN • What’s involved and who to involve

3. Objectives • Benefits of a WARN • Who to contact for help

4. Who and what is a WARN? • Group or network of utilities helping utilities • Have common concerns • Natural disasters • Human-caused disasters • Not a corporation or a Governmental unit

5. Who and what is a WARN? • Utilities are organized within a State • by agreement • to assist each other with resources (personnel or equipment)

6. Why consider a WARN? • Because disasters happen and the utility will need help preparing for, responding to, and recovering from events that happen.

7. Why consider a WARN? • Past responses to disasters, as well as, lessons learned teach us that utility operations: • are specialized • must be self-sufficient • must initially handle the event until other governmental aid can arrive

8. Why consider a WARN? • Water at the tap provides hope to the people

9. Support for creating a WARN • HSPD-5 Management of Domestic Incidents • HSPD-7 Critical Infrastructure Protection • HSPD-8 National Preparedness Goal

10. Support for creating a WARN (NIMS) • National Incident Management System (NIMS) • Standardizes the Incident Command System • Promotes a unified approach to incident management • Has standard command and management structures

11. Support for creating a WARN (NIMS) • National Incident Management System (NIMS) • Emphasizes preparedness, mutual aid and resource management • Funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires NIMS compliance

12. Support for creating a WARN (NIMS) • NIMS training is available at www.fema.gov/nims • Federal assistance grants for state and local entities will be available to those who are in full compliance with NIMS

13. Support for creating a WARN (NRP) • The National Response Plan (NRP) organizes the Federal response and how it will interact with the state and local agencies • The NRP became final in December of 2004 • Was put to the test by Katrina in August of 2005 • Was revised in June of 2006

14. Support for creating a WARN (NRP) • Identifies that all incident response begins at the local level

15. Support for creating a WARN • National Preparedness Goal • Its function is to assist entities at all levels of government to develop and maintain the capabilities to prevent, respond to, and recover from major events of Incidents of National Significance

16. Support for creating a WARN • National Preparedness Goal • This goal has a key priority: Expand regional collaboration through mutual aid agreements and assistance compacts

17. Support for creating a WARN (Regulatory) • PA Department of Environmental Protection • PA Public Utilities Commission • PA Emergency Management Agency • US Environmental Protection Agency

18. Support for creating a WARN (Water Sector) • Joint Policy Statement • Eight major water organizations nationwide • Encourages the creation of intrastate mutual aid and assistance networks • Provides for greater water sector resiliency against natural or manmade incidents

19. PA Associations supporting PaWARN network • PA Chapter – National Association of Water Companies • PA Municipal Authorities Association • PA Rural Water Association

20. PA Associations supporting PaWARN network (cont’d) • PA Section – American Water Works Association • PA Water Environment Association • Water Works Operators of PA • RCAP Solutions

21. Support for creating a WARN (Water Sector) • Utilities Helping Utilities • 10 key steps in the formation of a WARN • Includes a sample agreement that satisfies NIMS

22. What’s involved in creating a WARN • The 10 key steps • Identify interest in the program • Form an initial leadership team • Prepare a kick-off session • Establish a steering committee • Identify a mission and establish goals

23. What’s involved in creating a WARN • Review the use of state regions • Identify mutual aid/assistance activation criteria • Draft an agreement • Create facilitation tools • Maintain the program

24. PaWARN Mission Statement • The mission of the PaWARN is to support and promote statewide emergency preparedness, disaster response, and mutual aid assistance for public and private water and wastewater utilities for natural and human caused events in the Commonwealth.

25. Who to involve in creating a WARN • Utility owner/operators • State water/wastewater agencies • State Health, DEP, etc. • State emergency management • PEMA, PaDHS, etc.

26. Who to involve in creating a WARN • US EPA Regional participation • Professional associations • AWWA, NRWA, WEF, etc.

27. Benefits of a WARN • Improved planning and coordination • List of emergency contacts • Access to specialized resources • Aid arriving more quickly

28. Benefits of a WARN • Reduced administrative conflicts • Increased hope to the customers • Avoids bureaucracy

29. Close • All emergencies are local and will require a local response • Mutual aid agreements will improve your utilities preparation and flexibility against any disaster

30. Close • Mutual aid/agreements are a form of low or no-cost action to help ensure the continuous operation of the water system