Run for the Hills! How to successfully create an Evacuation Tool for all Jurisdictions By Shad Burcham and Jim Gregory

1. Run for the Hills!How to successfully create an Evacuation Tool for all JurisdictionsBy Shad Burcham and Jim Gregory

2. Evacuation Template Project History and Lessons learnedSeptember 16, 2009 King County OEM & URS Corporation

4. Contacts • Shad Burcham, KC OEM 206-205-4072 Shad.Burcham@kingcounty.gov • Jim Gregory, URS 206-438-2133 James_Gregory@urscorp.com • Jordan Karp, URS 857-383-3835 Jordan_Karp@urscorp.com • URS Evacuation Planning Website: http://www.urscorpseattle.com/forum1/

5. Evacuation • “Organized, phased and supervised withdrawal of civilians from dangerous areas, and their reception and care in safe areas.”

6. Genesis of Evacuation Project • Failures of Support to Impacted Areas of Hurricane Katrina - 2005 • Federal Plans Review Team - April, 2006 • Jurisdictions need to plan for “Katrina-like Event” • Pacific Northwest “Common Sense” • Scalable Template first before plans

7. Overview • UASI 2006 allocated $175,000 to hire consultant to develop evacuation template (Workbook). • King County OEM developed RFP, and using Evacuation Planning Committee, hired URS Corporation as consultant. • Evacuation Planning Committee will support consultant with the development of the template

8. UASI Evacuation Planning Group • Representatives from: • Emergency Management - Pierce, King, Snohomish, Seattle, Bellevue, State, Burien • Transportation: King, Seattle, State, and Pierce • LE: King, WSP. Fire: Pierce, Seattle • NGOs: King, Pierce ARCs • PW: King, Pierce, and Snohomish

9. Evacuation Concepts • Large scale mass evacuation not a high probability event • Always multiple jurisdictional • Movement is from “area of no service” to “area of service”

11. Planning Assumptions • Evacuation is a multiple jurisdiction activity • ICS will be used to manage evacuation activities/phases at all levels • Disasters or emergencies occur with little or no warning • Evacuees may be only temporarily displaced unless the event causes destruction or contamination of homes, businesses

12. Planning Assumptions Cont. • Evacuations are likely to be spontaneous without government control • With rare exception the State has no authority to mandate evacuations and enforce them • Some citizens will not evacuate regardless of the hazard(s) • Planning must include special needs, pets, livestock

13. Six Evacuation Phases • Incident Analysis and Decision to Evacuate by local ICS. • Warning • Preparation to Move • Movement & En-Route Support • Reception & Support • Return

14. Incident Analysis Phase • Local ICS initiates the evacuation process • Any time a local ICS plans an evacuation outside of its jurisdiction, it is multi-jurisdictional • What form of ICS do we use? • Unified Command • Area Command • Use of Incident Management Team (IMT)?

15. Incident Analysis Phase Cont. • State EOC as Area Command? • IMT Overhead Team to manage evacuation for local ICS? • Governor Appoints IMT and provides Delegation of Authority?

16. Proposed Scalable Evacuation Incident Management Team (IMT) Table

17. Impacts on Local Infrastructure • Road systems • Water and Sewer systems • Food service distribution • Fire, LE, EMS resources • Power • Local Human Service organizations • Schools, facilities used as shelters, media

19. WARNING PHASE • “To provide timely and accurate information and instructions to citizens at risk from natural and/or technological emergencies and disasters.”

20. WARNING PHASE CONT. • Types: Pre-Event and Post-Event • Priority: Move people out of harms way • Warning Systems in UASI and Washington State: • NAWAS (National Warning System). • CEMNET • NOAA • MyState USA, Code Red

21. WARNING PHASE CONT. • 800 MHz Radio • Lahar Warning System (Mt. Rainier) • Amateur Radio • NWWARN • Satellite Phones • Maximize Use of Media through JICs, PIOs, RPIN • Teaching Point: Effective Warning = PIO & Media Standardized Messaging

23. Preparation To Move Phase • In most evacuations, the local ICS will need to change to Unified ICS in order to successfully coordinate multiple jurisdictions • Local ICS determines the need for evacuation, changes to unified command and notifies applicable organizations to begin preparation • Use of Assembly Areas, or Rally Points

24. Preparation To Move Phase Cont. • ICS (or dedicated IMT) coordinates safe area, route from danger area to safe area, access to route, support services along route and at reception area • Is the use of an Incident Management Team (IMT) feasible? • Proclamations of Disasters from local jurisdictions to State • Coordination & ID of “safe area” predicated on population to be moved

25. Preparation to Move Phase Cont. • Public Information requirements as big as Warning Phase (multi-media, constant repetition, multiple sources, standardized messages) • Clearly defined route(s), all public officials sending same message • Huge Business Community Role • Evacuees will need to pack critical meds, food for pets, disaster supplies, etc.

27. MOVEMENT & EN-ROUTE SUPPORT PHASE • Operational activities that move population from danger area to safe area • En-Route support includes, fuel, rest stops, food service, maintenance, ATM services, phone services, information signage, EMS, LE, Fire service, DOT, JIC activities • Pre-designated, Prioritized Routes?

29. RECEPTION & SUPPORT PHASE • Largest body of work • Reception Area receives evacuees at reception point, performs triage for general and special needs population, provides support services (short term shelter, sanitation, security, food service, public information & education, translation services, medical services, shelter for pets, service animals, livestock).

30. Reception & Support Cont. • Special Needs Shelters • Schools, Prisons, Medically Fragile Population (example: kidney dialysis patients, etc.) • Frail Elderly; Alzheimer patients • Language Translation Services • Medical Staff Support from Nursing/Assisted Living Facilities • Prescription Drug Services Requirements • Current logistics is from ARC, jurisdictions for general population shelters.

31. Reception & Support Cont. • Emergency Managers think “Groups” • Must combine emergency services with “Comprehensive Individual Client Services” by Social Service Agencies. • Logistics, Logistics, Logistics! • Teaching Point: Cost capturing will be critical for the Return Phase!

33. RETURN PHASE • Planning and Security are Critical • Unified Planning Approach • Safety Considerations Paramount • Reverse Process

34. Workbook Vision • Enable jurisdiction to prepare its own evacuation plan • Create a planning tool • Provide education and guidance • Promote degree of consistency among plans in UASI region

35. Elements of Workbook • Educational Text • Planning Checklists • Plan Template Template Text Checklists

36. Workbook Content How to Use Purpose Evacuation Types Evacuation Phases Jurisdiction Roles Plan Scope Critical Assumptions Concept of Operations Command and Control Situational Awareness Communications Traffic Management Tactics Destinations Re-Entry Administration Plan Review and Maintenance Exercises Authorities Planning Checklists Plan Template Additional Resources

37. Template Content • Introduction • Authorities • Critical Assumptions • Hazards • Concept of Operations • Evacuation Operations • Administration and Logistics • Plan Review and Maintenance • Training and Exercises • Appendices

38. Steps necessary to prepare plan Items to prepare / data to collect Matched to “Template” sections Cross-referenced to “Workbook” text sections Planning Checklists

39. Planning Checklist Sample

40. Planning Challenges • Most events will be multi-jurisdictional • Need for interagency coordination • Communications - interoperability • Extensive resource management/logistics

41. Lessons Learned • Decide whether Evacuation Plan will be stand-alone document or annex to other plan (CEMP) • Bring all relevant departments to planning process early • Leverage previous planning efforts (e.g., communications processes, common organization data etc;) • Much of necessary data is likely already available – Planning Dept., Traffic Dept.

42. Lessons Learned Continued • Be Flexible! Each jurisdiction has different priorities. • Take advantage of learning opportunities; example: San Diego County Fires • Critical to have one organization for corporate memory; example URS

43. Epilogue

44. Be Careful What You Ask For! • Final Evacuation Template distributed Q2 2008 • Phase II: Develop TTXs in each UASI county to test evacuation plans developed by individual jurisdiction using the Template • January, 2009: Corps of Engineers Seattle District announces Howard Hanson Dam is “leaking” • Green River: 60 miles long; headwaters in east KC, flows east to west goes north through cities of Auburn, Kent, Renton, Tukwila, Seattle to Puget Sound.

46. “Leaking Dam” Situation Cont. • “Economic Engine” for Washington State is King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties • Economic value of Lower Green River Valley: $12 Billion Dollars • Boeing, NW Harvest, multiple food production facilities, chemical plants, fuel & natural gas pipelines, water, sewer, power, rail infrastructure.

47. Green River Evacuation Planning • 26,000 residents to move out of flood area • 4,000 planning figure for “Reception & Support • Coordination and synchronization of warning messages, evacuation information, PIO/Media messages is critical.

48. Green River Evacuation Planning Cont. • Mega-Shelters for General Population • Livestock Shelter • Pet Shelters • Feeding Shelter

50. Recovery Planning • Transitional Housing • Long Term Housing • Decontamination of facilities • PA for Jurisdictions • IA for Individuals and Business