What is happening in the Emergency Services Department?
By Shaunda Rauch on October 22, 2012 from Emergency Services Blog
There are so many projects/activities underway within the Emergency Services Department, following is a brief summary of a few of our projects.
Planning:
1. Our Threat & Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) is moving into Step 3. In step 1 we identified the treats and hazards of concern specific to Bridgeport. This information will be the tool provided to residents and local businesses in order to aid them in the beginning phases of their personal preparedness initiatives. Step 2 has been the attaching of scenarios to the threats identified in step 1. Each risk will have a scenario for the most likely incident as well as the perceived worst-case scenario. These scenarios will be the basis in which our HSEEP Planning & Exercise Team will determine future training and exercise events. The next step will be the assignment of percentages, impacted population estimates, and the identification of desired outcomes to our core capabilities.
2. Efforts continue to begin the data collection and design of the Commodities Flow Study. This study will determine what hazardous substances are being transported (as well as stored or manufactured) in Bridgeport via fixed facility, rail, highway, pipeline and air. Data from this study will allow us to determine if adequate resources and training are in place, to review existing operating guidelines and to target our evacuation and shelter-in-place education campaigns to the most at risk populations.
3. Formal hazardous weather operations plan … this is plan will look at how we gather and disseminate emergency public warning during severe weather episodes as well as how we respond to such events. It is a component of our StormReady application process.
4. Schools Crisis Response Plan
5. The six ESF Work Groups continue to meet and develop action plans and resource needs for their respective areas of concern. These groups were formally compiled following the June 29th Derecho. Inclusive planning groups are addressing: (1) Volunteer Recruitment ESF Work Group, (2) Water Resiliency Work Group, (3) Donations Management/Stockpiling, (4) PIO/JIS ESF Work Group, (5) IRP/Communications ESF Work Group and (6) Mass Care ESF Work Group.
Once these planning components, along with the resource manual is completed we will be ready to work on our operating guidelines and Emergency Operations Plan.
Preparedness:
1. 19 Midland All Hazards Weather Alert Radio [WR-300/301] as part of our National Weather Service StormReady campaign have been distributed to key assets within the jurisdiction. The radios are programmed with the SAME code for our county so ONLY Harrison County warnings/watches will be broadcast. It also is an AM/FM receiver so our AM1620 station is programmed when distributed.
The device being distributed is the latest in weather and hazard alert monitoring technology, providing you with the information needed to keep you safe. The Midland weather radio has a special receiver that tunes to the 24/7 broadcast issued by the National Weather Service. The combined All Hazards/Weather Alert broadcast network is the single, most immediate source for comprehensive weather and emergency information available to the public. In the event of a special warning broadcast, the radio is automatically activated along with a loud tone, a flashing LED indicator and an “alert” message on the LCD. Emergency weather bulletins include alerts about: tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, ice/snow storms and other severe weather. Other emergencies might include: Amber alert, hazardous explosions, fires, chemical spills and other civil emergencies.
The Charleston National Weather Service has been requested to provide a SkyWarn course for our community as well as scheduling a tour for our weather partners.
2. We have partnered with Jason Parrish (WBOY) to advance our severe weather preparedness and warning program. He has shared our Emergency Management FB page http://www.facebook.com/EmergencyManagementBridgeportWv?ref=hl on his Storm Tracker page and posts updates, links and warnings directly to our page. He will also be conductng at least two weather talks here at City Hall – one in the fall for winter weather and one in the spring as well as coordinating a SkyWarn course with the NWS. This is an exciting partnership that we are proud to develop and share with our community..
3. The Day Care program is underway. Carmina McEacheron (VIPS/EM volunteer) has designed a program that is being offered to day cares in Bridgeport teaching preparedness and safety using poster boards, puppets and a group of amazing VIPS volunteers that love this community and the little one's that we strive so hard to protect.
4. The CERT class kicked off with an amazing start this past Saturday with 24 students and will conclude next Saturday, the 27th. The Community Emergency Response Team training includes: Fire Suppression, Light Search and Rescue, First Aid/CPR, Disaster Psychology and many other topics that are invaluable to the life and safety of our citizens during times of emergency or disaster. If you get a chance, stop by and support our volunteers are they go through a training that during the June 29th storm and recovery phase proved to be one of our most valuable assets. We are also hoping to hold a Teen CERT course this spring.
5. “Map Your Neighborhood” program - This is an excellent program that is a key component to our overall preparedness/response and recovery vision. Once we find the manpower to drive the program revision and planned implementation we will be able to further develop this component of our preparedness initiative.
6. Two churches have agreed to participate in the Project GRACE program, which will establish shelters, points of distribution, communication centers and alternate care sites. These congregations will be the "preparedness and response" hubs in our neighborhoods that will link into our Map Your Neighborhood program.
We are also actively working on exercise programs for the Bluestone Dam, airport as well as completing the After-Action Review from the Meadowbrook Mall Active Shooter exercise from last month.
As you can see from this brief summary, the Emergency Services Department is endeavoring to build a resilient, prepared framework for our community so that when the next disaster or emergency comes knocking on our door we are ready!! If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.
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