Newsletter Vol.2 March 2009
Inside This Issue
1. Hazard Identification and Strategic Planning
2. Homeland Security Grant Program
3. EMAC
4. After Action & Improvement Plan
5. Emergency Management Training
6. Volunteer Coordination
Hazard Identification & Vulnerability Assessment (H.I.V.A) and the Spokane County DEM Strategic Plan
I will be leading efforts to revise the H.I.V.A. and develop a Strategic Plan to address the needs and concerns of our new H.I.V.A. The Management 310 course in April se
t the foundation to move forward with identifying community Hazards. Members of this training will sit on the strategic planning committee. It is proposed that this committee will make recommendations to the EMAC, revise the current H.I.V.A and ultimately create the Strategic Plan that will prepare, mitigate, respond to, and recover from all-hazards identified in this H.I.V.A.
Some of the deliverables include but are not limited to:
- Developing an internal Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) including establishment of orders of succession and delegation of authority annex
- Identify funding sources and budgetary concerns – Sustainability
- Assess and prioritize roles and responsibly of DEM
- Establish a process that identifies gaps, weaknesses, areas of improvement, and a plan for review and updates.
- Delineate required, essential function, secondary services and resources needed and finally;
- Indentify statutory and inter-local requirements
I look forward to working with many of you in support of this important goal. - Gerry Bozarth, Program Specialist – Community Recovery, H.I.V.A., Strategic Planning
Homeland Security Grant Program
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides funds to local government to enhance the capability of state and local units of government to prevent, deter, respond to and recover from catastrophic and/or terrorist events through the Homeland Security Grant Program.
Spokane City/County Department of Emergency Management (Spokane DEM) administers the Homeland Security Grant Program for Region 9 (Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties).
Spokane DEM administers the following grants under the Homeland Security Grant Program: State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), Citizen Corp Program (CCP) and Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG).
Following is an update on recent committee activities related to the Homeland Security Grant Program:
Local State Homeland Security Planning (SHSP) Committee - February 10, 2009
- Reviewed guidance from the Emergency Management Advisory Committee (EMAC)
- Approved utilizing funds to conduct planning activities recommended by the EMAC
- Received status report on grant funded projects
- Received information on Management 310 Threat and Risk Assessment Course scheduled for April 14-16, 2009
Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) Committee - February 18, 2009
- Guest: Peter Tassoni of Washington State Emergency Management Division
- Received report on state MMRS meeting held January 22, 2009 in Seattle
- Reviewed guidance from the Emergency Management Advisory Committee (EMAC)
- Approved utilizing funds to conduct planning activities recommended by the EMAC
- Received status report on grant funded projects
- Formed smaller group to assist with developing a request for proposal for the MRC
Project - Chief Leavenworth provided a report on the results of the National MMRS Survey
- Spokane DEM will host the next State MMRS meeting on July 15th
Region 9 Homeland Security Meeting - February 25, 2009 - Guests: Jim Mullen, Don MacSparran, Roger Hieb and Charma Anderson of Washington State Emergency Management Division
- Received information from Jim Mullen on the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG)
- Engaged in general discussion with EMD staff regarding a variety of issues
- Received report on the jurisdictions represented by each Region 9 member
- Recommended that Darrell Ruby of Spokane DEM represent Region 9 at the State Improvement Planning meeting on March 18th
- Received report on the status of a communications project
- Expressed Regional support regarding utilizing funds to conduct regional planning activities recommended by EMAC
A Citizen Corps Program planning meeting is scheduled for March 12, 2009.
For more information, contact:
Kristine Glasgow, Homeland Security Grants Administrator
(509) 477-7603
KGlasgow@Spokanecounty.org
EMAC
Emergency Management presented a Draft of the request for proposal (RFP) to contract out for the development and/or review and update of the following plans:Emergency Operations Center Plan (EOC Plan)Risk and Threat AssessmentStrategic PlanEmergency Management Prioritization (Continuity of Operations Plan-COOP)It was recommend to break out the scope of work on the RFP rather than making it all inclusive. It was discussed that to ensure that we get the correct vendor for the each project that the RFP's be separated out. The vendors themselves based on their knowledge and experience will have the opportunity to bid accordingly.
Also, Homeland Security Region IX has approved utilizing Regional funds as so long as the vendor makes a presence and gather information in each of the other nine counties opposed to spending all the effort in Spokane. EMAC members were encouraged to forward any possible vendors to be included in the RFP announcement.
After Action & Improvement Plan
The After Action Report (AAR) and Improvement Plan (IP) following the Winter Storm and EOC activation are nearly complete. Thank you for everyone’s input recommendations, and participation in the process. The three primary themes we are focusing on in the IP are the EOC Plan, Information Sharing and Communication, and GIS/mapping related areas.
The Mead School district is conducting tabletop exercises for all elementary, middle, and high schools this month with participation from district staff, school staff, and first responders. The primary objectives for these tabletops are:
- Demonstrate the use of ICS within a school event for staff/administration and first responders.
- Demonstrate access and familiarity of Rapid Responder at each school for staff/administration and first responders.
- Evaluate the decision making process for school staff/administration and first responders.
- Build relationships at the command level for staff/administration and first responders.
- Reinforce Unified Command roles and responsibilities for staff/administration and first responders.
- Demonstrate an All Hazards approach to the specific incident for staff/ administration and first responders.
Other projects and meetings being worked on this month are:
Training and Exercise Committee, Tuesday, March 10 – focus is improving training /exercise planning, coordination and conduct.
Mitigation Committee Meeting, Thursday, March 12 – evaluating potential letters of intent for mitigation projects and plans to submit to the state as a result of Presidential Disaster Declaration DR-1817.
Washington State-wide Improvement Planning Meeting, Wednesday, March 18 – coordinate and discuss the nine homeland security regions Improvement Plan input.
If you have any questions about these projects or meetings, please contact Darrell at 477-3006 or druby@spokanecounty.org.
Emergency Management Training & Planning
ICS 300
March 24 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
March 25 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
March 26 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
ICS 400
- April 21 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- April 22 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Joint Information Center Training
- The Public Information Assist Team (PIAT), an element of the National Strike Force, will be teaching a Joint Information Center Course again this year in Spokane. This course is hosted by the Spokane Department of Emergency Management and will be held on March 27, 2009 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m
Management 310 Threat & Risk Assessment
- April 14-16, 2009
Other projects:
- Continued work on the C.E.M.P with revisions on Emergency Support Functions, Basic Plan and the W.M.D. Annex.
- The Evacuation Plan & FOG incorporation
- I am the POC for the Higher Education within Spokane with a meeting set for March 17th
- A complete revision of Emergency Support Function #15 Public information to include forms, policies and checklist for Public Information Officers. A meeting will be set after the JIC training.
- Elected Officials Workshop is being scheduled
- Leadership Training program in initial development stages
- Hazmat Plan has been submitted to the state for approval through the LEPC committee
- Coordinating Public Relations and communications
- Working with Small Cities and towns regarding Emergency Management activities
For questions, please contact Lisa Jameson- ljameson@spokanecounty.org
Volunteer Coordination:
- Codified DEM’s Volunteer Policies
- Codified volunteers’ requirements for utilizing Privately Owned Vehicles
- Met with SAR council twice
- Coordinating their needs with our resources
- Continuing work on current rosters to update records
- Assisting in development of SAR credentialing standards
- Working with all 17 teams to update database.
- New initiative to find and train volunteers for administrative support to DEM during incidents.
- Met with three teams at separate night meetings to get updated information and pictures of current members
- Working with teams to determine active members and remove others from rosters
- Working with teams to update volunteer files for each active member
- Modifying database to track more data on each volunteer
- Working with SAR coordinator to determine tracking and reporting needs
- Updating database as new information comes in
- For more information on volunteer coordination, please contact Chris Barnes.
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