The Role of State Preparedness

Michael E. Russas

Chief, Response and Field Services

Massachusetts Emergency

Management Agency

Environmental Business Council of New England

Energy Environment Economy

MEMA

The Role of State Preparedness and

Coordination

Mike Russas, MA Emergency Management Agency Chief of Response & Field Services

January 24, 2014

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Agenda

• Background • Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan • Statewide Coordination • Extreme Weather and Large Scale HazMat Events • Review

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MEMA Mission Statement

•MEMA is the state agency charged with ensuring the state is prepared to withstand, respond to, and recover from all types of emergencies and disasters, including natural hazards, accidents, deliberate attacks, and technological and infrastructure failures. •MEMA's staff of professional planners, communications specialists and operations and support personnel is committed

to an all hazards approach to emergency management.

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Mission Statement Cont.

•By building and sustaining effective partnerships with federal, state and local government agencies, and with the private sector - - individuals, families, non-profits and businesses - - •MEMA ensures the Commonwealth's ability to rapidly recover from large and small disasters by assessing and mitigating threats and hazards, enhancing preparedness, ensuring effective response, and strengthening our capacity to rebuild

and recover.

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History

• Massachusetts Civil Defense Agency

• Formed in 1950 as a result of the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950

• Mandated that every State have a Civil Defense Agency

• Massachusetts General Law 639, Massachusetts Civil Defense Act, Acts of 1950

• Governor Dukakis’ Executive Order 144 of 1978

• Massachusetts Civil Defense Agency is responsible for the coordination for all activities undertaken by the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions in response to

the threat or occurrence of emergencies or natural disasters.

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History cont.

• Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

• Name officially changed in 1991 after Hurricane Bob

• State Emergency Operations Center

• MEMA Headquarters – Framingham, MA

• Dedicated on November 16, 1963 – First in the Nation

• Underground bunker- 30’ – 40’ below grade; nearly an acre in size

• Constructed to withstand a 20-megaton

bomb 3 miles out

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MEMA’s Day to Day Activities

• Ensures local/state all hazards plans are written and maintained

• Provides all hazards training

• Monitors “events” statewide

• Acts as the State Warning Point

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Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan

•Describes the system that will be used by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from an emergency or disaster. •Identifies and assigns specific areas of responsibility for coordinating resources to support the Commonwealth’s response to an emergency or disaster. •Is an all hazards plan, developed to address the Commonwealth’s unique natural and human-caused hazards.

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CEMP Cont.

•Drafted in accordance with relevant federal and state laws, and conforms to federal guidance:

•Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG-101) •National Response Framework (NRF) •National Incident Management System (NIMS)

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Natural Hazards

•Flood •Winter Storm •Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm •Drought •Hurricane/Coastal Storm •Forrest Fire •Earthquake •Windstorm •Pandemic

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Technological Hazards

•Hazardous Materials •Nuclear Power Accident •Utility Emergency •Terrorism •Dam Failure •Water Supply Problems •Major Transportation Accident •Search and Rescue

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Emergency Support Request

Disaster occurs

Disaster Effects Local Communities

Local Response Local Resources

Volunteers

Mutual Aid

Emergency Contracts

State Response State Agencies

Private Organizations

Non-Impacted Local Resources

Other States

Federal Response Federal Agencies

Private Organizations

Non-Impacted States

Volunteers

Request for State Assistance

Request for Federal Assistance

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•MEMA has three regional emergency operations centers (REOC) that can be activated to support an incident •REOCs serve as the primary point of contact for impacted communities and local emergency operations centers, and support the components of emergency response associated with their respective regions •REOCs obtain and provide situational awareness and information on local emergency operations to the SEOC

Regional Emergency Operations Centers

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•SEOC serves as the central point of coordination for state-level emergency management and response activities •The SEOC may be activated to coordinate state-level response to an emergency or in response to a large-scale planned event where state resources must be mobilized to ensure health and safety •The SEOC coordinates with the Governor’s Office, FEMA Region 1, and the Regional EOCs

State Emergency Operations Center

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SEOC in Action

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Emergency Support Function Team

Authority •Derived from Executive Order (EO) 144 which mandates that state agencies with a role to support response coordination designate representative(s) to participate in preparedness and response training and planning, and support response coordination and recovery efforts when the Commonwealth is impacted by disasters.

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Emergency Support Functions

Massachusetts Emergency Support Functions (ESFs)

ESF-1 Transportation

ESF-2 Communications

ESF-3 Public Works and Engineering

ESF-4 Fire Fighting

ESF-5 Business and Industry

ESF-6 Mass Care, Emergency Housing, Human Services

ESF-7 Volunteers and Donations

ESF-8 Public Health and Medical Services

ESF-9 Search and Rescue

ESF-10 Hazardous Materials and Environmental Protection

ESF-11 Agriculture, Animals and Natural Resources

ESF-12 Energy

ESF-13 Public Safety & Security

ESF-14 Recovery

ESF-15 Public Information and External Affairs

ESF-16 Military Support

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ESF 10 – Hazardous Materials and

Environmental Protection

Responsible Agencies: •Department of Fire Services •Department of Public Health •Department of Conservation and Recreation •Department of Agriculture Resources •Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs •Department of Environmental Protection •Office of Coastal Zone Management •Massachusetts National Guard •U.S. Coast Guard •U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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ESF 10 – Objectives

•Establish a framework for state-level environmental protection and hazardous materials preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities in the event of an emergency or disaster. •Assume the lead role for the state during any oil or hazardous materials incidents resulting from an emergency or major disaster and coordinate environmental protection and hazardous materials response activities. • Share information and coordinate response activities across pertinent state agencies regarding environmental protection and hazardous materials related requests for assistance in a manner that ensures consistency with established environmental policies and procedures.

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•Monitor discharges and releases of oil or hazardous materials and coordinate response efforts through the mobilization and deployment of personnel, equipment, supplies, and financial resources to affected areas. •Coordinate state-level responses to oil and hazardous substance incidents in accordance with the National Contingency Plan (NCP). The NCP serves as the basis for planning and use of federal resources for response to the release of threats of a release of oil or hazardous substances. •Control, prohibit, and respond to pollution of the air, surface water, and lands of the state, and protect the public health, safety, and welfare from the effects of releases of hazardous substances.

ESF 10 – Objectives

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Extreme Weather and Large Scale

Hazardous Materials Events

Ghent, New York Fire August 1ST & 2ND, 2012

Hurricane Sandy October 2012

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2012 Hurricane Sandy

•Began watching storm closely on Tuesday, October 23 and pushing out situational awareness statements to executive branch agencies, the media and the public.

•As early as Wednesday, we held an internal planning session to identify the status of critical resources and commodities.

•Developed functional planning groups to focus mission-specific issues.

•Fully Activated SEOC on Sunday to a Level 2, and on Monday to a Level 1.

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2012 Hurricane Sandy

Extensive Pre-Planning •Commodities •Debris Management •Transportation •Staging •Mass Care / Shelters •Search & Rescue •Communications •Energy/Utilities •Rapid Impact Assessment Teams •Air Operations •Public Information / Social Media •Military / Law Enforcement

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2012 Hurricane Sandy

Group Mission Agencies/ESFs Involved

Commodities Identified status and

availability of critical

commodities.

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ESF 13 (MANG)

ESF 18 (NEDRIX, Wal-Mart, Poland

Springs, MA Food Association)

FEMA

Debris

Management

Identified status and

availability of chain saw crews,

heavy equipment, personnel.

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ESF 3 (DEP, MassDOT, DCR )

Ashbritt

FEMA

Transportation Identified status of assets and

coordination protocols for

movement of

assets/resources, people

(evacuation), and coordination

of situational awareness.

MEMA

ESF 1 (MassDOT, MBTA, Massport)

ESF 13 (MANG)

ESF 18 (UPS)

USCG

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Group Mission Agencies/ESFs Involved

Staging Confirmed and readied state

staging areas.

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UMASS

Massport

Worcester Airport

Hanscom

MANG

Mass Care/Shelter Identify available shelters,

resources and facilities to be

activated and prepare for

donations management.

ESF 6 (MEMA, ARC, MDPH, DMH)

ESF 15 (VOAD)

ESF 17 (SMART, DAR)

FEMA

Search and Rescue Identified assets and

capabilities for search and

rescue activities.

MEMA

ESF 9 (MATF 1, DFS)

ESF 16 (MSP, ELE)

DPH

USCG

2012 Hurricane Sandy

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2012 Hurricane Sandy

Group Mission Agencies/ESFs Involved

Communications Identified and verified critical

communications capabilities

and assets.

ESF 2 (MEMA, DCR, MSP)

Verizon Wireless

AT&T

Sprint

Energy/Utilities Identified coordination

protocols for information

sharing and resources to

support energy shortages.

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ESF 12 (DPU)

National Grid

WMECO

NStar

Unitil

Rapid Impact

Assessment Teams

Create teams to go into field

and rapidly identify impacts for

the purpose of prioritizing

resources.

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DPS

ESF 1 (CAP)

ESF 13 (MANG)

ESF 10 (DCR, CZM, Office of

Dam Safety)

ESF 16 (MSP)

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2012 Hurricane Sandy

Group Mission Agencies/ESFs Involved

Air Operations Identified and staged available

air assets to support response

and recovery missions.

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ESF 1 (CAP, Massport)

ESF 13 (MANG)

ESF 16 (MSP)

USCG

Public Information Identified processes for

socials media, website and

public information needs.

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MASS 211

Military/Law

Enforcement

Identified status and

availability of assets and

resources to support response

and recovery missions.

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ESF 13 (MANG)

ESF 16 (MSP)

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2012 Ghent NY Fire

•At approximately 10:00pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 a fire broke out at TCI Incorporated at 39 Falls Industrial Park Road in Ghent, New York. •TCI Incorporated is a company that drains oil from electrical transformers and stored sodium, diesel fuel, propane, and mineral oil •Chemicals stored at the facility include the following: sodium, mineral oil, diesel fuel, and propane •The fire produced a large plume that contained an unknown amount of PCBs with a potential amount of carcinogenic particles that rose an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 feet in the air •Plume began to move east towards Massachusetts

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2012 Ghent NY Fire

Agencies in the SEOC: •Dept. of Environmental Protection •Dept. of Fire Services •Dept. of Public Health •Dept. of Agriculture Resources •Dept. of Conservation and Recreation •American Red Cross •Environmental Protection Agency •MA National Guard & Civil Support Team •MA State Police •MEMA •FEMA

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2012 Ghent NY Fire

Operational Objectives: •Identify plume location and destination •Identify components and makeup of plume •Identify and implement appropriate protective actions

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Emergency Management Assistance Compact

The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), is a State-to-State mutual aid compact that facilitates the sharing of services, personnel and equipment across state lines during times of disaster and emergency. MGL CHAPTER 339, The Acts of 2000

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Review

• Background • Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan • Coordination • Extreme Weather and Large Scale HazMat Events • Review

MEMA

Thank You…

Michael Russas, MEP Chief of Response & Field Services Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Michael.russas@state.ma.us 508-820-2018

“NOT IF, BUT WHEN”