“Operationalizing” the Municipal Emergency Plan
Presented to:
2007 Connecting the Dots to Safer Communities
Conference
Nov. 26-28, 2007
Presented by:Dieter Langer
Alberta Emergency Management Agency, East Central District
Objective of presentation: To present the current MEP review process
Presentation:
I. Current MEP overview and review process
II. MEP Guide principles/conceptIII. MEP or MEP?
Subtitle:
What do you want your municipal emergency plan or program to do for you?
I. MEP Background Info- EM Act mandated (Sections 9 and 11)
- Current MEP template/model was created by District Officers in 1995
- MEP is widely accepted in Alberta
- According to Auditor General requirements, the MEP must be reviewed at least every two years
I. Current MEP Overview
Current MEP template/model:
• Emergency Management Part 1
• Emergency Operations Part 2
• Emergency Response Plans Part 3
• References Part 4
Part 1: Emergency Management
Purpose, Concept, Authority Activation, Deactivation Definitions Resources Organization Public Information Public Protection Alberta Government Assistance
Part 2: Emergency Operating Procedures
Response Levels (I-III) Alert/Warning procedures Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Director of Emergency Management Municipal Administration Emergency Public Information Communications Public Works and Utilities
Part 3: Emergency Response Plans
Evacuation/Reception Center Dangerous Goods/Spill Plan Flood Response Municipal Support to:
• Health Care Center • Senior’s Home
• Long Term Care Center • School Emergency
• Environmental Health • Industry
Disaster Recovery Plan
Part 4: References Maps Bylaw Mutual Aid agreements Municipal agency plans Industry plans Other information
MEP Assessment• Part 1: Emergency Management• Part 2: Emergency Operations• Part 3: Emergency Response Plans • Part 4: References
Question:When is it a plan or a program guide,
when is it an operational tool, when is it template, when is it an
administrative procedure?
• Survey among DEM: MEP is not seen as an operational tool, does not lead from “notification” to “activation” to “operation”
• MEP format is not “user-friendly” • In real events and exercises, MEP does not readily come
off the shelf and is not readily used as guide• MEP does not facilitate municipal EM policy • When is it guide, when template, when procedure, when is
it administrative?• Training/exercise and debrief guide: Does not flow from
current MEP • Enter the “digital world” – self-assessment tools, data
storage, resource sharing, information access
• It requires review for “outdated” content
Some MEP Facts:
MEP Review Process so far . .• 2 years ago a DO working group was formed to review the MEP• Objective: To review MEP principles, format, content in close collaboration
with MEP stakeholders• WG did outline objective, principles of MEP and table of content, but due to
retirement and job change of members and due to reorganization work was suspended
• WG has been reassigned recently under project management• It is intended to have a working paper for internal review by next summer• After internal review, a draft will be released to all stakeholders, likely
facilitated through district or regional workshops for review, by next fall• A final version distributed by end of next year• It is the objective, that the revised guide will likely replace current MEP
template/model within about three years • Digital versions, municipal self-assessment tools, recognition of excellence,
creating a province-wide resource data base that can be accessed by all municipalities, are some of the items that have been discussed in this process, and may or may not be linked to the MEP Guide release
II. Proposed MEP Guide principles:
1. Operational focus: from notification to activation to EOC operations2. Applies to all municipalities regardless of size and hazard complexity 3. User-friendly “tear out” format with “easy to find information” flow 4. Outlines MEP key sections as basic content5. General planning is based on “all-hazard principle”6. Guide for advanced planning (risk-assessment based)7. Guides from policy to procedure 8. Emphasizes “function over person”9. Guide for training and exercises plan (including list of course history –
“who is trained for what”) 10. Support/facilitate regional developments by allowing easy transition
from municipal to regional plan using same guide format/principles11. Support region-to-region cooperation by providing same
municipal/regional planning guide across province12. Format based on current standards (NFPA 1600, CAN/CSA-Z731-03,
now CSA Z1600)13. Supports different command structures (ICS, ESM)14. Include digital format, including self-assessment and linkages to EMIS,
resource data linking regions and province15. Update content according to new legislation, new agency mandate, new
standards, new established practice, and eliminate outdated content 16. Recognition of those municipalities, that achieve EM excellence
Basic Concept Based on municipal resolution/bylaw and policies: “Include in plan only what you need, but include all
that you need”, based on the “tear-out” principle. Keep it simple, and do it asap – “as small as possible”! Do the “blind” test!Three planning steps: 1. General planning with operational focus is based on
“All-Hazard Principle”, which includes notification, activation, EOC operation, evacuation and Emergency Social Services procedures
2. Risk assessment, which results in impact/probability grid, and leads to hazard-specific planning for high probability events
3. Evaluate, if mitigation is reasonable, and if business continuity and recovery procedures are required
EVENTPRE-EVENT POST-EVENT
MITIGATION PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE RECOVERY
MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
MUNICIPALEMERGENCY
PLAN
OPERATIONS“ALL-HAZARD”
PLANNING
RISK-ASSESSMENT
HAZARD-SPECIFICPLANNING
PREVENTIONPROCEDURE
EOC Operations
Exercises
Regular Plan Review
Notification Procedure
Activation
Training & Education
Notification
SITE MANAGEMENT
INITIAL FIRSTRESPONSE
MUNICIPALCO-
ORDINATION
Consequence Management
RECOVERYOPERATIONS
Demobilize resources
Demobilize resources
RESPONSE EVALUATION
BUSINESSCONTINUITYOPERATIONS
BUSINESSCONTINUITYPLANNING
MUNICIPALEM
POLICY
MEP Guide Table of Content Option
Operations – where the rubber hits the road!
Operations have to be effective to ensure the EM priorities to save lives and protect property and environment are met when an emergency happens
EM Policy Section
III. MEP or MEP – is that the question!?
Plan Programor• Operations focused
• Outlines contacts
• Lists resources
• Lists contingencies
• May be all-hazard or hazard-specific
• May or may not include risk assessment
• Includes all of EM: 4 pillars
• Plan is part of the program
• Includes risk assessment
• Is based on policy
• Should be based on standard
• Is a “living” document
What is right for your municipality? What concept or what part of it is reasonable for your
municipality? What EM principles are important to you? What policies are required to ensure those principles ? What procedures are required to ensure that the policies are
followed? What detail of risk assessment will give you the information
you require for hazard specific planning, mitigation and business continuity?
How could a regional agency benefit you, or is your regional agency effective?
MEP or MEP? The real question:
Conclusion:
Your Municipal Emergency Management Agency is
Required by legislation Defined by due diligence Validated by the trust of your residents
Subtitle:
What do you want your municipal emergency plan or program to do for you?
Suggestion:
Include your District Officer in your discussions
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