Emergency Management Assistance Compact Fire Rescue Tabletop Exercise Module

Emergency Management Assistance Compact Fire/Rescue Tabletop Exercise Module 1: Hurricane Sam

Hurricane Sam vs. Houston EMAC TTX Module 1 2

Assessment of the Impact • Requests for emergency assistance are being received from many areas in Texas – North and central Texas for flooding and tornadoes – Coastal and SE Texas for heavy damage from the hurricane winds, storm surge, and subsequent flooding • Counties of Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, and Wharton are hit especially hard EMAC TTX Module 1 12

Assessment of the Impact (Cont’d) • Reports include: – Impassable roads • Downed trees and power lines • Flooding of roadways – Loss of electrical and water service – Numerous injuries due to flying debris – Destroyed homes – Many residents will require short - and long-term shelter due to losses from the storm EMAC TTX Module 1 13

Assessment of the Impact (Cont’d) • Reports (Cont’d) – Galveston and Harris County request assistance • Short- and long-term sheltering for county residents • Road- and debris-clearing operations – Water supplies are considered unsafe due to the massive flooding • Boil-water orders are issued throughout the region – Damage assessment support will be required to determine the level of assistance needed by area residents EMAC TTX Module 1 14

Storm Surge and Flooding • Storm surge exceeded the limits for dikes and levees imposed by federal regulations – Many critical businesses in the shipping, transportation, and energy sectors are severely impacted – Hundreds of boats, ships, and barges are capsized – U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) estimates indicate that a one-month closure of the major port of Houston will cost the national economy $60 billion EMAC TTX Module 1 15

Storm Surge and Flooding (Cont’d) • It is feared that thousands may be dead • Emergency workers are heavily tasked with fighting fires and assisting in debris-removal – Many crews are also assisting in search and rescue (SAR) operations • There is a need for water rescue teams and supplemental equipment and personnel • First responders are treating large numbers of people • Fires are especially problematic EMAC TTX Module 1 16

Basic Infrastructure • Property damage and economic impact estimates are staggering – Long-term effects to structures – Damage to buildings, infrastructure, and trees in the 13 -county region is expected to create over 4 million tons of debris – Over 1/4 of the structures across the hurricane path sustain major damage – Those with minor damage still need to be inspected and provided maintenance – Bridges, buildings, trains/tracks, and power/water generation all need immediate engineering attention EMAC TTX Module 1 17

Basic Infrastructure (Cont’d) • Critical facilities are expected to be heavily impacted – – – 96 hospitals with a capacity of over 15, 000 beds 1, 973 schools Over 180 fire stations About 200 police stations 12 emergency operations facilities • Power outages are widespread – Many areas are expected to be without power for weeks – It could be 20– 30 days before electric and natural gas service is restored – Petroleum-refining operations are suspended, facilities are damaged, and there is a major oil spill EMAC TTX Module 1 18

Fires • Numerous fires and explosions occur throughout the region, resulting from: – Electrical distribution system failures – Structural damage to petroleum fields and processing plants • Building and industrial fire protection systems throughout the region are damaged or offline – Causing thousands of automated false alarms – Small fires normally held at bay with the sprinklers are now raging unchecked EMAC TTX Module 1 19

Displaced Citizens and Public Assistance Needs • Thousands of people try to get back to their homes and property • Over 25% of the population is estimated to have ignored orders to evacuate • Within the 13 -county region: – Over 1, 702, 000 households with over 4. 8 million residents are affected – Over 10, 000 families are expected to be displaced – Approximately 5, 000 people are expected to seek assistance in public shelters – Nearly 100, 000 people may need assistance with food EMAC TTX Module 1 20

Medical Care and Health Issues • Hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes sustain varying degrees of damage • Even if the majority were 100% functional, they would not come close to being adequate • Sick and injured people are overwhelming emergency departments that are still open • Water is potentially chemically or biologically tainted • There are possibly thousands of dead in the affected area that are still not recovered • Serious public health concerns are mounting EMAC TTX Module 1 21

Key Issues • A Category 5 hurricane has struck the Texas Gulf Coast • The City and suburbs of Houston have been hit with sustained winds of over 160 mph; storm surge and flash flooding; and dangerous hazards from debris and industrial infrastructure damage • It is difficult to get an accurate picture of the extensive casualties and damage EMAC TTX Module 1 22

Key Issues (Cont’d) • Critical infrastructure and key resources (CI/KR) have sustained irreparable damage • Electrical power supply and generation is offline, and most fossil-fuel resources are heavily damaged, fueling contamination, fires, and explosions • Most of the land-line, cellular, and radiorepeater communication are inoperable EMAC TTX Module 1 23

Key Issues (Cont’d) • Highway, rail, and ship/airport systems have sustained moderate to severe damage – Major interstates (e. g. , I-10 and I-45) and State Highway 59 are completely blocked at several points due to debris, overpass damage, or from abandoned vehicles – Even some of the bridges and overpasses that still appear to be usable must be checked by engineers before being reopened EMAC TTX Module 1 24

Key Issues (Cont’d) • There is a critical need for specialized response resources to deal with the rescue, evacuation, and care for residents in medical facilities and special-needs populations in the affected areas • It is obvious that there will not be enough adequate shelter sites for the needs of the displaced populace EMAC TTX Module 1 25

Discussion—All Functional Groups • At this point, what is the command structure of this incident? Create a rough command structure organizational chart for each of the following: – State-level emergency management (EM); State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) (think about Emergency Support Function [ESF] responsibilities) – State-level fire services/emergency services coordination (think about ESF responsibilities) – Local EM; local EOC/incident management teams (IMTs) – Local emergency response operations (specific to fire/rescue services) • How do the organizational charts in Question 1 connect to each other? EMAC TTX Module 1 26

Discussion—State EM and SEOC • What actions would state EM take prior to the hurricane’s landfall? • What are the main priorities for the affected state EM/EOC within the first week (think strategically about what role state EM/EOC plays in this incident)? – Is the state EM/EOC able to fulfill its strategic role in the incident? If not, how can this role be filled? EMAC TTX Module 1 27

Discussion—State EM and SEOC (Cont’d) • What is the CI/KR in the affected state that would need to be restored immediately (i. e. , the CI/KR needed to support response and recovery efforts in the affected areas)? – Where will the state get the assistance to restore the CI/KR, and how long will it take? • How is the state EM/EOC communicating and coordinating with other state, local, and corporate organizations? EMAC TTX Module 1 28

Discussion—Fire/Emergency Services Coordination • What actions would state-level emergency service organizations take to support state EM preparations prior to the hurricane’s landfall? • What are the main priorities for the affected state emergency services organizations within the first week after impact in this incident (think strategically/tactically about what role state fire service/emergency services plays in this incident by looking at the big picture)? – Is state emergency services able to fulfill its strategic role(s) for fire/rescue resources in the incident? If not, how can this role(s) be filled? EMAC TTX Module 1 29

Discussion—Fire/Emergency Services Coordination (Cont’d) • What resources are needed at the statelevel to support fire/rescue incident priorities? – Where will these resources come from, and how long will it take to get them to the needed areas? • How are state emergency service providers communicating and coordinating with state EM and other state, local, and corporate organizations? EMAC TTX Module 1 30

Discussion—Local Fire/Rescue Services • What actions would local fire/rescue organizations take immediately before and after impact? • What are the main priorities for the affected local fire/rescue organizations within the first week after impact (think strategically/tactically about what role local fire rescue plays in this incident by looking at the big picture)? – Are local fire/rescue organizations able to fulfill their strategic/tactical roles across the affected areas? If not, how can these roles be filled? EMAC TTX Module 1 31

Discussion—Local Fire/Rescue Services (Cont’d) • What resources are needed at the local level to support fire/rescue incident priorities? – Are there pre-established procedures and protocols written to request assistance outside of their jurisdictions? – How do the local entities request resources from the state? • How are local fire/rescue organizations communicating and coordinating with their own local resources, as well as state emergency services and other agencies (e. g. , private, state, and federal)? EMAC TTX Module 1 32

Discussion—Local EM and EOC • What are the actions that local EM agencies and local EOCs would take immediately after impact? • What are the main priorities for the affected local EM/EOCs within the first week after impact (think strategically/tactically about what role local EM/EOCs play in this incident by looking at the big picture)? – Are local EM/EOCs able to fulfill their strategic/tactical roles across the affected areas? If not, how can these roles be filled? EMAC TTX Module 1 33

Discussion—Local EM and EOC (Cont’d) • What resources are needed at the local level to support local EM/EOC priorities? – Are there pre-established procedures and protocols written to request assistance outside of their jurisdictions? – How do the local entities request resources from the state? • How are local EM/EOCs communicating and coordinating with their own local resources, as well as state EM/emergency services and other agencies? EMAC TTX Module 1 34

Questions on Module 1? EMAC TTX Module 1 35