HURRICANE PLANNING WHEN DISASTER STRIKES It affects

HURRICANE PLANNING

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES It affects all elements of society and government • Severely restricts or overwhelms response resources, communications, transportation, and utilities. • Leaves many individuals and neighborhoods cut off from outside support.

The First 72 hours

Develop a Disaster Plan for Your Family A disaster plan can mean the difference between LIFE and DEATH. For example: • • How will you escape your home? Where will you meet family members? What route will you take out of your neighborhood if evacuation becomes necessary? Do you have an alternate route in case your route is blocked or otherwise impassable? What will you take with you? Where will you go? What will you need to shelter in place? Do you have those items or enough of those items? Homeowners/Renters Insurance? Play the “What if? ” game (what will I do if this happens? ) for high risk hazards to the community.

Develop a Disaster Plan for Your Family Disaster supplies included in your handout are fairly complete, and you should determine the supplies that you will need for evacuation, those that you will need to shelter in place, and those that you will need for both. • Evacuation-only supplies - supplies that are required for evacuation and shelter in place should be stored where they can be accessed quickly in an evacuation situation. • Shelter-in-place-only supplies - should be stored in an accessible location with the home or workplace.

Water - (Keep at least one gallon of water available, or more if you are on medications that require water or that increase thirst. ) Food - (Enough non-perishable food to sustain you for at least (3) three days->three meals. ) Kitchen Items First Aid Supplies Tools & Supplies Sanitation Supplies SURVIVAL KIT Clothing and Bedding Flashlight with extra batteries Battery-powered radio House hold documents, contact numbers, and medications (Include usual nonprescription medications that you take, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, etc. ) Special Items – Babies and Adults Cash (Your kit should be adjusted based on your own personal needs. )

Hurricane Preparedness May 24 -30 Hurricane Awareness Week June 1 ◦ Personal and business preparedness plans ◦ Review, Revise, Revisit, Restock June 1 through November 30 ◦ Stay Aware TV and Radio news weather. gov/rgv During an Event ◦ Work your plan ◦ Heed weather warnings and emergency management directions

Hurricane Preparedness How to Plan • What are threats for your location ? • Evacuating or not ? • Supplies to last 3 to 5 days without power or water • Emergency lighting/radio • Safeguards for home and property • City and County Emergency Management • www. weather. gov/rgv - Preparedness links

First Responder Hurricane Planning Timeline H-120: Saturday: Sept. 1 st: 4: 00 PM CDT. H-96: Sunday: Sept. 2 nd: 4: 00 PM CDT. H-72: Monday: Sept. 3 rd. 4: 00 PM CDT. (211 Registry Closed) H-48: Tuesday: Sept. 4 th. 4: 00 PM CDT. H-36: Wednesday: Sept. 5 th. 4: 00 AM CDT. (Special Needs Evacuation Complete, beginning of Contra-Flow for General Population Evacuation). H-0: Thursday: Sept. 6 th: 4: 00 PM: (Arrival Tropical Storm Winds. All evacuations completed).

H – 120 Countdown

Evacuation Routes

MAJOR HURRICANE EVACUATION ROUTES

Flow of Information & Resources SOC DDC can’t fill so it goes to the SOC Outgoing Resource Requests Region can’t Fill request so it goes to the DDC Unaffected County EOC City EOC MACC County can’t Fill request so it Goes to the MACC Initial Resource Request ICP City EOC Affected County EOC City can’t Fill request so it Goes to county City EOC Once the MACC fills a resource request, it contacts the requesting county/city to give them an update of the status The MACC tries to fill all incoming requests locally before asking for State Assistance

Need help and do not know where to go? 2 -1 -1 Texas helps you find information on services in your area providing: • • • Food Rent assistance Counseling After-school programs Disaster relief • Local Information and Referral Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the year. Information can be provided in over 90 different languages. Shelter Utility bill assistance Child care Senior services and other programs in your area If you are calling from outside of Texas, or have technical difficulties when dialing 2 -1 -1 from your cell/mobile, voice-over-IP, or office location phone, please dial the toll free alternate access number at 1 -877 -541 -7905. • https: //www. texas 211. org

211 Special Transportation Registry • Until H – 72 hours, 2 -1 -1 Texas registers persons who need transportation assistance to evacuate. The registry is maintained by the University of Texas (UT) Center for Space Research. • The UT Center for Space Research provides the information to local Emergency Management Officials, who follow-up with all registries. • IF YOU NEED EVACUATION ASSISTANCE…CALL TO REGISTER!!!!! • HURRICANE DEAN NUMBERS…. . 600 • HURRICANE DOLLY NUMBERS…. . 8000 PLUS

TYPES of Medical Special Needs Persons (MSNP) Classification Criteria • 0= Persons who have no medical needs, but require transportation assistance for evacuation. • 1= Persons dependent on others or in need of others for routine care (eating, walking, toileting, etc…) and children under 18 without adult supervision. • 2= Persons with physical or developmental disabilities such as blindness, significant hearing impairment, amputation, deaf/blind, and metal retardation. • 3= Persons requiring assistance with medical care administration, monitoring by nurse, dependant on equipment (including dialysis), assistance with medications, and mental health disorders. • 4= Persons outside and institutional facility care setting who require extensive medical oversight (i. e. IV chemotherapy, ventilator, life support equipment, hospital bed and total care, morbidly obese). • 5= Persons in institutional settings such as hospitals, long term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and state schools.

Types of Calls Handled During Hurricanes Katrina & Rita • • • Evacuation Information Shelter Information Special Health Care Needs Missing Persons Federal, State Local Assistance Reassurance and Rumor Control NOTE: 2007 Hurricane Season (American Red Cross WILL NOT OPEN shelters if threat is imminent. )

The Need to be Ready In 95% of all emergencies, bystanders or victims themselves are the first to provide emergency assistance or to perform a rescue Los Angeles Fire Department

What YOU Can Do • Be personally prepared. • Learn about your school / workplace / community emergency response plans. • Help form volunteer Citizen Corps Councils and start the programs in your community • Partner with volunteer organizations, first responder and emergency management leadership, elected leadership, private sector and educational groups • Help your neighbors and your community with public education, risk assessment, training, and volunteer participation • Mentor others HOW…….

www. citizencorps. gov Includes preparedness materials, information on programs and affiliates, and a listing of all Councils nationwide. Contact us at: citizencorps@dhs. gov

Citizen Corps Councils Membership • First responder/emergency management (law, fire, EMS/EMT, public works) • Volunteer community • Elected officials • Business leaders • School systems representatives • Transportation sector • Media executives • Minority and special needs representation • Leadership from community sub-structure

Citizen Corps Councils Responsibilities • Build on community strengths to develop strategic plans for the whole community, including special needs groups • Focus on public education, training, and volunteer opportunities for community and family safety • Ensure citizens are connected to emergency alert systems • Promote and oversee Citizen Corps programs • Provide opportunities for special skills and interests • Organize special projects/community events • Capture smart practices and report accomplishments

Citizen Corps Councils

Citizen Corps Mission To have everyone in America participate in making themselves, our communities, and our nation safer We all have a role in hometown security a personal responsibility to be prepared; to get training in first aid and emergency skills; and to volunteer to support local emergency responders, disaster relief, and community safety.

Office of Grants and Training National Citizen Corps Council Citizen Preparedness ~ Training & Exercises ~ Volunteer Service Federal Partner Programs Affiliate Programs Are You Ready? DHS DOJ/NSA DOJ/IACP DHS/G&T DHHS/OSG DHS/USFA NVFC/IAFF/IAFC State Citizen Corps Councils Tribal / Local Citizen Corps Councils American Public Citizen Corps Council

Citizen Corps Programs Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) works to enhance the capacity of state and local law enforcement to utilize volunteers Neighborhood Watch/USAon. Watch incorporates terrorism awareness education into its existing crime prevention mission The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates and trains citizens in basic disaster response skills The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Program helps medical, public health, and other volunteers offer their expertise Fire Corps promotes the use of citizen advocates to provide support to fire and rescue departments

First Responders Per Capita 1 firefighter for every 265 people 1. 1 million firefighters – 750, 000 volunteer 1 sworn officer for every 334 people 436, 000 sworn law enforcement personnel 291, 000 sworn sheriff’s office personnel 1 EMT/paramedic for every 325 people 890, 000 all levels of pre-hospital services: basic EMT, intermediate EMT, paramedic Journal of Emergency Medical Services (2004); National Fire Protection Association (2003); National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (2003)

Community Preparedness and Participation TARGET CAPABILITIES: ER (Firefighters, Sworn Officers, EMT/Paramedics) < 1% US pop ER Surge and Year Round VOLUNTEER Prevent Protect RISK-BASED UNIVERSAL Respond Recover

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT)

Community Emergency Response MAJOR HURRICANE EVACUATION ROUTES Team

What does CERT teach? • • Disaster Preparedness; First Aid; Fire Suppression; Light Search & Rescue; Disaster Psychology; Disaster Medical Ops; Cribbing • Citizen Corps Volunteers DO NOT take the place of trained medical personnel or trained first responders.

Disaster KIT • Flashlight with extra batteries • Battery-powered radio • Food (Enough non-perishable food to sustain you for at least one day->three meals. ) • Water (Keep at least one gallon of water available, or more if you are on medications that require water or that increase thirst. ) • Medications (Include usual nonprescription medications that you take, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, etc. ) • First Aid Supplies • Tools and Supplies • Cash • Your kit should be adjusted based on your own personal needs.

Hurricane Dean Planning Efforts Mc. Allen Convention Center August 2007

Spreading the Message – Web sites §www. ready. gov can be linked to your Web sites

Useful Websites Governor’s Division of Emergency Management (GDEM) www. txdps. state. tx. us/dem/ American Red Cross www. redcross. org/services/disaster/beprepared/ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) www. fema. gov/plan/index. shtm National Ready Campaign www. ready. gov Texas Citizen Corps & National Citizen Corps www. texascitizencorps. org & www. citizencorps. gov The Capital of Texas Chapter of the Association of Contingency Planners www. acp-centraltexas. com/ Department of Information Resources www. dir. state. tx. us/IRAPC/bcpg/index. htm Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council www. lrgvdc. org

Step into the Future… Storm Surge GIS example, <12 hours from impact 5 12 Extreme High Moderate 5 13

Step into the Future… Storm Surge GIS example, preview your home anytime! Extreme High Moderate 12 foot surge 8 foot surge 5 foot surge from South. Tampa. Zip. Codes. com Home Elevation: 3 Feet MSL

Mother Nature Has You Covered

2009 RGV Hurricane Guide New in 2009 for all! • Editions for Rio Grande Valley, Coastal Bend, Houston/Galveston, Upper Coast • Partnership includes State DEM, NWS, nonprofit publishing group, Wal*Mart, Stripes • Advertising includes Citgo, local television, newspaper • English and Spanish

MANUEL CRUZ, DIRECTOR HOMELAND SECURITY LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL 311 N. 15 TH ST. MCALLEN, TX 78501 (956) 682 -3481 MCRUZ@LRGVDC. ORG WWW. LRGVDC. ORG

QUESTIONS