Emergency Management Committee

Mission

To provide Chapter Members with resources and a forum for exchanging and developing ideas, knowledge, and technologies for mitigating from, preparing for, responding to, and recovery from all hazards (manmade and natural). The Committee also continues to foster recognition of the important role public works plays in emergency management.

Promote the value of public works and enhance its visibility and awareness, improve career development and workforce issues related to emergency management, and promote the public works profession as a career path. The Committee works to enhance strategic alliances with other emergency‐related organizations like Oregon Emergency Management Association (OEMA) and Oregon Water/Wastewater Response Network (ORWARN).

About the Committee

The Committee provides educational opportunities, forums for information exchange, and representation on emergency management issues. The Committee’s responsibilities include planning and developing programming related to emergency management such as Listen & Learn presentations, conference and short school education sessions, and other educational programs.

The Committee also actively tracks industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices related to emergency management, and works closely with the Technologies Committee. The Committee also provides Chapter Members with information and resources on hot topics and topics of special interest (e.g., pandemics, emergency technology, etc.).

Committee Co-Chair:	Shaylee Robanske, PBOT, shaylee.robanske@portlandoregon.gov
Committee Co-Chair:	Ken Alexander, Windsor Engineers, kcalex777@msn.com

Guidance and Resources

Federal Policy

Presidential Policy Directive / PPD-8: National Preparedness

https://www.dhs.gov/presidential-policy-directive-8-national-preparedness

Related Federal Laws and Regulations

PL No: 115-270, America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA)

https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/americas-water-infrastructure-act-2018-awia

Clean Water Act

https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act

Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA)

https://www.epa.gov/epcra

National Contingency Plan/Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/comprehensive-environmental-response-compensation-and-liability-act-cercla-and-federal

Safe Drinking Water Act

https://www.epa.gov/sdwa

Oregon State Laws

ORS Chapter 401 Emergency Management and Services

https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_chapter_401

OAR Chapter 104 Oregon Military Department (OMD), Office of Emergency Management (OEM)

https://oregon.public.law/rules/oar_chapter_104

OAR 333-061-0064 Emergency Response Plan Requirements for Public Water Systems

https://oregon.public.law/rules/oar_333-061-0064

Emergency Management Concepts and Terminology

Capabilities for National Preparedness

Prevention
Protection
Mitigation
Response
Recovery

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/mission-core-capabilities

Phases of Emergency Management

Preparedness
Response
Recover
Mitigation

Emergency Plans and Mutual Aid Agreements

Emergency Preparedness relies on existence of emergency plans that have been prepared to address threats to the utility that are either local or regional in their scale and will rely on mutual aid when local needs exceed local capabilities.

Considerations for Emergency Plans

Evacuation and sheltering specific to identified hazards
Debris management
Wide-scale supply chain disruptions
Regional disruptions in transportation, communications and utility systems
Significant impacts to public safety agencies (police, fire, public health)
Costs and liabilities for mutual aid response
Competition for resources between utilities and other critical agencies
Emergency directives from higher authority will impact operations

Mutual Aid Agreements

Local and Regional Partnerships (Interlocal Agreements, ORWARN)
Emergency Management Assistance Compact (managed by FEMA and Oregon OEM)
Federal and Military Partnerships (governed by Stafford Act)

Budgeting and Financing

Budgeting and financing should be directed towards creating and sustaining capabilities needed for emergency response

Preparedness – Establish Agency Service Levels, Hazard/Threat Assessments, Emergency Response Plans, Public Information Plan, Mutual Aid Agreements, Emergency Operations Center Setup, Equipment Procurement and Testing, Training, Exercises
Response – Activate EOC, Establish Incident Command Post(s), Sustain Interim Emergency Service Levels
Recovery – Debris Management, Damage Assessments, Funding Applications, Documentation/Recordkeeping/Reporting, Infrastructure Repairs And Replacements, Return to Established Service Levels
Mitigation – Hazard Mitigation Planning, Customer Education, Zoning, Development Standards, Building Codes, Risk and Resiliency Assessments, Wellhead & Watershed Protection Planning, Funding Applications. Facility Maintenance Repairs and Improvements

Local Policies, Culture and Organization

Emergency Preparedness is effective when it is supported by policies, a workplace culture and an organization that is responsive to both local and regional disasters.

Local policies create measurable and sustainable capabilities
Workplace culture places emergency preparedness on par with safety programs
Organization poised to implement emergency response roles through predesignated roles, training and exercises

Equipment, Training, Exercises and Mitigation Actions

Equipment

Vehicles, dump trucks, excavators, vac trucks, emergency generators, emergency lighting, radios, cell phones, SCADA systems, computers, hoists, gas testing equipment, water testing, PPE…all in working condition

Training

ICS/NIMS appropriate to the role/ICS position
Specialized training as needed (e.g. confined space entry, PPE training)

Exercises

Properly designed a facilitated to address threats identified in local Hazard Mitigation Plans

Mitigation Actions

FEMA-compliant debris management plan
Emergency alert and communication systems
Evacuation and sheltering plan
Mitigation actions identified in your agency’s Emergency Plans and/or County Hazard Mitigation Plan

Disaster Response

Links to Emergency Management Partners:

Oregon Department of Emergency Management

Emergency Training (includes links to FEMA training)

https://www.oregon.gov/oem/emresources/pages/training.aspx

Emergency Management Statewide Contacts

https://www.oregon.gov/oem/documents/locals_list.pdf

Individual Preparedness

https://www.oregon.gov/oem/hazardsprep/Pages/Individual-Preparedness.aspx

Natural Hazard Mitigation Planning

https://www.oregon.gov/lcd/nh/pages/mitigation-planning.aspx

Business Continuity Planning Tools