Natural Disaster Emergency Management Workshop Best Practices

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Natural Disaster Emergency Management
WorkshopBest Practices

• Presented by
• Glen Boatwright
• Nixon Associates

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Natural Disaster Emergency Management Workshop

• Workshop held May 9-11 in Galveston, TX
• Emergency Management Group provides oversight and
  reports to the Distribution Operating Section
  Managing Committee
• Wrap up materials and information can be found
  at http//www.southerngas.org/EVENTS/OpCon_Distri
  butionOperationsandMaintenance.htm

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Crisis Management Program Development

Develop Emergency Management Plan
Establish Emergency Management Structure
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Stages of Crisis Management Program Development
Identify Analyze Exposures
Train Exercise the Plan
Review Results and Implement Improvements
This is a continuous improvement cycle!
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Crisis Management Plans

• Thicker isnt always better
• Comprehensive, Concise, and User Friendly
• Ensure plans are maintained and current
• Does everyone understand their roles?
• Does the Plan incorporate an organized structure
  Incident Command System

• Periodically review the plan. Are contact lists
  current? Have exposures changed?
• Are employees trained on the Plan?
• Do you exercise the Plan?

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Incident Command System

• Developed in the 1970s in Southern California
  during several major wildfires
• Developed in response to identified shortcomings
• -Non-standard terminology
• -Lack of ability to expand contract
• -Non-standard/non-integrated communications
• -Lack of consolidated action plans
• -Lack of designated facilities
• A requirement of federal law for response to
  hazmat incidents
• Used by public and private entities to respond to
  a variety of emergencies.
• A requirement for NIMS compliance

Initial Notification
Information Dissemination
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Mock Emergency Exercises

• Table tops versus full field mock emergency
  drills
• Exercise the Crisis Management Plan
• In addition to the operational response, evaluate
  the outside looking in exposures
• Develop realistic scenarios- dont be afraid of
  Achilles' heels
• Establish a system for managing and sharing
  crisis response information
• Identify areas of improvement and revise
  procedures and the Crisis Management Plan
  accordingly

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Disaster Planning Checklist Considerations

• Develop mutual aid agreements
• Education (conferences workshops)
• Page in FEMA playbook?
• Adopt a dynamic response plan
• Federal, state, municipal, and private sector
  partnerships

Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina Response
Bill Coffeen
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Considerations

• Dont forget your employees
• In a disaster situation, people and resources may
  not be available to respond
• Employees may be isolated in a disaster
• If an employee feels their family is at risk they
  will head for safety, comfort, food
• Must be ready to help employees so they can help
  you recover

• Dont forget your customers
• Be ready with a customer communications plan
• There may be need to implement a remote call
  center with another utility
• As your customers move back into their homes you
  need to be ready replacement of damaged
  appliances continue natural gas service

Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina Response
Bill Coffeen
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Questions and Roundtable Discussion