Constructing an Emergency Plan (Flooding)

Bristol City Emergency Operation Plan provides all institutions and businesses, property owners, tribal nations, the city emergency support organization, and the cities of Flagstaff with a comprehensive emergency plan that can: Encourage good behavior among members of the public in the event of flooding in the town; reduce the government’s and the community’s vulnerability to man-made, technological, and natural hazards; foster corporate pragmatism regulate and evaluate the capacity of the tribal nations and cities to effects a coordinate recovery and response effort that is meant to reestablishing the normal state of the state of affairs, minimizing environmental, economic and property losses, lessening the human suffering; and protecting and saving lives; and

If flooding occurs in Boston City, it will be easier to restore the public service.

The primary intention of this plan is to raise awareness of the risk of flooding in Boston city, to detail the estimated lead time and flood warnings available and details how the plan is triggered when by who and the actual steps that are supposed to follow in the entire execution. The plan will highlight the evacuation procedure.

In Bristol city, the Local emergency planning committee is responsible for handling the flooding emergency. In the past, the efforts majorly focused on responding to the emergencies and disasters, but the recent changes by the national and local government policies that have streamlined the emergency response place a greater emphasis on hazard mitigation (Fagel, 2012).

Though the four stages of emergency mitigation, recovery, response, and preparedness there some coinciding concepts. The emergency preparedness is the preparation for the hazard should include the mitigation efforts that have been put forth fail. The hazard mitigation aims at reducing the impact of the hazard in case it occurs.

The mitigation efforts put forth by various institutions are procured that aid in reducing the level of risk or reduces long-term risk to property and people from the natural hazards. The primary purpose of positive effect of controlling flooding is that lead to repetitive actions for an extended period that safeguards property.

The risk assessment and hazard identification is the cornerstone of mitigation. The Bristol emergency center provides detailed analysis on vulnerability, risk, and hazard to the technological and natural hazards in the city. The risk control can be attained in numerous ways:

Relocation: involves evacuation of the residents from the flooding affected areas to more safer avenues

The acquisition is the public management and procurement of land that is prone to regular flooding.

Avoid the hazard: this arises when the citizens are kept away from the flooding affected areas

Alter the hazard: this involves reducing or eliminating the intensity and frequency of the hazard manifestation.

Avert the hazard: relaying the impact away from the affected site so that the people are not adversely affected.

Whatever the strategy that is adopted the mitigation measures can be evaluated based on the variety of constraints: nature, the level, geography, resources, time, and vulnerability. The choices made must be attainable and realistic when the constraints are taken into account (Harrison, 2002). In the long run, the flood mitigation plan will help the city to cope with the hazard and sustain fewer losses and recover quickly when faced with the next flooding disaster. It is also intended to:

To ensure the city retains its eligibility for all the full range of the imminent national disaster relief;

To capital of the national government’s funding that might be available after the occurrence of the risk;

To streamline the disaster recovery process by having specific actions that can be taken to eliminate and reduce the future damage; and

To minimize the disruption of the community’s activities following the disaster.

The plan will guide the imminent advance decision. It is a lasting and compressive plan that is tailor-made for flooding. As a nationwide plan, it majorly applies to all Bristol counties.

Purpose

The document is a principle planning sources that outline how the agencies and the governments operating in Bristol will engage their resources and the steps that will be taken to administer a crisis reduction procedure.

The document also highlights the following as common goals:

To seek supplemental economic recovery and long-term humanitarian aid from federal and state governments when the damage is widespread, and the local resources are insufficient.

To bring back the services of the state that might be affected by the floods so that citizens continue enjoying.

To ensure a coordinated governmental recovery and response that will lessen the life-threatening misfortune of a significant flooding can cause to the citizens, their wellbeing and their survival and the well-being of the society entirely.

To develop the increased level of emergency preparedness so that institutions, businesses, families, and individuals will resume their normal life and start meeting their expenses within two days after the occurrence of the disaster.

To offer regular and exercise programs that will enable the tribal nation, city and county and citizens to maintain a high level of efficiency and the willingness required to achieve the crisis mitigation issues.

To continue efforts to reduce work and home hazards that could cause environmental harm, comic hardships, loss of property and injuries. Such initiatives might:

Evolve from public discussions

Leverage private/public partnerships

Build a risk management best practices

Take utilization the construction codes

Block grant opportunities or seek federal mitigations

To encourage the extenuation policies that will reinforce the efforts to improve the nonstructural and integrity crucial infrastructures and facilities, make the important institutions more resilient to flooding disruptions and shelter some of the most vital resources.

Scope

The various mandates for various subdivisions from Bristol City have established a local government for emergency management and included an appointment with the coordinator or director. The following state and federal laws County emergency resolutions, executive branch orders apply to the Bristol County emergency resolution, the statutes of Arizona County, and the national laws (Kansas Hazard Mitigation Team, Kansas, Kansas, & KGI Online Library, 2013).

Situation

The Bristol City is prone to flooding risks that could lead to adversity. The emergency management programs are performed in partnership with private agencies, local and county government which supplements the federal and the state government.

Assumption

The disaster or emergency can occur in the city with no warning and at any time.

The local institutions can perform recovery and response operations for most emergencies, but the flooding might of greater magnitude that the recovery and responses exceed the available resources that the assistance from the State and County may be required.

Concept of Operations

The plan will take care numerous stages in disaster management:

Mitigation: actions that are taken to reduce or eliminate that mark of continuing risk of flooding on the environment, property, and human life. The mitigation assumes that the city residents are prone to flooding risk whether or not the crisis arises. The mitigation methods entail Stocking emergency supplies, seismic strengthening, tax disincentives and incentives, safety codes, risk mapping, relocation, research, public education, monitoring and inspection, land acquisition, disaster insurance and building codes.

Preparedness: actions that are taken in advance to facilitate the effectiveness of a response and develop operational capabilities. Preparedness measure includes Warning systems, Training response personnel, Resource management, Mutual aid agreements, Exercise of plans, emergency public information materials, emergency operations plans, emergency operations centers, emergency communications and Continuity of government.

Response: actions that are taken after, during and before an emergency arises to reduce the damage to the eminent and property and improve the effectiveness of recovery: Warning systems activation, resource mobilization, search, and rescue, shelter and evacuation, reception and evacuation (King County (Wash.), 2007). A public official is alerting, staffing and emergency operation centers, emergency medical assistance, the emergency instructions to the public and emergency plan activation.

Recovery: the recovery processes are aimed at ensuring that flooding victims resume the normal life. The recovery measures include full-scale business resumption, temporary housing, expand permitting and review, reconstruction, reassessment of the emergency plan, public information, disaster unemployment assistance, disaster grants and loans, disaster recovery centers, decontamination, debris clearance, damage assessment and crisis counseling.

General

The plan applies to all the tribal government, city and County agencies, and departments whose responsibility is to provide response assistance in an emergency or disaster. It describes the department and agency to be taken in providing emergency support to the exact locations hit by floods. While the emergency operations might require a heavy demand on the logistical resources and available personnel and produce a range or critical actions and needs, the early capacity of Bristol City to handle the disaster management program will depend on available assets.

Organization and Assignment of Duties

In many cases the duties of the states, tribal, city and county are embodied with local codes and charters. The laws also clearly stipulate the specific department that is assigned lead responsibilities. Given the well-outlined laws and the tendency of individuals to react differently amid a flooding crisis, the tribal, municipalities and county approach flood management will emphasize adoption of certain processes (King County (Wash.) & King County (Wash.), 2006). The plan also highlights the procedures for accessing a more comprehensive network of resource that will make flooding management attainable.

Whenever a particular occurrence hampers the capabilities of the authority and the community that seriously challenges their abilities to cope with the disaster, it becomes necessary that they receive thee supplement aid. Such supplement funds are sourced from other departments and the private sector within the community.

The Environmental Agency Warning Codes

The flood alerts are meant to warn the residents of

Severe flood warning

The significant of the sign is to warn the city residents of the significant disruption or risk to life to communities to cause by prolonged or widespread flooding and encourage them to take a quick action if they are supposed to remain safe. The individuals are advised to follow the emergency services.

Key message:

Danger for life: severe flooding

Timing:

when the flood is various life-threatening actions are necessary

Action:

call 999 If you are in grave danger

Co-operate with the emergency services

Be read if evacuation is needed

Stay in the same location with a mean to escape.

Channel:

Media

Loudhailers

Media

Sirens

Internet

Floodline

Floodline warning direct

Flood Alert

The flooding sign is meant to warn the residents of the city of the possibility of the flooding and encourage to make an early preparation of flooding, to stay vigilant and be alert.

Key message:

The flooding is required implying that an immediate action is required.

Timing:

The warning is issued one day in advance

Move the valuables, foods, pets and necessary documents to a safer place

Block doors with sandbags and floorboards and cover the airbags and other ventilation holes

Act now to save your property

Flooding alert

The flooding is supposed to warn the city residents of the flooding and to encourage them to make earlier preparation. To stay vigilant and to be alert.

Key message:

Be prepared: flooding is possible

Timing:

One to two hours in advance of flooding

Actions:

Monitor the flood forecast and local water level

Be prepared for the flooding

Warning no longer in force

(No icon)

The warning is displayed to inform the residents of the city that they are no longer under the threat of floods.

Key message:

No flooding is expected in the area at the present

Timing:

The sign is displayed when people are no longer in imminent danger, or the seas or rivers conditions begin to normalize.

Action:

If you have been affected by the flooding, it is essential that you contact your insurance as soon as possible for compensation purposes.

Channels:

Internet

Floodline

Floodline warning direct

The Emergency Support Function

The Purpose

The function of the emergency support function is to coordinate the services and resources necessary to support the recovery, assistance, and response or other initiatives include evacuation of roads and routes, highways and clearance and bridge repair (Philpott & Serluco, 2010).

Scope

Transportation support entails utilizing or providing land, watercrafts, rail, and air for flood management in the city to produce the most appropriate, efficient and effective results. The potential operations include restoring transit systems, bridges and roads systems to establish temporary structures, transporting medical professional or patients, performing aerial photography or reconnaissance, conducting the damage assessment, monitoring the restricted spaces and providing personnel and resources that aid evacuation, relocation, and traffic control. The transportation emergency response functions might participate in the debris management whenever it is required.

Situation

The extent of the surrounding infrastructure will be assessed, in addition to the pecuniary of the transport grid will influence the pattern and the numerous tactics available. The leader of the emergent support function together with team members will appoint members to aid in the deployment of particular resources.

Concept Operations

The assessment of the cities infrastructure will be held, and the data examined to determine the feasible, road travel, air, and rail. All the findings will be distributed among various organization and agencies to aid the effort to monitor their usage (“Process and Analysis Support Tool,” 2011). All the team member will monitor the deployment and events to guarantee that the critical responsibilities of their particular firm can continue to be performed. The resource requests and needs will be obtained from the state and county agencies and departments and other local institutions.

Communications

The purpose of emergency support function is to coordinate the communications services and resources that are necessary for supporting the emergency recovery and response and make sure that all members of the public are conversant with processes. The communication support includes providing radio assistance, cellular, modems, and landline. It is essential that all the communication centers can communicate with each other during the flooding when the traditional form of communication has been drawn down. The potential operations include identifying private or government sources that can render communication from regions that are far away from the affected areas. Implementing the lease agreement for commercial equipment and services is essential. The emergency support function must also ensure that all alerts and warning message are available to ease evacuation and ensure that people remain safe.

Concept Operations

The valuation of the countrywide and local communication infrastructure will be evaluated and all the information evaluated to determine the most viable of the electric communications, cellular, and landline in the area (U.S department of homeland security, 2010). The states of the resources and communication technology will be distributed among the emergency response agencies. Notification or warnings will be made in the Municipality’s/County warning station, and the information will be distributed from the entire facility.

Business and Industry

The emergency support function is meant to offer the judicious evidence to the business communities and limit the destruction caused by floods on businesses. The plan assists and coordinates in recovery support of the local and county government; and the private sector (Quail, 2011, p. xx). The flood management plan work with the law military and businesses to reduce the impact of the damage caused by businesses.

A significant flooding will have an adverse impact on the businesses and will lead to unprecedented distraction and damage to industries and business. However, the business might be located in safer areas where the level of destruction is minimal. It is essential that managers of the industry and business be able to assess the degree of loss and avert more destruction.

Policies

The Bristol County office will be liable for maintaining and updating the entire in coordination with other jurisdiction, organization and agencies within the region that have been given responsibilities and obligations. Each local jurisdiction is supposed to develop an emergency center to handle minor flooding emergencies (Quail, 2011). The expenditure of the agencies and departments that are necessitated by a disaster and emergency must account for regularly. The jurisdiction responsible for state and federal emergency funds must be by the international accounting standards. The chief executive officer must continuously keep essential documents that facilitate reporting.

Training Plan

The individuals who reside in the city should be briefed about the plan and trained appropriately on the best ways of reducing risks. Exercising to this personnel/plan capability is crucial to ensure that residents have adequate knowledge of what to must be done. In the city, the plan will form the deed of the property/land. The plan will be reviewed will be reviewed after five years to incorporate some of the emerging issues.

References

Fagel, M. J. (2012). Principles of emergency management: Hazard specific issues and mitigation strategies. Boca Raton: CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group.

Harrison, J. (2002). Flood Hazard Management: Using an Alternative Community-Based Approach. Planet, (7), 5-6. doi:10.11120/plan.2002.00070005

Kansas Hazard Mitigation Team, Kansas, Kansas, & KGI Online Library. (2013). Kansas Hazard Mitigation Plan: Final. Topeka, Kansas: Kansas Hazard Mitigation Team.

King County (Wash.). (2007). 2006 King County flood hazard management plan: Final. Seattle, WA: The Division.

King County (Wash.), & King County (Wash.). (2006). Executive proposed: 2006 King County flood hazard management plan, King County, Washington. Seattle, WA: The Division.

Philpott, D., & Serluco, P. (2010). Public school emergency preparedness and crisis management plan. Lanham, MD: Government Institutes.

Process and Analysis Support Tool. (2011, March). Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/divisions/npd/CPG_101_v2_past.pdf7

Quail, R. (2011). How to Plan and Run a Risk Management Workshop. Enterprise Risk Management, 155-170. doi:10.1002/9781118267080.ch10

U.S department of homeland security. (2010, November). State and the local government continuity of operations planning: training, test, exercises.