EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

CONFERENCE CALL MEETING SUMMARY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008

Participants:Chris WalshCurt Edwards

David Himes Brian Usher

Larry ZensingerDiane Linderman, APWA Board

Mike Geisel, Ed. Comm. Liaison

Absent:Teresa Scott

Staff: Teresa HonAshley Scherzer

Jim Fahey

1.Chris Walsh called the meeting order and asked if there were changes to the agenda. President Frevert’s email regarding levies was added.

2.Participants approved theJune 4, 2008, meeting summary.

3.Legislative Update – Jim Fahey reported that Laura Berkey has accepted a position with APWA in the DC office and will begin work on Monday, July 10. Laura will be taking Dan’s place as the liaison to the Emergency Management Committee for government affairs activities. Jim also reported that Congress is in recess this week but the appropriations approval is on track with current proposed funding levels at 6% higher than last year.

4.Education report –Ashley Scherzer and Mike Geisel provided an update on education projects and programs which included:

  1. Click, Listen and Learn program update for current fiscal year
  2. Need for volunteers for education sessions on Congress on Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Wednesday
  3. The emergency management-related Click, Listen & Learn program for FY09 on Continuity of Operations is currently scheduled for April 9, 2009. The description which will appear in the next Education calendar reads, “Continuity of Operations – How to Stay on Top. Continuation of critical services during and immediately following a crisis–whether it is a pandemic flu, extreme snow event, hurricane, tornado, wildfire or even campus shooting–is of paramount concern for public works personnel. Panelists who have been through these crises will share tips and lessons learned in dealing with unexpected emergencies. Find out what it takes to revive vital services in the aftermath of an event.”
  4. The FY09 Education Calendar will be finalized and distributed later this month
  5. The Education Committee is working to follow-up on items identified at this spring’s Education Summit.

5.At-Large Director Report – Diane Linderman indicated that the APWA Board of Directors met last month and approved the budget. APWA remains fiscally strong. The Board also approved the Mutual Aid position statement.

6.2008 Congress

  1. Committee meeting – Saturday, August 16, 8:00am-11:00am, Room 351
  2. Cascading infrastructure failure – Sunday, August 17, 8:30am-9:45am, Room 345. This session will include a speaker from DHS who will discuss the approach to coordinate infrastructure
  3. Think Tank session – Monday, August 18 from 10:30am to noon, Room 342. Teresa Scott will provide a review of what the committee has accomplished and goals for the coming year. She will share with the committee at the Congress meeting.
  4. Role public works plays in evacuation: A panel discussion addressing hurricanes, special events, etc. – Monday, August 18, 2:00pm-2:50pm, Room 343. Speakers are set. This should be a very interesting session
  5. NIMS What Is It? How Do I Do It? –Tuesday, August 19, 2:30pm-3:30pm, Room 356. Brian is ready to go for this session
  6. Employee care during a crisis – Wednesday, August 20, 9:30am-10:45am, Room 344. Brian asked Teresa Hon to coordinate a conference call with Harry Weed, Brian and Teresa Scott to finalize details.

7.2009 Congress topics – Potential topics were discussed. The committee will make a determination of the three preferred topics while at the August Congress meeting so that the September 30 deadline for proposals can be met.

  1. Infrastructure: sustaining efforts – Chris Walsh
  2. Mutual Aid/EMAC – Larry Zensinger
  3. Training Requirements/Communication Collaboration – Chris Walsh
  4. Training/Credentialing – Diane Linderman/David Himes
  5. Someone from the Ohio State Emergency Management office on how state coordinate event planning – Larry Zensinger
  6. Role of Public Works in COOP (Continuity of Operations) – Brian Usher
  7. Iowa Flooding

8.Publication Subcommittee to develop Recovery Operations Field Manual – Brian Usher has prepared a draft outline of the index which has been forwarded to committee members. We are currently working to schedule a conference call. Teresa Hon will forward the draft outline to all committee members. Chris Walsh indicated she would help on the publication if needed.

9.Sustainability Task Force – Teresa Scott is the Emergency Management Committee’s representative to the Sustainability Task Force. The TF has asked each committee to develop a list of sustainability issues impacting emergency management. In addition to the three Teresa suggested, members added thoughts or sub-topics

  1. Dealing with increased weather related disasters; increased flooding etc.
  • Design criteria for stormwater management (incidence of 2” rainfalls more frequently as weather patterns change. Current systems were designed to last 50 years but can’t handle the changing rainfall amounts)
  • Coastal zones and sea level rises
  1. Readjusting flood maps to reflect changing conditions
  2. Certification of levees
  3. Potentially rebuilding communities

10. Levee and flood protection system maintenance, operations inspection and certification – Larry Frevert sent an e-mail to Teresa Scott regarding the possibility of responsibility for maintenance and inspection of levees being transferred from the Corps of Engineers to local agencies. The issue was discussed with no conclusion or plan of action. The item will be placed on the August agenda for additional discussion.

11. Reporter articles: Discussion of topics and authors for articles for the January edition of the Reporter (due November 28)

a.Emergency management 101 or Emergency Management for Dummies: I’m supposed to do what? – Committee

b.Homeland Security Consortium – Chris reported that this article is almost complete

c.Recovery & Continuity (Teresa Hon to contact John Ostrowski for contact person from new publication)

d.I-90 blizzard fiasco – Chris indicated that the article is almost complete

e.COOP Plans – Brian & Teresa

12.Schedule for monthly InfoNOW Community Postings (e-mail addressed to ) – Curt Edwards is prepared to post an item for July. Brian is responsible for August and Teresa Scott for September.

13.Action items from March meeting for completion of the 2007-08 Business Plan

  1. Develop five abstracts/hot topics from which chapters can choose for chapter events. Assist the chapter in locating regional speakers on those topics – Teresa Scott and Chris Walsh have forwarded topics which will be discussed at length during the Congress meeting.
  • Debris Management Contracts
  • TCL Initiative
  • NIMS training requirements– What do we really have to do?
  • Public Works and Exercises – Whenthe ball is in our court as Incident Commander
  • Emergency Operation Plans – What annexes do Public Works need
  • Employee Care during an emergency
  • Mutual Aid Plans: An Overview
  • Declarations and the Impact: You think you’re ready?
  • Public Works Role in Emergency Management
  1. Secure involvement of Army Corps of Engineers as an ex-officio member of the committee – Larry Zensingerhas not been able to make contact. Diane Linderman mentioned the Corps person from Oklahoma who is working with them on credentialing.
  2. Conduct outreach with other associations/coalitions on the role of public works –Diane Linderman will make contact regarding more appropriate public works related photos for the Homeland Responder Training Network video. Brian Usher to assist.
  3. Develop and/or partner in the preparation of standardized emergency contract for engineering services and debris removal – Teresa Hon will check the Resource Center and infoNOW for examples
  4. Outreach with chapters who have an Emergency Management Committee – Members reported on their actions to make contact with, left messages for or spoken at Chapter events in an effort to make a connection between the national and chapter committees.

14.The next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, August 16 from 8:00am-11:00am in Room 351 of the New Orleans Convention Center.

Emergency Management Committee Conference Call Meeting Summary – page 1