UAWG Meeting Minutes

May 11, 2006

Attendees: Don Thorson, Gail Braun, Bill Bowes, Tim Conahan, Phyllis Dutton, Harald Flatoen, Elisa Havranek, Greg Hollingsead, Mike Kennelly, Larry Lavelle, Steve Lee, Bill Meyer, Jamie Moore, Dean Olson, Dave Points, Kevin Pokorny, Bill Pook, Maria Reiter, Lisa Rink, Mike Schonlau, Vickie Stevens, Russ Zeeb

Recorded By: Andrea Fox

Topic / Discussion / Action
Meeting called to order / Don Thorson called the meeting to order at 9:00 am.
Introductions / Introductions were completed.
Review/Approval of April Minutes / April minutes were approved.
MOU Update / §  Don Thorson is trying to get as many signatures as possible on one copy of the MOU.
§  MOU is on 5/16 Douglas County Commission agenda.
§  A signature page including the individual hospitals has been added to the MOU. A cover letter has been added as well.
§  Phyllis Dutton updated the group that equipment will not be moved until MOU is signed by hospitals, so the sooner the better. / Andrea Fox – get cover letters to Phyllis Dutton.
Don Thorson – get MOU copy to Phyllis Dutton.
Future Projects/Expenditures
Alert Messaging System
Current UASI Budget
Alternate EOC Site
Reallocations / Don Thorson - Alert Messaging RFP goes out to bid on May 17th. City will administer the contract. Don Thorson requested Emergency Managers do day-to-day activities for project. City will take care of legal issues.
Bill Pook – Emergency Managers control very little on operational basis. It is on record that it has been recommended that this project needs a dedicated project manager.
Larry Lavelle – This might be a coordinated effort regularly, might be more than that. Recommended waiting until we have the product in our hands before making any decisions.
See handout. Don Thorson explained handout and terminology. Remaining funds include alert messaging system and police vehicle.
Don Thorson advised group to do research/homework on ideas for reallocations. Present ideas, we will vote. For example, overtime money needs to be reallocated. Want to be done spending money by March of 2007.
Tim Conahan asked about overtime expenses and the 2005 College World Series.
At July UAWG meeting, group will present ideas for reallocations.
Steve Lee gave the group a heads up that the feds are pushing regionalism. The group may want to consider an alternate EOC site. Douglas County has to do this anyway. Wants group to think about this for the July meeting. Steve will bring 3 or 4 discussion items to the next UAWG meeting.
Tim Conahan brought up question – Can we use existing facilities? Can alternate site be in one of the other counties in their existing facility?
Issues brought up on the size of alternate facilities, connectivity/technical aspects,
Mike Schonlau gave a brief update on aerial photography and emergency response GIS projects.
Mike Schonlau mentioned that Washington County/Blair are interested in making a request for 2005 reallocations to upgrade their computer hardware and software so they can run the emergency response application mentioned above on their own servers.
Mike Schonlau may be requesting funds for a statewide central GIS data repository and subsequent Web mapping application. This project will focus on building/compiling/distributing emergency response data from around the state, and specifically the population centers (Omaha & Lincoln). The project goes beyond the three-county area, but also impacts the three-county area more than anyone else. It is a great opportunity to implement a multi-governmental technology application and supporting central data repository.
The group will use the 2005 application request forms. Do research now, so that if/when your project is approved, we can run with it. / Andrea Fox – email budget out to subcommittee chairs.
Andrea Fox and Gail Braun – follow up with Don Drazdys.
Andrea Fox – email group.
Group: think about alternate EOC site.
Steve Lee: Bring more information.
Andrea Fox – mail out original form.
Inventory Tags / UASI agencies are responsible for equipment, so UASI agencies are responsible for tagging it. Send inventories to Andrea Fox, so that come audit time, we have everything we need. / Group – send equipment inventory sheets to Andrea Fox.
HSGP Risk Analysis / See Handout.
Greg Hollingsead pointed out that a lot of our asset types are not included in the database used by DHS to determine our risk level. / Andrea Fox – email Greg Hollingsead this handout.
Committee Reports / GIS:
Mike Schonlau updated group that $100,000 project for GIS emergency response system architecture is all worked out. All money should be spent in 3 weeks. Applications/result will be available this summer. Mike Schonlau will do a demo. May have Wash Co. propose for extra money to support. Brought up issue that aerial photos will not be taken until April—is this a problem for the grant deadline? Twenty-five agencies and 10 counties are involved in this project.
Law Enforcement:
Tim Conahan updated group that there is a big exercise next Tuesday for Law Enforcement. All tactical teams are involved except the FBI. Purchase of equipment is ahead of schedule.
Tactical Interoperable Communications (TIC) Plan. Our TIC Plan is ahead of other cities. We were approved to have TIC Plan validated using a real-life event (College World Series). Validation of normal communications during CWS, use of the cache of radios.
Upcoming Meetings:
5/30 ICS/IMS Training/Meeting
5/31 Final Plan Meeting
6/1 After-Action Report
Fire: No update
Emergency Management: No further updates
Communications: No update
Public Works: No update
Public Health: No further updates
Nonprofits/Public Entities:
MAT Assessment Project completed.
Masters of Disasters program will begin in September.
Jamie Moore still waiting to hear back from Cyndi Guthridge on laptop issue.
Vickie Stevens is in the process of ordering lots of equipment.
Cyber-security: No update / Don Thorson – ask Mardell Hergenrader and feds about the aerial photography deadline.
Don Thorson – forward Jamie Moore email and follow up.
Training/Exercises Update / Exemption still in for October exercise. Once CWS is validated, vendors will say it is approved, and exemption will be pulled. Still doing October exercise.
Exercise design workshop on 6/8 at Methodist in the Nebraska Room. Any agency is invited to meeting. Invited to send a representative to the meeting.
Meeting Schedule / June Meeting Cancelled
Next Meeting:
July 20, 2006
9:00-11:00 am
Jesse Lowe, Omaha/Douglas Civic Center

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