HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2006-05-22 Item 4A - Discussion - Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) W COUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS
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ITEM INFORMATION
CAS NUMBER: 06-059 1 ORIGThiAL AGEaNDA DATE: MAY 22, 2006
AGENDA TITLE Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
CATEGORY Discussion Motion Resoluiion Ordinance Bid Award Public Hearing p Otbsr
Mtg Da e 5/22/06 Mfg Date Mtg Da e lftg Da✓ 3fttg Dat \ftg Date Mtg Date
SPONSOR Council Mayor Adm Svcs DCD Financa Fire Legal P &R Police PTY/
SPONSOR'S Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are members of the neighborhood who
SUNBURY are trained to respond to immediate needs after a disaster. CERT members augment
emergency service's capabilities and have been extremely helpful in other parts of the
country after earthquakes, hurricanes and large forest fires. Discussion on the need for a
Public Education Officer who can train and certify our citizens, who can then help
themselves.
REVIEWED BY COW bltg CA&P Cmte F&S Cmte Transportation Cmte
Utilities Cmte At. Comm. Parks Comm. Planning Comm.
DATE: 5/1/06
RECOMMENDATIONS:
SPO•SOR /ADMIN.
COMMITTEE Unanimous approval to forward to COW for discussion.
COST IMPACT FUND SOURCE
EXPEND1TUREREQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED
$0.00 $0.00 $65,000.00
Fund Source:
Comments:
MTG. DATE I RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION
5/22/06
MTG. DATE I ATTACHMENTS
5/22/06 Information Memo dated April 24, 2006
Finance Safety Committee Meeting Minutes from May 1, 2006
Informational Memorandum
From:
Mayor and City Council
Director Emergency Management~
April 24, 2006
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
To:
Date:
Subject:
Are You Ready?
ISSUE:
Should Tukwila establish a CERT Program?
BACKGROUND:
Disasters, whether natural or manmade, have several things io co=on. First, they are relatively
unexpected and certainly unplanned. Secondly, even though your first responders - Fire, Police, and
Public Works - will work to provide response, they will be overwhelmed io a major event and damage
to the infrastructure may further restrict their operations. Thirdly, lives, public health, and the
environment will be endangered. Disaster victims may be killed or iojured and public health issues
may arise.
As we saw io New Orleans, LA, Gulfport, MS, and Biloxi, MS power was virtually nonexistent (still
is), co=unications did not work, and transportation corridors were cut off. In the hours immediately
followiog Hurricane Katrina, iodividuals had a feeling of relief because they survived. However, those
positive moments gave way to feelings of helplessness - '\Vhere to go; What would tomorrow bring;
How to start to rebuild their lives; How to get water, food, and shelter.
Co=unity Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) may respond to immediate needs io their
neighborhoods or workplaces. Members of a neighborhood who want to better prepare for the hazards
that threaten their communities fonn CERTs. After training, CERT members augment emergency
services capabilities, when called upon.
. During the Northridge earthquake, CERTs participated io search and rescue, medical treatment,
patient transport, fire suppression, and utility control.
. During Hurricane Floyd, CERTs io Florida were called upon by the Emergency Operations
Center (EO C) to contact special-needs residents to determine whether they would need shelters
and transportation.
. About a dozen CERTs were used during the Hidden Lake and Lake Louise fires to provide
food for the firefighters, move supplies, and assist ,vith the preparation io the area.
H:WUBWORKS\Emergency Operations\CERT Memo gldoc
Page 1 of2
DISCUSSION:
Besides disaster-related activities, CERTs have the potential to become a known and trusted volunteer
resource that can actively support the response community in many ways. The following quotes from
CERT members says it best:
"I think that we're a backup to emergency services that are overwhelmed. I also see us in
building upon, within the community, of learning, of meeting your neighbors, or people on
other parts of your community and becoming more comfortable with them and sharing
knowledge and resources. It feels good knowing other people in the community and that
they care as much as you do about the community "
"The idea for CERT is to prepare yoprself for anything that might happen to you. In other
words, if you're able to take care of yourself, and each person is able to take care of
themselves, and they're prepared to do so, then overall everybody cooperatively has
worked toward the same goal and it lessens the burden on the actual emergency personneL"
When first response resources are inadequate for the situation, emergency services must focus on the
highest priority needs. Police will be engaged with incidents that have a grave impact on public safety
Firefighters will be involved with suppressing major fires. Public Works will be restoring utility
systems to operation. Additionally, it could be that our response capability has been decimated by a
pandemic flu (Bird Flu). Lower priority needs \vill have to be met in other ways. In these instances,
CERTs may become responders in their neighborhoods or workplaces.
A good CERT training program encompasses:
. Level 1 17 Yz hours (2 Yz hour sessions a week) - Preparing for emergency response,
earthquake awareness, disaster fire suppression techniques (CERT members do not suppress
large fires), disaster medical operations, light search and rescue - CERT members do not enter
heavily damaged structures, team organization and management, utility shutoffs,
communications, damage assessment, terrorism awareness, etc.
. Level 2: l2 hours - Introduction to disaster services, mass care, shelter operations.
. Level 3 50 hours - Emergency response advanced first aid.
The courses need to be taught by a full-time, trained professional and refreshed on a regular basis.
Levell would be Tubvila's responsibility The logical assignment for this training responsibility is
Tukwila's Fire Department requested Public Education Officer. This would be an annual expense of
$65,000. The American Red Cross usually teaches Level 2 and 3
Those members of our community who rely most on government services will suffer the most and
need even greater support after a disaster. CERT can help them help themselves.
RECOMMENDATION:
Tubvila establish a CERT Program to be taught by a full-time, trained professional.
Are Yon Ready?
H:\PUBWORKS\Ernergency Ope.rations\CERT :Memo g1.doc
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Finance and Safety Committee
May l, 2006, Conference Room #3, S'OOpm
Minutes
Present:
Pam Carter, Chair; Jim Haggerton, Vema Griffin
Rhonda Berry, Lori Sutter, Kevin Fuhrer, Nick Olivas, Jim Morrow,
Mary Miotke, Chuck Parrish, ShelJey O'Keefe
As Jim Morrow had not yet arrived, the meeting began with discussion of the second item
on the agenda.
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OLD BUSIi\'ESS: COUNCIL TECHNOLOGY - CounciJmember Carter stated that at
a previous meeting email and records retention were discussed, and tonight's discussion
will be about devices and what staff should be researching. Items were: laptops,
desktops, blackberries and other handheld PDA devices. The committee discussed
various issues such as cost, training requirements, and maintenance/support needs.
Functions needed include email and document creation, calendar, spreadsheet and
powerpoint capabilities along with internet access. Mary Miotke noted that the cost of
peripheral devices also needs to be addressed, such as printers and associated
consumables (ink, paper, etc.) and their associated maintenance costs.
Councilmember Haggerton asked about voice capabilities and various configurations
were discussed (phone or no phone, city pays for phone or city doesn't pay for phone).
Councilmember Carter mentioned the need for and cost of insurance on these items. This
was folJowed by discussion of the need for policies regarding the use of these items.
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After further discussion it was detennined that staff will need to provide the information
requested. Mary Miotke will be coming to COW on the 8th with information regarding
email. It was requested that she provide information on devices to the Committee at their
next meeting on the lSth
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COl\-IMUl\'lTY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAlvl (CERT) PROGRAlv1.
Nick Olivas distributed some handouts and Jim Morrow began the discussion describing
the CERT program. This is a program where we (the City) would undertake an education
program to "train the trainers" in the community We would train community members
who would then train others.
This would be a rigorous program of anywhere from l8 to 28 hours of training taught by
a full-time education officer from the Fire Department. We would be teaching all kinds
of skilJs from the proper way to use a fire extinguisher to first aid, search and rescue, and
how to perform initial damage assessments after a disaster. "This is probably the best
thing we can offer residents and businesses so that they can take care of themselves."
There would be no economic or ethnic boundaries. These trained citizens could become
another set of eyes and ears for our Emergency Management team after a disaster.
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Finance and Safety ~-tinutes
May I, 2006
Page 2
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Nick Olivas stated that we would be using our trainer to pass on a lot of information to
the schools, also. They would help educate the kids who would then go home and talk to
their parents, and the information would flow that way, also. Jim Morrow stated that the
federal government has set up basic guidelines that we can tailor any way we want.
Rhonda Berry asked about program costs, and was told that we could apply for
reimbursements through grant funding.
Councilmember Carter stated that the Council would like to do this, that they had asked
the Committee to look at it, get some questions answered, and fmd a way to make it run.
Jim Morrow said that if the committee endorses it, the concept could then go to COW
and then administration could be asked to build it into the budget and look at funding
options. Rhonda Berry stated that this is similar to the Groupwise upgrades, it surfaced
in preliminary budget discussions, but was not funded for 2006.
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Jim Morrow stated that we should strongly endorse a full time person. This person would
be very involved with the community - having 8-l 0 groups going throughout the week.
This person would work with all departments. Rhonda Berry asked would it be helpful to
have someone rrom another city that currently has a CERT program come to address us.
They currently have CERT programs in Kent, Kirkland, SeaTac, Federal Way, Renton
and Auburn. Nick Olivas and Jim Morrow have spoken with all of them. They all have
full time trainers. Councilmember Carter stated that we would need to fmd out about
costs and liability issues. Jim Morrow stated that liability would not be an issue, the
trainer would be covered like any other employee. We could partner with the schools to
help with costs, along with seeking grants. We would have the challenge of many
cultures in our city - but this person would be a public educator First we need to get this
position funded, then we can work with other cities and the County and we haven't even
begun to talk to businesses yet.
After further discussion it was decided that staff will seek a trainer and a trained citizen
rrom another city to attend the COW on May 22nd to speak to the full council regarding
this program.
Meeting was adjourned at 6.l Opm
p. e. Committee Chair Approval
Minutes prepared by Shelley O'Keefe, Executive Secretary, Mayor's Office
Appoved by Pam Carter, Chair, Finance & Safety Committee
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