City of Fernie Emergency Response Plan
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CITY OF FERNIE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN JUNE 2015 THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE, ALL-HAZARDS PLAN THAT IS RISK-BASED AND SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO PERMIT ITS USE IN ALL FORESEEABLE EMERGENCIES WITHIN THE CITY OF FERNIE Prepared for: The City of Fernie 692-3rd Avenue, Box 190 Fernie BC V0B 1M0 Emergency Program Coordinator 250-423-4226 ********** Prepared By: Black Shield Preparedness Solutions lnc 8101 Lochside Drive Saanichton, BC V8M 1V1 Tel: 250-885-6067 Fax: 778-426-2676 [email protected] Quick Reference Directory ********** CITY OF FERNIE Emergency Program Coordinator (250) 250-423-4226 REGIONAL DISTRICT OF EAST KOOTENAY Emergency Program Coordinator (250) 425-5353 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BC Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre (24 hours) 1-800-663-3456 INTERIOR HEALTH Health Emergency Management Lead (250) 770-3422 ELK VALLEY HOSPITAL (250) 423-4453 BC AMBULANCE SERVICES Non-Emergency Number (250) 423-6962 ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE Non-Emergency Number (250) 423-4404 ii Distribution List Internal External Record of Amendments Date Amendment # Entered By Acronyms and Abbreviations BCP Business Continuity Plan (Planning) BIA Business Impact Analysis CAO Chief Administrative Officer EOC Emergency Operations Centre EMBC Emergency Management British Columbia ERP Emergency Response Plan ESS Emergency Support Services HF High Frequency HRVA Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis IC Incident Commander ICP Incident Command Post ICS Incident Command System IH Interior Health PECC Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre PREOC Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centre VHF Very High Frequency iii Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vi 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Key Definitions 1 1.2 Purpose 1 1.3 Scope 1 1.4 Jurisdictional Boundaries 2 1.5 Authority for the Plan 3 1.6 Responsibility for the Plan 3 1.7 Related Plans and Documents 3 1.8 Implementation of the Plan 3 1.9 Amendments to the Plan 4 2. FERNIE HAZARDS, RISK AND VULNERABILITIES 5 2.1 HRVA Structure 5 2.2 Fernie Hazards Summary 5 2.3 Fernie Risk Assessment 6 3. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS 7 3.1 General 7 3.2 Site Operations 7 3.3 Fernie EOC (Site Support) 8 3.4 EOC Location 8 3.5 EOC Purpose and Functions 9 3.6 EOC Activation Criteria 9 3.7 EOC Authority for Activation 9 3.8 EOC Call-out Procedures 10 3.9 EOC Activation Levels 10 3.10 Requirement for Task Number 10 3.11 EOC Structure 11 3.12 EOC Staffing 11 3.13 Policy Group 12 4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 13 4.1 General 13 4.2 Fernie Departments 13 4.3 Assisting Agencies 15 5. COMMUNICATIONS 19 5.1 General 19 5.2 Communication Methods 19 6. PUBLIC INFORMATION 21 6.1 General 21 6.2 Commercial Media Outlets 21 6.3 Emerging Technologies/Social Media 21 6.4 Joint Information Centre 22 iv 7. LOGISTICS 23 7.1 Responsibility 23 7.2 Requesting Resources 23 7.3 Specific Hazard-related Logistics Requirements 23 7.4 Volunteer Management 23 8. FINANCE 24 8.1 General 25 8.2 Disaster Financial Assistance 25 8.3 Eligibility of Response Costs 26 9. TRANSITION TO RECOVERY 27 9.1 Recovery Planning During Response 27 9.2 Structure for Recovery 27 APPENDIX A - HAZARD-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES 31 APPENDIX B - SUPPORTING AGENCIES 49 APPENDIX C - DECLARING A STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY 61 APPENDIX D - EVACUATION AND SHELTER-IN-PLACE GUIDELINES 67 APPENDIX E - EMERGENCY SUPPORT SERVICES PLAN 87 APPENDIX F - CALL-OUT AND CONTACT LISTS 88 APPENDIX G – RESOURCE SUPPLIERS 89 v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Fernie Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is a comprehensive, all-hazards plan that is risk-based and sufficiently flexible to permit its use in all foreseeable emergencies within the boundaries of Fernie. This plan is written in accordance with provincial and local legislation and follows the BC Emergency Management System (BCERMS). The plan assigns responsibility for management of the emergency program and the plan itself to the Emergency Planning Committee and the Emergency Program Coordinator. The plan identifies hazards, risks and vulnerabilities that impact Fernie. It priorities these and includes hazard-specific guides for: 1. Freshet flooding / Debris Flow 2. Hazardous Materials Release by road or rail 3. Interface Fire 4. Human Pandemic Fernie response to an emergency or disaster occurs at two levels: the incident site and the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) (site support). In Fernie site-level response will normally be done by first response organizations. This plan describes the relationship between the two and outlines the process to activate and staff the EOC. Detailed direction for the operation of the EOC is included in the Fernie EOC Procedures Manual, a companion document to this plan. There is a broad spectrum of agencies and organizations that will combine to respond to an emergency or disaster in Fernie. This plan identifies the roles and responsibilities or Fernie departments, Assisting Agencies - those directly involved in emergency response, and Supporting Agencies - those organizations that will provide support in a more indirect manner. The plan includes an overview of communications and public information, logistics, financial issues - in particular the process to secure Disaster Financial Assistance from other orders of government - transition to recovery procedures, training and detailed direction for declaring a State of Local Emergency and ordering an evacuation. vi This page blank vii 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Key Definitions In this plan: An Emergency means a present or imminent event or circumstance that is caused by accident, fire, explosion, technical failure or by the forces of nature, and requires prompt coordination of action or special regulation of persons or property to protect the health, safety or welfare of a person or to limit damage to property; and A Disaster means a calamity that is caused by accident, fire, explosion or technical failure or by the forces of nature, and has resulted in serious harm to the health, safety or welfare of people, or in widespread damage to property. Emergency Program Coordinator. The Director of Fire and Emergency Services (Fire Chief) is appointed as the Emergency Program Coordinator. 1.2 Purpose The purpose of this plan is to provide the required structure to organize an effective emergency response operation within the City of Fernie (Fernie) that will: • Provide for the safety and health of all responders. • Save lives. • Reduce suffering. • Protect public health. • Protect government infrastructure. • Protect property. • Protect the environment. • Reduce economic and social losses. It assigns responsibilities within Fernie for the response to emergencies. Furthermore, it guides the immediate actions of emergency response agencies and key officials in the critical hours after an emergency or incident occurs. 1.3 Scope This plan is not intended to deal with day-to-day emergency situations handled by emergency response and other agencies nor does it replace the need for departments and agencies to conduct routine mitigation activities, training and emergency preparedness during times of non-emergency. The intent of this plan is to facilitate and coordinate response to a disaster by implementing common management strategies for both municipal and private sector agencies. The tactics and strategies outlined are to be considered as guidelines as it is impractical to define the specific response actions required of each agency during every emergency. To meet unusual situations, the use of unconventional methods, tempered by sound judgment and past experience can be invaluable. 1 This plan is intended for implementation only within the jurisdictional boundaries of Fernie. The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) guided by this plan provides site support only and does not directly control response activities where there is an Incident Commander. If there is no single site and no Incident Commander, the plan serves in coordinating response and recovery activities throughout the City. Notwithstanding the focus on Fernie, the City’s emergency program is aligned with the RDEK and neighbouring municipalities through the Elk Valley Emergency Plan. This plan is written as a comprehensible, “all hazards” plan that is risk-based and sufficiently flexible to permit its use in all foreseeable emergencies within Fernie. Nevertheless, Appendix A includes response guidelines to the four highest risk hazards as identified in the Fernie HRVA. 1.4 Jurisdictional Boundaries 2 1.5 Authority for the Plan Authority for this Plan is vested in: • Emergency Measures Bylaw No. 2222, 2013; • Local Authority Emergency Management Regulations, 1995; and • BC Emergency Program Act, 1996. 1.6 Responsibility for the Plan The Emergency Planning Committee is responsible for maintaining this plan. The Fernie Emergency Program Coordinator is responsible to ensure that a yearly review of the plan is conducted and the plan is amended and annexes are updated when required. 1.7 Related Plans and Documents This plan should be read in conjunction with: • The City of Fernie Emergency Program Directive (2015) • The City of Fernie Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis (2015) • The Regional District of East Kootenay Emergency Management Plan (2007) • Elk Valley and South Country Emergency Management Procedures (Area A and Area B) (2007) 1.8 Implementation of the Plan The Fernie ERP may be implemented, in whole or part, if an emergency or a disaster is deemed to exist, appears imminent, threatens the City or has occurred. Declaring a State of Local Emergency is NOT necessary to put this plan or any other emergency plan(s) into effect.