Lexington Police Department Lexington, Kentucky SPECIAL ORDER BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE S.O. 1993-19 Sever Weather Occurrences Rescinds: SO 1973-20E References: CALEA Chapter(s) 46 Effective Date: 07/26/93 Distribution Code: B All Department Employees Originally Issued: 1993 I. PURPOSE The purpose of this order is to provide guidance to Division personnel in handling severe weather emergencies, including tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flooding. II. POLICY It is the policy of the Division of Police to provide increased security to areas affected by damaging weather, and to assist in providing warning of impending hazard when practical. Officers faced with a severe storm should take shelter when necessary to avoid a life-threatening situation. The National Weather Service (NWS) is responsible for determining the nature of weather phenomena and issues all watch and warning alerts. III. DEFINITION Severe Weather Reports: The NWS transmits severe weather information to the Fire Dispatch Office. The Fire Dispatcher relays this information to the Police Communications Office via the DES Radio Network. Severe weather warnings are also broadcast immediately upon issuance on NOAA Weather Radio and can be received on most Division radios. Severe Thunderstorm, Tornado, or Flash Flood Watch: Will be issued by the NWS when atmospheric conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms or tornadoes, or rainfall amounts could cause flash flooding. Severe Thunderstorm, Tornado, or Flash Flood Warnings: Will be issued by the NWS when the Weather Service has evidence that these conditions actually exist. NOAA Radio alerts tones are activated, notifications are made to media and Division of Fire. IV. PROCEDURE A. Severe Thunderstorm/Tornado Watch 1. Upon notification of a severe thunderstorm/tornado watch by the NWS, the dispatchers will advise all units to observe for funnel clouds or unusual weather conditions. 2. Should a funnel cloud be sighted, the officer shall immediately notify the dispatcher of the location and direction of travel, and the dispatcher will immediately notify the SO 1993-19 Severe Weather Occurrences Page 2 of 4 Fire Dispatch Office. 3. Fire Dispatch Office will relay the information to the NWS. B. Severe Thunderstorm/Tornado Warning 1. Upon notification of a severe thunderstorm/tornado warning, the on-duty Communications Commander shall initiate the following procedure: a. The on-duty commanders shall be advised. b. Preparation shall be made by the on-duty Communications Supervisor to utilize emergency communications equipment in case the situation merits this use. 1. Emergency power generator. 2. Additional personnel to assist. 2. Officers should be extremely alert to the approach of threatening weather and take cover if necessary. During extremely heavy rain or hail the officer may have no visibility of an approaching tornado until it is as close as fifteen seconds away. 3. The Communications Supervisor shall assign a unit to proceed to the NWS at Bluegrass Field to provide radio communication between the Emergency Operation Center and the NWS. Officers assigned to this duty may find it necessary to utilize National Weather Service HAM radio equipment in this function. 4. The following persons shall be called by Communications personnel: a. Chief of Police b. Assistant Chiefs of Police C. Occurrence of Storm or Tornado Damage/Injury 1. Damage from severe storms caused by the high winds is likely to cause communications and power outages, and blockage of roads by trees or power lines. In extreme cases buildings may be damaged with the possibility of personal injury. While rescue and first aid are primarily Division of Fire responsibilities, Division officers shall give first priority to locating and aiding victims of the storm until the Division of Fire has sufficient personnel on the scene to adequately locate and care for the injured. 2. The duty commander shall proceed immediately to the area of damage and assess the relative “priority alert” status of the situation. Should it appear that an activation of off- duty personnel will be needed, he should notify a staff level commander, who will respond to the scene and follow procedures outline in the Mobilization Plan (Special Order 92- , or Annex 1 of the ICS Manual) SO 1993-19 Severe Weather Occurrences Page 3 of 4 3. The duty commander should implement the ICS and establish a Command Post for police operations, and should notify Communications as soon as possible as to the general extent of the damage and the affected area. 4. Communications shall contact D.E.E.M. and apprise them of the situation. a. If D.E.E.M. activates the Emergency Operations Center, communications will notify the Chief of Police, and Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Patrol (Annex Coordinator) of the activation of the EOC. The Annex Coordinator or his designee shall proceed to the EOC. b. If the EOC is not activated, D.E.E.M. can provide assistance in finding shelter and transportation for victims, and coordinating the response of other UCG Divisions or utilities. 5. As personnel become available, the Incident Commander should consider assignment of personnel to an outer perimeter, security within the affected area, any need for evacuation, and control of traffic at signaled intersections without power. In addition to the usual assignments of Staging, PIO, and Communications, ancillary commanders should be considered for the following responsibilities: a. Perimeter Control Officer – Establishes and supervises the outer perimeter, duties include: 1. Direct officers working the perimeter to allow access only to residents of the affected area, emergency personnel, and the media. Any other requests for entry, including people claiming to be relatives or friends or residents should be directed to the Perimeter Control Officer at a specified location (perimeter control gate). 2. Keep a log of any such persons that the Perimeter Control Officer authorizes to enter the area, and issue an evacuation scene pass to the person. Log and pass forms are kept in the ICS portfolio. 3. Maintains a roster and provides for relief of officers working the perimeter. b. Incident Security Officer – Establishes and supervises security within the perimeter. (Personal property of victims may be scattered over a large area, giving rise to the opportunity for theft or looting by unauthorized persons within the perimeter or by other residents of the area.) Duties include: 1. Establishment of “beats” within the affected area and the assignment of foot and mobile patrols. 2. Instruct assigned officers to make contact with as many persons encountered as possible, completing F.I. cards on anyone found not to be legitimately in the area, and attempting to verify ownership when SO 1993-19 Severe Weather Occurrences Page 4 of 4 persons are found gathering property. Special security needs of affected residents or other police hazards encountered should be reported to the Security Officer. 3. Maintains a roster and provides for relief of security personnel. c. Traffic Control Officer – Establishes and supervises traffic control efforts. Ideally a Bureau of Traffic commander. Duties include: 1. Requests and assigns personnel to cover intersections affected by power outages or downed signals. 2. Assesses need, and establishes detours on major routes, coordinates efforts with the Division of Traffic Engineering. 3. Coordinates with Traffic Engineering and Street and Roads the priority and clearing of blocked streets. 4. Maintains a roster and provides for relief of assigned personnel. D. Flooding 1. Upon a report of flooding, communications may dispatch an officer to verify and assess the situation. 2. Should it appear that a rising stream, creek or river will threaten a residence or residential area, the officer shall contact a supervisor to respond to the scene, and begin to notify the residents of the situation. 3. Communications will have Fire Dispatch notify D.E.E.M. of the situation. 4. The supervisor will call for assisting units as necessary to ensure that all residents of the affected area are warned of the danger of flood. 5. Should D.E.E.M. require an evacuation based on a flood warning in a specific area, the Division of Police will implement the evacuation and provide security in the evacuated area. See Special Order 93-15 Evacuation (ICS annex 5) 6. Normally, localized street flooding is a result of storm sewer back-up and requires traffic control until the situation abates. Officers should make use of barricades and signs whenever possible to direct traffic around areas of high water. 7. Officers should never drive through an area of unknown water depth, and should be aware that the street could be eroded below the water. Officers should not cross an area of moving water that is above knee level. .