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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-12-03 - AGENDA REPORTS - STANDARDIZED EMERGENCY MGMT (2)CITY OF SANTA CI ARITA INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Boyer, and Members of the City Council FROM: George Caravalho, City Manager DATE: December 3, 1996 SUBJECT: STANDARDIZED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SEMS) The Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) is the system required by State Legislation for managing response to multi -agency and multi jurisdiction emergencies in California. The intent of this law is to improve the coordination of State and local emergency response in California. SEMS incorporates the use of the Incident Command System (ICS), the Master Mutual Aid Agreement, existing mutual aid systems, the operational area concept and multi -agency cooperation. In compliance with SEMS regulations Section 5607 of the California Government Code, local government must use SEMS by December 1, 1996, in order to be eligible for funding of response -related personnel costs occurring in response to an incident. All state agencies shall use SEMS to coordinate multiple jurisdiction or multiple agency emergency and disaster operations. Compliance with SEMS shall be documented in areas of planning, training, exercise and performance. There are five designated levels in the SEMS organization: Field Response, Local Government, Operational Area, Regional, and State. Each is activated as needed. Local government, operational area, regional and state levels shall provide for all the following functions with SEMS: management, operations, planning/intelligence, logistics, and fmance/administration. Emergency response agencies shall ensure that their response personnel maintain minimum training competencies in SEMS in accordance with the approved course of instruction. The executive course provides basic information on the role of executives in implementing, using and maintaining SEMS within their agency or organization. The contents of the course also applies to those individuals that work in supporting management roles and need an orientation to basic concepts and principles of SEMS. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council approve the SEMS Executive Training Course to be in compliance with State Legislation. AEM/DN:mdn +�•^[' prcound1\semscs1d.ses Agenda Item: City of Santa Clarita Executive Course to SEMS Standardized Emergency Management System i A\ O 15 DECEµ� December 1996 SAPMEMERPREP VSEMSCOV.WPD SEMS Multiharard Functional Plan SEMS: ORGANIZATION CHART.CP ZTl62 OPERATIONS" —Public Works —Water —Building & Safety —Fire**** —Law Enforcement**" --Coroner T:—MedicaVRealth'*■ —Care & Shelter Field Units (ICS) City of Santa Clarita 11196 EOC DIRECTOR MANAGEMENT ' Liaison Officer— Agency Reps Legislative Liaison— PLANNING/ INTELLIGENCE —Situation Status —Documentation —Damage Assessment Advance Planning —Recovery Planning —Demobilization Technical Specialist —EOC Coordinator —Safety Officer —Security Officer —Public Information* —Legal Council LOGISTICSI I FINANCE/ ADMINISTRATION —Resources —Information Systems —Communications —Computer Systems Transportation —Personnel —Procurement —Facilities —Cost Recovery Documentation Time —Purchasing —Compensation/Claims —Cost Analysis *May be organized as a section or branch. . '*If all elements are activated a deputy will be appointed to pravide a manageable span of control. ** *Normally coordinated by County, but a local coordinator may be designated ifneeded ""Contract servicefliaison position. (Identify contract services in your organization.) Management Section - M-36 SEMS Multihazard Functional Plan Operations Section Responsibilities: SEMS EOC RESPONSIBff:TPiES CHART (SEMS -¢/S} EOC DIRECTOR Management Section Planning/ Logistics g Intelligence Section Section Finance/ ' Administration Section EOC Director (Management Section) Responsible for overall emergency management policy and coordination through the joint efforts of + ` governmental agencies and private organizations. The EOC Director will either activate appropriate. t� sections or performtheirfunctions as needed. Operations Section Responsible for coordinating all jurisdictional operations in support of the emergency response through implementation of the city's EOC Action Plan. Planninentelligence Section Responsible for collecting, evaluating and disseminating information; developing the city's EOC Action Plan in coordination with other sections; initiating and preparation of the city's After -Action Report and maintaining documentation. Logistics Section Responsible for providing communications, facilities, services, personnel, equipment, supplies and materials. Finance/Administration Section Responsible for financial activities and other administrative aspects. City of Santa Clarita Management Section - M-37 11196 SEMS Multihazard Functional Plan EOC DIRECTOR City Council Policy Group MANAGEMENT Dept Heads SECTION COORDINATOR City Manager Liaison Officer EOC Coordinator Parks, Rec. & Com. Emergency Prep. Srvcs.-Dir. Agency Rep I Safety Officer General Services Legislative Liaison Security Officer Intergov. Relat. Officer General Services Public Information Officer Legal Council City Attorney City of Santa Clarita Management Section -M-38 10196 City of Santa Clarita SEMS TRAINING DATE RECORDS Date of Training Course Level Group Name Attendance Number November 7, 1995 Intro. to SEMS Public Works 21 February 13, 1996 Intro. to SEMS Building & Safety 16 March 11, 1996 Intro. to SEMS Radio Group 50 May 23, 1996 Intro, to SEMS Law Enforcement 28 June 27, 1996 Intro. to SEMS School Districts 42 September 17, 1996 Intro. to SEMS City Staff 35 September 23, 1996 Intro. to SEMS City Staff 66 September 26, 1996 Intro. to SEMS City Staff 58 November 21, 1996 EOC Course City Staff 26 December 3, 1996 Executive Course January 15,1997 Intro. to SEMS January 23, 1997 EOC Course emergeecypmp\eemsk da e STANDARDIZED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SEMS) EXECUTIVE COURSE Student Reference Text The term executive describes an individual that works in executive management or elected positions but does not regularly fill command or management roles at incidents or in the organization's Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The executive course provides basic information on the role of executives in implementing, using and maintaining SEMS within their agencies or organizations. The contents of the course also applies to those individuals that work in supporting management roles and need an orientation to basic concepts and principles of SEMS. Topics covered in this course are: 1. Background 2. Components, organizational levels and primary functions 3. The role and responsibilities of an executive to support SEMS 4. Role of the executive to EOC managers and field incident commanders 5. Guidelines and training programs 6. Questions and answers related to SEMS implementation I. Background The intent of the statute effective in January 1993, is to improve the coordination of state and local emergency response efforts in California. The statute requires the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), in coordination with other state agencies and interested local emergency management agencies, to have a Standardized Emergency Management System operational throughout California by December 1996. SEMS is a management system based on proven organizational principles and concepts that have been in use in California for over twenty years. It provides the umbrella under which response agencies at all levels may function together effectively in an integrated fashion. The use of SEMS will facilitate: SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 1 The coordination between agencies responding to emergencies The flow of emergency information and resources within and between involved agencies The rapid mobilization, deployment, use, and tracking of resources SEMS provides a standard organizational framework, and supporting guidance and checklists for operations at each level of the state-wide emergency management system. By law, state agencies must use SEMS when responding to emergencies involving multiple jurisdictions or multiple agencies. Local governments are strongly encouraged to use SEMS, and must use it in order to be eligible for state funding of response related personnel costs. H. Components, organization, and primary functions of SEMS A. Components SEMS integrates into a single program several of the state's primary emergency response programs. These include: the Incident Command System (ICS) developed under the FIRES COPE Program; (Firefighting Resources of Southern California Organized for Potential Emergencies), a process for ensuring multi -agency or inter -agency coordination; the State's mutual aid program; the concept and plan for use of operational areas, and the state's Operational Area Satellite Information System (OASIS). B. Organizational Levels SEMS provides for a five level emergency response organization activated as needed to provide an effective response to multi -agency and multijurisdiction emergencies. The five organizational levels are: • Field • Local Government • Operational Area • Region • State SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 2 C. Primary Functions The table below describes the primary SEMS functions at the field and EOC levels. PRIMARY LD RESPONSE LEVEL OTHER LEVEL SEMS FUNCTION Command/ Command is responsible for the Management is responsible for Management directing, ordering, and/or overall emergency policy and controlling of resources by virtue coordination through the joint of explicit legal, agency or efforts of governmental agencies delegated authority. and private or anizations. Operations Responsible for the coordinated Responsible for coordinating all tactical response of all field jurisdictional operations in operations directly applicable to, support of the response to the or in support of, the missions(s) emergency through in accordance with the Incident implementation of an action plan. Action Plan. Planning/ Responsible for the collection, Responsible for collecting, Intelligence evaluation, documentation, and evaluating, and disseminating use of information about the information; developing the action incident, and the status of plan in coordination with the other incident resources. functions, and maintaining documentation. Logistics Responsible for providing Responsible for providing facilities, services, personnel, facilities, services, personnel, equipment, and materials in equipment, and materials support of the incident. necessary to support the response effort. Finance/ Responsible for all financial and Responsible for financial Administration cost analysis aspects of the activities and administrative incident, and for any aspects not assigned to the other administrative aspects not functions. handled by the other functions. SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 3 III. Role and Responsibilities of an Executive to support SEMS Recent events in California have clearly demonstrated that emergency management can be a complex business. Resources needed to support incident operations may be costly to operate or be in short supply. More and more incidents require multi -discipline responses. Because of population growth and the spread of urban areas, more and more incidents cross over jurisdictional boundaries and require a multi -jurisdictional approach to both the response and the recovery efforts. It is not uncommon even on small incidents to see a mix of several disciplines resources and a mix of jurisdictions, all of which must immediately be working together in a cooperative mode. Emergencies also have increasing public visibility and scrutiny. Media driven interest in emergencies, coupled with sophisticated coverage capabilities, creates an environment that demands immediate answers, and requires an effective response. What is the role of the executive in Emergency Management? The organization executive must assure that there is adequate support for planning, training and policy direction. A. Planning The organization executive should provide the support and resources necessary to ensure that the organization has put into effect adequate planning and preparedness measures. These would include taking necessary pre -emergency mitigation measures to reduce the hazards or level of risk exposure. The cost of taking mitigation measures can easily pay for itself by subsequent reduction in loss, and in some cases major reductions in the cost ofresponse. B. Training The organization executive should strongly support training programs and exercises which will bring and keep both the EOC and field response organization at a high level of operational readiness. This is a difficult challenge, as the time expended in training and the results of training are not always evident or visible to others until an emergency SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 4 occurs. However today's multi -agency incidents demand that there be a trained and coordinated response. The executive should encourage training which is multi -discipline and multi -agency whenever possible. C. Policy Direction When an emergency does occur, the organization executive has an obligation to ensure that field Incident Commanders (ICs) and the EOC Manager have clear policy direction. At the field level, the Incident Commander will need to formulate objectives for his/her incident, determine the strategies that should be used to mitigate the emergency. The field IC must know the policies of the organization, the limits of authority which have been delegated, and any political, environmental or financial constraints that may affect response activities. Often incidents which are multi -agency may be run under a Unified Command structure in which your Incident Commander will work cooperatively with other jurisdictional ICs to establish a set of common objectives and strategies for an incident. It is essential that your Incident Commanders be clear on the jurisdictional authority that they have when involved in a Unified Command. Similarly, your EOC manager must have the necessary authority to provide the management leadership in the EOC. IV. Role of the Executive related to EOC Directors and field Incident Commanders Your organization's Emergency Operations Center if activated will, be a central coordination point and authority for your organization at the time of an emergency. Depending upon your policy and/or your role, you: • may function within the EOC • may visit the EOC from time to time • may rely on the EOC director to provide you with information • may also, be in a position to be giving the EOC director overall policy direction The Incident Command System which is the field level emergency management system is designed to integrate multiple disciplines and multi -jurisdictional resources at the scene of an emergency. The same primary functions that exist at the incident, i.e., Command or SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 5 Management, Operations, Planning/Intelligence, Logistics and Finance/Administration are also used at all emergency operations. centers. EOC directors and/or Incident Commanders may, depending upon your position, report directly to you. If this is the case, you will need to ensure that your EOC directors and Incident Commanders: • Are properly trained and qualified • Have (or have access to) sufficient resources to accomplish the objectives of their action plans • Know the organization's policies, understand any constraints or limitations, and are properly empowered to operate • Are given the latitude to exercise management authority in the EOC or at the incident V. SEMS Guidelines and Training Programs A comprehensive set of guidelines have been developed to help agencies and jurisdictions implement SEMS. Guidelines include: 1. A general SEMS system description 2. Guidelines for planning and developing SEMS at all organizational levels 3. Supporting documents to include a SEMS Maintenance System, Position descriptions and checklists, action planning guidelines and after action reports. Four approved courses of instruction have been developed for use in SEMS. They are described in the following table. SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 6 QUESTIONS OFTEN ASKED ABOUT SEMS The following are questions and answers related to the development, implementation, use and compliance with SEMS. 1. How is it determined what is a "local response agency" under SEMS? (Proposed Response) The definition in regulation is quite broad, stating that an emergency response agency is any agency responding to an emergency or providing mutual aid support to such an organization whether in the field, at the scene of an incident, or to an operations center. In practical terms, if an agency routinely responds personnel and equipment to the scene of incidents, and there is interaction with other response agencies at the scene, then that agency should be trained in SEMS. Many agencies become involved in emergency response in disaster situations. The SEMS Guidelines list examples of emergency response agencies under SEMS. 2. What steps will the state take to assist agencies and local governments in implementing SEMS? (Proposed Response) The State has prepared extensive guidance and training materials to assist agencies and organizations in implementing SEMS. The guidance spells out in detail how SEMS is expected to function at each organizational level. It also provides guidance on using and maintaining SEMS. The state also plans to support a SEMS Maintenance System with advisory groups representing local and state agencies. The SEMS Maintenance System will resolve issues that may arise in implementing SEMS, and develop further guidance and training materials as needed. SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 7 3. Is there any funding available to support organizations in implementing SEMS? (Proposed Response) The legislature only provided start-up funds to develop guidance and training materials. No funds were allocated by the legislature for support to implementation of SEMS for either state agencies, counties or local governments. 4. How will a jurisdictions participation in the EMA program be tied into SEMS? (Proposed Response) EMA requirements are separate from, but consistent with SEMS. EMA jurisdictions are expected to comply with SEMS as well as with any additional requirements for EMA funding. 5. How will the OES multi -hazard functional planning process be integrated into SEMS? Do we have to rewrite our plans? If so by when? (Proposed Response) Part of the SEMS guidance covers the initial integration of MHFP functions into SEMS. At a later time OES will issue more detailed planning guidance to jurisdictions covering a fuller integration of the MHFP into SEMS. No time lfmitfor accomplishing this has been established. 6. What is the state's position regarding very large organizations with extensive field response units that cannot adequately train all personnel by the December 1996 statutory deadline for using SEMS? (Proposed Response) Because of the multi jurisdictional aspects of SEMS response operations, it is important that all jurisdictions move forward in a timely fashion. However, it is realized that larger organizations will take longer than the smaller ones. If individual agencies or jurisdictions cannot meet the time requirement for full implementation of SEMS, they should contact their OES Regional Administrator and work with OES on a case-by-case basis. SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 8 7. What kinds of training material and or state personnel support is available to help in implementing SEMS? When will training materials be available, and is there a cost to obtain SEMS guidance and training materials? Can we develop/use our own training programs? (Proposed Response) A major part of the state's efforts toward implementing SEMS has been the development of SEMS training materials. Four courses of instruction have been developed. There are over 30 modules of instructional material available in the four courses which can be used in a variety of ways. The courses include a general orientation to SEMS, afield SEMS course, courses for four levels of EOCs, and a SEMS Executive level course. OES region staffs have received SEMS training, and will assist jurisdictions in SEMS orientations and in obtaining guidance and training materials. SEMS guidance and training material will be provided to all jurisdictions as soon as it is available which is expected to be in the first quarter of 1995. The SEMS Training and Guidelines Working Group is examining various ways to make training materials available. If there is any charge because of the size or make up of the training materials; it would be on a cost recovery basis. There is no requirement for agencies or organizations to use the SEMS training materials. However, the SEMS training courses represent a comprehensive overview of all aspects of SEMS. The courses define the minimum training competencies that emergency response personnel must maintain under SEMS. Organizations are strongly encouraged to use the state approved SEMS training materials. 8. Will CSTI offer SEMS training at San Luis Obispo and at field locations? If so when? (Proposed Response) CM is planning to provide SEMS training, and will be revising their course schedules accordingly. Also other state agencies are planning to provide SEMS training courses. Some of the training will be at MY or other state agency training facilities and some will be conducted infield locations. A schedule of available SEMS training courses will be prepared early in 1995. SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 9 9. How and who will determine if my. agency or organization is in compliance with SEMS? (Proposed Response) The Director of OES is responsible for determining compliance. Compliance regulations are being developed and must be finalized by December 1995. It is anticipated that applicants for reimbursement of response related personnel costs will be required to certify their compliance with SEMS. OES may review whether the agency has met SEMS planning and training requirements as well as its use of SEMS during the emergency. Agencies should maintain documentation of their compliance with SEil1S. 10. If an organization does not comply with SEMS, will the state actually deny claims for payment of personnel -related disaster response costs? (Proposed Response) The state would examine each situation on its own merits to determine the causes for non-compliance. 11. If my organization has attempted to comply with SEMS yet did not effectively respond to a major emergency, will we be considered out of compliance and personnel reimbursements be denied? (Proposed Response) This would depend on the reasons why the response was not effective. Compliance is accomplished by including SEMS in plans, training and exercising response personnel in SEMS, and using SEMS in the response. If a jurisdiction can demonstrate their efforts to implement SEMS were done in a professional manner then it would be difficult to deny claims. 12. Will federal reimbursements to local governments be affected in any way because of failure of an organization to comply with the use of SEMS? (Proposed Response) At this time, there is no relationship or connection in SEMS to federal reimbursement policy. SEMS Executive Course Student Reference Manual, page 10