Emergency Management

Emergency Management Before and After Homeland Security Money

Evolution of Emergency Management Before 9-11 • Evolved from Civil Defense • Minor function of Fire or Police • FEMA directed • Natural Hazard Oriented • Relied on relationship building • Marginally funded

Washington State Influencing Events • Mt. St Helens Eruption (1980) • Severe Flooding (1990-1995) • Inaugural Day Windstorm (1993) • Chelan Wildland Fires (1994) • Murrah Building Bombing (1995) • Snowstorm/Mudslides (1996-7) • Nisqually Earthquake (2001) • 9-11 Terrorist Attack (2001) • Hurricane Katrina (2005)

EM in King County 1992 • Manager with 3 years EM experience • 3 Program Managers from non-EM disciplines • 1 Admin Support Person, 1 computer • No contact with Tribal Nations • Focus was natural disasters and the Community Right to Know Act (Hazmat) • Only other EM programs – Washington State and the City of Seattle • State and Local (SLA) Federal Funding covered 18% of the budget • Basement of the King County Courthouse

EM in King County today • Program Director and Assistant Director • 6 Program Managers • 2 Homeland Security Project Support Staff • 2 Admin Support Staff • 1 Accountant • 1 Public Information/Media Specialist • Office is 46% funded by grants • $30 M facility dedicated in 2003

Leveraging Dollars • Homeland Security Dollars • EMPG Dollars • FEMA DOJ DHS FEMA again • Changing interests: IEDs, Dirty Bombs, Nerve Agents, Interoperable Communications • Improving capabilities that are all hazard in nature: Sheltering, Evacuation, Debris Management, Resource, Citizen Preparedness, Responder Equipment

Reasons Emergencies Go Badly • No Plan (or Procedures) • No Training on the Plan (or Procedures) • No Equipment to Undertake Expected Activities • Plan was not followed

Other items that Influence Response • No Confidence in Leadership • No Confidence in the Plan • No Experience with Equipment • Can’t find the equipment • Interoperability does not exist • Lack of Public Education/Expectations

Tribal Interests • Tribes are recognized in the King County Hazard Mitigation Plan • Have the same emergency needs • Have limited human resources • Have limited physical response resources • Have limited experience in EM • Are often forgotten in legislation and regional preparedness efforts

Tribal Involvement Today • Have seats on EMAC • Are active in their King County EM Zones • Are partners with the City of Auburn in Emergency Preparedness • Are members of RPIN • Are participants in weekly communications checks • Are participants in training for ICS and Emergency Operations preparedness • Are participants in countywide exercises • Are recipients of Homeland Security Grant support • Have designated emergency management staff

Tribal Involvement in EM Policy Snoqualmie and Muckleshoot Tribe representation on EMAC • Decide regional funding, strategic planning, training, and exercise directives • Snoqualmie invited or sit on Training and Exercise Working Group and Shelter Planning Taskforce of EMAC • Snoqualmie participates with KC EM Zone 1 • Muckleshoot participates with KC EM Zone 3 and the City of Auburn

Tribal EM Improvements • Incident Command System Training • Emergency Management Plan • Communications Equipment • Disaster Team Protective Equipment • Dedicated EM staff with Snoqualmie & Muckleshoot Tribes • Invited to contribute annex to KC Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan

One Person can’t do it all Tribal resources are where everyone else was in 1992!

Tribal EM Problems • Not enough staff hours to do everything • Not enough equipment for responders • Not enough staff/money for Public Education • Emergency Operations Center management • Plan and procedure revisions take time • Seeking-Administering Grants takes time • So many standards and requirements • Shortage of experienced EM personnel • Acknowledgement of the importance of EM • Other tribal priorities

Emergency Management Now The following organizations now have fulltime EM staff: • King County, Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Bothell, Federal Way, Renton, Kirkland, Shoreline, Burien/SeaTac/Des Moines/Normandy Park, Auburn, Kenmore (ESCA), Tukwila, Redmond, Port of Seattle Aviation and Marine Divisions, Snoqualmie and Muckleshoot Tribes, University of Washington

Emergency Management Now • The following organizations now have part time personnel or personnel with multiple responsibilities: • Mercer Island, Issaquah, Woodinville, North Bend, Snoqualmie, Enumclaw, Skykomish, Pacific, Black Diamond, Covington

Opportunities • IEMC – Flathead Nation/Montana • TERC – Tribal Emergency Response Commissions • LEPC – Local Emergency Planning Committee • Participate in Regional Councils • Develop trainers and give back! • Integrate non-tribal Resources

Opportunities Continued • Train with neighbors • Attend elected officials conferences • Send Liaisons to EOCs to help • Participate in Emergency Plan Exercises

The Lure of Money How do I get it all done? • The answer is not money • When the money goes away, then what? • The answer is relationships • Be sure to build your relationships • Share your resources • Share your experienced people • Share the responsibility, Get Involved

Contact Information Rich Tokarzewski King County Office of Emergency Management 3511 NE 2nd Renton, WA 98056 (206) 205-4066 Rich.Tokarzewski@kingcounty.gov

Emergency Management