TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Daryn Drum, Fire Chief
Scott Hafdell, Battalion Chief
Claudio Taniguchi, Emergency Services Coordinator
Walberto Martin, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Update on Emergency Preparedness Program (Fire Chief Drum).
RECEIVE AND FILE
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive and file this report.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
Since hiring the Emergency Management Services Coordinator in September 2017, the Fire Department has made significant strides in the way City staff is trained, and the way the department prepares, plans, and conducts community outreach as it pertains to emergency preparedness. This report contains a brief presentation on the existing status of the Emergency Preparedness program developed by the Emergency Services branch of the Manhattan Beach Fire Department.
DISCUSSION:
Claudio Taniguchi was hired by the City of Manhattan Beach in September 2017 and serves as the part-time Emergency Services Coordinator (ESC). Claudio Taniguchi has more than 12 years of experience in emergency preparedness and has worked on various Emergency Operation plans and Hazard Mitigation plans for the Cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, and Inglewood. Claudio graduated with a Master’s of Science degree from California State Fullerton in 2002 and has a certification as a crisis communications specialist and emergency management specialist. He also graduated from the FEMA National Emergency Management Institute Academy in September 2016.
Prior to the arrival of the City’s ESC, full-time employees had completed 530 training courses in emergency preparedness between the years 1991 and 2016. Since the arrival of our ESC in 2017, City employees have completed an additional 550 training courses in baseline principles of emergency preparedness. In the past two years the ESC has managed to double the level of training from 530 to a total of 1080 completed courses in emergency preparedness.
The City of Manhattan Beach has approximately 278 filled full time positions. In addition, staff varies and can peak at over 530 part time and full time employees depending on the season and time of year. Despite these challenges, our ESC has ensured that the majority of employees, and almost all full-time employees, receive and obtain training certification for all baseline courses in emergency preparedness. The ESC is dedicated to ensure all employees, including all part-time, seasonal, executive staff, and elected officials, receive adequate training in emergency preparedness.
Current Status and Capabilities of the Emergency Operations Center
The capability of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been tested and exercised many times since its construction in July 2006. As new technology is introduced that facilitates intelligence gathering and information sharing, the EOC is updated accordingly.
The ESC has assembled an Emergency Preparedness Committee that meets monthly to discuss issues and strategies that enhance emergency preparedness goals. As a result, the organization and layout of the EOC has been updated to ensure effective and efficient communication and coordination when the EOC is activated.
In light of recent large earthquakes, the ESC, Emergency Services Battalion Chief, and the Fire Chief, are working in concert to plan trainings for all staff in anticipation of two EOC stand-ups during the course of the year; one will be planned and the other unannounced. These exercises will simulate scenarios that replicate past and real life disasters.
History and involvement with the DMAC
The Disaster Management Area Coordinator (DMAC) is unique to the State of California. Jeff Robinson is one of eight DMAC’s in the region and oversees all activities in Area G. Area G consists of fourteen cities that has a population of approximately 514,000 people and spans approximately sixty-seven square miles through the South Bay.
This position is responsible for performing administrative work for all Area G cities and partners as it pertains to disaster preparation, planning, response, and recovery that is in compliance with the Joint Powers Authority (JPA). The costs associated with funding the DMAC position are split between all fourteen cities, based on population.
The DMAC actively participates in instructing Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) courses in conjunction with our ESC. The DMAC also assists the City by planning, executing, and reviewing EOC position training, practice exercises, and radio communications. Mr. Robinson is the conduit for information from the state and County. He provides critical information and support for the City of Manhattan Beach as it relates to preparation before, during, and after a major event.
Community Emergency Response Team and Map Your Neighborhood, quick overview
In the past year, the Manhattan Beach Community Emergency Response Team (MBCERT) has participated in a number of major City functions, some of these include the Hometown Fair, Manhattan Beach Open, Grand Prix, and the Pumpkin Race. MBCERT continuously holds education seminars for training in first aid, automated external defibrillator operations, what to do until the ambulance arrives, and sidewalk CPR.
In the past year MBCERT has assisted with 14 car seat installations, approximately 30% of all car seat installations completed last fiscal year by the Fire Department. This ensures parents receive proper education on child safety and that the seats are properly installed in order to enhance survival probability after a vehicle accident. In January, CERT hosted its first active shooter presentation and had a total of 12 parents participate in the event. In total, MBCERT reached out to more than 900 people this past year to educate and teach first responder and emergency preparedness skills. MBCERT hosts two classes each year, one in March and one in November. Last year there were 17 graduates in each class to boost current MBCERT membership to more than 600 people within our City.
Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) is another program that has been executed with great success. MYN is a community based program that allows neighbors to engage in serious conversations on what to do and how to respond in case of a natural or manmade disaster prior to first responder arrival. This community based group meets with local neighbors to teach basic principles on what to do during and after an emergency, in addition, they map out the neighborhood to identify meeting points and potential hazards that need to be mitigated after an emergency or major event.
Status - Emergency Operations Plan, Local Hazards Mitigation Plan, Evacuation and Notification Protocol Plan, Continuity of Operations Plan, Medical Point of Dispensing Plan.
In 2017, the City Council approved the Emergency Operations Plan, which is valid until 2022.The Local Hazards Mitigation Plan was recently adopted (2018) and is valid until 2022. An evacuation and notification protocol map is currently under discussion with our neighboring Cities that share the coastline. A key component to this plan is to make sure it addresses all special needs for those who are visually and hearing impaired.
The City is currently in need of a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). The COOP is a federal initiative that encourages agencies to address and plan how critical operations will continue under a broad range of circumstances. COOP is vital for recovery and survival in and after emergency situations. A COOP plan addresses emergencies from an all-hazards approach and establishes policy and guidance, ensuring that critical functions continue and that personnel and resources are relocated to an alternate facility in case of emergencies. The Fire Department will develop and eventually adopt a COOP. At this stage the ESC has identified three potential consultants that can develop and help implement the COOP. Although funds are not currently allocated to this project, the ESC is searching for outside funding options and resources that can be used to implement the project before the end of calendar year 2020.
In case of a natural or manmade disaster, the City is required to have a medical prescription and distribution plan. This plan is known as Medical Point of Dispensing (MPOD) and is formulated in conjunction with the County. At this time the ESC is working on an MOU with LA County Public Health to ensure consistency amongst all Area G partners. MPOD designates locations within the community where state and local agencies dispense and administer medical countermeasures (MCM) to the public. MCMs such as vaccines, antiviral drugs, antibiotics, antitoxins, and chemical antidotes are used to effectively prevent, mitigate, or treat adverse health effects of an intentional, accidental, or naturally occurring public health emergency. Once the MOU is complete it will need to be approved by City Council. We anticipate this will happen sometime before 3rd quarter of Fiscal Year 2020. After the MOU is adopted by City Council a practice exercise with L. A. County Public Health Department will be scheduled.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Our ESC and our Fire Department continue to work closely with the community through programs like MBCERTA and MYN. The ESC will continue to engage and educate staff and the community through social media and other community events such as the town hall meeting held last year with Dr. Lucy Jones. The Manhattan Beach Fire Department is actively engaged in promoting educational material and distributing it through public service announcements and an array of social media outlets such as the City website announcements, Facebook, and Instagram. Outreach efforts and education provided through MBCERTA further enhances our community resilience and ability to recover after a manmade or natural disaster and it is our goal to continue supporting and assisting with this effort.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. PowerPoint Presentation