DRAFT – June 25, 2003
ANNEX 1
EXAMPLE OF NIMS OPERATIONS: FLORIDA HURRICANE SCENARIO
Using the following scenario as an example, this Annex portrays how NIMS is utilized to ensure that the various components of the preparedness and response communities work together through the domains of incident response, from awareness and preparedness to response and recovery, to mitigate the effects of the incident.
Florida Hurricane Scenario
The National Hurricane Center is forecasting a very active hurricane season, with the potential for a significantly above normal number of hurricanes to develop. A few months following the hurricane prediction, the hurricane forecast center issues a warning that a rapidly developing storm could directly impact the East Coast. The storm has the indications that it could strengthen to a Category 5 hurricane.
Within days of the initial spawning of the hurricane, a slow-moving category 5 hurricane churns ashore with the eye passing close to a large southern city. The forecast calls for a turn to the northeast where it could regain strength over open water again and make a second landfall further north.
The hurricane spawns heavy winds and rains, causing widespread wind and surge damage and flooding. Tens of thousands are forced to evacuate their homes, with damages to property and infrastructure forcing a delay in their return. Looting is reported to have occurred along empty coastal areas evacuated but not as affected by the storm. Flooding closes down several key highways and access to and from the damage area is problematic.
An important component in the awareness domain is maintaining a situationally updated Common Operating Picture (COP). For example, while an important piece of the COP is knowing that the seasonal hurricane forecast predicts an increased likelihood of storms, the COP becomes much more useful from an awareness standpoint when combined with the knowledge that the transient populations in specific venues will, during specific time frames during the hurricane season, increase due to sporting events, celebrations, or other attractions. The increase in transient population could seriously impact evacuation and sheltering decisions and capabilities. The organizations responsible for identifying these essential elements of information that contribute to an informed COP are part of the Preparedness and Prevention Councils (PPCs) as subgroups, providing information that will better prepare the population in general, and the response community specifically, for weather-related incidents. The initial forecast, coupled with venue-specific information, would trigger other groups within the PPCs to ensure their planning was sufficient for this increased threat. In one example, the PPC subgroups responsible for developing sheltering plans would coordinate with evacuation planners to outline non-standard strategies for dealing with a scenario in which sheltering requirements were expected to far outstrip accommodations. In another example, the Multi-Agency Coordination System (MACS), developed and maintained within the PPCs, would be reviewed to ensure its readiness to quickly access needed resources.
This preparedness and planning would occur at all levels, but at the regional, state and local levels of those areas traditionally impacted by severe hurricanes, there would be significant discussions around preparedness and readiness. The PPCs are the structure around which those preparedness groups form.
As the threat of an imminent incident gets closer, the local, state, and regional EOCs rapidly gear up to prepare for (e.g., pre-evacuate special needs populations, direct citizens to begin boarding up windows, etc.) and respond to incidents that the hurricane might spawn. The planning and preparedness actions that have occurred in the PPC prior to an incident transition into the execution of response plans within the EOCs. Within 12 hours of landfall, a large fire starts in a warehouse district along the intercoastal waterway (close to the ocean). The fire department responds establishing a Unified Command when several engine companies are required to fight the fire. The Unified Command works with their departmental EOC who coordinates with the activated local EOC also undergoing hurricane preparations. The local EOC coordinates with the State and regional EOCs to ensure the correct info is passed regarding the extent of the fires. Evacuations are ordered in anticipation of the hurricane, but some of the resources normally used to facilitate the evacuation are tied up in the fighting of the warehouse fire.
The oncoming hurricane requires tremendous inter-state cooperation as large areas are ordered to be evacuated. The evacuations are problematic as they tie up major routes and coordination with police, fire and EMS units become strained. The ongoing fire has pulled significant police and fire resources away from the evacuation priority, requiring the LEOC to look to other inland jurisdictions for support. The local EOC begins coordination of resources and establishing public information announcements to ensure the public understands the gravity of the situation.
As the hurricane gets closer, and forecasts are more positive of its intensity and land fall within 30 miles of the city, the LEOC recognizes that indigenous and interjurisdictional mutual aid resources and capabilities will be overwhelmed by the threatened level of potential damage, and requests assistance from the state in evacuation and pre-staging response equipment in anticipation of the hurricane’s effects.
A category 5 hurricane affecting potentially several large metropolitan areas would require activation of, at a minimum, state EOCs of the affected areas, as well drive increased staffing at Regional and National EOCs to support State and local planning and preparedness. The local EOCs would work closely with the State EOCs to coordinate resources. The Regional EOC would be reviewing the situation to ensure proper federal assistance was being offered and provided in a timely manner. The Multi-Agency Coordination Systems established by the PPCs would begin to be executed, with Multi-Agency Coordination Groups, prescribed for under the MACS concept, beginning to meet within their appropriate EOCs.
The fire at the local warehouse district continues to be fought but the winds, without the forecast rains to this point, have whipped the fire out of control and it has jumped across the Inter-Coastal Waterway to an adjacent warehouse complex. The IC has requested additional resources, and a separate IC has been set up to fight the second fire. An Area Command, run by the local fire department, is headed by the local Fire Chief, who is allocating now scarce firefighting resources. The LEOC is coordinating the evacuation, made more difficult by the shutdown of a bridge within the vicinity of the warehouse fire and by the shortage of public resources to run the evacuation. The LEOC requests assistance from the State EOC for National Guard assistance to facilitate the evacuation.
The hurricane landfall is imminent amidst the confusion of the ongoing warehouse fire. The fire chief makes the decision to abandon the fire in the interest of the safety of the firefighters, and orders the firefighters to move inland out of the danger of the predicted storm surge. Due to the rapid development of the storm, roads are still at a virtual standstill with thousands of evacuees headed inland.
As the slow-moving hurricane hits with 145 mph winds, the initial devastation is immense. The eye remains a half mile offshore as the storm parallels the coast. While the warehouse fire is doused by the ensuing heavy rains, the storm surge, winds and rain are combining to seriously impact the areas ability to respond effectively. The response community is essentially in a survival mode as winds continue to batter the area.
The forecast is for the storm to move further offshore, regain strength, and hit further north with the same relative intensity. The storm has rapidly taken on the gravity of a national incident as the damage is widespread and the storm has only begun to makes its ultimate affects known.
All affected state EOCs would be coordinating with regional EOCs and the Interagency Emergency Coordination Centers set up in each potential major disaster area to work with local response organizations. The PFOR at the regional level is closely coordinating with each of the local federal incident manager officials (FIMOs) to coordinate resources. The immediate need for National Guard resources is apparent at several locations, and requests are working through several state governor offices, through the State EOCs to deploy those assets.
Reports begin to come in regarding looting in some counties that were evacuated but slightly further south, out of the main fury of the storm. National Guard assets have been requested to patrol those areas that have been evacuated, but the requirement is outstripping available State Guard assets.
ANNEX 1
3
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