An EOC Case Study
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EOC Case Study
Chris A. Soliz
Columbia Southern University
EOC CASE STUDY
BLACK FOREST FIRE, JUNE 2013
Good Morning:
Thank you for coming...
We, as emergency managers, understand the necessity of continual improvement. Today we will engage in a discussion to
Purpose:
- Analyze EOC operations at County level
- Continual improvement through after action review
Thank you for coming...
We, as emergency managers, understand the necessity of continual improvement. Today we will engage in a discussion to
Purpose:
- Analyze EOC operations at County level
- Continual improvement through after action review
Photo by County of Dare
METHOD
- After Action Reviews
- Deputy Chief Interview
- Industry Comparison
This particular incident has a very interesting dynamic surrounding the investigation of the Sheriff's management of firefighting operations, which might influence our discussion, but should not dominate.
We will use the AARs published by the Sheriff's Office, and the Public Services Dept.
Context will be added through my interview with the current Deputy Chief of El Paso County OEM - Lonnie Inzer.
Industry comparison will be used to understand a potential future for addressing Stress Management in the community.
We will use the AARs published by the Sheriff's Office, and the Public Services Dept.
Context will be added through my interview with the current Deputy Chief of El Paso County OEM - Lonnie Inzer.
Industry comparison will be used to understand a potential future for addressing Stress Management in the community.
Photo by Visentico / Sento
INCIDENT SUMMARY
- El Paso County, Colorado
- Incident Management by Sheriff's Wildfire Division (Type III Incident within 24 hrs.)
- 14,000 Acres Burned (WUI)
- DACs included 50+ Agencies
- 2 Deaths / 41,000 Evacuees
This is a snapshot of the incident...
- Consider the logistical challenges your EOC would face.
- Consider the rapid battle rhythm you'd need to keep up with changing conditions.
Now let's watch a new report. I'd like you to pick out a couple of things from the report that add additional layers of complexity to the EOC's function of coordinating resources.
Link to Video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9o4NJkkrYmk
- Consider the logistical challenges your EOC would face.
- Consider the rapid battle rhythm you'd need to keep up with changing conditions.
Now let's watch a new report. I'd like you to pick out a couple of things from the report that add additional layers of complexity to the EOC's function of coordinating resources.
Link to Video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9o4NJkkrYmk
POLITICAL BACKGROUND
- Delegation of Authority for Emergency Management
- Colorado Sunshine Law restricted County Commissioners' abilities
Lonnie Inzer describes the previous County organization:
- Statutory responsibility for EM lies with the County, not the Sheriff.
- Delegation had given Sheriff the responsibility,
Sunshine Law:
- Prohibited more than 2 County Commissioners, at a time, from meeting without public notification at least 48 hours in advance.
- Statutory responsibility for EM lies with the County, not the Sheriff.
- Delegation had given Sheriff the responsibility,
Sunshine Law:
- Prohibited more than 2 County Commissioners, at a time, from meeting without public notification at least 48 hours in advance.
Photo by ЕленАндреа
RESULT
- Cumbersome Logistics Coord.
- Difficult Policy Process
- Unrealistic Expectations Realized
- EOC Situational Awareness Suffered
Logistics & Policy:
Communications b/t commissioners was difficult
- slowed policy decisions
Organizational Culture:
- top-down environment, which logically comes created a top-down environment from a law enforcement culture
Situational Awareness:
- No ESF 4, training was inadequate
"Having the EOC ESF 4 (Fire) position staffed would have probably helped (El Paso County Sheriff, 2014, p. 87)"
Too much for one agency:
"Surge requirements placed a strain on existing County Staff and created a backlog of services that was not cleared, in some cases, until six months after the fire (Colorado – Black Forest Wildfire, 2013, p. 52).”
Communications b/t commissioners was difficult
- slowed policy decisions
Organizational Culture:
- top-down environment, which logically comes created a top-down environment from a law enforcement culture
Situational Awareness:
- No ESF 4, training was inadequate
"Having the EOC ESF 4 (Fire) position staffed would have probably helped (El Paso County Sheriff, 2014, p. 87)"
Too much for one agency:
"Surge requirements placed a strain on existing County Staff and created a backlog of services that was not cleared, in some cases, until six months after the fire (Colorado – Black Forest Wildfire, 2013, p. 52).”
Photo by European Southern Observatory
PUBLIC INFORMATION
- Multitudes of Stakeholders
- JIC Location
- No IMT General Staff Position
Stakeholders:
- Consider the progression to a Type 3 incident within 24 hours, then the transition to a Type 1 incident.
- Stakeholders included local, county, state, fed
- But within each of these are other agencies that want/need messaging (utilities, public health, shelters, city/county officials, politicians, etc.)
JIC Location
- According to the Sheriff AAR, improvements were made from the Waldo Canyon Fire (previous year)
- Location / equipment was improved with a dedicated work space
- Distance to the ICP was an issue
General Staff representation:
- Ref. (El Paso County Sheriff, 2014, p. 93)
- PIO not present at all press conferences
- Consider the progression to a Type 3 incident within 24 hours, then the transition to a Type 1 incident.
- Stakeholders included local, county, state, fed
- But within each of these are other agencies that want/need messaging (utilities, public health, shelters, city/county officials, politicians, etc.)
JIC Location
- According to the Sheriff AAR, improvements were made from the Waldo Canyon Fire (previous year)
- Location / equipment was improved with a dedicated work space
- Distance to the ICP was an issue
General Staff representation:
- Ref. (El Paso County Sheriff, 2014, p. 93)
- PIO not present at all press conferences
Photo by Thomas Hawk
RESULTS
- Messaging > Monitoring
- No PIO assigned to IMT (missed press conferences)
Isolation from ICP, numbers of stakeholders:
- created tendency to focus on messaging over monitoring
"The monitoring of media outlets and social media helps PIO’s address potential inaccuracies or other issues which (El Paso County Sheriff, 2014, p. 93)."
PIO Assignment to Command Staff:
"Review/develop SOPs to ensure a PIO is assigned to the Command Staff early and throughout the incident (El Paso County Sheriff, 2014, p. 93)."
- created tendency to focus on messaging over monitoring
"The monitoring of media outlets and social media helps PIO’s address potential inaccuracies or other issues which (El Paso County Sheriff, 2014, p. 93)."
PIO Assignment to Command Staff:
"Review/develop SOPs to ensure a PIO is assigned to the Command Staff early and throughout the incident (El Paso County Sheriff, 2014, p. 93)."
Photo by European Southern Observatory
“Federal officials
lauded JIC operations, commending it to North Carolina emergency management officials who
came to Colorado to observe its operations (Colorado – Black Forest Wildfire, 2013, p. 34).”
Despite all the difficulties, the JIC and PIOs performed admirably!
There are always lessons to be learned, that's why we're here, but it is important to learn from things that went well also.
- Use of social media was successfully coordinated (A strength in each AAR)
- Messaging effectively reached evacuees
There are always lessons to be learned, that's why we're here, but it is important to learn from things that went well also.
- Use of social media was successfully coordinated (A strength in each AAR)
- Messaging effectively reached evacuees
Photo by m01229
STRESS MANAGEMENT
- 41,000 Evacuees, 900 Firefighters
- DACs at ICP & Community
- AspenPointe Mental Health
Stress Management is steadily gaining the priority and standing in emergency response activities.
In this instance, rapid establishment (within 24 hours) of Disaster Assistance Centers provided key services for anyone feeling the effects of this stressful event.
- In addition to the displaced, many responders involved with initial attack had concern for the community.
- Some of these even had houses within the fire areas.
El Paso County Human Services Department should be credited for its infrastructure.
- demonstrated significant capability
In this instance, rapid establishment (within 24 hours) of Disaster Assistance Centers provided key services for anyone feeling the effects of this stressful event.
- In addition to the displaced, many responders involved with initial attack had concern for the community.
- Some of these even had houses within the fire areas.
El Paso County Human Services Department should be credited for its infrastructure.
- demonstrated significant capability
Photo by Marion Doss
RESULTS
- 2,000 hours to 1,654 patients
- Supported 50+ Agencies
- Stood Up Throughout Recovery Phase
Not only were services almost immediately available, but the DACs remained active throughout the Recovery Phase.
- central locations for evacuees to apply for federal assistance, obtain insurance services, sit with mental health professionals.
This is the type of response and caring approach that builds Resilient communities.
- a direct correlation to this citizen confidence and mental health issues exists.
- Speaking specifically of PTSD, "This risk decreases sharply to 0.05 if he or she resides in a community with a higher level of community-level collective efficacy (score = 40), which is a 69% reduction (Ursano, 2014, p. 5)."
- central locations for evacuees to apply for federal assistance, obtain insurance services, sit with mental health professionals.
This is the type of response and caring approach that builds Resilient communities.
- a direct correlation to this citizen confidence and mental health issues exists.
- Speaking specifically of PTSD, "This risk decreases sharply to 0.05 if he or she resides in a community with a higher level of community-level collective efficacy (score = 40), which is a 69% reduction (Ursano, 2014, p. 5)."
Photo by European Southern Observatory
AFTER - ACTIONS
- Delegation of Authority Rescinded
- OEM Reorganization
- "Whole Community Approach"
Collaborative environment exists now more than it did in the past.
Lonnie Inzer describes, "the challenges are only positive; logistics management is streamlined (personal communication, December 1, 2016).”
Talking about the Whole Community Approach, he commented that the overall support in the new emergency operations plan is significantly increased.
- Agencies and organizations contributing to incident annexes or ESF descriptions had the ability to write realistic / accurate plans.
** This approach also build Community Resiliency
- confidence that the County is considerate of stakeholders desires / needs.
Lonnie Inzer describes, "the challenges are only positive; logistics management is streamlined (personal communication, December 1, 2016).”
Talking about the Whole Community Approach, he commented that the overall support in the new emergency operations plan is significantly increased.
- Agencies and organizations contributing to incident annexes or ESF descriptions had the ability to write realistic / accurate plans.
** This approach also build Community Resiliency
- confidence that the County is considerate of stakeholders desires / needs.
Photo by Pickersgill Reef
BUILD ON SUCCESSES
- Collaborative PIO Community
- Stress Management Platform
PIO Community
- continues to collaborate
- cooperate on daily basis during Type 5 and 4 responses (structure fires, police events, weather events, etc.)
- On the EOC side, work continues to address specific IT recommendations (equipment, facilities)
Stress Management
- County has been supportive of sustaining the capabilities exhibited during Black Forest.
- Continue to partner with AspenPointe for deploying mental health teams to significant events when requested.
- Surrounding counties have also requested this service from the non-profit
- continues to collaborate
- cooperate on daily basis during Type 5 and 4 responses (structure fires, police events, weather events, etc.)
- On the EOC side, work continues to address specific IT recommendations (equipment, facilities)
Stress Management
- County has been supportive of sustaining the capabilities exhibited during Black Forest.
- Continue to partner with AspenPointe for deploying mental health teams to significant events when requested.
- Surrounding counties have also requested this service from the non-profit
Photo by ccPixs.com
SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION
Photo by Andrew Pescod
REPLICATE AZ PROGRAM
- Critical Response Program
- Phoenix & Glendale
- ESF 8 in the Field
- Results in Community Resilience
- Results in Established Framework for Larger Scale
El Paso County seems to be in an ideal position to enhance the current Stress Management system.
- Though it is successful, continual improvement is valuable - and again, why we are here hopefully....
This is a program born from the CISM model and was located within fire stations as an immediate resource for firefighters.
- Retired Fire Chief Alan Brunacini is known for pioneering the concept of customer service in the fire & emergency services.
- He connected every day stress from FD calls for service with the need for rapid stress management.
- Critical Response Teams now work from fire stations and are dispatched automatically to certain types of calls (cardiac, domestic violence, structure fire, deaths)
- Provide public services connections and mental health
Community Resiliency:
This program would add significant confidence in the County's capability.
- Though it is successful, continual improvement is valuable - and again, why we are here hopefully....
This is a program born from the CISM model and was located within fire stations as an immediate resource for firefighters.
- Retired Fire Chief Alan Brunacini is known for pioneering the concept of customer service in the fire & emergency services.
- He connected every day stress from FD calls for service with the need for rapid stress management.
- Critical Response Teams now work from fire stations and are dispatched automatically to certain types of calls (cardiac, domestic violence, structure fire, deaths)
- Provide public services connections and mental health
Community Resiliency:
This program would add significant confidence in the County's capability.
Photo by GTA Emergency_Photography
CONCLUSION
Photo by aresauburn™
CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT
- Despite political / legal challenges, County has made positive improvements.
- Whole Community will benefit future response coordination needs.
1. Too much expected of one agency to manage
- Sheriff's Office is better suited to incident response
- They now have Law Enforcement, Wildfire, Search & Rescue, and Incident Management.
- County now has Emergency Management, HazMat, and Public Works
2. Whole Community Approach encourages functional / collaborative relationships. Although solutions were made/found during Black Forest, the Plans now codify validated processes.
3. By retaining EM, the County Commissioners have sent a message taking responsibility/accountability for future response needs.
- This re-org is in line with national industry trends
- Sallie Clark, previous President of National Association of Counties has led the effort to retain EM
- Sheriff's Office is better suited to incident response
- They now have Law Enforcement, Wildfire, Search & Rescue, and Incident Management.
- County now has Emergency Management, HazMat, and Public Works
2. Whole Community Approach encourages functional / collaborative relationships. Although solutions were made/found during Black Forest, the Plans now codify validated processes.
3. By retaining EM, the County Commissioners have sent a message taking responsibility/accountability for future response needs.
- This re-org is in line with national industry trends
- Sallie Clark, previous President of National Association of Counties has led the effort to retain EM
Photo by John Jack Rice
