ANNEX J

EVACUATION

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PURPOSE

The purpose of this annex is to establish an organization and procedures for evacuation operations in Saline County. This function must be applicable to small localized situations as well as for a full-scale county-wide movement should the need arise.

SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS

Situation

•          Saline County is subject to several hazards that could threaten the lives and property of its citizens and require evacuation operations. Natural and man-made hazards include flooding, dam failure, and hazardous materials incidents.

•          Saline County has a good transportation network that will facilitate any evacuation of the general population (see Appendix 4 to this Annex).

•          There are several special facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, etc. that will require special consideration in this annex.

Assumptions

•          In almost every emergency situation requiring evacuation, a number of people will evacuate on their own volition.

•          It can be anticipated that the majority of persons will receive and follow the evacuation instructions. However, a certain portion of the population (1) will not get the information, (2) will not understand it, or (3) purposely not follow directions.

•          In all cases, an adequate number of county and/or city emergency personnel will be available to accomplish the tasks necessary to complete the evacuation.

•          Panic by evacuees will not be a problem as long as adequate information is furnished by the government.

•          Evacuation will be primarily by family groups using privately owned vehicles with transportation being provided for those persons without automobiles.

•          Looting of evacuated areas is possible, but will be contained by the County Sheriff and municipal police departments.

•          Assistance in planning for and in conducting actual evacuations will be provided by higher levels of government.

•          Evacuations within the municipalities will be the responsibility of the affected municipality. Saline County will provide assistance upon request.

CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

General

•          The ultimate responsibility for ordering an evacuation rests with local government; hence, it should only be implemented by the chief elected official or a designated successor.

•          During any evacuation, close coordination will be required with the following functions:

•          The duration of the evacuation will be determined by the chief elected officials present based on technical information furnished by federal, state and local agencies.

•          Certain day-to-day governmental activities will be curtailed during evacuations. The degree to which this is necessary will, of course, depend upon the amount of local resources that are committed.

•          Transportation will be provided for patients/ residents of various institutions requiring special care or attention (i.e., hospitals, nursing homes, schools, jails, etc.). Appendix 2 to this annex lists these facilities.

•          During the evacuation, staging areas and pickup points will be identified to provide transportation for those people without private automobiles or other means. (See Appendix 3 to this Annex.)

Tasks to be accomplished by Operating Time Frame

Mitigation

•          Identify the known risk areas to be evacuated and the rationale for their evacuation (see Appendices to this Annex).

•          Identify population groups or facilities requiring special assistance in an evacuation and the methods to evacuate them (such as hospitals, nursing homes, senior citizens, persons who are visually or mobility impaired or medically dependent, etc.).

•          Identify and make agreements with private organizations that can facilitate evacuations (i.e., service stations, garages, fuel distributors, bus companies, etc.). This should be done in conjunction with the head of the Resource and Supply section (Annex G).

•          Coordinate with the PIO to develop public information packets to detail evacuation routes, what evacuees should take with them, where they should go, etc. (See Annex C.)

•          Develop contingency plans that provide for potential impediments to evacuation (physical barrier, time, lack of transportation resources, etc.).

•          Develop plans to deal with vehicles with mechanical problems.

•          Coordinate all evacuation plans with the State Emergency Management Agency.

Preparedness

•          Analyze all developing emergencies for potential evacuation situations to include number of evacuees.

•          Alert reception and care of possible evacuation and obtain location of available reception centers.

•          Identify necessary evacuation routes and check the status and condition of each one (coordinate with Law Enforcement).

•          If appropriate, contact road service groups (wreckers, service stations, etc.)

•          Locate transportation for all persons in threatened area.

•          Through the Direction and Control section, alert all other emergency sections that an evacuation may be required.

•          Check with law enforcement to provide for vehicle security and parking in the reception area.

•          Inform the public of the potential evacuation to include the nature of the problem, the movement route to use, and the reception area to go to.

•          If necessary, make plans to evacuate government and critical workers.

Response

•          Order evacuation when necessary.

•          Notify all appropriate agencies to include state and federal.

•          Monitor the following actions to insure the evacuation functions smoothly:

•          Broadcast public information continuously during the evacuation to minimize confusion.

•          Coordinate with and furnish information on the situation to the other emergency services.

•          Assist in the transfer of necessary supplies and personnel to reception areas, especially if these areas are outside the affected jurisdiction.

•          As the evacuation winds down, begin planning for the return.

•          Designate rest areas along movement routes where evacuees can obtain fuel, water, medical aid, vehicle maintenance, information, and comfort facilities. (This would apply to evacuations that require a long distance of travel away from the affected area.)

•          Provide for transportation for essential workers who might have to work in or near the hazardous areas.

•          Make provisions for the evacuation of handicapped, elderly, and institutionalized persons.

•          Establish traffic control points for traffic flow purposes.

Recovery

•          Initiate return when conditions will allow this to be done safely. This will include advising evacuees on what to do to re-enter the evacuated area (i.e., what return routes to use, instructing public to boil water, procedures for turning on gas, etc.).

•          Monitor all return activities until the return is completed.

•          Prepare and present after-action reports to governing authorities.

ORGANIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Organization

The organizational chart for the evacuation function is shown in Appendix 1 to this Annex.

Assignment of Responsibilities

•          In most cases, all major decisions pertaining to evacuation will be made by the Direction and Control section. It is the chief elected official who is responsible for ordering an evacuation the Presiding Commissioner of Saline County and the Mayor of a municipality.

•          Coordination and control of evacuation operations in Saline County will be the responsibility of the County Sheriff. Each municipality will control evacuation operations in their jurisdiction through their Police Chief. The Sheriff and municipal Police Chiefs will advise their chief elected official on all evacuation activities.

•          Traffic control and site security will be the responsibility of the Law Enforcement section (Annex E). The Sheriff will control these activities in the county while the Police Chiefs will do the same in the municipalities. The Saline County Sheriff and the Marshall Police Chief will also be responsible for the relocation of prisoners from their jurisdiction's jail to a nearby jail facility, if necessary.

•          In some instances, when time is of the utmost importance, the chief law enforcement or fire official at the scene can initiate an evacuation. (An example here is a hazardous materials incident.)

•          Coordination of all public transportation resources for use in an evacuation will be the responsibility of the Resource and Supply Coordinator (see Annex G).

•          The dissemination of information and instructions to inform and motivate residents to comply with evacuation plans will be the responsibility of the Emergency Public Information section (Annex C).

•          Other sections will provide support as necessary to meet the needs of the emergency.

DIRECTION AND CONTROL

•          All evacuation operations will be coordinated through the EOC of the affected jurisdiction(s), which will serve as the source of all Direction and Control.

•          Should the order come to evacuate the entire county, operations will be controlled from a nearby safe location.

CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT

•          The line of succession for the Saline County Evacuation Coordinator will be from the Saline County Sheriff to the Chief Deputy. The line of succession for each municipality will be through the Police Chief according to departmental SOG.

•          Lines of succession for the agencies supporting evacuation operations will be according to the standard operating procedures established by each.

•          If populations are evacuated to a neighboring jurisdiction, a local official from the evacuated area will be designated as liaison between the hazard and reception area. The evacuees will be subject to the laws of the reception area for the duration of their stay.

•          Preservation of records will be a major priority during a large evacuation. Resources will be allocated to move vital government records as necessary.

ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS

•          Each jurisdiction is responsible for the procurement of its own essential supplies needed for evacuation operations, through normal procurement channels.

•          Requisition of privately owned property will be in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44, RSMo.

•          All county-owned and/or city-owned transportation will be utilized to evacuate people and relocate essential resources to the reception area. Formal arrangements for outside resources should be made. Transportation resources available for evacuation include:

PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE

A review and update of this annex will be completed annually by the Saline County Evacuation Coordinator in cooperation with the Saline County Emergency Management Coordinator.

APPENDICES

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