FY 2012 Annual Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Multiagency coordination during EOC activation for Hurricane Sandy monitoring, response, and recovery in August
“THE DEDICATED STAFF FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
THE
OFFICE
HAVE
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE.......................................... 3 ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT...................................... 4 PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS BRANCH ................ 5 OPERATIONS ....................................................... 6 PUBLIC AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS ..................... 8 PROGRAMS & ADMINISTRATION BRANCH.............. 10 UASI GRANT PROGRAM..................................... 11 UASI INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEES .................. 13 REGIONAL CATASTROPHIC PREPAREDNESS GRANT PROGRAM ............................................. 18 PORT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM ...................... 19 ADDITIONAL GRANT PROGRAMS .......................... 21 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION ............................... 22 UPCOMING YEAR .............................................. 23
OF
BEEN
INSTRUMENTAL IN COORDINATING LARGE-SCALE RESPONSE TO MAJOR INCIDENTS AND PLANNED EVENTS WITHIN THE
CITY.” THOMAS MENINO MAYOR OF BOSTON
OEM Director Fielding and Metro Boston Homeland Security Region leaders discuss Urban Shield with the press in November.
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DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
I
t is with great pleasure that I present the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) 2012 Annual Report.
This past year brought new challenges and exciting accomplishments for OEM as we coordinated incident response operations for the City of Boston and initiated multiple projects to bridge capability gaps for the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region. I am proud to announce the City of Boston’s Emergency Management Program is now nationally accredited, receiving this prestigious designation from the Emergency Management Accreditation Program on the first attempt in October 2012. The City of Boston is one of four cities to earn accreditation through this program.
OEM Director Rene Fielding discusses the important of Urban Shield Boston training for the media.
While Boston was spared direct impact from Super Storm Sandy, the weather activity throughout this year has served to emphasize Boston’s susceptibility to climate change and the need for constant preparedness. OEM has made considerable strides towards improving information sharing, providing situational awareness and maintaining a common operating picture with both public and private sector partners. This reflects the collective approach regarding incident response and recovery which remains the City’s philosophy in emergency management. We in OEM continue to refine a multi-faceted program of equipping, training, and exercising our first response community. This effort, coupled with our newly updated, all hazards-based set of contingency plans, ensures that the City is well postured to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
OEM Director Rene Fielding and Andrea Burns prepare the OEM table during National Night Out in August.
This report highlights many of our accomplishments in 2012 and provides a more comprehensive view of what OEM provides the City of Boston. Our continued commitment to the safety and security of the residents of Boston provides a solid foundation for continued success in 2013 and beyond.
Rene Fielding, Director City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management
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ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
Staff of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management celebrate a successful ending to the year.
T
he Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is responsible for coordinating the City of Boston's emergency management program and the homeland security program for the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region (MBHSR).
OEM Mission The Office of Emergency Management’s mission is to enhance Boston's capacity to protect against, prevent, prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from all emergencies, regardless of scope or scale.
The emergency management program is based on a citywide system that provides operational oversight and coordination of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery activities for all hazards that may impact the City of Boston.
OEM Vision The Office of Emergency Management’s vision is to be a national leader in emergency management activities and to possess the capability necessary to protect against, prevent, prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from all hazards and threats it faces to ensure a safe and secure City of Boston.
OEM manages the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which in the aftermath of a disaster serves as the primary multi-agency coordinating system and information clearing house. In this role the EOC provides information to City leadership to inform operational decisions and coordinate resource requests associated with those decisions. The US Department of Homeland Security designated the Boston as an Urban Area Security Initiative region. This The MBHSR includes the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere and Somerville, as well as the towns of Brookline and Winthrop. OEM is the lead coordinator for this regional partnership, and serves as the fiduciary agent supporting regional activities for prevention, preparedness, response and recovery to all hazards and threats, manmade or natural.
“IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE SANDY AND THE FIRST NOR’EASTER OF THE SEASON, WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE IMPORTANCE IN HAVING EMERGENCY PLANS IN PLACE TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.”
THOMAS MENINO MAYOR OF BOSTON
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PLANNING & PREPAREDNESS BRANCH The Planning and Preparedness Branch is responsible for developing all emergency management plans and protective measures as well as coordinating the training and exercise program. CITY OF BOSTON EMERGENCY PLANS UPDATE Recently, OEM executed an extensive overhaul of the City’s entire Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP). This endeavor began with a reassessment of the various threats which could affect Boston through a comprehensive review of the Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (HIRA). Using this revised document as a foundation all Boston emergency management plans were updated to reflect an all-hazards approach to response and recovery in the City. These plans include:
Emergency Operations Plan
15 Local Emergency Support Function Annexes
12 Hazard Annexes
10 Support Annexes
Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan
Continuity of Government (COG) Plan
Recovery Strategy
Boston Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan
This revised set of plans provide coordination measures for effective management of an incident through the prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery phases. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OUTREACH College and university populations comprise a significant planning consideration in emergency management operations in the greater Boston area. Over the last year, OEM has engaged the emergency managers of these institutions to establish a closer working relationship. This effort has included table-top exercises with the Colleges of the Fenway, meetings with the Boston Consortium for Higher Education, addition of colleges/ universities to the Alert Boston emergency notification system and integration of institutions into the annual regional first-responder exercise “Urban Shield Boston” (MIT and UMASS Boston).
SWAT officers board a boat at the University of Massachusetts Boston during Urban Shield Boston in November.
OEM has also assisted some colleges and universities with their plan development. As an example, OEM Emergency Planners reviewed the Fisher College Emergency Action Plan with respect to compliance with current Federal preparedness guidance
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OPERATIONS BRANCH
D
uring major emergencies or pre-planned city-wide events, OEM manages the EOC at 85 Bragdon Street. Representatives from the Mayor’s Office, Law Enforcement, Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Public Health and other agencies gather at this facility to share information and coordinate resources in support of response and recovery. OEM uses WebEOC, a web-based program, to manage resource tracking, situation analysis, documentation, communication, and dissemination of information within the EOC and with incident command throughout an event. In addition, OEM maintains ongoing situational awareness through daily monitoring of weather conditions and, as necessary, disseminating weather-related information to other city agencies. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS EOC Activations in 2012
April 16, 2012
June 21, 2012
Boston Marathon Heat Wave th
June 29 - July 5 , 2012
Boston Harborfest War of 1812 Bicentennial July 4th Celebration
July 3rd - 4th ,2012
Boston Pops July 4th Rehearsal at Fisher College
October 29 - 31, 2012
Hurricane Sandy
November 2 - 3, 2012
Urban Shield 2012
December 31, 2012
First Night
Logistics and Resource Coordination Logistics staff maintain visibility on commodities and equipment caches to be used in response to disasters within the City of Boston.
OEM and BCYF Staff prepare to deploy to New York City to assist with Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.
During the Back Bay Power Outage, logistics staff coordinated the acquisition and maintenance of 16 light towers used to illuminate major intersections throughout Downtown Boston as well placement of Virtual Message Boards to facilitate traffic flow. Shelter Operations In February, a structurally unsound building resulted in the
“WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN NEW evacuation of over forty people in Chinatown, which required YORK DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME. I’M SO PROUD OF opening an emergency shelter in the Josiah Quincy School. OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE WILLING TO PUT THEIR OWN Working with Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF), LIVES ON HOLD AND LEND THEIR EXPERTISE AND OEM ran a 120-hour shelter operation – the longest and largest SERVICES TO THOSE IN NEED.”
conducted in the City of Boston.
THOMAS MENINO Mutual Aid MAYOR OF BOSTON OEM and BCYF personnel deployed from November 3-17, 2012 to New York City to assist with Hurricane Sandy response operations. OEM and BCYF staff worked in the NYC Emergency Operations Center and the Logistical Support Center.
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OEM IN THE COMMUNTITY OUTREACH
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eadyBoston is Boston’s city-wide community readiness campaign designed to educate and empower residents about the hazards they may face and to how to prepare themselves. The ReadyBoston website provides key information about how to prepare for an emergency, to include how to make a family emergency plan, build a kit and get involved in the community. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) CERT is a critical component of the national Citizen Corps program, which aims to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared through education, training, and volunteer service. Boston CERT members are trained to assist victims and help their communities OEM and BCYF Staff along with CERT members finish a successful day of neighborhood cleaning during Boston Shines. recover in the aftermath of a disaster. In February, OEM leveraged the language skills of CERT members during a shelter operation in Chinatown. In April, CERT members and OEM staff participated in a community beautification initiative, Boston Shines, at the BCYF Vine Street Community Center in Roxbury. Community Events Throughout 2012, OEM provided thousands of residents with emergency preparedness information and supplies through outreach at National Night Out, National Preparedness Month community meetings, and neighborhood workshops. OEM staff used information from the ReadyBoston campaign to teach individual, family and pet preparedness to residents. In an effort to engage and educate children about emergency preparedness, OEM also created an activity book with our mascot, Ready Freddy, where children learn about small steps they can take to help their families prepare for emergencies. COMMUNICATIONS AlertBoston During an incident OEM provides emergency notifications to City residents through AlertBoston. This voluntary system allows registrants to receive emergency alerts, related to their specific neighborhood choices, via mobile and land phone, TTY, SMS and e-mail. Social Media With thousands of followers, registrants, and fans on various platforms, OEM is actively engaged with our audiences. By leveraging the tools they use, we are able to interact with our residents by posting real-time emergency and disaster updates, readiness information, as well as tips for everyday preparedness.
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PROGRAMS & ADMINISTRATION BRANCH
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he Programs and Administration Branch is responsible for all programmatic grant administration and financial management. Additionally, branch staff serve on various local, state and federal committees to facilitate sharing of common goals and objectives. GRANT FUNDING OEM acts at the fiduciary agent for homeland security grant funding awarded to the MBHSR. As the fiduciary, OEM managed millions of dollars in grant funding. In 2012, Boston was awarded funds from:
the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)
the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG)
The Emergency Operation Center Grant Program (EOC)
the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)
UASI, EMPG, EOC, and PSGP grant funding is provided to meet planning, organizational, equipment, training and exercise needs at the local levels to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from natural or man-made incidents.
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URBAN AREAS SECURITY INITIATIVE GRANT PROGRAM
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n 2003, the City of Boston was designated as an Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) site and in conjunction with eight surrounding jurisdictions – Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop – formed the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region (MBHSR). OEM coordinates and administers the UASI grant program on behalf of the MBHSR. UASI funding is provided through the Department of Homeland Security and serves to address the unique equipment, planning, exercise, training and operational needs of large urban areas, and to assist them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from threats or acts of terrorism, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) incidents. Having identified regional homeland security goals and objectives the MBHSR focuses on the following seven investment areas: Implement the National Incident Management System Strengthen Infrastructure Protection Strengthen Information Sharing and Collaboration Strengthen Interoperable Communications Capabilities Strengthen CBRNE Response and Decontamination Capabilities Strengthen Medical Surge and Mass Prophylaxis Capabilities Strengthen Planning and Community Preparedness Capabilities As of 2012, Boston is one of 31 urban areas with the UASI designation “highest threat” in the United States. Mission To build and sustain region-wide enhanced capabilities in order to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region from all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other manmade disasters. Vision Creating a region that is capable of minimizing all hazards and threats, and ensuring a safe and secure Metro Boston Homeland Security Region. Guiding Principles The guiding principles serve as a set of statements that describe how the MBHSR will function and will interact among its members:
Emphasis on Regional Collaboration
Balanced and Sustained Competency of Preparedness Capabilities
All-Hazards Based Preparedness
Best Practices Adoption and Contribution
Risk-Based Prioritization of Capabilities
Focus on Results
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UASI INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEES TRAINING
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s a part of the Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plan (MYTEP) OEM conducted multiple training sessions for the City of Boston and the MBHSR.
American Red Cross Shelter Operations Course: Class conducted for over 150 regional participants.
American Red Cross Shelter Manager Course: Two classes conducted for over 80 regional participants.
Emergency Operations Center Interface with the Incident Command System (G191): Class conducted in coordination with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) for 30 regional first responders.
Shelter Operations Training attendees listen to Robert Van Pelt , NYC OEM Director of Human Services, discuss WebEOC Training: Conducted for 50 regional personnel Hurricane Irene shelter operations. at the Boston EOC.
Integrated Bomb Squad and SWAT Tactical Training: In-class training and full scale exercise conducted at the old Boston Herald building for Boston and Cambridge Police Departments.
EXERCISES In addition to training, OEM hosted several large-scale exercises with local, regional, state and federal agencies. National Level Exercise (NLE) In May, OEM activated the EOC for participation in the National Level Exercise (NLE). NLE 2012 is part of a series of congressionally mandated preparedness exercises designed to educate and prepare participants for potential catastrophic events. The NLE 2012 process examined the nation’s ability to coordinate and implement prevention, preparedness, response and recovery plans and capabilities pertaining to a significant cyber event. Urban Shield Boston OEM runs Urban Shield Boston - the largest first-responder exercise conducted in New England and the cornerstone of the MBHSR training and exercise program. Urban Shield is a continuous 24-hour exercise, during which first responders are deployed to and rotated through various training scenarios. Urban Shield Boston was held in November, 2012 and involved over 1,800 emergency response personnel from over 50 local, state and federal agencies. The goal of Urban Shield is to test and evaluate specific public safety capabilities that have been developed, or enhanced, with the investment of funds received through the UASI grant program and supports regional investment goals. Urban Shield is part of a comprehensive training & exercise program designed to increase proficiency levels in identified target capabilities and enhance multiagency/multidisciplinary response to natural and man -made incidents. Tactical scenarios associated with the 2012 exercise included hostage rescue, maritime interdiction, radiological response and coordination of a mass casualty incident. Boston OEM | 2012 Annual Report | 10
UASI INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEES CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND KEY RESOURCES
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he goal of this investment is to strengthen the Region’s capacity to identify, protect and enhance response capabilities for its Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR). This investment has continually focused on the development and enhancement of the Critical Infrastructure Monitoring System (CIMS), target hardening at key sites throughout our region, and enhancing the capabilities of existing regional bomb squads to prevent, protect against, and respond to Improvised Explosive Device (IED) threats. PROJECT HIGHLIGHT Digital Sandbox The Region’s recent investment in Digital Sandbox, provided a software platform to analyze and catalog critical infrastructure. Upon completion of this project the MBHSR will have a comprehensive means of dynamically reassessing our risk to potential threats which will allow us to systemically buy the risk down with future grant investments.
INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING
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he Intelligence and Information Sharing investment continues to develop the resources of the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC). The BRIC has developed the infrastructure for intelligence sharing across the region. The investment also refines the management of the flow and timeliness of information and intelligence across multiple layers of public and private sector entities. Grant funding in this area has strengthened the capabilities of the BRIC to effectively gather data from a variety of resources; investigate, manage and synthesize collected data; analyze the results; and produce timely, relevant analytical products. The BRIC complies with all federal regulations that guide the operation of a fusion center. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and BPD Commissioner Edward Davis give the media a tour of the BRIC.
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UASI INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEES COMMUNICATIONS INTEROPERABILITY
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ommunications Interoperability is the ability of public safety officials to communicate across disciplines, jurisdictions, and levels of government. The focus on this investment area is to keep abreast of emerging technology to ensure seamless communications among various agencies on a daily basis or during the event of an emergency. PROJECT HIGHLIGHT Regional EMS Interoperability Initiative The Boston-area Ambulance Mutual Aid (BAMA) Radio Network was first conceived and engineered by Boston EMS as a means to directly communicate through radio frequencies to the various EMS providers in the Boston are to include private providers that have a primary and secondary EMS contract with any of the surrounding Boston communities. The current capabilities of the BAMA Radio Network include a primary Dispatch Channel that offers direct and efficient dispatch-to-dispatch communications among Boston EMS providers, a BAMA Operations channel that can be used for in-street portable coverage in the City of Boston, and two tactical EMS channels for regional incidents.
CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, NUCLEAR AND EXPLOSIVE (CBRNE)
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BRNE investments have been an integral part of meeting the goals of MBHSR preparedness strategy. This investment area has strengthened regional response capabilities to both accidental and intentional hazardous material based events. PROJECT HIGHLIGHT Biological Isolation Shelter Tents Two Biological Isolation Shelter Tents were purchased for regional deployment. These structures provide the MBHSR with inflatable, negative pressured shelters for field screening of biological sample(s). This new resource enhances biological detection and decontamination capabilities by supplying a multiagency incident with isolated facilities to identify infectious biological samples in a designated area.
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UASI INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEES MEDICAL SURGE AND MASS PROPHYLAXIS
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he Medical Surge and Mass Prophylaxis investment provides the necessary resources to ensure first responders safety and health. Additionally, the investment seeks to enhance the region’s capability to augment emergency triage and pre-hospital treatment. Recent funding has supported planning, training, exercise, and equipment procurements for Pandemic Flu, Mass Prophylaxis and Medical Surge possibilities. PROJECT HIGHLIGHT Community Health Center Data Surveillance Dashboard This project addressed the need for public health agencies to gather critical medical data from community health centers, in order to respond more effectively and efficiently to mitigate disease outbreaks. This targeted medical data will be accessed by Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), allowing the agency to work directly with community health centers. By having this data about the different ethnic populations represented throughout the MBHSR, outreach materials regarding public health concerns will now be available in targeted languages.
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS
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lanning and Community Preparedness is an investment that focuses on activities designed to enhance regional emergency planning and educate, engage and mobilize citizens and businesses in being proactive about emergency preparedness. Investment activities include the development of plans to support emergency evacuation, sheltering for individuals with access and functional needs as well as plans for sheltering pets. PROJECT HIGHLIGHT Regional Pet Sheltering Initiative The MBHSR procured two mobile pet shelter trailers. This equipment can be deployed throughout the Region to provide pet care capacity at our regional emergency shelters. The trailers provide a total sheltering capacity of 126 animals. The trailers are maintained by City of Boston Animal Control. Based upon lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina the MBHSR recognized the need to accommodate pets as well disaster victims at our emergency shelters.
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REGIONAL CATASTROPHIC PREPAREDNESS GRANT PROGRAM
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he Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) is a FEMA sponsored grant program to provide funding to ten sites nationwide to support planning for catastrophic events. The New England Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Initiative (NERCPI) encompasses the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the states of New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Regional catastrophic planning supports coordinated all-hazard planning, including the development of integrated planning communities, plans, protocols, and procedures to manage a catastrophic event. A catastrophic event is a natural or manmade incident that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage and disruption which severely affects population, infrastructure, environment, economy, and national morale. Our program creates coordinated response capability between our local and state agencies to address sustained impacts over a period of time when their own individual agency resources are taxed.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT Cyber Disruption Planning As reliance on cyber infrastructure increases in all aspects of society, cyber disruptions will evolve from mere inconveniences into major incidents with significant public safety ramifications. The NERCPI Cyber Disruption Planning Project created regional cyber disruption response capability by incorporating IT into emergency management and public safety operations. Specific project elements include:
The Cyber Disruption Response Annex outlines how states within the NERCPI (MA, NH, RI) will collaborate in preparation for, in response to, and in recovering from a catastrophic event.
The Jurisdiction Cyber Disruption Plan Template is used by each jurisdiction’s Cyber Disruption Team to advise an incident commander about restoring or maintaining critical infrastructure.
The Cyber Disruption Team Training Guide outlines suggested trainings for both IT and public safety or emergency management staff.
EOC Operations during the National Level Exercise, as cyber disruption exercise facilitated by FEMA, in June.
The Cyber Resiliency Plan outlines the regional process developed for cyber disruption capability and plans.
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ADDITIONAL GRANT PROGRAMS PORT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM
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he purpose of the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) is to support increased domain awareness as well as to enhance response and recovery operations from attacks involving improvised explosive devices and other nonconventional weapons.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT Diver Training In April members of the Boston and Everett Police dive teams participated in a seven day, 80-hour police dive training course, provided through Port Security Grant funding. This course, facilitated by the National Academy of Police Diving (NAPD), provided instruction in procedures to safely and efficiently conduct underwater search and recovery operations. Officers were tested in their ability to execute different search patterns, evaluate scenes, communicate using line signals and manage stress. In addition to acquiring stronger diving abilities, this course provided divers with an opportunity to test recently procured equipment. At the conclusion of this course, officers left with a greater aptitude to perform underwater operations safely and efficiently, which brings a valuable resource to each police department.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANT
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mergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) provides funding to states to assist state and local governments in preparing for all hazards, as authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. EMPG funding provides resources to state and local government emergency management agencies, for the sustainment and enhancement of all-hazard emergency management capabilities.
PUBLIC SAFETY INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS
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ublic Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant funding provides public safety agencies with the opportunity to achieve meaningful and measurable improvements to the state of public safety communications interoperability through the full and efficient use of all telecommunications resources. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, has awarded nearly $1 billion to fund projects nationwide. The PSIC grant assists public safety agencies in the acquisition of, deployment of, or training for the use of interoperable communications systems.
LOCAL ENERGY ASSURANCE PLAN
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ocal Energy Assurance Plan (LEAP) grant funding is provides by the United States Department of Energy and is designed to help jurisdictions plan and manage its energy assets during a prolonged and widespread energy disruption. LEAP fills a gap in planning for emergency response in the days and weeks following an event that includes an energy shortage or long-term and widespread energy disruption or power outage. Boston’s LEAP outlines existing power generation capabilities and strategies that enhance the ability of the City’s critical facilities to function throughout the duration of a prolonged and widespread energy outage and provide necessary public safety and security services. This planning process has informed City agencies and energy-sector leaders of
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AWARDS AND RECOGNITION EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACCREDITATION PROGRAM (EMAP)
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n May, the City of Boston successfully underwent an assessment of its emergency management program by EMAP. EMAP recognizes the ability of state and local governments to bring together personnel, resources and communications from a variety of agencies and organizations in preparation for and in response to emergencies and disasters. Currently, EMAP is the only accreditation process for emergency management programs. While this is a voluntary process, EMAP accreditation is a significant achievement; Boston is only one of four accredited cities, and 42 accredited programs nationwide. Accreditation affirms that Boston’s Emergency Management Program meets national standards for disaster preparedness and response. STORMREADY RATING
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pril 2012, the City of Boston was approved renewal for its recognition as a StormReady community. StormReady is a National Weather Service program that addresses the need for a higher level of community awareness in order to minimize the loss of life and property from extreme weather. This program encourages communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness and arms communities with improved communications and safety skills. As the largest StormReady community in New England, this designation indicates that Boston continues to do everything possible to improve emergency responder and citizen preparedness in the event of a natural disaster. This new recognition is valid until May 20, 2015. OEM IN THE NEWS Chinatown Shelter Operation WGBH (February 13, 2012) - Many Residents of Unsafe Building Still Need Homes Urban Shield Boston 2012 Homeland Security Today (April 1, 2012) - Infrastructure Security, Public Safety Today: Boston CBS Boston (November 2, 2012) - It’s Only a Drill: Simulate Emergencies in Boston Area Hurricane Sandy The Boston Globe (October 30, 2012) - Boston Escapes Major Damage from Sandy EMAP Accreditation The Business Journals (November 9, 2012) - City of Boston Achieves Emergency Management Accreditation Nor’easter 2012 The Boston Herald (December 29, 2012) - Hub Declares Snow Emergency, Parking Ban
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UPCOMING YEAR
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n the upcoming year, OEM will be completing a number of projects that will enhance public safety and community preparedness for the City of Boston as well as the MBHSR.
Development of a Threat Hazard Identification and Risks Assessment (THIRA) Per Federal guidance, the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) adopts a capabilities-based approach for identifying and assessing risks and associated impacts. A grant requirement for all UASIs, the THIRA further illustrates our capabilities for preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the threats and hazards faced by the MBHSR. Access and Functional Need Shelter Survey The City of Boston recognizes its responsibility to account for all residents in the realm of emergency planning and preparedness. Towards that end the City will complete a comprehensive needs assessment regarding our 54 identified emergency shelters and their capacity to accommodate individuals with access and functional needs per the Department of Justice’s guidelines. MBTA Interoperability Project This project implements a robust operable and interoperable radio communications system providing first responders with enhanced communications capabilities throughout the MBTA tunnel network. This project will provide public safety agencies with a state of the art above and belowground integrated radio communications system that leverages existing equipment thereby ensuring a more efficient response capability. Family Preparedness Planner Upgrade The Family Preparedness Planner will allow a family to complete their family emergency plan online through the use of a pre-populated template that covers everything from the locations of nearby emergency shelters, to emergency contact information, as well as items needed in their emergency “go-bag�. Regional Pet Sheltering Task Force A coordinated task force dedicated to managing pet sheltering during emergencies will be established. This group will focus on identifying and subsequently addressing the unique sheltering requirements of pets and pet owners during times of emergency. Emergency Preparedness Mobile Application OEM will develop an emergency mobile application that provides a suite of options to learn about emergency preparedness, mitigation techniques, as well as provide a list of available local, state and federal preparedness resources.
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Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management 1 City Hall Square | Room 204 Boston MA | 02201 Phone: 617.635.1400 Fax: 617.635.2974 Get Prepared! www.cityofboston.gov/readyboston Be Notified! www.cityofboston.gov/alertboson Like Us! www.facebook.com/readybostonma Follow Us! @alertboston @ready_boston