CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR TRONDHEIM How to protect a vulnerable neigbourhood from flooding with less than 1 000 NOK per inhabitant
Cole Grabinsky Mafruha Rezwana Verena Matlschweiger
AAR5220 Urban contingency practice and planning Spring 2019, Assignment 2
TABLE OF CONTENT 1 Introduction
4
2 Contingency Plan
5
2.1 Background 2.1.1 Scenario 2.1.2 Study area 2.1.3 Existing Resources and stakeholders 2.1.4 Importance of a plan
6 6 6 8 9
2.2 How we conducted our research
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2.3 Lessons Learned From Other Cities 2.3.1 Unexpected flooding in Canada: Communication and collaboration 2.3.2 Flood Management in Bangladesh: Prioritizing non-structural strategies and early warning system 2.3.3 European floods 2013: Volunteer organization
10 10 11 12
2.4 Response Strategy
14
2.5 Implementation Plan 2.5.1 Preparedness workshop for flooding event 2.5.2 First-aid training 2.5.3 Communication and distribution of information 2.5.4 Planning policies and strategies 2.5.5 Collaboration and division of responsibilities 2.5.6 Reserve fund/Community fund 2.5.7 Physical response 2.5.8 Volunteer plattform 2.5.9 Business association
14 14 15 15 17 17 17 18 20 20
2.6 Operational Support Plan and budget
21
2.7 Preparedness Plan
23
3 Reflection
24
4 Appendix
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4.1 References
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4.2 Table of figures
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1
INTRODUCTION
The objective of this assignment is to prepare a contingency plan for a hypothetical crisis of unexpected floods in Trondheim due to heavy rainfall. We will evaluate Trondheim as if it were a densely populated urban area with limited financial resources and no disaster management authority. To make this analysis specific for Trondheim, we have researched local organizations and actors that could be called upon in the event of unexpected flooding. We have also research the organizational structure of Trondheim to see how existing departments would be likely to respond. To develop a contingency plan for this hypothetical scenario, we began by conducting a literature review on the importance of planning for risky or uncertain situations. Then, we reviewed case studies of how local authorities and communities in Canada, Bangladesh, and Central Europe have responded to extreme flooding events with various amounts of re-
sources and organizational support. In the following section, we have prepared a contingency plan for the Trondheim Kommune from the perspective of a team of expert planning advisors. The field of contingency planning is vast, and it is has been to difficult to decide what elements should and should not be included in this contingency plan. We have decided to build this plan around several tools and strategies that would be important before, during, and after a period of extreme flooding in the City Centre of Trondheim.
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CONTINGENCY PLAN “Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised” ~Denis Waitley
THE MOST IMPORTANT IN SHORT
THE SCENARIO shows why this document is necessary for Trondheim Page 6
IN THE MEDOLOGY SECTION you can find an explenation on how this plan was developed Page 10
HOW OTHER CITIES DEAL WITH FLOODS and what Trondheim can learn from them can be found in the casestudy section Page 10
CONCRETE MEASURES that should be taken can be found in the implementation plan Page 14
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Contingency plan for flooding from heavy rainfall
2.1 Background 2.1.1 Scenario This contingency plan has been prepared for a ‘worst-case’ scenario, where a period of heavy rainfall, combined with frozen ground conditions, leads to unexpected flooding in the city centre of Trondheim. For this plan, we have selected a dense urban neighbourhood in Trondheim, and have tailored our approach and tools for a municipality with limited financial resources and no disaster management authority. Heavy Rainfall + Frozen Ground Conditions = Unexpected Flooding in the City Centre of Trondheim For this scenario, it is expected that frozen ground conditions, along with snow and ice, will cause drains and pathways for water to become blocked. Research conducted by Meiforth (2013) indicates that ice and snow can block manholes, and the accumulative effect of melting snow and heavy rains could cause significant flooding in Trondheim. In the event that water levels in the city rise, people may become trapped in their houses and flooding may cause significant disruptions for transportation, communication, and economic activities in the city centre. It could cause power outages and lead to sanitary issues if flood waters persist for several days/weeks.
2.1.2 Study area This analysis will focus on Midtbyen (the city centre of Trondheim). In particular, we will focus on identifying opportunities and threats in one particular neighbourhood to see how flooding would affect businesses and residents at a local level. The general area and the specific site we have selected are shown in Figure 1 and 2 below.
Fig. 1. Midtbyen, city centre of Trondheim
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Fig. 2. Neighbourhood block in Midtbyen
This area is characterized by historic wooden houses and narrow cobblestone streets. As seen in Figure 3, the houses are typically 2 stories tall and have entrances one or two steps above street level. This area is predominantly residential, with some businesses and commercial activities such as restaurants and hair salons. This plan will focus on the needs of approximately 500 people living in this area, or around 250 households.
Fig. 3. Historic wooden houses in Midtbyen
Fig. 4. Cobblestone streets in Midtbyen Page 7 of 28
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2.1.3 Existing Resources and stakeholders In Norway governmental crisis management relies on principles: The principle of responsibility, the principle of equality, the principle of proximity and the principle of collaboration (Lillestøl and Rykkja, 2016). The last two show that it is very important that the local stakeholders are identified and they are used to working together, when a hazard occurs. According to Serre (2013), there are some difficulties concerning the risk of flooding in Trondheim which should be dealt with in the future: Risk assessment is often sourced out to independent experts and the water utility does not have responsibility for overall risk management in the municipality. Furthermore risk assessment is split between the Fire and Rescue service, the water section of the municipalities and sectors such as road and railway etc. The split of responsibility between private and public owners is part of the huge challenge. A huge disadvantage is that there is no overview of the risks.
local neighbourhood
This is another reason why this contingency plan suggests measures for a small neighbourhood and tries to come up with measures which include local knowledge of citizens.
inhabitants and local businesses
Trondheim
Chief municipal director Municipal director for →→ health and welfare (Unit for service and internal control) →→ for upbringing and education →→ for urban development →→ culture and industry →→ organisation, administration, communication →→ finance
Trondelag Fire and Rescue Service ›› 116 full-time employees ›› 3 boats ›› rescue diving group Norsk Luftambulanse Trondheim ›› Six doctors ›› four rescuers ›› four pilots Ambulance service from St. Olav hospital Police
Trondheim Red Cross ›› recognized support actor for the authorities (crisis management). ›› equipment for first aid, shelters ›› active in personal preparedness, awareness ›› volunteers have training in first aid and psychosocial first aid. Student Organisations →→ NTNUI ›› 12 000 members
Trøndelag
›› lots of members and possibilites to reach and motivate people Military ›› Ørland flystasjon ›› 50 km from Trondheim ›› rescue helicopters etc. Fig. 5. Existing stakeholders and resources Page 8 of 28
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2.1.4 Importance of a plan Planning for natural hazards can be a difficult task, and requires many stakeholders to work together to address complex, often urgent, challenges. Natural hazards, such as flooding events, have serious implications for human health, assets and infrastructure, economic activities, and the natural environment. A contingency plan that considers each of these elements, can be a useful tool for mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery in the event of unexpected flooding in Trondheim.
Fig. 6. Van driving through flooded street In his research, John Abbott (2005) states that uncertainty in planning is paradoxical. He discusses how if “the uncertainty gap were reduced to zero, then the future would be clear or determined and there would be no need to make any decisions or do any planning” (Abbott, 2005, p. 238). However, situations arise where we lack the necessary information, or are out of our control. The role of planning is therefore to explore different possible futures, to determine what is desirable, and prepare and implement a plan (Abbott, 2005). In recent years, urban resilience has become a popular term for understanding the degree to which cities are prepared to deal with a range of environmental, socioeconomic, and political uncertainties and risks (Meerow, Newell, and Stults, 2016). Meerow, Newell, and Stults (2016) define urban resilience as:
“the ability of an urban system-and all its constituent socio-ecological and socio-technical networks across temporal and spatial scales-to maintain or rapidly return to desired functions in the face of a disturbance, to adapt to change, and to quickly transform systems that limit current or future adaptive capacity” (p. 39). Central to this definition, is the importance of returning to desired functions in the face of a disturbance. Meerow, Newell, and Stults (2016) mention that resilience comes from the Latin word resilio meaning “to bounce back” (p. 39). This plan will focus on strategies for ‘bouncing back’ for the neighbourhood block we have selected in Midtbyen.
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2.2 How we conducted our research To develop a contingency plan for the Trondheim Kommune, we: 1. Conducted fieldwork to gain an understanding of our study area through photographs, fieldnotes, and observations 2. Reviewed case studies from flooding events in Canada, Bangladesh, and Central Europe to see how local communities were impacted and what tools and coping strategies were used 3. Identified existing resources in Trondheim that could assist in the event of unexpected flooding (local actors, facilities, equipment, etc.) 4. Developed a response strategy, implementation plan, operational support plan, preparedness plan, and a budget The product of this work is a contingency plan, in which city planner and decision makers can refer to when planning for, responding to, and recovering from unexpected flooding in Trondheim.
2.3 How other cities deal with floods and what Trondheim can learn To develop a contingency plan for flooding in Trondheim, it is important to understand relevant theories, research, and case studies from other cities. To understand the stages of dealing with flooding, a Disaster PRR framework can be a useful tool. A Disaster PRR framework includes (1) disaster preparedness, (2) immediate response, and (3) rebuilding and recovery (Himes-Cornell et al., 2018). Governments, organizations, and local residents in these case studies had different tools and strategies to cope with flooding, based on the resources at their disposal and the local context.
2.3.1 Unexpected flooding in Canada: Communication and collaboration This analysis will explore the 1997 Red River Valley Flood in Manitoba and the June 2013 flooding event in Alberta, as these are two of the costliest flooding events in Canadian history (Liu, 2016). A brief overview of these events will be provided to understand coping strategies, tools, and lessons learned. The 1997 Red River Valley Flood was a result of large amounts of snowfall and a period of extreme warming which caused the Red River to rise rapidly. Haque (2000) states that communities and individuals prepare for natural hazards based on their previous experiences and resources. In the case of the 1997 Red River Valley Flood, the flooding exceeded the capacity of local residents to respond. Haque (2000) argues that “initial action should be the responsibility of the individual. In situations in which the individual cannot cope, municipal services respond” (p. 232). In this way, each local authority is responsible for their own emergency plan and implementation (Haque, 2000). Partnership between government and local residents is also essential when responding to a natural hazard. In the case of the 1997 Red River Valley Flood, individual were not treated as true partners in the response effort. One resident complained that “just when I am done with putting up a dike around my property Page 10 of 28
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I am forced to leave. Someone was needed to maintain the dikes, run the pumps. All my effort, time, money, assistance from neighbours and volunteers were rendered meaningless by the forced evacuation order” (Haque, 2000, p. 241). Residents have skills, knowledge, and time, however they can be wasted if there is not clear communication and partnership. Haque (2000) makes the case that local-level planning and preparedness, public perception of the risk, and access to information and resources, are critical in determining how individuals cope with and recover from a disaster. The communication needs to be two-ways between authorities/experts and the people who are affected (Haque, 2000). Although engineered structures, physical parameters, and mathematical and statistical models are important for managing floods, Haque (2000) urges us to remember “ the main players in emergency response and management – the people” (p. 240). The June 2013 flooding event in the province of Alberta was triggered by an intense weather system, causing flooding in southern Alberta (Liu, 2016). This event lead to the evacuation of over 100,000 people and $6 billion in damages. The flooding event illustrates the damage flooding can cause in an urban area. In the downtown of Calgary, Alberta’s largest city, light rail transit lost links in downtown affecting 110,000 riders, road network was severely impacted, and river crossings were closed (Malzer, 2013). Many different actors and stakeholder worked together to dump truckloads of gravel along the riverbanks, prepare evacuation routes, and coordinate road closures and relief efforts (Malzer, 2013). Malzer (2013) says that the military, city, and transportation staff were forced to break out of their silos and collaborate and work together. One of the most significant lessons learned, was about the importance of communication. With so many different actors and moving pieces, it is essential to coordinate efforts. Establishing clear channels of communication is essential to respond with more speed, flexibility, and coordination (Malzer, 2013).
2.3.2 Flood Management in Bangladesh: Prioritizing non-structural strategies and early warning system Bangladesh is an extremely flood prone country due to its geographical location and topography. The country has experienced floods for so many years. The major Flooding events are flooding of 1988, 1998, 2004 but there are numerous flooding events causing damages to the lives and assets. Every year in the monsoon period, different parts of the country get flooded, mostly caused by storm surges, coastal cyclone, tidal waves, and heavy rainfalls. The capital city Dhaka is now also facing frequent floods due to the heavy rainfall and overflows of the surrounding rivers. (Management and Study, 2004) The country has adopted so many different strategies over the years with different experiences. The flood management system evolved over the years. In the beginning, it mainly focused on structural measures; for example: building embankments, improving drainage and drenching rivers etc. But these kind of structural measures also had some adverse outcomes. While these provide direct protection from the flood, they were costly and affected the natural environment negatively sometimes. Soon, it was realized that structural measures alone is not enough for mitigate the flooding problems. After 1972, the government also started to adopt non-structural measures like flood forecasting and warning system Page 11 of 28
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(FFWS), which was proved to be a very useful tool. After the disastrous floods of 1987’s and 88’s, the flood management strategies were modified. The government had adopted policies on infrastructure building, restriction over building on floodplains, improving the FFWS. The governance prioritized non-structural methods and also started to recognize the importance of community involvements. (Management and Study, 2004) Though as a middle-income country Bangladesh does not have abandoned resources, they have a very elaborate disaster management plan and authority which comprises of 53 central govt. organization and 13 ministries. They enforce various dedicated legislations like flood action plan (FAP), National Water Management plan etc. The country has learned through experience of many years and adopted their strategies accordingly. While, it is obvious that their system is not all perfect, many lessons can be comprehended from their long term experiences. Studying through their various strategies and policies, it is evident that non- structural measures are important for flood mitigations as well as the early warning systems. The FFWS system and early preparedness with emergency shelters helped to minimize the damages from floods. Though the climate condition totally differs between Bangladesh and Trondheim, many of their strategies can inspire Trondheim to create their own with their limited resources. (Management and Study, 2004)
Fig. 7. Urban floods in Dhaka, Bangladesh due to heavy rainfall
Fig. 8. Casualties reduction over the years by flood management system in Bangladesh
2015
2.3.3 European floods 2013: Volunteer organization Emergent groups, spontaneous and “digital” volunteers are often of great importance when dealing with disasters because informal voluntary action is often quick and helps to free the emergency management staff “to carry out more specialist and skilled response activities” (Twigg and Mosel, 2017, 446). Emergent Page 12 of 28
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groups form spontaneously because people in affected and neighbouring areas feel the urge to help, the membership of the groups is constantly changing, they have little or no leadership structure and they give priority to short term decision-making (ibid.). Typical tasks of spontaneous volunteers in emergencies are filling sandbags, “search and rescue; collecting, transporting and distributing relief supplies and clothing; and providing food and drink to victims and emergency workers (ibid., 446). Unfortunately voluntary work by citizens is rarely integrated into disaster response plans (ibid.). The aim of this section is to show how voluntary work (was) organized during the European floods 2013. In June 2013 thirty-five federal states in seven European countries had to declare state of emergency (Kaufhold and Reuter, 2016). In Germany the fire service, the armed forces, the Red Cross and other relief organization got supported by a huge number of volunteers (ibid). They were “building up food barriers, filling and piling up sandbags, donating work material and goods for victims, distributing food and providing emergency shelters” (ibid., 6). The study of Kaufhold and Reuter (2016) confirms that social media was relevant during the flooding in Germany 2013. Twitter was used for status updates, Facebook-pages provided overviews to the overflow of information and Facebook-groups mostly coordinated virtual and real relief activities. Discovered difficulties are that cooperation with official emergency management does not take place over these channels, maintaining the quality of information, the clarity and representation of relevant organisation, feedback and updates in interaction relationships. In 2007 Ö3, most popular nationwide radio station of Austria’s public broadcaster ORF, and the Austrian Red Cross established the platform Team Österreich (Team Austria) (Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz). The goal of the platform is to use voluntary work in an effective way (ibid.). The project initiators claim that the initiative is the first Austrian project which organizes the helpfullness of people (ibid.). Everybody over 18 can register in a databank with all their personal and professional skills (e.g. languages). People get an introductory workshop from the Red Cross (ibid.). When from volunteers is needed, a call goes out and whoever is free and has time to help responses (ibid.). Insurance during the voluntary work is covered by the Red Cross (ibid.). Around 50.000 people are part of the Team Österreich and during 2013 floods 3250 members were helping ( e.g. with the cleanup after the water, setting up an emergency shelter and distributing donations in kind (Hitradio Ö3, 2013).
Fig. 9. Team Österrreich cleaning up after the 2013 flooding Page 13 of 28
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2.4 Response Strategy In order to alleviate the situation of unexpected flooding in Trondheim, a response strategy stating the goals and intentions of the response is needed. For this response strategy, the goals include:
1. Ensure safety and well-being of people 2. Mitigate risks to property and infrastructure 3. Protect economic activity; and 4. Minimize negative consequences for the environment These goals will require the combined efforts of community members, key stakeholders, decision-makers, and municipal staff. It is important to discuss these goals with relevant actors, to ensure there is a common understanding about what it is we are trying to protect.
2.5 Implementation Plan In this stage, it is important to consider how actions would be taken before, during, and after the flooding event in Trondheim. In this implementation plan, 9 different tools and strategies are overviewed. They are intended to address the 4 goals of the response strategy.
2.5.1 Preparedness workshop for flooding event Communities and individuals prepare for natural hazards based on their resources and previous experiences (Haque, 2000). The research shows that if people believe their actions can make a difference, they are much more likely to prepare (Paton et al., 2008). To encourage people to take part in preparations there should be a workshop in each neighbourhood which is mandatory for one person by household, but open for all residents. Fig. 10. A community workshop can help gathering local knowledge and preparing a neighbourhood for hazards
The main goal of the workshop is to raise awareness to possible hazards (such as flooding, power outage, heavy snowfall, nuclear threats) and discuss how to mitigate the negative effects together and individually. Question with which the workshop should deal: →→ How could different scenarios in our neighbourhood look like, if no preparations are taken? (Brainstorming and inputs from experts) →→ How should every citizen in Trondheim be prepared for cases of emergency? (Input from experts) ›› Introduction of necessary equipment (Food and water, flashlight, spare batteries, radio (with batteries), first aid kit, warm blankets) also be prepared at your workplace and other places you spend a lot of time) ›› Talk about the importance of first aid courses ›› Introduction of other tools and how they help in the exceptional situations (flood barriers for doors, snow guards to prevent avalanches from the roof etc.)
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›› Presentation of volunteer platform (see below) →→ How can we mitigate the negative impacts? (Brainstorming and inputs from experts) ›› Who can provide which tools and tasks? ›› What are the most affected areas? What should be protected and how? ›› Who might need what kind of support from the neighbours? How can you reach out to your neighbours? ›› Who takes the responsibility for what kind of action?
2.5.2 First-aid training First-aid training is an effective way to mitigate some of the risks associated with flooding in urban areas. Training recognizes the role of citizens as the first responders, and can provide them with additional skills to handle difficult situations. To train community members in this area, workshops and seminary could be provided at local community centres (e.g. ISAK) or at Trondheim Red Cross. To train people in basic first aid, the curriculum could follow the existing courses provided by the Red Cross.
Fig. 11. First-aid
To make it more specific to hazards posed by flooding, the training could incorporate elements of Wilderness Remote First Aid, which include lessons on what to do if you get wet/cold, steps to treat hypothermia, and how to survive without access to electricity/indoor heating.
2.5.3 Communication and distribution of information By reviewing case studies from previous extreme flooding events, it is clear that communication is one of the most important elements to consider in the event of a natural hazard. Mounting a response effort takes a tremendous amount of communication and collaboration between various actors and residents affected. Flooding events, and other emergencies, challenge us to break out of our silos and work together and collaborate in new ways (Malzer, J., 2013). To begin, it is important to establish clear channels of communication before the hazardous event occurs. In the event of a natural hazard, if there is chaos, these communication channels will become lifelines for emergency responders, municipal staff, and key stakeholders to work together efficiently. In order to establish a coordinated response, it is essential to have representatives from across the private and public sectors agree on a platform for how messages will be distributed internally, and to the public.
Fig. 12. Communication has to be trained and prepared before the event
Among key decision-makers it is important to establish the chain of command, and agreed upon platforms for communication (e.g. email, phone call, text message, group chat, etc.). When communicating with the public, communication tools include radio, television, newspapers, information boards, loud speakers, warning sirens, and word of mouth. The wording of these messages, especially when directed to the public, are critical. Unclear messages can lead to rumors, anxiety, fear, and the spreading of misinformation (Johns Hopkins, 2016). Researchers from Johns Hopkins (2016) have studied message development for emergency preparedness. They found that “in the initial phase of an emergency, the focus needs to be on disseminating information to the general public Page 15 of 28
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quickly and empathetically about simple, doable protective actions” (Johns Hopkins, 2016). A guideline for developing clear messaging for emergencies is shown in Figure 13.
Fig. 13. Message emergencies
development
for
Fig. 14. Example of how emergency instructions can be delivered to the common people which is clear and easy to interpret
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2.5.4 Planning policies and strategies Due to resource constraints, the contingency plan of Trondheim municipality focuses more on non-structural measures and strategies for flood management. Along with the immediate response actions, a set of action is needed to achieve our stated goal for flood safety in Trondheim. The local government should legalize these actions as formal policies or laws and enact them to enhance the city’s adaptability for this specific or any kind of future flood hazards. →→ Flood control integrated urban planning: consideration of flood risk mapping, vulnerability mapping, resource mapping in urban planning. →→ Modifying land-use: Make room for water: design public areas (green areas, Soak able surface) in the neighborhood to retain excess water. →→ Encourage neighborhood to retain rainwater from roof and garden. It will help to lessen the water load on the streets from heavy rain and will also provide clean water in case of emergencies. →→ Active and regular maintenance of existing drainage and water system from municipality →→ Avoid frozen ground: Cleaning up snows and ice from dense areas regularly during season and also setting up rules for residents to clean up the snow regularly around their houses →→ Incorporate more permeable pavements
Fig. 15. Rules and regulations
2.5.5 Collaboration and division of responsibilities Given status of the current municipal authority, reorganization of responsibilities is important. As there is no existing disaster management authority and creating a new one immediately might be costly, the current authority need to divide the responsibilities of disaster managements. There should be clear distribution of actions so that in the time of hazards also before and after of the disturbance, each division can perform effectively. As this contingency plan mostly relies on the community and local resources, the municipal authority need to collaborate with all existing local organization and NGOs, Academic Institutions and most importantly the residents. In this collaboration, there must be a legal agreement and guidelines for flood management plan that individual party must adhere to.
2.5.6 Reserve fund/Community fund To fight back any disturbances financial support is most important. The local government needs to relocate the sources of possible funding. As it focused on the community based governance, it should start to build a reserve fund where the local organizations and business will donate for this cause. The government can also put a tax for disaster management, which will help the resident to contribute for their better future. All these policies must be taken under the collaboration agreement. The community people can be encouraged to create their own fund for their neighborhood in case of emergencies.
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2.5.7 Physical response Door barricade Low lying doors should be protected by doorbarries. These could be wooden or metal boards as often used in Venice. The advantage is, that it is still use the door by stepping over the barrier. To convince the inhabitants to invest in such barriers Do-It-yourself-workshops could be offered.
Fig. 16. Door in Midbyen Fig. 17. Flood protection in Venice
Sandbags Sandbags can be used to prevent houses from damage through the water and to lead the water towards the fjord. For small protections like supporting low lying windows households should be encouraged to store the needed amount of sandbags at home and take the sand to fill them in case of emergency from sandpits of playgrounds. To protect larger areas the Trondelag Fire and Rescue Service with the help of volunteers should bring filled sandbags from outside the city centre (e.g. from the ballast pit in Heimdal) to the affected areas.
Fig. 18. Basementwindow in Midtbyen Fig. 19. Sandbags protect a window Page 18 of 28
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Vegetation and pine-needles In long term prospects vegetation can prevent the ground from freezing. Therefore unsealed open spaces can help to prevent flooding. Flower-beds should be covered with pine-needles during the winter, since they can prevent the soil from freezing hard. Safe evacuation routes Although evacuations should only take place, if absolutely necessary, it is important to prepare safe evacuation routes. Garbage containers should be tied to fixed objects to prevent them from flooding and insuring people, damaging windows and polluting the water. This can be done by the residents themselves, reminders and instructions on how to do it should be distributed. The evacuation routes should be marked with ropes so people have something to hold on. In figure 21 possible evacuation routes are shown to the closest possible shelters. The theater and the university building are in an elevated area and therefore have less risk of flooding, the hospital should have a higher protection level and is therefore also a safe place.
Fig. 20. Garbage containers - possible hazard in case of flooding
Fig. 21. Evacuationroutes to possible shelters
A
B
Fig. 22. The NTNU building (B) is elevated compared to site (A)
A
Fig. 23. Evacuation to NTNU building
B
Fig. 24. The theatre (B) is elevated compared to site (A)
A Fig. 26. The hospital (B) is better protected than the site (A) Page 19 of 28
Fig. 25. Evacuation to theatre
B Fig. 27. Evacuation to hospital AAR5220 · NTNU
Contingency plan for flooding from heavy rainfall
2.5.8 Volunteer plattform
Fig. 28. Volunteerplatform
For the volunteer plattform a modified version of the above introduced “Team Österreich” in Austria could be implemented. It would be ideal, if all Trondheim’s inhabitants, who want to do voluntary work, would register online in a database with informations about skills (languages, medical skills, manual skills, fitness) equipment they own (first aid kit, boats) and approximate living area. Apart from individuals there should be the possibility, that organisations and groups register by giving the same information as the individuals and the number of members they are likely to reach and motivate in case of an event. People who are registered as individuals and as part of a group should say so in their registration. The advantages of having groups registered are that more people can be reached, because even if they don’t register as individuals they can be reach through a group and that if members of one group work together in one location communication becomes easier since people know each other. In case of need of voluntary work the contact persons of the registered groups as well as the individuals would get a message with meeting point, needed equipment and kind of task. Then people respond whether they can contribute or not. We recommend that the insurance during the work is covered by the Red Cross, like of any regular Red Cross volunteer. It would be ideal if the platform would offer a possibility to post relevant information, requests, offers to help in an intuitive way and if people with good overview (red cross, Trøndelag fire and rescue service) would take the role as a moderator if needed to prevent difficulties which were faced in 2013 during the floods in Germany, described in Kaufhold and Reuter (2016).
2.5.9 Business association Businesses in this area have a vested interest to minimize the disruptive effects of flooding in the city centre. Flooding has consequences for infrastructure, human health, as well as the environment and the economy. If commercial activities are not able to function, economic losses and costs for long-term recovery can be serious. Therefore, it is important to consider the needs and resources local businesses have in the event of flooding. Fig. 29. Business association
Businesses rely on deliveries, access to electricity, customers, etc., which would all be impacted by flooding. The return to ‘business as normal’ is often expressed as the main desire, from an economic perspective, after a flooding event. Although our study area does not have vital economic activities for the city, businesses still need to be considered in the planning process. The businesses in this area of Midtbyen, may be able to provide shelter, food, and some other basic supplies for local residents. To get a better idea of which businesses have what resources, a businesses association (new or existing) could be used as a sharing platform. In this way, businesses could post about what their needs are, and what resources they can contribute to the relief efforts.
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2.6 Operational Support Plan and budget To carry out the implementation plans to reach the goals, a set of tools and supports are needed. A list of existing stakeholders and their resources has been created to locate all the resources for contingency planning (see figure 5). As there is no disaster management authority and due to the lack of budget it is not economic to create one, this OSP suggests to distribute responsibilities among the existing stakeholders. The following figures shows the interrelationship of the responsibilities the stakeholder may share in case of an emergency situations.
Fig. 30. Proposed Disaster Management Structure wit existing stakeholders This contingency plan proposes proposes cheap measures to mitigate negative impacts of flooding. Nevertheless costs arise for the municipality. The following table shows the distribution of tasks and the estimated costs for the municipality. The following calculations show the costs and actors responsible for implement the tools and strategies described in the previous section. This operational support plan and budget have been prepared for our specific area, housing approximately 500 residents in 250 households. To make our calculations, we estimated how many hours it would take to conduct the work, and multiplied this by the cost per working hour (300 NOK/hour). The results show that with cost effective tools and strategies, it is possible to executive this contingency plan for less than 1000 NOK per resident each year.
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Action
Distribution of tasks
Costs for the municipality
Preparedness workshop for flooding event →→ coordination →→ content preperation →→ helding the workshop →→ writing the workshop report →→ course material
Municipality Trøndelag fire and rescue service Trøndelag fire and rescue service Trøndelag fire and rescue service Trøndelag fire and rescue service
100 NOK/resident once 24000 NOK, 4 NOK/resident 20 NOK/resident 5 NOK/resident 5 NOK/resident
First-aid training
Tronheim Red Cross
250 NOK/resident total cost of course 1000 NOK, Municipality pays 50 % and 250 people attend
Communication and distribution of information →→ Establishing communication platform for key stakeholders →→ Developing plan for delivering messages to the public →→ Creating strategies for appropriate use of different media outlets to disperse information
Municipality (in collaboration with business leaders and community representatives)
300 NOK/resident
Planning policies and strategies
policymakers and administration
no extra costs
Collaboration and division of responsibilities →→ Creating an inventory of existing businesses in the area →→ Identifying needs and resource →→ Producing a plan for economic recovery
Municipality (in collaboration with local businesses)
200 NOK/resident
Reserve fund/Community fund
Municipality and residents, businesses
100 NOK per year per resident to build up a fund in long term
Physical response →→ Door barricade →→ sand bags →→ save evacuation routes
residents Trøndelag fire and rescue service, volunteers residents, police, Trøndelag fire and rescue
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100 NOK/resident if grant-aided 50 NOK/resident 10 NOK/resident
› Contingency Plan
Volunteer plattform
Red Cross (in collaboration with the municipality)
10 NOK/resident
Business association →→ Creating an inventory of existing businesses in the area →→ Identifying needs and resource they possess →→ Provide assistance and advice for businesses to ensure they have adequate insurance to cover damages and minimize recovery costs
Business association (in collaboration with the municipality)
300 NOK/resident
2.7 Preparedness Plan The preparedness plan sums up the elements of implementation plans into the four categories of preparedness cycle. It explains how the implementation ideas will work out in different phases in the contingency plan.
Flood Preparedness Cycle
MITIGATION • Collabora�on and responsibility sharing
• Ac�ve and regular maintenance of existing drainage and water system • First aid training
Short-term Long-term
PREPAREDNESS
RESPONSE • Ensuring fast response to the emergency situa�ons: community response and response from local authori�es
RECOVERY • Provide immediate reliefs, health and financial support to vic�ms
• Distribu�on of informa�on
• Enable the vic�ms to follow the rescue plan and evacua�on routes • Preparedness work- in case of emergency shop on flood management training • Ensuring the availability of emergency • Establishing effec�ve toolkit for each houseearly warning system hold. • Policies and strategies • Flood control Integrated Urban planning & land-use
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• Prepare maps(flood risk, vulnerability, resource, infrastructure etc) • Reserve fund/ Community fund
• Building up community and societal safety again • Redevelopment of damaged infrastructure
Fig. 31. Preparedness Plan
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Contingency plan for flooding from heavy rainfall
3
REFLECTION
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› Reflection
The process of creating this contingency plan, illustrated how many different actors and resources are needed to handle the event of unexpected flooding in Trondheim. It was difficult to distinguish between ‘urban planning’ and ‘humanitarian’ approaches to contingency planning, as they often go hand in hand. Our approach was to use 4 goals or intentions and 9 different tools and strategies to address a situation of widespread flooding. Our scenario was based on literature we found on extreme flooding events in Trondheim. Meiforth (2013) states that the “worst flood events in Trondheim used to happen in late winter, when the ground is still frozen, ice and snow are blocking the manholes and the melting snow accumulates together with heavy rain falls to flooding on the roads” (p. 7). In reality, our ‘worst case’ scenario stretches the degree to which the city centre of Trondheim is anticipated to flood, even in a 100 year flooding event. Figure 32 illustrates that there is not a significant risk of flooding from the Nidelva River. However, several streets in the city centre could turn into rivers in the event of heavy rainfall. As seen in Figure 33, flooding models predict that Kongens gate and Tordenskiolds gate could become flooded by heavy rainfall. This would have a significant impact on residences and local businesses in our area.
200 m
Fig. 32. 100 year flood in Trondheim
EU89 UTM33 7042059N 270041Ø
Fig. 33. Flooded streets map Trondheim, GIS modelling One of the limitations of this contingency plan, is our familiarity with the existing structure of the Trondheim municipality and available resources. We attempted to familiarize ourselves with the organizational structure of the municipaliPage 25 of 28
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Contingency plan for flooding from heavy rainfall
ty, and conduct a review of organizations who could be called upon to handle a situation of flooding in Trondheim. We contacted the municipality about their preparedness in the event of flooding, however we have yet to receive a response. Many of the tools and strategies we developed required educated guesses, based on what we learned from the literature and case studies from other cities. We are unsure how this toolkit would work in the Norwegian context. We have tried to propose the most cost-effective tools, in order to meet our contingency planning budget of 1000 NOK per resident each year. This is because our scenario was for a municipality with limited financial resources and no disaster management authority. Our group wanted to make our proposal as realistic as possible, however these criteria do not reflect the realities of disaster management planning in the Norwegian context. Our decision to focus on one particular neighbourhood in Midtbyen, had both advantages and disadvantages. By focusing on 500 residents and local businesses, we were able to visualize what the direct impacts of flooding could look like for people in this area. However, contingency plans are rarely made at a neighbourhood level. This made it difficult to budget the costs of developing training programs, workshops, physical responses, and other tools and strategies for flooding. Doing these calculations, we realized that the first time tools are developed and implemented it will be more expensive. If these tools were to be applied to the entire city centre and used for several years, the initial investment per resident becomes significantly less. This exercise was difficult, and made us realize how complex contingency planning can be, even at a local neighbourhood level. It requires a high degree of collaboration and communication among various stakeholders, and strategies need to be tested with the communities in question. Although it can be a difficult activity, contingency planning pays dividends when considering the costs for human life, infrastructure, the economy, and the environment after major flooding events. Municipalities would be wise to learn from the words of Denis Waitley to “Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised”.
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› Appendix
APPENDIX
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References Abbott, J., 2005. Understanding and managing the unknown: The nature of uncertainty in planning. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 24(3), pp. 237-251. Galea, D., 2013. Come Hell or High Water–How Alberta‘s Best Responded to its Worst Ever Disaster. Alberta Emergency Management Agency. Haque, C.E., 2000. Risk assessment, emergency preparedness and response to hazards: the case of the 1997 Red River Valley flood, Canada. In Natural Hazards (pp. 225-245). Springer, Dordrecht. Himes-Cornell, A., Ormond, C., Hoelting, K., Ban, N.C., Zachary Koehn, J., Allison, E.H., Larson, E.C., Monson, D.H., Huntington, H.P. and Okey, T.A., 2018. Factors Affecting Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Using the Community Capitals Framework. Coastal Management, pp.1-24. Hitradio Ö3, 2013. Die Team Österreich Hochwasserhilfe. Available at: Volunteers across Social Media: The Case of the 2013 European Floods in Germany. Johns Hopkins University. (2016) Unit 8: Message Development. Available at: https://sbccimplementationkits.org/sbcc-in-emergencies/lessons/unit-8-message-development/ (accessed 29 April 2019). Kaufhold, M.-A. and Reuter, C., 2016. The Self-Organization of Digital Volunteers across Social Media: The Case of the 2013 European Floods in Germany. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. 13. 10.1515/jhsem-2015-0063. Lillestøl, C and Rykkja L, 2016. Dealing with Natural Disasters: Managing Floods in Norway. Uni Research Rokkan Centre. Available at: http://uni.no/media/manual_upload/WP_4-2016_Lillestoel_og_Rykkja.pdf (Accessed: 30.04.2019). Liu, A.Q., Mooney, C., Szeto, K., Thériault, J.M., Kochtubajda, B., Stewart, R.E., Boodoo, S., Goodson, R., Li, Y. and Pomeroy, J., 2016. The June 2013 Alberta catastrophic flooding event: Part 1—climatological aspects and hydrometeorological features. Hydrological Processes, 30(26), pp.4899-4916. Malzer, J., 2013. Come Hell or High Water: An Account of the Alberta, Canada Flood of 2013. Institute of Transportation Engineers. ITE Journal, 83(12), p.41-43. Management, I. F. and Study, C., 2004. ‘the Associated Programme on Flood Management Integrated Flood Management’, North. Meerow, S., Newell, J.P. and Stults, M., 2016. Defining urban resilience: A review. Landscape and urban planning, 147, pp.38-49. Meiforth, J., 2013. Modelling flood streams for urban planning in Trondheim, Norway. Project UniGIS Professional. University of Salzburg, pp. 1-56. Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz. Team Österreich. Available at: https://www.roteskreuz.at/site/team-oesterreich/ (accessed: 27.04.2019). Paton, D., Houghton, B.F., Gregg, C.E., Gill, D.A., Ritchie, L.A., McIvor, D., Larin, P., Meinhold, S., Horan, J. and Johnston, D.M., 2008. Managing tsunami risk in coastal communities: Identifying predictors of preparedness. The Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 23(1), pp. 4-9 Price, R. K. & Vojinovic, Z., 2008. Urban flood disaster management, Urban Water Journal, 5:3, 259-276, DOI: 10.1080/15730620802099721 Serre, D., 2013, Identification and analysis of most vulnerable infrastructure in respect to floods, report Number: WP2-01-12-04. Available at: http://www.floodprobe.eu/partner/assets/documents/Floodprobe-Deliverable-Report_task21_4March2013.pdf (Accessed: 30.04.2019). Twigg, J. and Mosel, I. 2017. Emergent groups and spontaneous volunteers in urban disaster response. Environment and Urbanization. 29:2. 443-458. https://doi. org/10.1177%2F0956247817721413.
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Table of figures Fig. 11. First-aid (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https:// thenounproject.com/) Fig. 12. Communication has to be trained and prepared before the event (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https:// thenounproject.com/) Fig. 13. Message development for emergencies Johns Hopkins, 2016. (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https:// sbccimplementationkits.org/sbcc-in-emergencies/lessons/unit-8-message-development/ Fig. 14. Example of how emergency instructions can be delivered to the common people which is clear and easy to interpret (Accessed May 2, 2019 https://www. shutterstock.com/search/flood+emergency+response?section=1&image_type=illustration&search_source=base_related_searches) Fig. 15. Rules and regulations (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://thenounproject.com/) Fig. 16. Door in Midbyen (Courtesy of authors, 2019) Fig. 17. Flood protection in Venice (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://dreamdiscoveritalia.com/2014/07/10/acqua-alta-paddling-in-venice/) Fig. 18. Basementwindow in Midtbyen (Courtesy of authors, 2019) Fig. 19. Sandbags protect a window Hans-Jörg Schweizer (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://www.neckar-chronik.de/Nachrichten/Das-Unwetter-vom-Mittwoch-richtete-in-Ammerbuch-grosse-Schaeden-an-291454.html) Fig. 20. Garbage containers - possible hazard in case of flooding (Courtesy of authors, 2019) Fig. 21. Evacuationroutes to possible shelters (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://kommunekart.com/) Fig. 22. The NTNU building (B) is elevated compared to site (A) (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://kommunekart.com/) Fig. 23. Evacuation to NTNU building (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://kommunekart.com/) Fig. 24. The theatre (B) is elevated compared to site (A) (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://kommunekart. com/) Fig. 25. Evacuation to theatre (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://kommunekart.com/) Fig. 26. The hospital (B) is better protected than the site (A) (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://kommunekart. com/) Fig. 27. Evacuation to hospital (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://kommunekart.com/) Fig. 28. Volunteerplatform (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://thenounproject.com/) Fig. 29. Business association (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://thenounproject.com/) Fig. 30. Proposed Disaster Management Structure wit existing stakeholders (Courtesy of authors, 2019) Fig. 31. Preparedness Plan (Courtesy of authors, 2019) Fig. 32. 100 year flood in Trondheim (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://kartkatalog.geonorge.no/metadata/norges-vassdrags-og-energidirektorat/ flomsoner-wms/fc5f7878-8696-47f3-a9a7-d8bf51068203?text=&Facets%5B0%5D.name=organization&Facets%5B0%5D.value=Norges%20vassdrags-%20og%20energidirektorat) Fig. 33. Flooded streets map Trondheim, GIS modelling (Accessed May 2, 2019 from https://www.trondheim. kommune.no/globalassets/10-bilder-og-filer/10-byutvikling/kommunalteknikk/vann-og-avlop/meiforth2013_flood_streams_trondheim_v3.pdf)