HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity-Specific IEMC Nomination Package Jerry Thorson
To: Nancy Backus
Subject: Integrated Emergency Management Course Application for your signature
Good morning,
Attached you'll find a cover letter for your signature, and the application packet for the 2020
Community Specific Integrated Emergency Management Course we discussed recently at a Directors
meeting. The entire packet has been reviewed by Steve Gross and his changes have been adopted. If you
would sign the cover letter and return to me, I'll submit it to the State before the January 18th
deadline. This will be a good training opportunity for our city and staff, we will undoubtably learn a lot
through the process and be in a much better position to deal with any major event.
Thanks for your support!
57ee E 7
City of Auburn
Emergency Manager
253-876-1909 (Office)
253-263-2085 (Cell)
1
CITY OF --------_____/,,
A
u______,R.u_____RN Nancy Backus, Mayor
J'� WASH I N GTO N 25 West Main Street * Auburn WA 98001-4998* www.auburnwa.gov* 253-931-3000
January 3, 2019
Tony Russell, Superintendent
Emergency Management Institute
16825 S. Seton Ave
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
Dear Superintendent Russell,
On behalf of the City of Auburn, I ask that you consider conducting a Community-Specific Integrated
Emergency Management Course(CS-IEMC) for the Auburn community. We believe that the City of
Auburn meets the criteria for application and selection for this course and that participation in this course
would allow us to exercise our emergency operations center, Standard Operating Procedures, and our
emergency operations plans.
We propose a train derailment exercise scenario. Approximately 12 or 13 trains per week come through
the center of our city. These trains can be up to a mile long, carrying about 3 million gallons of fuel.
The same rail lines also carry regional commuters on Sound Transit's Commuter Trains and serve as
the main west coast line for Amtrak. The attached documents provide detailed information concerning
our current emergency management program and our disaster history.
If this application is selected for a community specific IEMC in FY2020, the City agrees to follow and
apply all relevant evaluation and assessment guidance, and to follow the Homeland Security Exercise and
Evaluation Program After Action Report format. We agree to develop a formal After Action Report and
improvement plan and to provide a copy to the FEMA/EMI/IEM Branch within eight months of course
completion.
Thank you for your consideration. Please contact our Emergency Manager, Jerry Thorson, at
253.876.1909 if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
KOAitetr.)Nancy B
Mayor, City of Auburn
APPROVED AS TO FORM
Community-Specific IEMC Nomination Package
-0,4a
17J:S''� 'dam`hr ¢;art. e' '4 �i i,� .. t/r '4�,;"."- - 'c'�F�'
f[ ; �'�a mad. LL!. + 6'7f;�1 A .:. -yam l �„c�
4
---777.-• -k X81 Y< ,T. 3 NG1 y.�1"4-A
�'( x .tet � •' +` s ..
1"1 ,,,..y.„.e,„ ,Ir.--,- ,:,-
.''S 44 ,V/'r 4, r Ya
i ii v „„.„4, ..., .:,. ..4.,,,.p
, _ xs
>,w J- ..-.:4. ....--,,,- ` f 4:ice4.11V6 dz- ,y . eri .S * , ,' • +s
VP:. IF.,**,-..,-44 r.K ''';'-t*
. ° S
7¢ ” 1-,r'. 4.,,044.444.
777 "
.'x '
t. --..&,"1 - ®® i®11®®( r r.-,y,-,:rt-.-t... .);,:,.,( '
ateyi ! ii �' .. Y ; c-it� ` t r` --_ ♦ r �
- p g __:_•2---- ------ 4.... ------2
Request for Consideration for the Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC) for
FY2020.
Introduction
The City of Auburn, Washington is requesting to receive a Community Specific Integrated
Emergency Management Course (CS-IEMC). Our preference is for key personnel to travel to the
Emergency Management Institute (EMI)for the course. We would prefer to focus on the core
capabilities for preparedness and response during this exercise.
Our community and our partners have worked hard on our emergency preparedness and training
for key staff and feel this next step will help us be even better prepared for an event. We have
trained key staff members on EOC operations and strengthened partnerships with local agencies,
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, businesses, and non-governmental organizations. We participated in
the 2016 FEMA Cascadia Rising Exercise, staffing our EOC for two days to include all of our team
in the training. We will complete our regular update to our Comprehensive Emergency
Management Plan (CEMP) by the first quarter of 2019 so this will be a great opportunity to
evaluate the plan and the training that will go along with adoption.
This CS-IEMC will be the culmination of our efforts to build and maintain a strong emergency
management program within the city. It will bring together our work plans, training programs,
partnerships with other public and private organizations, and serve as a springboard into recovery
efforts for the city. Our goal is to improve our partnerships, help build community preparedness
and response capabilities.
2
As with any city our size, we depend on partnerships to be successful with emergency planning,
response and recovery efforts. It is with these partnerships in mind that we will bring a group of
leaders that reflect those partnerships. We anticipate the following personnel to attend:
• Elected Officials • Department Directors
• Emergency Management • King/Pierce County Emergency
Management
• Public Information Officers • Auburn Police
• Valley Regional Fire Authority • Auburn Medical Center(Hospital)
• Muckleshoot Indian Tribe • Auburn School District
• American Red Cross • Local NGO/COAD
• BNSF Railroad • Auburn Valley Food Bank
• UP Railroad • Sound Transit Agency
• National Weather Service-Seattle
The scenario will allow us to exercise core capabilities from the preparedness and response
mission areas. The significant impacts will challenge participants and support our exercise
objectives.
We are requesting that our key personnel be sent to the Emergency Management Institute for the
IEMC training. We feel that the facility at EMI would be the best environment for learning. We
have commitments from our key leaders including partner agencies and our EOC team to attend
the training.
Throughout the process, we will follow and apply all evaluation and assessment provided and will
adhere to the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program, After Action Report format.
Within 8 months of course completion we will submit a copy of the evaluation data collected, after
action report and improvement plan to the FEMA/EMI/IEMC Branch
The following information demonstrates the purpose and reason as to how a CS-IEMC will
better prepare the City of Auburn to become better prepared to respond to a major incident
in our community.
• Community Name
City of Auburn, Washington
• Sponsoring Region/Agency
City of Auburn
• Has an IEMC ever been conducted for this community? If yes, when and what hazard
was exercised?
The City of Auburn has not previously participated in an IEMC.
3
• Name, Title, Email and Phone for Primary Point of Contact
Jerry E. Thorson
Emergency Manager
jthorson(a�auburnwa.gov
253-876-1909
• Name, Title, Email and Phone for Secondary Point of Contact
Dana Hinman
Emergency Management Director
dhinman@auburnwa.gov
253-931-4009
• Will this IEMC be included in your department or jurisdictional Training and Exercise
Plan?
Yes, if accepted for this course it will be included in our 2020 Training and Exercise Plan.
• Does the course/exercise support your jurisdictional Threats and Hazard Identification
and Risk Assessment? If yes, then provide supporting evidence
The King County Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan update adopted in 2015 is focused on
natural hazards and doesn't currently include man-made or technological hazards. Most of our
recent training and exercises have been focused on natural hazards as a result. We have
focused on earthquakes, floods, severe weather and other natural events. Our request for an
IEMC based on a train derailment reflects the significant hazard to our community. It should
be noted that King County has just begun the revision process for the THIRA which will
include technological hazards for the first time.
The City of Auburn has a significant risk from rail traffic that run through the center of the city
on a regular basis. It's normal for the city to experience up to 12 or 13, mile long trains per
week carrying the volatile Bakken crude oil in trains that frequently carry about 3 million
gallons of fuel. The very same rail lines also carry regional commuters on Sound transit's
commuter trains and the primary Amtrak route for the west coast of the US, increasing the risk
to life, property and the environment.
• Is this community scheduled to host a National Special Security Event (NSSE)within
the next two years? If yes, then provide supporting evidence
No, we are not.
• Is this community scheduled to participate in a National Level Exercise within the next
two years? If yes, then provide supporting evidence
No, we are not.
• Description of the community's demographics and critical infrastructure;
As of 2014, Auburn ranked as the 14th-most populated city within the state of Washington with
4
a population of approximately 77,472. It is located within the two most populous counties in the
state (King and Pierce) and is nearly equal distance from the state's two largest cities, Seattle
and Tacoma. Proximity to both of these cities, and its central location within the Puget Sound
region, has helped Auburn grow at a steady rate.
Due to our proximity to the cites of Seattle and Tacoma, we have several key transportation
modes that run through the city. Two major freeways go through the city, State Route 167 and
Highway 18 both allow large volumes of freeway traffic along with the normal commercial
vehicles and hazardous materials transported and used throughout the area. We also have
mainline rail lines for both Burlington Northern Sante Fe and Union Pacific that not only run
through the center of the city, but share the same tracks with both Sound Transit commuter
trains and Amtrak trains. We have a major Boeing complex housing a large workforce along with
many hazardous material processes.
The year 2000 Census indicated that Auburn had 16,108 households, a number that has
catapulted since then. The current number of households (based on 2013 figures) has
increased to 27,427. This significant increase is due to substantial development activity over
the past 15 or so years, as well as significant annexations. Auburn's median household
income is $55,483, compared with the Washington average of$59,478, a nearly$4,000
difference indicating Auburn's relatively lower earning power.
Auburn is statistically younger than the state of Washington overall. The median age in
Washington is 37 years, while the median age in Auburn is 35.5, up from 34.1 in 2000. While
the median age has increased, the youth population remains significant. Of Auburn's total
population, 7.4% are under 5 years of age and 25.9% are under the age of 18, and both
percentages are significantly higher than state averages. The percentage of people over the
age of 65 is 10.2%, similar to the state of Washington figure of 12.3%. Demographic data
suggest a need for services and programming that address the needs of children and families,
while continuing to focus on the needs of more mature adults and single people of all ages.
According to the Puget Sound Regional Council and the US Department of Labor,
approximately 41,000 jobs are located in Auburn. This number has grown steadily since
2010, but it is important to note that the number of jobs must be considered with an
understanding of the massive manufacturing job losses and very slow national economic
recovery since the economic downturn in 2008.
• Size: 30 sq. miles
• Population: 77,472
• Housing units 28,405
• County: King/Pierce
(The majority of the city lies within King County with a smaller portion being in Pierce
County).
• City of Auburn Infrastructure
• Miles of roadway: 216
• Miles of water pipeline: 250
• Miles of sewer pipeline and
• force mains: 210
• Miles of storm pipeline: 197
5
• Miles of storm ditches: 27
• Developed parks: 28
• Miles of recreational trails: 23
.
• City of Auburn Critical Infrastructure
• Bridges: 117
• Buildings: 106
Top Ten employers, 2011
I.,\\r,\,;.S., ..gliS
1
OWLET COLIEMON
OTHER
' 1
IS‘Hv
Al. , ---\\
•The Boeing Company •Sateway
El Outlet Collection III General Services Administration(GSA)
•Emerald Downs Racetrack ❑Auburn School District(ASD)
•Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) 0 Auburn Multicare
I♦Other ■Social Security Administration
IN Muckleshoot Tribal Enterprises U Zones,Inc.
•Green River College(GRC)
• Explanation of why the community desires a CS-IEMC
The primary reason that the City of Auburn desires a CS-IEMC is to improve our response
capabilities. After participating in FEMA's multi-state Cascadia Rising Exercise in 2016, we
focused our training on items from our After Action Review and now are ready to evaluate
that training and experience. We also desire to evaluate our new CEMP, which we expect to
be adopted by the City Council in the first quarter of 2019, allowing time for training and
6
evaluation at the local level. As with many communities, our response efforts focus on
partnerships with outside agencies, this will be a valuable opportunity to work with public
agencies such as the local fire authority, the railroads, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe,
businesses, and elected officials. This exercise is also desired to allow us to work more
closely with our emergency management partners and improve our ability to work together
on a large regional response.
The CS-IEMC will also provide a great opportunity to provide experience in a realistic
simulation for our EOC team, which come from all city departments and partner agencies.
This experience will be used in turn to develop an even better training and exercise program
in the future, all as a result of our experience with the Auburn CS-OEMC course.
•
7