An Assessment of the Consequences and Preparations for a Catastrophic California Earthquake Part 6

The second major portion of the California State planning structure consists of specific contingency plans (see (4) in figures 1 and 2).

One such plan is prepared for each extraordinary emergency or disaster, likely to occur, detailing the probable effects of the emergency on the jurisdiction and the actions to be taken in offsetting these effects. It is also called a "response plan" since it describes the operations to be undertaken to deal with catastrophic situations. Contingency plans include service support plans and checklists (see (5) and (6) respectively in figures 1 and 2). Each involved element of the emergency organization details its response actions in Service Support Plans and itemizes functions appropriate to the specific contingency. The contingency plans, service support plans, and related checklists and standard operating procedures const.i.tute the "operational" portions of the overall emergency plan.

They address internal procedures to accomplish stated objectives and doc.u.ment, in advance, the specific organizational elements that will respond to each type of disaster or "need," with identification of procedures and resources.

The third major part of California's overall State plan is a compendium of information and resources needed to cope with emergencies (see (7) in figures 1 and 2). This includes references describing the control structure (Emergency Operations Center locations, communications, key facilities, personnel lists, and equipment source listings).

C. FEDERAL EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE PLANNING

Most Federal agencies operating within the State have a generic emergency response plan that establishes their internal procedures for responding to disasters. Certain agencies such as the Corps of Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration, which provide services and support that are used on a regular and fairly extensive basis in disaster, tend to have more highly developed disaster response plans. Some of them even have rather basic earthquake response segments included in their basic plans. Thus, for moderate earthquakes these plans are relatively effective and the Federal response can be expected to be at least adequate. Few Federal agencies, however, have developed any specific plan that is adequate to respond to the demands of a catastrophic event causing property damage exceeding the $2 billion range. Of 24 Federal agencies whose earthquake planning status were recently evaluated by FEMA Region IX, only the Sixth U.S. Army was determined to have developed a comprehensive capability that is in acceptable detail, has been exercised, and appears to be operationally adequate and reliable.

Other Federal agencies are now beginning to perceive the need to improve their planning and response capability following the expected event, and are gradually responding to this need.

Providing impetus to this expanded planning activity has been the emergence of the FEMA Region IX Earthquake Response Plan for the San Francis...o...b..y Area. This is a site-specific FEMA plan based on a 1974 draft that provided for a full range of Federal a.s.sistance during the emergency lifesaving phase following the earthquake. Although this plan never proceeded beyond the draft stage (because of evolving FEMA disaster field operations policy), it served as the basic guide for the development of the Sixth U.S. Army Plan, and has remained a core doc.u.ment for identifying expected Federal agency activities for earthquake recovery in the San Francis...o...b..y area. In 1979, the emergency response portion of the 1974 FEMA Region IX draft was restructured. The conduct of the post-event response program was s.h.i.+fted from being a centrally directed FEMA activity under the operational control of the Regional Director to a decentralized operation which provides for functional disaster support activities to be a.s.signed by the Regional Director to certain Federal agencies by Mission a.s.signment Letters. Table 1 indicates functional task a.s.signment areas. Those with the designation "Emergency Support Function (ESF)," have been a.s.signed to other Federal agencies. Table 2 reviews the princ.i.p.al and support agency a.s.signments for each of the ESF functions.

On the basis of these antic.i.p.ated mission a.s.signments, the tasked Federal agencies partic.i.p.ated in the development of operational annexes in the 1979 version of the San Francisco Earthquake Response Plan. Upon completion of the annexes, all agencies were then required to develop the necessary agency support plans and standard operating procedures for accomplis.h.i.+ng the mission a.s.signment tasks.

Additionally, those Federal agencies designated in the plan as princ.i.p.al agencies were tasked with the responsibility of organizing and coordinating the activities of Federal agencies designated as support.

The rationale for this approach was to identify the various functional areas of disaster response for which a Federal activity could reasonably be expected to maintain after the occurrence of the event.

With the functional areas identified, the range of Federal agency talent was evaluated and Federal response capabilities matched to expected functional demands. By the development of a matrix (figure 2), a total of 16 functional response areas (such as transportation, ma.s.s care, and debris removal) were identified, and 20 Federal agencies, plus volunteer organizations such as the American National Red Cross, were designated as having appropriate disaster response capabilities. Subsequently, all agencies were rated on their capability for functioning in a princ.i.p.al or a support capacity. These agencies were then provided specific FEMA Region IX Mission a.s.signments or tasking statements which, when triggered by a Presidential disaster declaration, provide the legal basis for delivering the authorized a.s.sistance in response to State and local government needs.

The end result of this approach has been to create a much more effective and reliable capability to respond to the needs of an earthquake disaster by those Federal agencies from which a significant response would be required.

+----------+ Basic Plan .

(1) .

. +-----------------+ +---------------------------- Contingency Plans . (4) . +-----------------+ Administrative . Operational +-------------+ . Direction and . Control Annex . (2) . +-------------+ . +------+------+ . . +-------+ +-------+ . +-----------------------+ Staff Service . Service Support Plans Annexes Annexes ---------------------- (5) (3) (3) . Response Checklists +-------+ +-------+ . and SOP's (6) . +-----------------------+ . . . +--------------------+ Resources Compendium (7) +--------------------+

[Ill.u.s.tration: =Figure 1: Emergency Plans (Description of and Relations.h.i.+p Between Plan Components)=]

+-------------------------+ +-------------------------+ BASIC PLAN (1) -+ -+ Authorities RESOURCES MANUAL(S) Policies -+ (7) -+ Responsibilities System Interfaces -+ -+ +-------------------------+ -+ +-------------------------+ -+ Direction and Control (2) Communication Capabilities +--------------------------+ -+ +--------------------------+ -+ Public Safety (3) Law Enforcement/Fire +---------------------------+ +---------------------------+ People Care (3) Medical-Health/Welfare +----------------------------+ +----------------------------+ System Restoration (3) Engineering/Utilities +-----------------------------+ +-----------------------------+ Resource Management (3) Transportation, etc. +------------------------------+ +------------------------------+

+----------------+ +----------------+ EARTHQUAKE -+ FLOOD -+ Response Plan Response Plan (4) (4) -+ -+ +----------------+ +----------------+ D & C Checklist D & C Checklist +-----------------+ +-----------------+ Svcs. Sup. Svcs. Sup. Plans (5) Plans (5) Checklists & Checklists & SOP's (6) SOP's (6) +-----------------+ +-----------------+

+----------------+ +----------------+ WAR -+ -+ WAR Response Plan Response Plan (4) (4) In-Place Crisis Protection -+ Relocation -+ +----------------+ +----------------+ D & C Checklist D & C Checklist +-----------------+ +-----------------+ Svcs. Sup. Svcs. Sup. Plans (5) Plans (5) Checklists & Checklists & SOP's (6) SOP's (6) +-----------------+ +-----------------+

[Ill.u.s.tration: =Figure 2: Emergency Planning Format (A Partial Ill.u.s.tration of the Component Parts of a Jurisdictional Emergency Plan)=]

TABLE 1

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY REGION IX EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE AND a.s.sISTANCE TASKS

(San Francis...o...b..y Area)

ANNEXES TO BASIC PLAN

Disaster Field Activities Disaster Field Location Mission a.s.signments Emergency Transportation (ESF-1)[1]

Communication (ESF-2) Emergency Debris Clearance (ESF-3) Fire Fighting (ESF-4) Emergency Roads, Airfields, and Bridges (ESF-5) Emergency Demolition (ESF-6) Administrative Logistical Support (ESF-7) Emergency Medical Care (ESF-8) Search and Rescue (ESF-9) Identification and Disposal of Dead (ESF-10) Warnings of Risks and Hazards (ESF-11) Emergency Distribution of Medicine (ESF-12) Emergency Distribution of Food (ESF-13) Emergency Distribution of Consumable Supplies (ESF-14) Emergency Shelter & Ma.s.s Care (ESF-15) Damage Reconnaissance (ESF-16) Isoseismal a.n.a.lysis Authorities Referral Administration

[1] Emergency Support Functions (ESF) are cross-referenced by number in table 2.

TABLE 2

EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS

KEY: a: Emergency Transportation b: Emergency Communications c: Emergency Debris Clearance d: Fire Fighting e: Emerg. Roads, Air Fields & Bridges f: Emergency Demolition g: Logistical Support h: Emergency Medical Care i: Search and Rescue j: Identif. & Disposal of Dead k: Warnings of Risks & Hazards l: Emergency Dist. of Medicine m: Emergency Dist. of Food n: Emergency Dist. of Consum. Supplies o: Emerg. Shelter, Feed, & Ma.s.s Care p: Damage Reconnaissance +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ ESF 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ ANNEX (D) (E) (F) (G) (H) (I) (J) (K) (L) (M) (N) (O) (P) (Q) (R) (S) +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ FEDERAL AGENCIES a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOT - FAA S S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOT - FHWA S S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOT - FRA S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOT - RETCO-9 P +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOT - UMTA S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOT - USCC S S S S S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOD - 6th USA S S S S S S S P P P S S S S P +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOD - COE S P S P P +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ ICC S S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DA - USFS S P S S S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DA - FNS P +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOC - MARAD S S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ NCS P +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ AYRC S S P +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ Volunteer Agencies S (Various) +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ HEW S P S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ US ATTY S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ DOL - OSHA S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ USPS S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ FBI S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ VA S S S S S +--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ GSA S S S P S P +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ P - Princ.i.p.al Agencies S - Support Agencies

ANNEX 3

a.s.sEMBLY BILL NO. 2202

The Governor of California signed into law a.s.sembly Bill 2202 on September 25, 1980, which, among others, provides for State partic.i.p.ation in a joint Federal, State, and local program to prepare a comprehensive program for responding to a major earthquake prediction. This action was initiated in January 1980 through the actions of the a.s.sembly Committee on Government Organization, Frank Vicencia, Chairman. Inclusions of specific funds for preparedness was included following a subcommittee on Emergency Planning and Disaster Relief hearing on possible earthquake prediction on April 22, 1980.

The text of the Law follows:

a.s.sembly Bill No. 2202

CHAPTER 1046

An act to amend Section 8897 of, to amend and renumber Section 8898 of, and to add Section 8895.1 to, the Government Code, relating to the Seismic Safety Commission, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

[Approved by Governor September 25, 1980. Filed with Secretary of State September 26, 1980.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2202, Vicencia. Seismic Safety Commission.

The Seismic Safety Commission Act, which will self-repeal, effective January 1, 1986, establishes the Seismic Safety Commission, and confers upon it various powers and duties relating to earthquake hazard reduction. The California Emergency Services Act confers various related powers and duties upon the Governor, the Director and the Department of Emergency Services, and the California Emergency Council.

This bill would amend the Seismic Safety Commission Act by: changing the basic subject of the powers and duties of the commission to earthquake hazard mitigation and making certain corresponding changes in its powers and duties; including within commission responsibilities, scheduling on its agenda as required, a report on disaster mitigation issues from the Office of Emergency Services and defining, for such purposes, "disaster" as all natural hazards which could have an impact on public safety; and authorizing the commission to exercise various specified powers in relation to other disasters, as so defined, in connection with issues or items reported or discussed with the Office of Emergency Services at any commission meeting.

This bill would also require the commission to initiate, as specified, a comprehensive program to prepare the state for responding to a major earthquake prediction, as specified.

This bill would appropriate $750,000 for the purposes of this act.

This act would take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Appropriation: yes.