Santa Rosa County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP)

Executive Summary

Santa Rosa County is vulnerable to a variety of hazards that threaten our communities, businesses and the environment. The CEMP is a continuous “work-in-progress”. This document provides a framework for the County to be as prepared as possible to deal with all types of hazards. Division of Emergency Management will continue to evaluate all hazards listed in the CEMP and define guidelines for effective response, recovery and mitigation for each incident. Current and future guidelines will be evaluated through real-world events (local or national/world-wide), training exercises and from ‘lessons learned’. Modifications or amendments to the CEMP may be made based on recommendations from the Board of County Commissioners, Administrators, Disaster Managers Group or public comments.

The purpose of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is to provide a location where multiple levels of government, agencies, and organizations can coordinate decisions, resources, and public information on a strategic level. The EOC is a support element to the Incident Command structure. For all incidents, regardless of cause, response will focus on actions taken to save lives, sustain life, and protect infrastructure.

The main section of the CEMP has been expanded from the original concept. This document has better defined roles, guidelines and includes detailed goals and objectives. In the annex each appendix is expanded, charts are in compliance with NIMS and maps have been updated with current data. The Communications Standard Operating Guide (SOG) and Emergency Support Function (ESF) Plan appendix are more comprehensive and better organized with greater detail.

Key items of the CEMP include:

Ø Integration of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Ø Easy-to-read vulnerability charts with quick view situation category and a brief summary.

Ø The roles and responsibilities for Santa Rosa County, Municipalities, State and citizens.

Ø The descriptions of the four types of shelters (pages 119-122).

1. Risk, operated by the American Red Cross (ARC), generally at schools or other hardened structures. Our risk shelters with capacity are: Milton Community Center (500), Avalon Middle School (1,846), South section of Sims Middle School (1,000), Dixon Intermediate School (2,193) with total capacity for all four shelters at 6,937;

2. Host, generally churches/other facilities are identified;

3. Special Needs, operated by Santa Rosa County Health Department, North section of Sims Middle School (250 individuals, including residents, care-givers and staff);

4. Refuges of Last Resort, provides refuge for evacuees stranded along evacuation routes. These facilities are Pace Assembly of God, Woodbine United Methodist Church, Berrydale Baptist Church, Milton High School and King Middle School.

We are continuing to work on shelter capacity deficits. Safety concerns for shelters in risk areas would be compounded by the high probability of it becoming isolated due to storm surge water surrounding the shelter’s location and/or bridge failure/closure due to erosion/damage, placing unnecessary risk to citizens when moving to a safe location.

Other types of shelters being reviewed are ‘pet friendly’ shelters.

Ø Evacuation zones are outlined by category of hurricane and other hazards on pages 114 & 115. Category 4 & 5 storm surge will impact areas from Navarre Beach, Gulf Breeze Peninsula (Navarre, Midway, Gulf Breeze and Holley) North to Interstate 10, some areas of Highway 90 and historically Pace, Floridatown, Pea Ridge, Garcon Point, Bagdad, Ward Basin, East Milton and Pine Bluff. Residents up to a one mile radius of water-ways such as Santa Rosa Sound, Pensacola Bay, Escambia Bay, Escambia River, East Bay, East Bay River, Yellow River and Blackwater River are in the evacuation zones.

Ø Recovery Element specifies information describing facilities and operations for County Staging Area (CSA), and Points of Distribution (POD). PODs are typically the function of Santa Rosa County. Sterling Fibers has been identified as the CSA. The CSA will be fully operational and adequately staffed to receive and distribute emergency relief supplies within the first 24-72 hours after an event. Resources will be delivered for the first 72 hours from the State’s Logistical Staging Area (LSA) to the PODs. After 72 hours the County takes over LSA deliveries directly to the CSA and will assume responsibility for forward movement of resources to the PODs. PODs are identified below and on page 148-149.

· Schools – Chumuckla Elementary, Gulf Breeze Middle, King Middle, Munson Elementary, Navarre High, and Pace High.

· Church Parking Lots – Area across from Hickory Hammock Baptist Church.

· County Parks/Sports Complexes – Tiger Point Recreation Area, and Bray-Hendricks Park.

o Recovery facilities such as Comfort Stations, Volunteer Reception Centers, Disaster Recovery Centers, Feeding/Distribution sites and Temporary Living Areas through Long-Term Recovery are defined from page 150-159. Potential Recovery Site locations table is listed on page 153-154.

Ø Mitigation:

o Defines goals and objectives for pre- and post-disaster describing coordination and management responsibilities for:

· Local Hazard Mitigation goals

· Lead Agency goals

· Support Agencies: Federal, State, County

· Santa Rosa County existing mitigation programs

· Roles of County Departments

· Growth Management Plan and Mitigation

· Post-disaster mitigation activities

o Two newly formed team responsibilities and functions are defined for the

· Mitigation Assessment Team

· Mitigation Analysis Team

Ø Emergency Management Communication Standard Operating Guide (EMCSOG) Annex describing actions taken with the initial call and notification to responders. These SOGs will be updated as required or annually.

Ø Appendix 7 contains guidelines used by the ESFs.

o Special emphasis has been placed on ESF 1 Transportation, page 24.

· Santa Rosa County is not dependent on mass transportation, however, a plan has been outlined to initiate mass evacuation transportation, but will require State or outside assistance.