Emergency Transportation Operations: FHWA Role and Activities

1
Emergency Transportation Operations FHWA Role
and Activities

• Vince Pearce
• Federal Highway Administration

2
Observations

• The surface transportation system is vital to our
  economy, defense, and quality of life, and it is
  extremely vulnerable to attack due to its
  enormity and accessibility.
• Unless we actively manage the transportation
  system, it will not be prepared for, or able to
  effectively respond to or recover from a
  disaster.
• The roles of transportation target and solution

3
Observations

• FHWAs role in surface transportation security
• Facilitating
• Best practices
• Education, awareness, and training
• Research and Development
• Coordination with other federal agencies
• Information on threats
• Supporting military deployments
• Advocacy

4
FHWA Activity

• Regional Emergency Management Workshops
• 10 in 2002 11 in 2003 8-10 in 2004
• Cargo security and efficiency operational tests
• Telecommunications vulnerability reduction
  (complete)
• Model Deployment Initiative-iFlorida
• Vulnerability assessment and reduction
• ITS supporting evacuation at Daytona Motor
  Speedway
• Emergency management case studies
• Four complete, one in development
• Blue Ribbon Panel on Bridge Security (complete)
• State Security Assessments (2 complete)

5
FHWA Activity

• USACOE blast phenomenology workshops
• Bridge Surveillance Analysis
• (pooled funds study)
• Military deployment table top exercises
• International border crossing security
• White paper on roles for regional councils and
  MPOs in security (complete)
• Alternate route development methodologies
• Updated information security booklet (complete)

6
FHWA Activity

• Homeland Security Advisory System
• Compilation (complete)
• National demonstrations of data/video integration
• Integration of security into the national ITS
  architecture (complete)
• TMC Vulnerability Reduction
• Communication Alternatives Analysis
• Emergency Management Data Needs

7
FHWA Activity

• Traffic/Emergency Management Integration
• Planning/Emergency Management Lessons
  Learned/Case Studies
• PTI Local Transportation Security Guidebook
• National Governors Association Transportation
  Security Booklet
• Signal Timing for Evacuation
• Managing Pedestrians During Evacuations

8
FHWA Activity

• Basic awareness briefing materials (complete)
• Security website (completereorganizing)
• Emergency Management/Emergency Operations Plans
  assessment (complete)
• Emergency transportation operations resource CD
• ICS training for transportation course development

9
Emergency Transportation Response/Recovery
Workshops

• 2003
• Oakland, CA
• Portland, OR
• Nashville, TN
• Chicago, IL
• St. Louis, MO
• Minneapolis, MN
• Seattle, WA
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Los Angeles, CA
• Boise, ID
• Albuquerque, NM

• 2004
• Philadelphia, PA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Hampton Roads, VA
• Columbus, OH
• San Diego, CA
• I-95 Corridor Coalition
• Detroit, MI
• New Orleans, LA

• 2002
• Baltimore, MD
• Kansas City, MO
• Spokane, WA
• Raleigh, NC
• Dover, DE
• Milwaukee, WI
• Omaha, NE
• Honolulu, HI
• Salem, VA
• Cincinnati, OH

10
ITS Initiative

• Theres more to come.
• ITS supporting improved response by
  towing/recovery and hazmat
• Transportation operations and technology in
  biohazard situations
• Traffic management technology to enhance
  emergency response
• State of the practice in no-notice evacuations
• Low-cost evacuation route surveillance
• Monitoring evacuations using vehicle-infrastructur
  e integration
• Communicating with the public using ATIS during
  disasters
• Emergency transportation operations in rural
  areas.
• Rapid restoration of ITS following a disaster
• Real-time evacuation management and modeling
• Harmonization of transportation and public safety
  incident management standards
• Completing and deploying incident management
  standards

11
The End

• Thank You.
• With questions or for further information, please
  feel free to contact
• Vince Pearce, FHWA Emergency Transportation
  Operations Team Leader
• Vince.pearce_at_fhwa.dot.gov
• Check out our website at http//www.ops.fhwa.dot.g
  ov/opssecurity

12
The Effect of Catastrophic Eventson the
Transportation SystemAllan J.DeBlasioJohn A.
Volpe NationalTransportation Systems
CenterJune 28, 2004
Technical Training by Telephone
13
Presentation Outline

• Background
• Four events
• Effect on transportation
• Role of transportation
• Operating decisions
• Recommended actions
• Conclusion

14
Background

• Federal Highway Administration
• Office of Transportation Operations
• Effect of Catastrophic Events on
• Transportation Systems
• Management and Operations

15
Reason for the Program
Federally Declared Disasters in 2003

• 56 major disasters  
• 19 emergencies
• 46 federal fire management assistance requests
•  

16
The Events

• BlackoutAugust 14, 2003
• New York City area
• Great Lakes region
• Rail tunnel fire July 18, 2001, Baltimore,
  Maryland

• Terrorist attacks September 11, 2001
• New York, N.Y.
• Washington, D.C. area
• Earthquake January 17, 1994, Northridge,
  California

17
Effect on Transportation

• Blackout
• Mass exodus
• Subways stopped
• Traffic lights out
• Communications lost
• Lengthy queues at border crossings

18
Effect on Transportation(continued)
19
Effect on Transportation(continued)
20
Effect on Transportation(continued)
21
Effect on Transportation(continued)

• Terrorist attacks
• Mass exodus
• Major roads andbridges closed
• Portions of transit system inoperable
• Airports closed
• Access for emergency responders

22
Effect on Transportation(continued)
New York City Metropolitan Area September 11, 2001
23
Effect on Transportation(continued)
Washington, D.C. September 11, 2001
24
Effect on Transportation(continued)

• Rail tunnel fire
• Rush hour disrupted
• Key roadway and rail corridors closed
• Bus bridges and detours implemented

25
Effect on Transportation(continued)

• Rail tunnel fire
• Rush hour disrupted
• Key roadway and rail corridors closed
• Bus bridges and detours implemented

26
Effect on Transportation(continued)
Baltimore, Maryland July 18, 2001
27
Baltimore, Maryland July 18, 2001
28
Effect on Transportation(continued)

• Earthquake
• Destruction of roadway infrastructure
• Detours and extension of commuter rail
  implemented

29
Effect on Transportation(continued)
Northridge, California January 17, 1994
30
Role of Transportation

• Resource
• Response
• Evacuation
• Recovery

31
Role of Transportation

• Resource
• Response
• Evacuation
• Recovery

32
Operating Decisions
33
Operating Decisions(continued)

• Set priorities as quickly and accurately as
  possible
• Sustain operations according to continuity of
  operations plans
• Empower staff to make field decisions

34
Operating Decisions(continued)

• Work with first responders
• Implement established procedures for evacuations
  when necessary
• Share resources with other agencies
• Restore mobility

35
Program Findings

• Guiding priorities
• Plan of action
• Advanced preparations
• Institutional coordination
• Use of technology
• Redundancy and resilience

36
Guiding Priorities

• Protection of life
• Security
• Safety
• Mobility

37
Advanced Preparations

• Emergencies do not happen at convenient times,
  therefore it is important to train not just your
  first string but also your second and third
  string for emergencies.

38
Advanced Preparations(continued)

• Learn from previous events
• Develop and drill response plans
• Establish emergency operations centers

39
Advanced Preparations(continued)

• Adopt an incident command system
• Develop cooperative agreements
• Plan for redundancy of critical systems

40
Advanced Preparations(continued)

• RESULT
• Ability to initiate anemergency response
  planwithin minutes of an event

41
Advanced Preparations(continued)
QUIZ

• How long did it take staff at the George
  Washington Bridge to initiate the closing of the
  bridge once they were told to do so?

42
Advanced Preparations(continued)
ANSWER
TWO minutes!
43
Advanced Preparations(continued)
QUIZ

• How long after the first plane struck the WTC did
  it take PATH crews to starting evacuating the WTC
  Station?

44
Advanced Preparations(continued)
ANSWER
SIX minutes!
45
Institutional Coordination

• We, in the region, understand each other. We
  recognize the need to know who to talk to.

46
Institutional Coordination(continued)

• Cultivate relationships during normal times
• Link sections within your organization
• Establish contacts in other agencies

47
Institutional Coordination(continued)

• Establish mutual aid agreements
• Develop contacts with the media
• Review performance after event

48
Institutional Coordination(continued)

• RESULT
• Improved cooperation and response capabilities

49
Institutional Coordination(continued)
QUIZ

• How soon and at what distance from the George
  Washington Bridge were signs displaying a message
  that the bridge was closed?

50
Institutional Coordination(continued)
ANSWER
Within minutes-12 Miles! Later-Maryland to
Connecticut
TRANSCOM SM I-95 Corridor Coalition
51
WHY IS RAPID ASSESSMENT IMPORTANT?
The ability of government to perform a rapid
assessment accurately and within the first few
hours after an incident is critical to providing
an adequate government response for
life-threatening situations and imminent hazards.
Coordinated and timely assessments permit
government to prioritize response activities,
allocate scarce resources, and request mutual aid
and assistance quickly and accurately.
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
52
Use of Technology
53
Use of Technology

• Collects, stores, and processes data
• Provides information for decision makers
• Aids sharing information with other agencies
• Aids disseminating information to public

54
Use of Technology(continued)

• Transportation technology
• Intelligent transportation systems (ITS)
• Communications technology

55
Transportation Technology

• Collects information on travel conditions
• Detects roadway conditions
• Determines vehicle locations
• Produces video images

56
Transportation Technology(continued)

• Shares information electronically
• Other agencies

57
Transportation Technology(continued)
58
Transportation Technology(continued)

• Shares information electronically
• Travelers in affected area
• Travelers approaching area

59
Transportation Technology(continued)
60
Transportation Technology(continued)

• Management and operations centers
• Systems in centers
• Field equipment
• Vehicle-to-center systems

61
Transportation Technology(continued)

• ITS data went right into the wastebasket,
  during a time when you could use it the most

62
Transportation Technology(continued)

• Blackout area
• Most centers continued to operate
• Electronic access systems
• Most systems operable
• Air conditioning
• Most field equipment failed
• Most technology in vehicles worked
• Not always received in centers

63
Transportation Technology(continued)
Outside blackout area

• Variable message signs
• Highway advisory radio
• Traveler information systems
• Alerts

64
Transportation Technology(continued)

• Recommendations
• Acquire multiple technologies
• Investigate evolving technologies
• Understand limitations
• Plan for failure
• Eliminate single points of failure

65
Communications Technology

• For transportation, I think the blackout was
  worse than September 11. And the reason, no
  communications.

66
Communications Technology(continued)

• Transmits voice messages
• Transmits digital data
• Fiber optics
• Wireless

67
Communications Technology(continued)

• Old technologies
• POTS
• Radio and television
• Printed material
• Facsimile machines
• Two-way radios
• Short-wave radio
• Sneakers

• Plain old telephone system

68
Communications Technology(continued)
69
Communications Technology(continued)

• Newer technologies
• Cellular telephones
• Long-distance walkie talkies
• Electronic mail
• Two-way pagers with text messaging
• Satellite telephones

70
Communications Technology(continued)

• Recommendations
• DITTO

71
Communications Technology(continued)

• Recommendations
• Acquire multiple technologies
• Investigate evolving technologies
• Understand limitations
• Plan for failure
• Eliminate single points of failure

72
Communications Technology(continued)

• Recommendations
• Establish non-communications plan
• Investigate use of government systems

73
Use of Technology(continued)

• RESULT
• A more steady flow of information on which better
  decisions are made

74
System Redundancy

• Nothing worked all the time. Have as much
  backup as you can afford -- and then some.

75
System Redundancy(continued)

• Key Areas
• Understand options in your transportation system
• Cross-train agency personnel
• Procure multiple communication technologies

76
System Redundancy(continued)
77
System Redundancy(continued)
78
System Redundancy(continued)

• Key Areas
• Understand options in your transportation system
• Cross-train agency personnel
• Procure multiple communication technologies

79
System Redundancy(continued)

• Key Areas
• Ensure proper backup of utilities and fuel
  sources
• Maintain alternative control centers
• Inventory and purchase equipment and supplies

80
System Redundancy(continued)

• Recommendation
• Expend resources for redundancy
• Personnel
• Infrastructure

81
Proposed Actions

• Transportation Operations Centers
• Establish mobile and virtual centers
• Increase backup power for centers
• Eliminate single points of failure
• Ensure backup power

• Internet server
• Outlets for battery
• chargers

• Air conditioning
• Security systems
• Central phone systems

82
Proposed Actions(continued)

• Field Equipment
• Battery backups for LED signals
• Battery backups for radio repeaters
• Generators assigned to signals in high priority
  corridors
• City- or county-wide HAR
• VMS to separate pedestrians and vehicles

83
Continuity of Operations
QUIZ

• What agencies maintained operations more than
  others?

84
Continuity of Operations(continued)
ANSWER
85
Conclusion

• Must do advanced planning
• Train and empower staff
• Establish relationships

86
Conclusion(continued)

• Dont take technology for granted
• Invest in backup and redundancy
• Practice, practice, practice

87
The Effect of Catastrophic Eventson the
Transportation SystemAllan J.DeBlasioDeBlasio_at_
Volpe.dot.gov(617) 494-2032June 28, 2004
Technical Training by Telephone