Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies

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Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies
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Nature of Emergencies and Disasters

• Overview
• What Is an Emergency?
• What Is a Disaster?
• Differences
• What Is Emergency Management?
• Transit Agency Response
• Summary

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What is an Emergency?

• Definition - a sudden, generally unexpected
  occurrence or set of circumstances demanding
  immediate attention

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What is a Transit Emergency?

• Definition - a sudden, unforeseen incident,
  requiring immediate action by the transit agency.

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Criteria for a Transit Emergency

• Service Interruption
• Duration of Interruption
• Injuries/Fatalities
• Hospitalization of Victims
• Dollar Thresholds for Property Damage

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Emergencies

• Civil Disobedience
• Collision
• Derailment
• Fire/Explosion
• Hazmat Release
• Inclement Weather
• Mechanical Failures
• Operator Incapacitation

• Over-crowding
• Passenger Illness
• Power Outage
• Slips, Trips, and Falls
• Vehicle Breakdown
• Vehicle Collisions
• Vehicle Rollover
• Wildlife Interference
• Work Stoppages

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What is a Disaster?

• Definition - any occurrence that causes great
  loss of life and property.

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What is a Transit Disaster?

• A Sudden Unforeseen Incident That
• Effects the Community Served
• Threatens Life and Property
• Requires Immediate Action
• Requires Multiple Emergency Agency Response

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Disasters

• Avalanche
• Blizzard/Ice Storm
• Chemical/Biological/
• Nuclear Release
• Civil Disobedience
• Earthquake
• Fire/explosion
• Flood
• Hazmat Release

• Hijacking
• Hurricane
• Landslide/Mudslide
• Passenger Murders
• Power Outage
• Technology Failure
• Terrorist Activity
• Tornado
• Volcanic Eruption

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Differences

• How Do Emergencies and Disasters Differ?
• How Do These Differences Affect Your Transit
  Agencys Response?

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Emergency Management

• Definition - the use of operating and management
  principles to prepare a transit system for
  emergency situations and to enable the system to
  provide effective and timely response.

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Transit Agency Response

• How Do Transit Agencies Respond?
• Will the Emergency Response Be Different for
  Transit Rail and Bus Operations?

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Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies

• Objectives
• Emergency Management Concept
• Elements of an Emergency Management Program
• Transits Role in Managing Emergencies
• Employee/Management Relationships
• Role of Community Emergency Responders
• How Transit Emergencies Differ
• Develop an Emergency Response Plan
• Training

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Emergency Organizations

• Overview
• Internal Transit Agency Organization
• External Emergency Response Organization

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Emergency Organizations

• Internal Organizations
• Internal Transit System
• Key Elements to Coordinate Internal Response

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Emergency Organizations

• External Emergency Response Organizations
• Local, State, Federal, and Private
• Responsibilities and Jurisdiction
• Role of Unified Command Structure

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Emergency Management Concepts

• Overview
• Priorities
• Planning Critical Incident Response
• Initial Response - Life Safety
• Loss Mitigation
• Recovery and Restoration

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Emergency Priorities

• Life Safety
• Incident Stabilization
• Property Conservation
• Recovery and Restoration

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Planning Critical Incident Response

• Identify Emergency Response Team
• Perform Threat and Vulnerability Analysis
• Command, Control, and Communication
• Access Control
• Equipment Needs
• Equipment Testing
• Public Education and Awareness

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Planning Critical Incident Response Contd.

• Training
• Government and Industry Resources
• Media Relations
• Legal Issues
• Documentation - Plan and Procedures

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Initial Response - Life Safety

• Preliminary Assessment
• Establish Incident Command System
• Establish Perimeter Control
• Response Logistics
• Contact Public and Private Resources
• Contact Appropriate Regulatory Agencies

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Loss Mitigation

• Accident/Incident Investigation
• Debris Removal and Salvage
• Critical Incident Debriefing

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Recovery and Restoration

• Determine Critical Services
• Communicate to Appropriate Authorities
• Implement Critical Services
• Assess Restoration Feasibility
• Initiate Trial Runs Prior to Resumption of Normal
  Operations

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Recovery and Restoration Contd.

• Evaluate Incident Response
• Modify Emergency Management Response Plan
• Communicate Lessons Learned with Employees

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Emergency Management Plans

• Overview
• Purpose
• Effectiveness
• Contents

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Purpose of an Emergency Management Plan

• Plan the Coordinated Response
• Mobilize Response to Emergencies
• Recover from Emergencies
• Restore Normal Operations

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Effectiveness of an Emergency Management Plan

• Requires
• Executive Management Support
• Present Plan to Management
• Effective Presentation

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Effectiveness of an Emergency Management Plan
Contd.

• Requires
• Justify Plan
• Objectives
• Costs
• Benefits
• Resources Needed

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Effectiveness of an Emergency Management Plan
Contd.

• Coordination with External Organizations
• Formal Process
• Communication Protocols

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Contents of an Emergency Response Plan

• Policy
• Scope
• Goals and Objectives
• Authority
• Organizational Chart
• Inter-Organizational Agreements and Memorandums
  of Understanding
• Incident Command System

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Contents of an Emergency Response Plan Contd.

• Telephone Tree
• Emergency Procedures
• Threat and Vulnerability Assessment
• System Safety Organizational Interface
• Resources
• Recovery Tasks
• ADA Considerations

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Contents of an Emergency Response Plan Contd.

• Post-Emergency Planning
• Emergency Plan Dissemination
• Media Relations
• Supporting Documentation
• Testing and Updating the Plan
• Configuration Management

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Coordinating Emergency Response Activities

• Overview
• Emergency Response
• Responsibilities of Emergency Response Personnel
• Incident Command System

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Emergency Response

• First Person on the Scene
• Determine Severity of Incident and Threat to Life
  Safety
• ICS
• Establish Inner Perimeter
• Establish Outer Perimeter
• Evacuation

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Emergency Response Contd.

• Provide Rescue and First Aid
• Identify and Control Access
• Establish a Finance Team
• Establish a Demobilization Team

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Features of ICS

• Primary Functions
• Management by Objectives
• Unity and Chain of Command
• Establish Command
• Transfer of Command
• Organizational Flexibility