Basic Plan - 2021 DRAFT

Basic Plan

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I. Introduction

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The City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are vulnerable to a variety of hazards such as hazardous materials incidents; transportation accidents, both highway and rail; winter storms; windstorms; tornadoes; earthquakes; gas pipeline accidents; power failures; resource shortages; environmental contamination; biologic emergencies, and flooding. High density population in shopping areas are particularly vulnerable. It’s also home to several major universities including James Madison University. To respond effectively to any emergency of a size or complexity beyond routine response systems, it is critical that the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County public officials, departments and agencies, as well as James Madison University (JMU), non-governmental emergency organizations and the public understand their roles and responsibilities. These non-routine responsibilities begin as the incident is recognized and response ensues and becomes particularly important as command organizes beyond the initial reactive phase of first responders. This plan adheres to the principles and practices of the National Response Framework (NRF) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) processes, using the Incident Command System (ICS).

A planned-for and coordinated response on the part of state and local officials in support of in-the-field emergency responders can save lives, protect property, and more quickly and efficiently restore essential services. The foundation for this coordinated response is established through the joint Emergency Operations Plan between the City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, and James Madison University.

The “Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Services and Disaster Laws of 2000”, Code of Virginia, 44-146.13 to 44-146.29:2 requires that state and local governments develop and maintain current Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) in order to be prepared for such events. The Code of Virginia also requires in §23.1-804 that the governing board of each public institution of higher education shall develop, adopt, and keep current a written crisis and emergency management plan and every four years, each public institution of higher education shall conduct a comprehensive review and revision of its crisis and emergency management plan to ensure that the plan remains current, and the revised plan shall be adopted formally by the governing board. The Joint Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) consists of a Basic Plan followed by the Emergency Support Functions, Support Annexes, and finally Incident Annexes.

Purpose

The purpose of the Basic Plan is to establish the legal and organizational basis for operations in both localities and the educational institutions to effectively respond to and recover from all-hazards disasters and/or emergency situations. It assigns broad responsibilities to local government agencies and support organizations for disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. These responsibilities are generally extensions of normal, day-to-day functions involving the same personnel and material resources. Supporting plans for all-hazards disasters set forth the concepts and procedures whereby the localities and institutions can effectively apply available resources to ensure that casualties and property damage will be minimized and that essential services will be restored as soon as possible following an emergency or disaster situation.

Scope and Applicability

The Emergency Operations Plan identifies a range of disasters that could possibly occur in or near the localities. The EOP works to anticipate the needs that the jurisdictions might experience during an incident and provides guidance across City/County Departments, agencies, institutions, and response organizations by describing an overall emergency response system:

How City/County Departments/agencies/institutions will be organized during response to an event, including command authorities

Critical actions and interfaces during response and recovery

How the interaction between the jurisdictions and their private partner organizations (hospitals, non-governmental emergency organizations and others) is managed during the emergencies

How the interaction between the jurisdictions/institutions and regional, state, and federal authorities is managed

How to handle and manage needs with the resources available.

The plan is applicable to all local agencies/institutions that may be requested to provide support.

Incident Management Activities

This plan addresses the full spectrum of activities related to local incident management, including prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation actions. This plan focuses on those activities that are directly related to an evolving incident or potential incident. Each department and agency with a role in the implementation of the EOP must be familiar with the EOP to ensure efficient and effective execution of emergency responsibilities. Each department and partner organization should develop and maintain departmental emergency plans and continuity of operations (COOP) procedures to effectively meet their responsibilities.

Examples of incident management actions include:

Increasing public awareness

Coordinating protective measures across jurisdictions/institutions

Increasing countermeasures such as inspections, security, and infrastructure protections

Conducting public health assessments and conducting a wide range of prevention measures to include, but not limited to immunizations

Providing immediate and long-term public health and medical response assets

Coordinating support in the aftermath of an incident

Providing strategies for coordination of resources

Enabling immediate recovery activities, as well as addressing long-term consequences in the impacted area.

Key Concepts

A. Systematic and coordinated incident management, that includes protocols for:

• Incident reporting

• Coordinated action

• Alert and Notification

• Mobilization and demobilization of resources

• Operating under differing threats; and

• Integration of crisis and consequence management functions.

II. Situation and Planning Assumptions

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Geography/Demographics

The City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are nestled in the heart of the historic and scenic Shenandoah Valley in west central Virginia. The area is bounded on the west by the Allegheny Mountains and on the east by the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I-81 is the major transportation route providing one-day access to two-thirds of the U.S. population. In addition to I-81, U.S. Route 33 runs east and west through both jurisdictions and U.S. Route 11 runs north and south through each splitting the localities. The north fork of the Shenandoah River and several tributaries runs roughly south to north on the west side of the I-81 corridor. Smith Creek, the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, and tributaries runs roughly south to north on the east side of the I-81 corridor. Norfolk Southern railroad track also runs roughly north to south through both the county and city. James Madison University’s over 650-acre campus is in the heart of the city of Harrisonburg with approximately 21,000-student population. Approximately 6,800 students live on campus.

According to the Weldon Cooper Center, the estimated population of Harrisonburg is approximately 54,049 and Rockingham County is 82,809 for a total population of 136,858 people as of 2020*.

Males Rockingham: 40,660 Harrisonburg: 25,998

Females Rockingham: 42,149 Harrisonburg: 28,051

Median resident age Rockingham: 41 years

Harrisonburg: 25 years

Estimated median household income Rockingham: $61,864

Harrisonburg: $46,679

Elevation: 1352 feet

City of Harrisonburg

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Rockingham County

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James Madison University

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Major utilities (emergency contact – not for public release):

Columbia Gas of Virginia - (800) 544-5606

Verizon – (888) 483-1233 or (800) 837-4966

Harrisonburg Electric Commission – (540) 434-5361

Harrisonburg Water and Sewer Department – (540) 434-9959

Rockingham County Public Works – (540) 564-3020

Dominion Energy – (571) 203-5127 or (866) 366-4357

Shenandoah Valley Electric Coop – (540) 434-0895 or (800) 234-7832

Harrisonburg/Rockingham Regional Sewer Authority – (540) 434-1053

Planning Assumptions

• Occur at any time with little or no warning

• Require significant information sharing across multiple jurisdictions and between the public and private sectors

• Involve single or multiple geographic areas

• Have significant impact and/or require resource coordination and/or assistance

Span the spectrum of incident management to include prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery

Involve multiple, highly varied hazards or threats on a local or regional scale

Result in numerous casualties; fatalities; displaced persons; property loss; disruptions of normal life support systems, essential public services, and basic infrastructure; and significant damage to the environment

Attract a sizeable influx of independent, spontaneous volunteers and supplies

Require short notice State and Federal asset coordination

Require prolonged, sustained incident management operations and support activities

Save lives and protect the health and safety of the public, responders, and recovery workers

Ensure security of the jurisdictions/institutions

Prevent an imminent incident from occurring

Prepare for incidents which cannot be prevented

Protect and restore critical infrastructure and key resources

Ensure local government/institutions continue to function throughout the incident

A Business Continuity Plan has been developed for the City of Harrisonburg and a copy can be found in each department with the EOP

JMU has adopted a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and a copy can be obtained from the JMU Emergency Management Coordinator

Protect property and mitigate damages and impacts to individuals, communities, and the environment; and

Facilitate recovery of individuals, families, businesses, government, and the environment.

Basic Plan – Attachment 1

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DAYLIGHT HOURS

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RAINFALL

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III. Roles and Responsibilities

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Local Chief Executive Officer

The City Manager of the City of Harrisonburg and the County Administrator of Rockingham County serve as the respective jurisdiction’s chief executives and the Directors of Emergency Management. They are responsible for the public safety and welfare of the people of City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. The President of JMU serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the institution. The City Manager/County Administrator/JMU President:

Are responsible for coordinating local resources to address the full spectrum of actions to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from incidents involving all hazards including terrorism, natural disasters, accidents, and other contingencies

Are dependent upon state and local laws, have extraordinary powers to suspend local laws and ordinances, such as to establish a curfew, direct evacuations, and in coordination with the local health authority to order a quarantine

Provide leadership and play a key role in communicating to the public, and in helping people, businesses, and organizations cope with the consequences of any type of incident within the jurisdiction.

Emergency Support Functions (ESFs)

Local departments and agencies participate in the (ESFs) as coordinators, primary response agencies, and/or support agencies as required to support incident management activities. The ESF is a grouping of government and certain private-sector capabilities into an organizational structure to provide support, resources, program implementation, and emergency services that are most likely to be needed during incidents.

Each ESF is composed of primary and support agencies. The jurisdiction identifies primary agencies on the basis of authorities, resources, and capabilities. Support agencies are assigned based on resources and capabilities in a given functional area. ESFs are expected to support one another in carrying out their respective roles and responsibilities. Additional discussion on roles and responsibilities of ESF coordinator, primary agencies, and support agencies can be found in the introduction to the ESF annexes.

Note that not all incidents result in the activation of the ESFs. It is possible an incident may be addressed without activating the ESFs.

Nongovernmental and Volunteer Organizations

Nongovernmental organizations collaborate with first responders, governments at all levels, and other agencies and organizations providing relief services to sustain life, reduce physical and emotional distress, and promote recovery of disaster victims when assistance is not available from other sources. These resources, when available, will be integrated into the City/County/institutional operations, and will be incorporated into an ESF to support critical functions as best suited by their skill set. For example, a local American Red Cross chapter provides relief at the local level and may also provide staffing of ESF #6 – Mass Care when needed. The Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VVOAD) is a group of recognized local, state, and national organizations that provide disaster relief. VVOAD provides significant capabilities to incident management and response efforts.

Local Disaster Recovery Task Forces also provide for individuals, families, and businesses who have applied for available state and federal assistance but who may still have unmet needs.

Private Sector

Primary and support agencies coordinate with the private sector to effectively share information, form courses of action, and incorporate available resources to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

The roles, responsibilities, and participation of the private sector during disaster vary based on the nature of the organization and the type and impact of the disaster. The roles of the private sector organizations are summarized below.

Private sector organizations support emergency management by sharing information with the local government/institutions, identifying risks, performing vulnerability assessments, developing emergency response and business continuity plans, enhancing their overall readiness, implementing appropriate prevention and protection programs, and donating government resources to assist in response and recovery activities.

Private sector organizations are encouraged to develop and maintain capabilities to respond and to manage a complete spectrum of incidents and emergencies. The City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, and JMU maintain ongoing interaction with the critical infrastructure and key resources and industries to provide coordination of prevention, preparedness, and response and recovery activities. Private sector representatives should be included in planning and exercises.

Citizen Involvement

Strong partnerships with citizen groups and organizations provide support for incident management prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

The Citizen Corps brings these groups together and focuses efforts of individuals through education, training, and volunteer services to help make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to address all-hazards incidents. The Citizens Corps works through a national network of state and local Citizen Corp Councils, which bring together leaders from law enforcement, fire, emergency medical, and other emergency management volunteer organizations, local elected officials, the private sector, and other community stakeholders.

The Citizen Corps Council implements the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Police Service, and the affiliate programs and provide opportunities for special skills and interests. These programs develop targeted outreach for special needs groups and organize special projects and community events. Currently the Harrisonburg Fire Department and Rockingham County Department of Fire & Rescue, and JMU teach CERT programs to citizen and university groups. James Madison University has an active CERT program involving their faculty and staff. Both localities also participate with the Central Shenandoah Planning District’s CERT program. Local law enforcement agencies in the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County coordinate neighborhood watch programs. The Central Shenandoah Health District coordinates a Medical Reserve Corp that covers the Central Shenandoah Planning District, which includes the City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County and JMU.

IV. Concept of Operations

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General

This section describes the local coordinating structures, processes, and protocols employed to manage incidents. These coordinating structures and processes are designed to enable execution of the responsibilities of local government and institutions through the appropriate departments and agencies, and to integrate State, Federal, nongovernmental organizations, and private sector efforts into a comprehensive approach to incident management.

14. Declaration of a Local Emergency

a. Daily Situation Report

b. Damage Assessment Report

c. After-Action Report

b. A state of emergency is declared by the Governor.

The local Emergency Operations Plan is the core plan for managing incidents and details the local coordinating structures and processes used during incidents. Other supplemental agency and interagency plans provide details on the authorities, response protocols, and technical guidance for responding to and managing specific contingency situations (such as hazardous materials spills, wild land fires, etc.). In many cases these local agencies manage incidents under these plans using their own authorities. The supplemental agency or interagency plans may be implemented concurrently with the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) but are subordinated to the overarching core coordinating structures, processes, and protocols detailed in the EOP.

Organizational Structure

In accordance with the NIMS process, resource and policy issues are addressed at the lowest possible organizational level. If issues cannot be resolved at that level, they are forwarded up to the next level. Reflecting the NIMS construct and in alignment with the National Response Framework, the Emergency Operations Plan includes the following command and coordination structures:

• Incident Command Posts, on scene using the Incident Command System

• Area Command (if needed)

• Emergency Operations Centers

• Joint Field Office, which is responsible for coordinating Federal Assistance and supporting incident management activities locally

• Local Department of Emergency Management

• Director of Emergency Management

• Coordinator of Emergency Management /Deputy Coordinator; and

• Incident Command

V. Incident Management Actions

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Actions

This section describes incident management actions ranging from initial threat notification to early coordination efforts to assess and disrupt the threat, to preparatory activation of the ESF structure, to deployment of resources in support of incident response and recovery operations. These actions do not necessarily occur in sequential order; many may be undertaken concurrently in response to single or multiple threats or incidents.

Notification and Assessment

The City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, and James Madison University report threats, incidents, and potential incidents using established communications and reporting channels. These threats/incidents will be reported to the VEOC. Notification may also be made to the Regional Coordinator or Fusion Center depending on the type of incident and needs. Once a threat or incident has occurred, local government, through the Director of Emergency Management, makes an initial determination to initiate the coordination of information-sharing and incident management activities.

Reporting Requirements

The City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County Emergency Management are required to report a Declaration of Emergency to the VEOC and encouraged to report all incidents of significance to the VEOC. In most situations, incident information is reported using existing mechanisms to the VEOC. This information may include:

Implementation of an incident management or emergency response plan or action to prevent, respond to, or recover from an incident; and

Activation of local and state mutual-aid agreements in response to incidents resulting in emergency proclamation or declarations, or requiring Federal assistance,

Dissemination of Warnings and Bulletins

Watches, warnings, and other emergency bulletins are issued by various agencies based on their statutory missions and authorities. Information on dissemination of public information can be found in ESF #2 (Communications) and ESF #15 (External Affairs). A variety of communications systems may be used at the Federal level to disseminate information, such as:

National Warning Systems (NAWAS): NAWAS is the primary system for emergency communications from the Federal Government to both State and local warning points

National Emergency Alert System (National EAS): Formerly known as the Emergency Broadcast System, the National EAS is a nationwide network of readily available and reliable means to communicate emergency information to the American people; and

State and local EAS: State and local authorities have their own EAS which may be used to broadcast information on major disasters or emergencies.

Pre-Incident Actions

The majority of initial actions in the threat or hazard area are taken by first responders and the City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, and JMU authorities, and includes efforts to protect the public and minimize damage to property as follows:

Public Health and Safety: Initial Safety efforts focus on actions to detect, prevent, or reduce the impact to public health and safety. Such actions can include environmental analysis, plume modeling, evacuations, emergency sheltering, air monitoring, decontamination, emerging infectious disease tracking, emergency broadcasts, etc. These efforts may also include public health education; site and public health surveillance, testing procedures; and immunizations; prophylaxis, and isolation or quarantine for biological threats.

Responder Health and Safety: The safety and health of responders is also a priority. Actions essential to limit their risks include full integration of deployed health and safety assets and expertise; risk assessments based upon timely and accurate data, and situational awareness that considers responder and recovery worker safety.

Property and Environment: Responders may also take incident management actions to protect public and private property and the environment. Such actions may include sandbagging in anticipation of a flood or booming of environmentally sensitive areas in response to a potential oil spill.

Response Actions

Once an incident occurs, the priorities shift from prevention, preparedness, and incident mitigation to immediate and short-term response activities to preserve life, property, the environment, and the social, economic, and political structure of the community.

Response actions include immediate law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, emergency flood fighting, evacuations, transportation system detours, emergency public information, actions taken to minimize additional damage, urban search and rescue, the provision of public health and medical services, food, ice, water and other emergency essentials, debris clearance, the emergency restoration of critical infrastructure, control, containment, and removal of environmental contamination, and protection of responder health and safety.

In the context of a single incident, once immediate response missions and life-saving activities conclude, the emphasis shifts from response to recovery operations, and if applicable, hazard mitigation. The Planning Section develops a demobilization plan for the release of appropriate resources.

Recovery Actions

Recovery involves actions needed to help individuals and communities return to normal when feasible. The Joint Field Office (JFO) is the central coordination point among Federal, State, the City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, JMU and voluntary organizations for delivering recovery assistance programs.

The JFO Operations Section may include the Human Services Branch, the Infrastructure Support Branch, and the Community Recovery and Mitigation Branch. The Human Services and Infrastructure Support Branches assess state and local recovery needs at the outset of an incident and develop relevant timeframes for program delivery. The Community Recovery and Mitigation Branch works with other Operation branches and state and local officials to assess the long-term impacts of an incident, define available resources, and facilitate the development of a course of action to most efficiently apply available resources to restore and revitalize the community as well as reduce the impact from future disasters.

The above branches coordinate with one another to identify appropriate agency assistance programs to meet applicant needs. Hazard Mitigation measures are identified in concert with congressionally mandated locally developed plans. Hazard Mitigation Risk Analysis; technical assistance to state and local governments, citizens, and businesses; and grant assistance are included with the mitigation framework. These branches work in tandem to track overall progress of the recovery effort, particularly noting potential program deficiencies and problem areas.

Long-term environmental recovery may include cleanup and restoration of public facilities, businesses, and residences; re-establishment of habitats and prevention of subsequent damage to natural resources; protection of cultural or archeological sites; and historical resources from intentional damage during other recovery operations.

If a Presidential Declaration is not made, or the federal and state assistance can’t meet all of the local needs, a local disaster recovery task force may be established. This task force is brought together only during times of need, and includes, but not limited to, representatives from the Red Cross, social services, local government, faith-based organizations, and local businesses. Assistance will be decided based on available local resources and need.

Mitigation Actions

Hazard Mitigation involves reducing or eliminating long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their side effects. The JFO is the central coordination point among Federal, State, City of Harrisonburg, and Rockingham County agencies and nongovernmental organizations for beginning the process that leads to the delivery of mitigation assistance programs.

In a Presidential declared disaster, the JFO’s Community Recovery and Mitigation Branch is responsible for coordinating the delivery of all mitigation programs within the affected area, including hazard mitigation for:

Grant programs for loss reduction measures (if available)

Delivery of loss reduction building –science expertise

Coordination of Federal Flood Insurance operations and integration of mitigation with any other program efforts

Conducting flood recovery mapping to permit expedited and accurate implementation of both recovery and mitigation programs

Predictive modeling to protect critical assets

Early documentation of losses avoided due to previous hazard mitigation measures; and

Community education and outreach necessary to foster loss reduction.

The Community Recovery and Mitigation Branch works with the infrastructure and Human Services Branches and with state and local officials to facilitate the development of a long-term recovery strategy for the impacted area.

VI. Ongoing Plan Management and Maintenance

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Coordination

The City of Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, and James Madison University should conduct a comprehensive plan review and revision, as well as an exercise prior to formal adoption by the City Council, Board of Supervisors, and Board of Visitors every four years in order to maintain plan currency. It is also suggested that plans be updated and reviewed following a training exercise.

The Virginia Emergency Services and Disaster Law of 2000, as amended, requires that each City, County, and JMU prepare and keep current an Emergency 0perations Plan.

The Coordinator of Emergency Management will update the Emergency Operations Plan annually. The Coordinator will coordinate with each emergency resource organization and assure the development and maintenance of an appropriate emergency response capability.

In the event an incident exceeds local emergency response capabilities, outside assistance is available, either through mutual support agreements with nearby jurisdictions and volunteer emergency organizations or, through the VEOC. A local emergency must be declared, and local resources must be fully committed before state and federal assistance is requested.