11-12-2012 PHX NIMO report

Work continued on the well-being checks in the Rockaway high rise apartments. Good progress was made on the primary buildings so the Health Department compiled a list of secondary and tertiary apartments for welfare checks. The city extended this mission until Friday, however NIMO will end their involvement at noon Monday. Command of the mission will transfer to an AHIMT that is in the area.

PHX NIMO has their close-out with ESF4 at 1600 Monday. We will demob resources and pack and ship equipment on Tuesday; travel home on Wednesday.

11_8-10_2012 PHX NIMO report

Sorry for the lack of reports but we’ve been running hard for the past few days.

    After having a couple of suggestions for missions turned down, we were advised on Thursday (11-8) to prepare a plan for demobilizing ourselves and all resources brought in through ESF4. Late Thursday evening we were contacted by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. They were looking for someone to organize a mission to conduct well-being checks on residents in high rise apartment buildings in Rockaway and Coney Island. There were about 200 buildings greater than six stories where we were to check on residents’ welfare, prescription refills and other critical medical needs. Available to assist were about 250 National Guard troops, more than 100 FEMA-contracted ambulances with EMTs, about 50 Health Department sanitarians and a DMAT group.

Health Department, PHX NIMO and National Guard during
welfare check briefing.

    NIMO enlisted the help of the Maine IMT to divide the mission load; they organized the Coney Island operation and NIMO took Rockaway. Security of workers was a primary concern as we were advised these were high crime areas. Some key contacts with NYPD secured the necessary police officers to escort the teams as they contacted residents.

National Guard troops prepare for welfare checks

    By noon on Friday, a Unified Command with NIMO, National Guard and the Health Department had been organized, objectives and plan developed, and boots were on the ground shortly thereafter. Some of the challenges we faced were holding the teams until we had organization, accountability and a safety plan in place. Getting everyone to morning briefing on time was also an issue. The Guard troops were an Infantry Division and therefore didn’t come with transportation. They had to take a city bus to get to the ICP (you can’t make this stuff up). Also, as NYPD watch commanders changed, the information about our security needs did not transition from one commander to the next.

    At end of shift on Saturday (11-10), more than 3,000 apartments had been checked and twelve residents transported to hospitals for critical medical needs.

    As of Sunday morning our plan is to demob all EFS4 resources on Tuesday and PHX NIMO will travel home on Wednesday (11-14).

11-11-12 PDX NIMOs Last Day

Portland NIMO is working its final day with the New York City Office of Emergency Management Debris Removal Task Force, under the leadership of TFLD John Scrivani.  The team had dinner with the other task force members on Saturday evening and will leave Brooklyn about 1700 to stay closer to the airport for early departures Monday morning.  Everyone will be back working from home Tuesday morning.

L to R: Kris Eriksen, David Blitzer, John Scrivani, Dana Reid, Bill Hahnenberg, Kevin Clark,
John Prendergast, Mike Warren, Rich Rusk, John giller, Nick Giannettino, Rion Labrutto

L to R: Nick Giannettino, Bill Hahnenberg, Rion LaBrutto, John GIller, John Scrivani,
 John Prendergast,  friend Steve, Kevin Clark, Kris Eriksen, Rich Rusk

11-10-12 Daily Update

Debris Removal Task Force

1300 Saturday November 10, 2012

Debris Removal Task Force 1500 Debris Removal meeting was held Friday, Nov 9, 2012.  Meeting was well attended (approximately 30 personnel) from multiple agency representatives including US Army Corp of Engineers, US Navy, FEMA, NY City Office of Emergency Management, NY State Office of Emergency Management, NY City Mayor’s Office, NYCDOT, DOD, NYS Parks, NYSDEC, EPA, BIC, ECC and DSNY.

The meeting focused on three primary topics: needs, accomplishments and future operations. 

OBJECTIVES:

1.      Ensure public health and safety by removing debris from public rights of ways and from temporary waste storage areas.
2.      Coordinate with agencies involved to ensure common priority setting and effective utilization of responders and equipment.
3.      Maintain effectiveness of operations and assess need to adjust as transition to US Army Corp of Engineers evolves.
4.      Track and communicate Task Force accomplishments. 
5.      Manage transition to US Army Corps of Engineers operations for large scale debris removal operations.

ISSUES:

1.      Army Corps of Engineers and ECC

·         Equipment in the Rockaways was sent to Cedar Grove to move debris to landfill

·         TSS-H assets are working at Fresh Kills and hauling out of there

·         Anticipate having crane at Fresh Kills with the crane/barge operation running Sunday

·         In the process of subcontracting 8 barges. Operation moving forward Sat.

·         Sounding harbor Saturday for freeboard and displacement. Will likely measure hauls in tons.

·         Loma will operate crane. Roccelli will feed the crane

·         Took over 50 loads TSS-H from NYC last night

·         Will not give up any assets moving debris out of Father Cap.

·         USACE wants to take over DOT’s 70 long haul trucks

·         ECC will pursue incinerator option and getting chips to biomass operator in Pennsylvania if they can haul it.

·         Will be in Breezy today with small crews due to smaller street size and will coordinate with DSNY crews there. 

Progress:

                                                        i.            1500 cubic yards moved Thursday, 1840 cubic yards moved by 1500 Friday and climbing.

                                                      ii.            Have 107 pieces of ROWR equipment certified and on the ground today, all in Queens.

                                                    iii.            Have 88 pieces of long haul equipment certified and operational. 52 more being certified.  Will have 140 total. Excludes Tully’s 70 but ready to pick those up.

                                                    iv.            Crane arrived 11:30 Saturday. Loma prepping area for crane

2.      DSNY collection work continues to focus on reducing TSS

·         Local contracts ended at midnight Friday night. Does not include Tully at Riis Park or the Navy contract at Fresh Kills.

·         DSNY will continue to operate until Nov 14 when ECC takes over completely.

·         Barges are in place at Fresh Kills. The lawyers are working on a lease with ECC. Waiting on sounding results from USACE Saturday

·         Goal is to reduce Father Cap & Fresh Kills first, then Cedar Grove, ending up with Fresh Kills and Riis Park as the only sites.

·         Ramping up operation to reduce TSS to handle expected increase from this weekend community events.

Progress:

                                                        i.            Moved 18701 tons of storm debris Friday; 286 loads of woody debris

3.      Sand remains an issue

·         What to do with right of way areas with sand?

·         What to do with clean sand?

·         What to do with sand with debris?

·         What to do with contaminated sand?

·         Will FEMA pay for sand removal, remediation and respreading?

·         FEMA said continue with Parks contract, but look to get fixed price per cubic yard going forward

·         No DSNY assets should be moving sand.

Progress

                                                        i.            NYC Parks through a NYC EDC contracting mechanism has hired Skanska to remove sand from Shorefront Pkwy in Rockaways from Beach 73^rd Street to Beach 108 Street.

                                                      ii.            Parks has identified a sand staging area at Beach 52^nd to Beach 54^th (old basketball courts).

                                                    iii.            NY DEC has agreed all clean sand can be brought back to beach.

                                                    iv.            Parks contractor Skanska has moved 14,000 cubic yards of sand so far and believe emergency contract NTE $1 million will allow them to move 90,000 total cubic yards.  Costs are $11 per cubic yard.

4.      NY DOT and Parks were busy due to storm

·         Another 5000 service requests for tree removal

·         Much being chipped and moved out at night.  Meeting regulations re: longhorn beetle

·         Have an offer from Pennsylvania to take the chips for biomass fuel. Will follow through.

Progress:

                                                        i.            10 DOT crews out in force Friday

5.      ECC & USACE reporting to Mayor’s office

·         DSNY will monitor and report inbound hauls; ECC will monitor and report outbound hauls to landfills - Grows & Seneca Meadows.

Progress:

                                                        i.            ECC, USACE and DSNY will compare numbers of what’s at each TSS  and how much is coming in and out each day.

                                                      ii.            Results will be compiled by ECC for Mayor’s office – given to Mike Flowers by 1500 today

6.      Department of Environmental Protection finding hazmat

·         Finding waste oil drums in private homes.

Progress:

                                                        i.            DEC will provide flyer for homeowners.

7.      Community turning out to clean up this weekend

·         Several areas will have large numbers of people all weekend.

·         Priority is clearing space at TSS to make room for expected extra debris load

Progress:

                                                        i.            Trying to get dedicated lane around volunteer effort for debris removal

                                                      ii.            DSNY will be on the ground working around volunteer outreach so they have visibility.

                                                    iii.            Community affairs is watching

                                                    iv.            Police Department is adding 40 agencts traffic control

8.      PPDR process moving

·         Trying to work on this from the NYC side using standing processes

·         Need to get list of where the cars and boats are so they can tell the vendors where to go.

·         Staten Island is already massing cars in one spot so can start hauling

·         Mayor’s office would like an answer sheet with what to tell the public when they call

·         Boats are more complicated. Expect questions like can they go onto someone else’s property to get their boat.

·         Need to resolve this in next few days so they don’t block equipment

Progress:

                                                        i.            New task order #4 is coming for PPDR. No Task Order yet Friday

                                                      ii.            Mayor’s office is looking into “property room” vendors: might have one, looking for more.

FUTURE:

·         There will be an Interagency Planning meeting at 1500 each day, at the same location

·         NIMO team will continue to assist the Task Force in meeting objectives. Last day Sunday.

·         Continuing transfer of contracts and hauling to Army Corps of Engineers

11-10-12 PDX NIMO First Barge Load

Getting debris out of the temporary storage sites to make room for more coming out of the communities, is a top priority.  The Debris Removal Task Force and NIMO have been working to find rail cars, barges or any other methods to move storm debris out of the city.  This is the first load being dumped onto a New York City owned barge.

11-10-12 PDX NIMO Home Away From Home

PDX NIMO has been working out of this OEM Command trailer, which sits outside the NYC EOC in Brooklyn, since they arrived November 4th.

11-10-12 ATL NIMO UPDATE

      Incident Commander Mike Quesinberry is working with the incoming Indiana Incident Management Assistance team Incident Commander to brief her on the operation.  Atlanta NIMO will spend the next two days working closely with the incoming team  to ensure a smooth transition.

     A National Safety Assistance team arrived today and will be working with the eleven incident management teams in Region 9.  Atlanta NIMO will  demob Tuesday November 13.  Work continues to provide  daily updates to the affected residents on Barrier Island.  Approximately 6500 flyers are being distributed today from current  information to tips on coping with stress.   See number and locations of distributed copies at this link:
Click here:

     One of the major challenges facing Long Beach city right now is the backing up of the sewage system into residents homes.  Drinking water is now considered safe and the power is being restored in some areas.  Long Beach City Hall is still being operated using generators. 

Copies Produced and Distributed

11-10-12 ATL NIMO Update

US Forest Service Region 9 deployed a Safety Assistance team to work with all  eleven incident management teams that are in the Region.  The team is headed by Randy Draeger and the team members will  talk to FS crews and focus on saw operations.  Commonalities and trends will be assessed for their final report. 

11-9-12 PDX NIMO New York Assignment Winds Down

     Portland NIMO's tenure in Brooklyn, New York is coming to a close as the team finishes its assignment to support the Debris Removal Task Force set up by the  New York City Office Of Emergency Management. The team arrived November 4, 2012 and will complete the assignment November 12^th.

IC Bill Hahneneberg works on objectives.

     While New York City has not "wholeheartedly" embraced ICS,  they have embraced the incident management teams using these familiar tools, understanding It's in an effort to try and bring some structure to the debris removal process.  Some team flexibility was necessary – a willingness to use language familiar to New York emergency responders instead of the ICS nomenclature with which teams are most familiar. But PDX NIMO found a group of very professional, very skilled and very welcoming New Yorkers, willing to accept what the team had to offer.

     NIMO did not have a role working out in the damaged or flooded areas. Our role was very much in support of the Debris Recovery Task Force.  The Task Force was made up of representatives from New York Department of Sanitation, the Office of Emergency Management and NIMO. Our job daily has been to prepare an IAP, called "DCP" for this event, the Daily Coordination Plan.  Not all the normal pages were included but there was a cover, objectives, 202, 203, 215, contact list (very important), emergency plan, and a 214.  NIMO Operations, Safety and Plans concentrated on the DCP while Finance and PIO had other roles.

The daily 1500 briefing in the OEM Command Trailer

     The plan was used during the daily 1500 briefing for everyone from the Navy and Army Corps of Engineers to the NYC Mayor's office and OEM. The PIO and Finance were involved with capturing (very marginally!) all the notes from the meetings as well as building spread sheets to track hundreds of pieces of equipment – who owned it, where it staged, where it moved and where it had to move the next day.  Another significant task was creating a daily report with details of the day's removal efforts and numbers about progress from the previous day's report. The team now knows far more about military equipment capability, heavy equipment names and the sanitation business, than they will ever need!

Debris piles at Riis park, a temporary storage site for storm
 debris. In front is some of the sand washed inland by Sandy.

     The Task Force's primary job was to find, bring in, track and push out hundreds of pieces of heavy equipment to help beleaguered New Yorkers unbury themselves after the storm.  Grapplers, dump trucks, front end loader, roll on-roll offs, large dumpsters, skid steers, backhoes, self-loaders, long haul trucks, railroad cars, barges, were all part of the huge push of heavy equipment thrust onto the streets of New York to try and get all five boroughs clean up. Cars and boats, some moved miles by the storm, are a significant problem due to red tape and rules about entering private property. 


This video was shot by Deputy Task Force Leader David Blitzer, on November 11, 2012 out on the west end of Rockaway, at Breezy Point.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8cb11rl87whgleq/Video%20Nov%2009%2C%201%2032%2026%20PM.mov  

     The debris was not only from homes that were destroyed, along with all their contents, but a large part of recovery was putting the beach back where it started.  Cleaning, sorting, sifting and returning sand that covered portions of Rockaway, Staten Island and many other areas is still underway. As of November 10th, NIMO and the Task Force pushed over 2700 pieces of private and military equipment and 3900 people onto the streets of New York City to help.  It's estimated that over 3,600,000 cubic yards of debris will be the result of Hurricane Sandy and removing it is far from over. NIMO was privileged to play a role in helping get New Yorkers back to normal as soon as possible.

11-9-12 PDX NIMO Daily Report

Debris Removal Task Force

1400 Wednesday November 9, 2012

Debris Removal Task Force 1500 Debris Removal meeting was held Wednesday, Nov 8, 2012.  Meeting was well attended (approximately 30 personnel) from multiple agency representatives including US Army Corp of Engineers, US Navy, FEMA, NY City Office of Emergency Management, NY State Office of Emergency Management, NY City Mayor's Office, NYCDOT, DOD, NYS Parks, NYSDEC, EPA, BIC, ECC and DSNY.

The meeting focused on three primary topics: needs, accomplishments and future operations. 

OBJECTIVES:

1.      Ensure public health and safety by removing debris from public rights of ways and from temporary waste storage areas.

2.      Coordinate with agencies involved to ensure common priority setting and effective utilization of responders and equipment.

3.      Maintain effectiveness of operations and assess need to adjust as transition to US Army Corp of Engineers evolves.

4.      Track and communicate Task Force accomplishments. 

5.      Manage transition to US Army Corps of Engineers operations for large scale debris removal operations.

ISSUES:

1.      USACE mission with FEMA

·         Only moved 500 cubic yards Thursday which was not much improvement

·         Supposed to double equipment but have not.

·         This needs to be the greenest recovery effort possible without sacrificing speed. Proposal went to ECC about Taylor company which can manage a project this size.

·         Need to check into private companies for recycling

Progress:

                                                        i.            20 trucks came in Thursday, 65 more coming Monday to haul from Staten Island

                                                      ii.            Following up on barges with Navy and Air Force on cranes

                                                    iii.            23 barges in from the Navy Thursday

2.      DSNY collection work continues

·         All DSNY people were reassigned to snow duties at 1900 Thursday

·         Hazmat and asbestos monitoring is ongoing. EPA has setting up at 3 of the 6 TSS.

·         ECC needs to take over dust control

·         Need barges at Fresh Kills to take off some of the pressure.  

·         DSNY will maintain a presence until ECC is ready.

Progress:

                                                        i.            Moved 17,500 tons of storm debris Thursday for a total of 102,000 tons and 602 loads of wood debris

                                                      ii.            158 long haul trucks at Father Cap, Fresh kills & Riis park on Thursday

                                                    iii.            Adding 15 roll-on, roll-off's from the Navy to Father Cap

3.      NY DOT and Parks were busy due to storm

·         3200 calls for damage. Expect final number will be closer to 5 - 6000

·         Could use help so can get back to regular work

·         Sand operation is ongoing with contractor in Rockaway. Sand work also needed in Coney Island

4.      ECC & USACE reporting to Mayor's office

·         Mayor's office has provided metrics to ECC on what they need in terms of numbers

·         Mayor's rep believes what ECC produced normally will suffice

·         Needs to be sure same info they have been getting they will still get.

·         Cannot have new issues keep cropping up for Mayor's office.  If there are issues we need to know them right now, get them out on the table.

5.      Department of Environmental Protection is worried about the wastewater treatment plant in Rockaway.

·         Additional concerns about hazmat.

·         Propane tanks being found. Take to TSS

6.      Community efforts to help with clean up could cause issues

·         Big effort in Brooklyn to get 10,000 people into area to help this weekend

·         Other similar efforts rumored  in other areas

·         Could cause issues with heavy equipment trying to work in the same area

7.      PPDR still an issue

·         Executive order from Mayor as first step to allow contractors and others to remove private property like cars and boats.

·         Boat removal not worked out.  It's more complicated.

Progress

The car removal is being worked out.  May use current city processes to move vehicles.

FUTURE:

·         There will be an Interagency Planning meeting at 1500 each day, at the same location

·         NIMO team will continue to assist the Task Force in meeting objectives

·         Preparing for Transfer of Command to Army Corps of Engineers