Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness … Documents/FY2017...Thanks in part to Congressional...

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Chemical Stockpile Emergency

Preparedness Program

Fiscal Year 2017 Report to Congress

April 27, 2018

CSEPP Fiscal Year 2017 Report to Congress

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Foreword I am pleased to present the Chemical Stockpile

Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP)

Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Report to Congress

prepared by the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA).

This report is being submitted to Congress in

response to requirements set forth in 50 United

States Code (U.S.C.) § 1521(e)(2)(C), which

directs that the Administrator shall transmit a

report to Congress no later than December 15 of

each year on activities regarding a program to

assist State and local governments in developing

capabilities to respond to emergencies resulting

from, among other things, the storage or

destruction of the military’s lethal chemical

agents and munitions. The report covers

activities for FY 2017 and includes a site-by-site

description of actions taken to assist State and local governments (either directly or through

FEMA) in carrying out functions relating to emergency preparedness and response.

Pursuant to congressional requirements, this report is being provided to the following Members

of Congress:

The Honorable John McCain

Chairman, Senate Committee on Armed Services

The Honorable Jack Reed

Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Armed Services

The Honorable Mac Thornberry

Chairman, House Committee on Armed Services

The Honorable Adam Smith

Ranking Member, House Committee on Armed Services

The Honorable Richard Shelby

Chairman, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense


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The Honorable Richard J. Durbin

Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

The Honorable Kay Granger

Chairman, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

The Honorable Pete Visclosky

Ranking Member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

Inquiries relating to this report may be directed to our Office of External Affairs, Congressional

Affairs Division at (202) 646-4500.

Sincerely,

Brock Long

Federal Emergency Management Agency


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Executive Summary

CSEPP is a whole community partnership that unites FEMA, the U.S. Army, multiple Federal

departments and agencies, two States, many local governments, volunteer organizations, and the

private sector. Its mission is to “enhance existing local, installation, tribal, State, and Federal

capabilities to protect the health and safety of the public, workforce, and environment from the

effects of a chemical accident or incident involving the U.S. Army chemical stockpile.”1 In FY

2017, CSEPP continued to fulfill that mission.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has completed one year, of a multiyear process, of destroying

chemical weapons at the Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD) in Colorado and continues to test

systems that will destroy the stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD) in Kentucky.

However, the risks to the communities from the storage of chemical agents remain. FEMA is

committed to maintaining its preparedness mission until the chemical stockpiles are destroyed.

CSEPP has completed this mission in the communities surrounding six of the original eight

chemical stockpile locations. Thanks in part to Congressional support of this program, these

communities are better prepared to respond to any hazard or emergency. This year, the remaining

two CSEPP communities met their preparedness goals through collaborative program

management, including integrated process teams (IPTs) that brought partners together to identify

program needs, develop alternatives, and implement solutions.

Specific CSEPP activities in Colorado and Kentucky during FY 2017 include:

Reviewed and updated coordinated emergency plans within the U.S. Army and partner

communities in both CSEPP states;

Maintained and enhanced interoperable emergency communications systems, including

planning for critical replacement of equipment as it nears its lifecycle end;

Conducted two full-scale emergency exercises (jointly managed by the Army and

FEMA) and produced after-action reports with corrective action plans;

Educated at-risk residents on emergency protective actions and trained emergency

management and response personnel;

Conducted Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)2 testing, including a

live message test during the Kentucky annual exercise, in partnership with the FEMA

IPAWS Program Management Office and the DoD’s Joint Interoperability Test

Command (JITC);

1 Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program Strategic Plan, November 2013, p. 5 2 https://www.fema.gov/integrated-public-alert-warning-system

https://www.fema.gov/integrated-public-alert-warning-system


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Assisted communities in identifying and improving the core capabilities necessary to

respond to a chemical accident at one of the remaining chemical stockpile sites; and

Improved CSEPP mission readiness by using emergency management capabilities during

disasters such as wildfires, severe storms, and planned events such as the solar eclipse.

Evaluations of after-action reports for these events enhanced CSEPP readiness by

identifying emergency response improvements.

Details on these and other activities for the fiscal year are in Appendices A and B.

These activities exemplify FEMA’s mission “to support our citizens and first responders to

ensure that as a Nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare

for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.” Further, these program

efforts were designed to enhance these communities’ all-hazards core capabilities as established

under the National Preparedness System.

This report includes an overview of the status of the program, a summary of significant program

accomplishments at the Federal level, and a description of the status and accomplishments of the

two CSEPP communities.


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Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

Fiscal Year 2017 Report to Congress

Table of Contents

I. Legislative Requirements ....................................................................................1

II. Background ..........................................................................................................3

III. Program History ..................................................................................................4

Collaboration ............................................................................................................................... 5

Funding Administration ............................................................................................................... 6

The CSEPP Environment ............................................................................................................. 8

IV. Results ...............................................................................................................12

CSEPP Management System ..................................................................................................... 12

Risk Reduction ........................................................................................................................... 12

CSEPP Benchmarks ................................................................................................................... 13

V. Summary of Significant Activities ....................................................................22

Administration ........................................................................................................................... 22

Alert and Notification ................................................................................................................ 24

Automation ................................................................................................................................ 24

Communications ........................................................................................................................ 25

Coordinated Plans ...................................................................................................................... 26

Emergency Operations Centers .................................................................................................. 26

Exercises .................................................................................................................................... 27

Medical Program ........................................................................................................................ 28

Personnel .................................................................................................................................... 28


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Protective Actions ...................................................................................................................... 29

Public Outreach and Education .................................................................................................. 30

Training ...................................................................................................................................... 31

VI. Looking Forward ...............................................................................................32

VII. Conclusion .........................................................................................................33

Appendix A: Colorado ...............................................................................................35

Fiscal Year 2017 Accomplishments .......................................................................................... 35

Appendix B: Kentucky ...............................................................................................44

Fiscal Year 2017 Accomplishments .......................................................................................... 45

Appendix C: CSEPP Stakeholders .............................................................................54

State of Colorado ....................................................................................................................... 54

Commonwealth of Kentucky ..................................................................................................... 54

Appendix D: Abbreviations .......................................................................................55


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I. Legislative Requirements

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA) submits the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Annual Report to the U.S. Congress in accordance

with the requirements set forth in 50 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 1521(e)(2)(C). Section

1521(e)(2) directs the following:

(A) In coordination with the Secretary of the Army and in accordance with agreements

between the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency

Management Agency, the Administrator shall carry out a program to provide assistance

to State and local governments in developing capabilities to respond to emergencies

involving risks to the public health or safety within their jurisdictions that are identified

by the Secretary as being risks resulting from—

(i) the storage of lethal chemical agents and munitions referred to in subsection (a)

at military installations in the continental United States; or

(ii) the destruction of such agents and munitions at facilities referred to in

subsection (d)(1)(B).

(B) Assistance may be provided under this paragraph for capabilities to respond to

emergencies involving an installation or facility as described in subparagraph (A) until

the earlier of the following:

(i) The date of the completion of all grants and cooperative agreements with respect

to the installation or facility for purposes of this paragraph between the Federal

Emergency Management Agency and the State and local governments concerned.

(ii) The date that is 180 days after the date of the completion of the destruction of

lethal chemical agents and munitions at the installation or facility.

(C) Not later than December 15 of each year, the Administrator shall transmit a report

to Congress on the activities carried out under this paragraph during the fiscal year

preceding the fiscal year in which the report is submitted.

In addition, under 50 U.S.C. § 1521(i)(2)(B), the Secretary of Defense is required to submit a

report to Congress regarding their activities carried out under Section 1521(e)(2). Such a report

must include:

[a] site-by-site description of actions taken to assist State and local governments (either

directly or through the Federal Emergency Management Agency) in carrying out

functions relating to emergency preparedness and response in accordance with

subsection (e) of this section.


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Pursuant to 50 U.S.C. § 1521(e), the Department of the Army and FEMA entered into a

memorandum of understanding (MOU) beginning in 1988 under which the Army provides funds

to FEMA to support the mission of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

(CSEPP): to assist State, tribal, and local governments in carrying out functions related to

emergency preparedness and response in communities that surround military installations storing

and disposing of chemical warfare agents and munitions (offsite). The Army retained

responsibility for comparable activities to protect depot personnel (onsite).

This report reflects the status of CSEPP accomplishments and ongoing activities to provide

maximum protection for residents in the two States and eleven counties that participated in

CSEPP in FY 2017. The status of onsite risk reduction activities implemented by the Army may

be found in the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Chemical Demilitarization Program Semi-

Annual Report to Congress.


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II. Background

CSEPP is a whole community partnership that unites FEMA, the U.S. Army, multiple Federal

departments and agencies, two State governments, 11 counties, volunteer organizations, and the

private sector. Its mission is to enhance existing local, Army installation, tribal, State, and

Federal capabilities to protect the health and safety of the public, workforce, and environment

from the effects of a chemical accident or incident involving the U.S. Army chemical stockpiles

at the Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD) in Colorado and Blue Grass Chemical Activity (BGCA) at

Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD) in Kentucky.

CSEPP partners share a common goal: to prepare and enable communities to protect citizens in

the unlikely event of a chemical emergency at the Nation’s two remaining chemical weapons

stockpile sites. CSEPP’s vision is “a fully prepared team of local, installation, tribal nation, State,

and Federal professionals developing and executing an efficient and cost-effective emergency

preparedness and response program.” To fulfill this vision, CSEPP’s mission is “to enhance

existing local, installation, tribal, State, and Federal capabilities to protect the health and safety

of the public, workforce, and environment from the effects of a chemical accident or incident

involving the U.S. Army chemical stockpile.”3 This is accomplished by working with program

partners to encourage personal and family preparedness, through outreach to residents to educate

them on their role in an emergency, and by involving community organizations in emergency

planning and exercises.

The program uses integrated process teams (IPTs) to identify preparedness capability needs and

funding requirements for the program partners. IPTs enhance the collaborative engagement

among FEMA, the Army, and program partners in Colorado and Kentucky, resulting in a shared

mission for prepared communities. CSEPP supports the implementation of the National

Preparedness System in communities by providing technical assistance, training, exercising, and

public outreach and education programs. National doctrine including the National Incident

Management System (NIMS), Incident Command System (ICS), and Homeland Security

Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) are integrated in CSEPP. FEMA continually

monitors progress of funded projects and assesses community preparedness through quarterly

reporting, community profile self-assessment, and the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk

Assessment (THIRA) process. CSEPP ends with the destruction of the chemical agent stockpile

and aids communities closing out of the program, which is currently scheduled for FY 2024.

3 Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program Strategic Plan, November 2013, p. 5


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III. Program History

FEMA began providing preparedness

assistance to communities near chemical

stockpile sites in August 1988 through an

MOU with the Army. Under this

agreement, the Army provides for

protection onsite and funding to FEMA to

assist State, tribal, and local governments

in carrying out emergency management

functions offsite. This enhances the

abilities of the civilian communities

neighboring the CSEPP sites to respond to

potential chemical warfare agent

emergencies. The MOU also established a

framework for collaborating with

potentially affected State, tribal, and local

governments to provide for public health

and safety; identify roles and

responsibilities; and establish joint

program efforts in planning, training,

exercising, and exchanging information.

As the program matured, the MOU was

reaffirmed and revised over the years; a 1997 revision (reaffirmed in 2004) gave FEMA

responsibility and accountability for all aspects of emergency preparedness for the surrounding

communities. The Army maintains responsibility for emergency preparedness measures onsite at

the facilities.

CSEPP also operates under a strategic plan that reflects a coordinated effort between the Army’s

Chemical Materials Activity (CMA) and FEMA’s Technological Hazards Division to develop

and implement a customer-centered planning process. The plan contains a mission statement,

goals and objectives, performance goals within 12 benchmark capabilities (which provide the

structure for this Report), the identification of key external factors that could affect achievement

of the plan’s goals and objectives, and an evaluation program. CSEPP benchmarks are aligned

with the mission areas and core capabilities of the National Preparedness System. The Strategic

Plan and an explanation on how the CSEPP Program Benchmarks align with the National

Preparedness System may be downloaded here.4

Figure 1 illustrates chemical stockpile locations that remain operational, as well as locations

where the Army has completed destruction of the stockpile.

4 https://www.cseppportal.net/SitePages/about-csepp.html

CSEPP Fiscal Year 2017 Partners

Pueblo Chemical Depot

Blue Grass Army Depot

The State of Colorado

The Commonwealth of Kentucky

One county in Colorado

Ten counties in Kentucky

Residents of and businesses in CSEPP

communities

Federal facilities in the hazard zone

U.S. Congress

U.S. taxpayers

Nonprofit and nongovernmental

organizations

Public and private sector agencies

https://www.cseppportal.net/SitePages/about-csepp.html

https://www.cseppportal.net/SitePages/about-csepp.html


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Figure 1: Current and Previous Chemical Stockpile Locations

Originally, CSEPP comprised 10 states, 40 counties, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla

Indian Reservation (CTUIR) located in Oregon. Maryland, Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Arkansas,

Utah, Washington, Oregon, and the CTUIR have completed their CSEPP mission and have been

closed out of the program. In FY 2017, CSEPP focused on the remaining stockpiles at PCD in

Colorado and BGCA at BGAD in Kentucky. Appendix A details CSEPP activities in Colorado,

and Appendix B details activities in Kentucky.

In FY 2017, the States of Colorado and Kentucky and 11 counties in those States surrounding the

stockpile locations participated in CSEPP. Three of these counties are in immediate response

zones (IRZs), generally within a six-mile radius of where chemical warfare agents are stored. Six

counties are in protective action zones (PAZs), which are outside the IRZs but within six to 31

miles of stockpile locations. The remaining two counties serve as host counties; they are not at

direct risk from a chemical stockpile accident, but instead provide decontamination and medical

treatment, mass care, host facilities, and mutual aid support to at-risk jurisdictions. Appendix C

lists specific active program partners.

Collaboration

Working in a collaborative environment with their partners, CSEPP is responsible for the

following tasks:

Assisting States and counties to identify program needs and develop long-term budget

goals and objectives;

Supporting CSEPP States to develop response plans;

Developing, delivering, and evaluating training;

Providing technical assistance;


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Developing and sustaining programs for evaluating offsite readiness, including a robust

exercise program jointly managed by FEMA and the U.S. Army; and

Overseeing CSEPP funds that are utilized for community preparedness.

In addition to State and local partners, CSEPP collaborated with the FEMA National

Preparedness Assessment Division (NPAD) to review and analyze the CSEPP states’ State

Preparedness Reports (SPRs), identifying gaps and opportunities where CSEPP could leverage

the program to enhance and strengthen each state’s whole community response and resiliency.

NPAD and the FEMA National Integration Center (NIC) assisted CSEPP in integrating national

doctrine into CSEPP’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). CSEPP provided the FEMA

National Exercise Division (NED) subject matter expertise in developing a tabletop exercise

package for chemical hazard exercises.

Funding Administration

FEMA engages with State and local partners throughout the planning, programming, budgeting,

and execution cycle, including helping to assess program needs, developing and validating

budgets, administering program funds, and closing out a site once the chemical destruction

mission is completed.

FEMA and the Army cooperate closely and coordinate their efforts. Together, they manage the

Program and maintain performance through regular joint meetings; common budgeting, cost

accounting, and performance management systems; and aggressive program integration efforts

(see Figure 2). FEMA validates the preparedness requirements of the surrounding communities

and develops a budget in coordination with State and local governments. These budget requests

are then incorporated into the DoD budget submissions to Congress. The Army transfers

appropriated funds to FEMA, which has full authority and responsibility for their distribution

and expenditure. FEMA awards funding to the States under CSEPP cooperative agreements

(CAs) that include annual work plans negotiated between each State and its FEMA Regional

office.

As the recipient, the States administer the CSEPP CA funds. Each State identifies its needs,

develops proposed projects to meet those needs, requests funds from FEMA, and disburses these

funds to the various State offices and local governments involved in the proposed projects. The

States are responsible for financial accountability, adherence to Federal grant management rules,

and providing quarterly financial reports and narrative performance reports addressing the

capability improvement realized through the funds. Local governments are sub-recipients of

these funds. This paradigm is reflective of FEMA’s enterprise-level approach to emergency

management, which focuses on supporting State, local, tribal, and territorial partners.


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Figure 2: CSEPP Program Integration

From CSEPP’s inception in 1988 through the end of FY 2017, FEMA has allocated

approximately $1.35 billion to States and the CTUIR under annual CAs or through FEMA-

managed contracts. Allocation of resources is tracked according to the CSEPP organization

(including the Army and FEMA) that spends the funds rather than the jurisdiction that benefits

from the service. Therefore, the amount of funds spent at the State level does not include Federal

expenditures on contract support to the communities (such as for engineering and training

services) and does not necessarily reflect the complete set of benefits that communities have

received through CSEPP.

The aggregate funding amounts in Table 1 (see next page) represent combined totals for direct

award funds and some direct contract costs managed by FEMA on behalf of CSEPP States and

the CTUIR. (These amounts do not include indirect costs such as FEMA operating expenses and

indirect contract costs.) Direct award funds represent amounts sent directly to States and the

CTUIR via FEMA CAs and one Army CA sent directly to the CTUIR in FY 2002. FEMA-

managed contracts include those contracts awarded to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(USACE) for collective protection projects in the communities. These funds represent a

combination of actual expenditures and funds remaining to expend.


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The CSEPP Environment

CSEPP depends upon multiple

programmatic, technological,

collaborative, regulatory, and societal

factors that partners must consider if the

program is to meet its goals and operate

efficiently and effectively.

Programmatic Factors

Effective risk analysis and planning

require strong and continuous

commitment from States and individual

communities. To present and defend

their annually updated lifecycle cost

estimates (LCCEs), those agencies

developing CSEPP budgets must ensure

funding requirements are valid and

must maintain fully operational CSEPP

efforts through the end of destruction

operations at each stockpile site. Delays and extensions of the stockpile destruction mission will

necessitate continued CSEPP operations and will increase the cost of the program beyond

projections.

Technological Factors

The program must evaluate, update, and maintain emergency preparedness and response

capabilities to achieve full operational readiness through the end of destruction operations.

Continued research and ongoing development of new technologies in interoperable public safety

communications systems, public alert and notification systems (including the Integrated Public

Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), and emergency management automation systems continue

to produce new and expanded requirements for technology. FEMA will continue to work with its

CSEPP partners to weigh the overall cost and benefits of replacing current technology to ensure

prudent stewardship of taxpayer funds.

CSEPP conducts cost-benefit analyses for upgrades, replacements, and maintenance to ensure

operational readiness and compliance with changing Federal requirements. For example, in 2013

FEMA conducted a technical cost analysis of an initial proposal for a public safety operations

center in Lexington/Fayette County in Kentucky. The recommendations resulting from this

review reduced the total project cost by more than 50 percent. Fayette County successfully

completed the project and moved into the facility in FY 2016. When approved, CSEPP

implements these changes in a regionalized, interoperable manner.

Table 1: CSEPP Offsite Funds (Includes Direct Awards and

FEMA-Managed Contracts)

State/Tribe FY 2017 FY 1989–2016

Alabama $0 $399,331,706

Arkansas $0 $117,540,263

Colorado $7,787,309 $99,254,104

Illinois $0 $12,013,874

Indiana $0 $56,215,924

Kentucky $27,864,600 $267,250,941

Maryland $0 $31,220,632

Oregon $0 $161,203,624

Utah $0 $123,761,112

Washington $0 $77,141,706

CTUIR $0 $6,606,173

Totals $35,651,909 $1,351,540,059


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Collaborative Factors

A number of other Federal agencies (both within and outside of DHS), as well as

nongovernmental organizations, support the partnership between FEMA and the Army. This

ongoing effort provides two immediate benefits: technical assistance in response to specific

programmatic challenges (e.g., evacuation planning for pets and service animals from the

American Humane Association) and technical support for specific local response and recovery

capabilities (e.g., shelter management by the local American Red Cross chapters). CSEPP has

also partnered with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to ensure the program

complies with current statutes and FEMA policy and serves those with disabilities and others

with access and functional needs and limited English proficiency.

In addition, as relevant national doctrine is issued or revised, CSEPP works with its State,

county, and local partners to implement such policies in alignment with their overall emergency

management approach. Previously, this has included chemical agent exposure standards that

direct public protection strategies; safety and interoperability standards for emergency facilities,

systems, and equipment; and the structure for tactical, operational, and strategic emergency

planning. In 2017, this effort has encompassed the National Preparedness System and the core

capabilities, the National Incident Management System Refresh, and the Oil/Chemical Incident

Annex for the Federal Interagency Operational Plan – Response and Recovery. For more

information on the National Preparedness System and related efforts, please visit

https://www.fema.gov/national-preparedness-system.

Regulatory Factors

The new uniform Federal grant rules published at the start of FY 2014 by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) modified the regulatory structure under which CSEPP awards

and manages CA funds.5 The primary intent of these regulations was to eliminate duplicative

Federal guidance and focus on performance over compliance for accountability, but their

primary CSEPP impact produced a strengthening of State oversight authority as the “pass-

through entity” for these Federal funds. The respective grants management roles of Federal and

State CSEPP officials is a critical component of the partnership between FEMA, Kentucky

Emergency Management, and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency

Management.

Societal Factors

It is important to engage the whole community in preparing for, responding to, recovering from,

and mitigating disasters. The whole community concept is a means by which citizens, emergency

management practitioners, organizational and community leaders, tribal officials, and

government officials can collectively understand and assess the needs of their communities and

5 2 CFR Chapter I, Chapter II, Part 200, et al., Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit

Requirements for Federal Awards; Final Rule

https://www.fema.gov/national-preparedness-system


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determine the best ways to organize and strengthen their assets, capacities, and interests. Doing

so builds a more effective path to societal security and resilience.

Throughout its history, CSEPP has endeavored to be inclusive of the whole community and

support the diversity of organizations and populations in the communities the program serves.

For example, as part of the program’s efforts to address and involve individuals with limited

English proficiency, the requirements under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are

specifically reflected in CSEPP’s functional guidance on community planning and public affairs.

The Colorado and Kentucky CSEPP communities include LEP populations, most notably

Spanish-language speakers. U.S. Census data and information contained in emergency planning

studies estimate the LEP community in the Pueblo CSEPP emergency planning zone (EPZ) to be

324 individuals (3.6 percent of the nighttime population) and the LEP community in the Blue

Grass CSEPP EPZ to be 721 individuals (0.6 percent of the nighttime population). The program

provides technical assistance, grant funds, and training. Specific examples of efforts to support

the LEP community are given throughout this report.

CSEPP also addresses efforts to accommodate individuals with disabilities and others with

access and functional needs in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.6

This includes working with facilities that host such populations (e.g., schools, preschools and

daycare centers, nursing homes, and hospitals) and provision for individuals with access and

functional needs who are living independently. The CSEPP Program Guidance7 provides detailed

guidance for ensuring the preparedness of these individuals.

CSEPP uses IPTs, required under Public Law 104-201 (National Defense Authorization Act for

FY 1997) and implemented under an Army/FEMA Joint Memorandum for Record—“Use of

Integrated Process Teams (IPTs)” (May 1998). These IPTs provide common solutions and

consistency of approaches across CSEPP communities, and produce products and tools of

immediate value, not only to CSEPP but also to the broader emergency preparedness field.

IPTs that include Colorado and Kentucky CSEPP partners provide input to develop

programmatic policy. These groups forward their recommendations to FEMA and Army CSEPP

program management for consideration. IPTs have developed specific guidance documents that

have been approved by program leaders. Since working groups of stakeholders developed the

documents, concurrence was achieved long before the guidance was approved and officially

implemented. The Pueblo and Blue Grass CSEPP communities each have their own IPT, as well

as sub-IPTs. In addition, there are national IPTs that correlate with specific CSEPP benchmarks.

(See Table 2 for a complete list of working groups.)

6 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, PL. No. 93-112, 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq. 7 Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program Guidance, December 2012, p. 56


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Table 2: Current CSEPP Working Groups

Functional Working Groups Community Working Groups

Automation

Exercise Work Group

Medical Work Group

Public Affairs

Pueblo Community

Automation Work Group

Exercise Planning Team

Medical Preparedness Work Group

Public Affairs Work Group

Closeout Planning Work Group

Blue Grass Community

Medical Quality Improvement Team

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Work Group

Public Affairs Work Group

Training Work Group

Protective Actions Work Group

Exercise Planning Team


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IV. Results

CSEPP Management System

CSEPP’s whole community approach brings together onsite and offsite preparedness and thus

encompasses a range of core capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate against,

respond to, and recover from an accident or incident occurring at a U.S. chemical weapons

stockpile site. CSEPP focuses on providing the resources necessary to establish preparedness and

response infrastructures that enable State and local emergency managers to warn the public

quickly, manage the response, and communicate with emergency responders and other members

of the whole community. A key CSEPP management principle is the concept of “functional

equivalency,” whereby specific resources are provided to each site to address gaps and enhance

existing capabilities under the 12 programmatic benchmarks defined by CSEPP (discussed

below). FEMA also maintains effective program management at the Headquarters and Regional

levels to ensure consistent capabilities throughout all CSEPP jurisdictions.

FEMA has a fiduciary responsibility to carefully evaluate and validate requests from States and

communities for delivering necessary resources to local communities facing the most significant

potential threats. This is conducted through an open and continuous system of planning,

programming, budgeting, and execution described above that is rooted in DoD acquisition

policy. As an example, FEMA strives to ensure cost-efficiency in procurement and

interoperability among major systems that benefit multiple jurisdictions, which, in many cases,

means State-level procurement of alert and notification, communications, and automation

systems.

Risk Reduction

The most effective way to permanently reduce the risk to communities surrounding chemical

stockpile sites is to destroy the agents posing the threat. As of the end of FY 2015, the Army had

completely destroyed the stockpiles at six sites: the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving

Ground (Maryland), Newport Chemical Depot (Indiana/Illinois), Pine Bluff Arsenal (Arkansas),

Anniston Army Depot (Alabama), Umatilla Chemical Depot (Oregon/Washington/CTUIR), and

Deseret Chemical Depot (Utah).

At the two remaining stockpile locations, steps to further secure the stockpile have provided

additional risk reduction during storage. This has been achieved by reconfiguring the stockpile,

reducing potential consequences of lightning strikes and earthquakes, enhancing agent detection

and monitoring systems, and installing igloo filtration systems. In addition to the completion of

one year of plant operations at PCD in Colorado, the Army completed an initial campaign of

destruction of pre-identified, problematic mustard agent munitions using the U.S. Army’s

Explosive Destruction System (EDS). EDS will remain available throughout the life of the main

plant to destroy any problematic or reject munitions. At BGAD in Kentucky, systemization of

the primary chemical destruction plant is underway.


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CSEPP Benchmarks

The CSEPP Strategic Plan and accompanying program guidance describe 12 performance

benchmarks “used by Federal, State, and local government organizations to identify the CSEPP

capabilities being funded … [and] in reporting the status of CSEPP to Congress in required

annual reports.” Under the CSEPP CA, States are required to report expenditures and

performance on a quarterly basis using these benchmarks. These benchmarks apply across the

program and are reflected in CSEPP’s strategic plan, guidance, LCCEs, annual budgets, and

employee work plans.

These program benchmarks are integrated with the National Preparedness Goal’s 32 core

capabilities and support the stated goal of “a secure and resilient Nation with the capabilities

required across the whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and

recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk.”

These benchmarks, and the specific program activities that support them, have been aligned to

the 32 core capabilities identified under the 2nd edition of the National Preparedness Goal to

ensure consistency of effort between CSEPP and other DHS/FEMA preparedness programs. As

part of its efforts in Colorado and Kentucky, CSEPP has enhanced planning, organization,

equipment, training, and exercises in many of these core capabilities.


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Table 3: Core Capabilities by Mission Area

Prevention Protection Mitigation Response Recovery

Planning

Public Information and Warning

Operational Coordination

Intelligence and Information Sharing Community Resilience

Long-term Vulnerability Reduction

Risk and Disaster Resilience Assessment

Threats and Hazards Identification

Infrastructure Systems

Interdiction and Disruption Critical Transportation

Environmental Response/Health and Safety

Fatality Management Services

Fire Management and Suppression

Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Mass Care Services

Mass Search and Rescue Operations

On-scene Security, Protection, and Law Enforcement

Operational Communications

Public Health, Healthcare, and Emergency Medical Services

Situational Assessment

Economic Recovery

Health and Social Services

Housing

Natural and Cultural Resources

Screening, Search, and Detection

Forensics and Attribution

Access Control and Identity Verification

Cybersecurity

Physical Protective Measures

Risk Management for Protection Programs and Activities

Supply Chain Integrity and Security

Table 3 generally illustrates how the core capabilities relate to the five National Preparedness

mission areas, highlighting in blue those capabilities that are a particular focus for the offsite

community in CSEPP. CSEPP efforts have most markedly improved State and local capabilities

under the Response mission area: planning, operational coordination, operational

communications, situational assessment, and public information and warning. Separate U.S.

Army actions have further developed capabilities within the Prevention and Protection mission

areas, in particular through physical protective measures and risk management.

CSEPP is also working to support its partners at the State and local levels as they integrate the

use of core capabilities into their preparedness systems generally. Based on discussions with

Colorado and Kentucky in 2017, efforts are currently underway related to exercise and grants

management that are intended to smooth their transition from CSEPP funding of preparedness

activities at the end of the program.


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Figure 3: Alignment of CSEPP Benchmarks to Core Capabilities

The communities assess themselves against each of the benchmarks as measured against the

performance measures defined in the CSEPP Strategic Plan. These assessments inform the

analysis and assessment conducted at the state level and become part of the THIRA process and

annual SPR.

CSEPP’s 12 benchmarks, performance measures for each benchmark, and a summary of how the

benchmarks were achieved during the fiscal year are as follows:

Benchmark: Administrative support for each CSEPP installation, State, and county necessary to

support their CSEPP preparedness activities.

Performance Measures: The ability of the onsite and offsite communities to meet and

sustain full compliance to this benchmark’s standards, as measured by the Community


16

Profile process. Timely programming and budgeting actions and release of annual funding to

the grantees addressing all validated requirements.

FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: CA recipients prepared and submitted LCCEs and

quarterly reports on time or with minor delays. FEMA validated budget requirements and

awarded the CAs. The Colorado and Kentucky CSEPP communities achieved the

administrative benchmark through a self-assessment of year-long achievements documented

in the Community Profile.

Benchmark: Functioning alert and notification system extending across the installation and

appropriate offsite jurisdictions to communicate protective actions and other critical response

information to the public.

Performance Measures: Results of regular system testing and the frequency and duration of

service interruptions. Each State’s and installation’s ability to meet and sustain full

compliance to this benchmark’s standards, as measured by the Community Profile process.

Performance at the annual CSEPP and quarterly Chemical Accident or Incident Response

and Assistance (CAIRA) exercises and real-world emergency situations.

FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: FEMA CSEPP engineering teams validated alert and

notification system requirements and provided onsite observation of system renovation and

upgrades to ensure design specifications were met by contractors and vendors. Both

Colorado and Kentucky Community IPTs affirmed benchmark compliance in the Community

Profile. Both communities tracked specific outcomes during the year, including ongoing

IPAWS testing with the JITC, the successful transmission of IPAWS messages for Madison

County, KY actual emergencies, and the transmission of a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA)

message during the 2017 CSEPP Exercise in Madison County, KY. Pueblo, CO has begun

the process of upgrading its outdoor warning system to address challenges due to the age of

the equipment and the lack of availability of replacement parts. This project will replace

existing sirens, utility poles, and control equipment and add two new siren locations to

enhance coverage at PCD. Both communities maintained operability and maintenance

records and regularly tested their systems, to include results from exercise evaluations.

Benchmark: Functioning automation system for rapid exchange of chemical hazard modeling

and protective action analysis between the CSEPP installation, State, and counties.




Performance at the annual CSEPP exercise and, as applicable, quarterly CAIRA exercises

and real-world emergency situations.


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FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: CSEPP partners regularly tested warning systems during

drills and exercises and used those systems daily as part of routine (non-emergency)

operations. System interruptions and problems were identified and immediately corrected.

System owners maintained operability and maintenance records. The Army successfully

transmitted daily work plans to the community partners using CSEPP Automation Systems.

Both communities affirmed Automation systems benchmark compliance in their Community

Profile.

Benchmark: Functioning communications links between the CSEPP installation, State, and

county emergency operations centers (EOCs) and the joint information center (JIC) to support

the coordinated implementation of response plans.






FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: During FY 2017, both CSEPP communities used

communications systems for emergency and non-emergency events. The Pueblo County, CO

JIC was activated twice for wildfires that occurred in the community, and communications

systems were successfully employed during the actual emergencies. Severe weather events in

Estill County, KY required an emergency management response and the use of

communications systems. Communications systems between the Army and the community

partners were routinely tested during observed and evaluated drills and exercises. FEMA

provided engineering support (both government engineers and specialty contractors) to

validate communication system requirements. Both communities use their CSEPP

communications systems for routine (non-emergency) operations, and all identified problems

were promptly corrected. Operability and maintenance records during routine 24/7/365

public safety radio and dispatch operations were maintained.

Benchmark: Coordinated plans for response to hazards from the stockpile for each CSEPP

installation, State, and county.

Performance Measures: Each State’s and installation’s ability to meet and sustain full




FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: FEMA provided technical assistance (both government

employees and contractors) to assist CSEPP partners in updating emergency plans. FEMA

maintained an online planning template tool to assist with the development of emergency


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plans. FEMA evaluators reviewed coordinated plans annually during exercises, and

jurisdictions tested plans during annual drills and exercises. Community Profiles affirmed

coordinated plans.

Benchmark: Functioning EOCs at each CSEPP installation, State, and county to support the

coordinated implementation of response plans.





FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: EOC requirements were validated by FEMA-provided

engineering support (both government engineers and specialty contractors). Engineering

support included providing oversight of the installation of equipment and systems in the new

or renovated EOCs to ensure contractors and vendors met specifications. FEMA supported

punch lists completion and acceptance of new/renovated facilities to ensure operational

readiness.

EOCs were activated for non-CSEPP emergencies including wildfires and severe weather

events, and procedures were reviewed and adjusted after these events. Jurisdictions tested

EOC procedures during annual exercises and drills, and affirmed EOC functionality in the

Community Profile. Jurisdictions also maintained operability and maintenance records during

routine 24/7/365 operations.

Benchmark: An exercise program that effectively tests integrated response capabilities and

preparedness.



Annual CSEPP exercise, after-action report, and corrective action plan executed in

accordance with Program Guidance and Exercise Policy and Guidance.

FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: CSEPP partners successfully completed two full-scale

annual exercises and numerous CAIRA exercises in FY 2017. FEMA and the Army reviewed

exercise performance immediately following the annual exercise with participating partners.

FEMA prepared and published after-action reports on schedule and communicated those to

program partners. Jurisdictions completed corrective action plans that they used during the

next exercise planning cycle. Communities also conducted detailed improvement planning.

For example, public affairs IPT members reviewed exercise performance during their

meetings, resulting in shared best practices and revisions to operating procedures.


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Benchmark: A medical program to support onsite and offsite medical preparedness among first

responder and receiver organizations for a chemical weapons accident or incident.





FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: Both pre-hospital and hospital personnel participated in

annual drills and exercises where medical treatment of simulated casualties was

demonstrated to FEMA evaluators. Hospitals and prehospital EMS providers maintained

Medical response and treatment materials during the year.

Benchmark: Specialized personnel, such as a CSEPP manager, public information officer (PIO),

planner, and information technology specialist, to support CSEPP activities at CSEPP

installations, States, and counties.



Quarterly performance reports for jurisdiction personnel (derived from annual work plans)

completed and submitted.

FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: CSEPP partners maintained staffing plans throughout the

year. FEMA reviewed personnel staffing requirements during budget discussions.

Jurisdictions affirmed staffing requirements in Community Profiles. Evaluators observed the

adequacy of staffing for emergency operations during drills, exercises, and real-world

emergency responses. Timely completion of program requirements including budgets,

LCCEs, and quarterly reports demonstrated that administrative staffing was sufficient to

support program requirements.

Benchmark: Protective action strategy for each jurisdiction that is based on the threat from the

stockpile, consistent with response plans, and conforms to established CSEPP guidance.





FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: CSEPP partners reviewed and updated chemical

stockpile risk, and appropriate changes to protective action strategies occurred during the

year. Personal protective equipment (PPE) that had exceeded useful service life was replaced

as needed. Partners evaluated and revised the adequacy of protective action strategies using


20

modeling and simulation tools. The USACE ensured proper maintenance of collective

protection systems through maintenance logs and on-scene inspections.

Benchmark: A program for coordinated emergency public information and education, including

a public outreach/education program to enhance CSEPP awareness and familiarity with the

protective action strategy.




and real-world emergency situations. Ongoing assessments of community awareness of

CSEPP, the nature and risks associated with the chemical stockpile, how to obtain emergency

information, and potential actions to take in a chemical emergency.

FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: CSEPP-funded PIOs remained staffed during the fiscal

year. IPTs and work groups both at the community and programmatic levels functioned

during the fiscal year. Jurisdictions demonstrated emergency public information capabilities

in both annual exercises. During the fiscal year, emergency public information systems were

used for community emergencies, and CSEPP PIOs communicated resultant lessons learned

to program partners. Each community implemented public education programs.

Benchmark: Training programs, consistent with CSEPP guidance, State and local training plans

(for offsite jurisdiction personnel), and Army certification requirements (for installation

personnel) that maintain proficiency of emergency services providers/responders and CSEPP

staff.



Availability and quality of training materials for installation, State, and county responders.

FY 2017 Performance Outcomes: Jurisdictions identified training requirements and

program partners and addressed them during the fiscal year through training delivery or

assistance locating existing training opportunities. Federal, State, and local training providers

recorded attendance, and students evaluated the volume and quality of training offered as

feedback to providers. FEMA observed and evaluated personnel skills during annual drills

and exercises. Training providers awarded continuing education credits where applicable.

To complement the CSEPP benchmarks, the program has developed a performance measurement

system that includes several elements:

FEMA leads each community IPT in updates of a community profile describing the status

of each community benchmark quantitatively (e.g., number of sirens and message reader

boards installed) and qualitatively (e.g., sufficiency of resources to support a capability).


21

The profile enables Federal, State, and local partners to assess the CSEPP community’s

deficiencies in preparedness, rate each benchmark for effectiveness, and address

challenges through remedial action.

FEMA and the Army jointly direct an annual community exercise (including a review of

plans and training) in accordance with HSEEP. Within 90 days of the exercise, the

exercise co-directors finalize an after-action report that includes observations, findings,

and a corrective action plan.

FEMA reviews the results of community public information surveys to evaluate

awareness of the local chemical stockpile hazard and the appropriate protective actions

for the public.

FEMA reviews the SPR required under the Post-Katrina Emergency Management

Reform Act of 2006 to track specific improvements in core capabilities and identify

potential areas for collaboration and improvement as part of ongoing discussions with its

State and local partners.

FEMA considers the results of jurisdictional equipment maintenance and testing

programs as well as lessons learned from all-hazards community disaster response.

Colorado and Kentucky CSEPP communities report full compliance for each benchmark in both

FY 2016 and FY 2017. As the program has continued and basic capabilities have been met,

community expectations have increased. Within a given benchmark, a community may decide

through a self-assessment to focus on a specific challenge to gauge performance on that

benchmark. This does not mean that capabilities for that benchmark are incomplete, but it does

illustrate where the community’s priorities lie. For example, a community may determine that its

Coordinated Plans capability is less than complete because its recovery plan needs to be updated

to reflect demographic changes. This specific issue would need to be resolved to return to full

compliance.

A summary of significant activities in the next section discusses each benchmark from a

programmatic level.


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V. Summary of Significant Activities

Programmatic activities in FY 2017 that support the 12 CSEPP benchmarks are as follows.

Administration

CSEPP’s breadth and complexity require a measured, cooperative, and inclusive

administration of budgetary, contractual, logistical, and management challenges

across Federal, State, tribal, and local levels to ensure success. These administrative

activities include:

Monitoring and assessing program accomplishments using CSEPP’s benchmarks;

Participating in bi-monthly community IPT meetings to assist all stakeholders in

identifying program needs and preparing budget requests;

Maintaining the programmatic LCCE for FEMA, Colorado, and Kentucky;

Cooperatively negotiating FY 2018 work plans with Colorado and Kentucky that

maintain and enhance emergency preparedness based upon chemical stockpile risks;

Providing staff and contractor support to programmatic and community IPTs and work

groups to address technical challenges that arise; and

Providing programmatic oversight in accordance with the Army-FEMA MOU.

Cost Estimation Reassessment and Revalidation

As a DoD-funded program, CSEPP maintains a comprehensive LCCE to estimate every potential

cost of the program for the life of the program. In FY 2017, in conjunction with an Army-wide

Environmental and Disposal Liability re-assessment, CSEPP conducted a comprehensive

revalidation of cost estimates. FEMA, State, and local CSEPP personnel ensured that all cost

estimates were valid, developed using accepted and proper methods, and accompanied by

sufficient documentation to ensure audit-readiness at every level of the program. This effort

helped ensure that CSEPP estimates for the future remain realistic and fiscally responsible.

CSEPP WebCA

CSEPP WebCA is a web-based, enterprise-wide system for managing CSEPP CAs throughout

the entire grant lifecycle, from application through closeout. A user group comprising Federal,

State, and local personnel developed system requirements that continue to be refined in response

to field experience. CSEPP’s benchmarks are integrated into the grant application and reporting

processes implemented in CSEPP WebCA.

CSEPP WebCA automates the preparation and submission of CA applications and allows staff at

FEMA Regional offices and Headquarters to review and comment on each application. After

Headquarters electronically submits funding approvals to the FEMA Region, Regional grant staff


23

prepare and process awarding and obligating documentation. CSEPP WebCA automates

quarterly performance and financial reporting, as well as the request, review, and approval of

post-award modifications to grants, including reallocations, performance extensions, requests for

additional funds, and changes of scope. Finally, at the end of the performance period for each

grant, the system is used to prepare closeout reports and make any final adjustments to bring the

un-liquidated balance to zero.

As noted above, grantees at six sites have closed out their CSEPP awards. As part of the closeout

process, grant managers use the CSEPP WebCA electronic filing cabinet to archive grant-related

documents. While each FEMA Region office maintains an official grant file for each grantee, the

electronic filing cabinet provides a quick and convenient means of accessing grant information.

CSEPP WebCA will be maintained until all CSEPP sites are closed. In September 2017, CSEPP

received a three-year Authority to Operate for CSEPP WebCA from the FEMA Chief

Information Officer (CIO).

CSEPP WebCA application software updates began in 2016 and were deployed in FY 2017. The

updates included adoption of the following software: .NET framework 4.6, Windows Server OS

2012, latest version of Crystal Reports, and SQL Server 2012. The application code was

refactored to accommodate the large changes. In addition to the software upgrade, account

management features were added and policies were changed to comply with account control

requirements. These changes included: password complexity requirements, password expiration

and expiration notifications, changes to password reset and change rules, and the ability to

disable and remove accounts from the system.

Team Meetings

In August 2017, CSEPP convened a Teams Meeting in Richmond, Kentucky at the Madison

County Emergency Management complex. The purpose of the meeting was to coordinate and

facilitate interaction between different activities with a focus on the core capabilities. On the first

day and the morning of the second day, the Program Management Team, composed of senior

FEMA, U.S. Army, State, and county CSEPP managers, met to review progress, discuss

Program initiatives and issues, and plan activities for the coming year. The four program work

groups and IPTs (Public Affairs, Automation, Exercise, and Medical) met in individual and joint

breakout sessions on the afternoon of the second day and the entire third day. Participants shared

information and identified areas to improve outcomes through direct coordination of group

activities.

Throughout the rest of the year, CSEPP held a range of other operational meetings for each of

the communities and the IPTs and work groups, as well as budget discussions, training, and

sessions with subject-matter experts. An earlier Program Management Team meeting of Army,

FEMA, and Colorado and Kentucky CSEPP stakeholders in February ensured the interests of all

CSEPP jurisdictions were programmatically addressed as the year began.


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Alert and Notificat ion

Providing timely warning to residents of a chemical accident is a critical emergency

management function. CSEPP has long supported and maintained robust emergency

alert and notification systems in each CSEPP community as its primary means of

meeting the congressional mandate of maximum protection for communities,

chemical workers, and the environment. Alert and notification occur in two distinct steps:

attracting the attention of the public (alert) and providing information concerning appropriate

protective actions (notification).

CSEPP alert and notification consists of a network of outdoor and indoor alerting devices in

residential dwellings and special facilities that serve populated areas of the IRZs. Examples of

outdoor alerting devices include public address-capable sirens and electronic digital roadway

signs. An example of an indoor alerting device is a tone alert radio. CSEPP also provides digital

telephone, email, and short message service (SMS) text messaging as part of its emergency

notification system (ENS). These systems use a combination of landline subscriber telephone

information and public registration to transmit messages. Several CSEPP communities have

begun to integrate IPAWS into their regular alert and notification capabilities. CSEPP-provided

alert and notification systems may also warn residents of other hazards, such as tornadoes.

FEMA provides direct engineering support in the form of government personnel and contractor

support to ensure the proper design and maintenance of CSEPP alert and notification systems.

Outreach to and notification and protection of individuals with disabilities and others with access

and functional needs, including LEP, have been CSEPP priorities for many years. Tone alert

radios and weather alert radios, used to warn residents of any emergencies (including chemical

accidents), can support an audible tone and flashing lights that illuminate when activated. These

features alert persons with visual and hearing impairments to an emergency. In addition, systems

are available for residents to receive voice and text messaging in the event of an emergency.

Each CSEPP State also has Spanish-language translators and interpreters in its JIC to assist in

communicating emergency instructions to persons with LEP. Additionally, sign language

interpretation is available at the JIC in Kentucky and was used during wildfires in Colorado.

These capabilities are tested during annual exercises.

Automation

WebPuff™

WebPuff, a web-based system built around the DoD-accredited D2-Puff™

atmospheric dispersion model, enables automated sharing of essential hazard

information between Army and offsite EOCs. WebPuff is undergoing DoD Risk

Management Framework (RMF) accreditation in order to renew the Certificate of Networthiness

(expected renewal due early FY 2018), as required under the DoD information assurance

initiative. In an emergency, WebPuff serves as a key response coordination tool, as demonstrated


25

during regular community exercises. It exports CSEPP information in a format compliant with

common alerting protocol (CAP) standards for information exchange. This allows States and

counties to use CAP-compliant commercial all-hazards automation systems to manage the

response to a CSEPP event, avoiding the need to train personnel on separate systems and the cost

of maintaining a separate CSEPP automation system. A WebPuff Configuration Control Board,

with representatives from the Army and CSEPP communities, is responsible for approving

changes to the functional components of WebPuff to ensure the software continues to meet the

needs of end-users effectively.

CSEPP Portal

The CSEPP Portal8 is a web-based, information-sharing and collaboration platform using

Microsoft SharePoint software. Since 2003, the Portal has provided access to a vast library of

information, including Federal program guidance, presentations from stakeholder meetings, site

event calendars, and links to partner websites. The Portal also provides a platform for the CSEPP

communities, IPTs, and working groups to collaborate remotely on preparedness projects. The

public-facing pages of the Portal make the program’s technical video training library available to

a broader audience. Stakeholder feedback drives updates to Portal functions to ensure the tool

meets the needs of the more than 1,000 registered users from CSEPP partner organizations. In

FY 2017, CSEPP continued efforts to enhance the security of the CSEPP Portal by implementing

hardware upgrades and enhanced security scanning, and relocating the system to a more secure

data center. In September 2017, CSEPP received a three-year Authority to Operate for the

Emergency Operations Planning Template (EOPT) from the FEMA CIO.

Communications

CSEPP funds interoperable communication systems that provide emergency

managers and first responders with robust, state-of-the-art equipment to significantly

enhance communications during emergencies. These systems link the critical State

and local response organizations, including EMS, fire, police, hospital, and public

works. FEMA provides engineering support to assist the communities in maintaining

interoperable communications.

During the fiscal year, FEMA provided technical assistance to the Pueblo and Blue Grass CSEPP

communities in planning for communication systems upgrades, maintenance programs, and

design of new capabilities. Details on the specific site communications projects are located in

Appendices A and B.

8 https://www.cseppportal.net/SitePages/index.html

https://www.cseppportal.net/SitePages/index.html

https://www.cseppportal.net/SitePages/index.html


26

Coordinated Plans

CSEPP emergency plans are developed to capture the most effective protective

action strategies and procedures for each CSEPP community. CSEPP plans are

regularly updated based upon the latest guidance about NIMS and ICS, and

coordinated across the depots and offsite communities. FEMA provides ongoing

technical support for planning projects in Colorado and Kentucky, including regular revisions to

State and county plans and maintenance of planning template software that supports coordination

and compliance with national planning standards. In addition, during FY 2017, CSEPP provided

technical support for planning initiatives in the communities surrounding Pueblo and Blue Grass.

The most significant accomplishments included a reassessment of public protection strategies for

Madison County, Kentucky. Details on these projects are provided in Appendices A and B.

Emergency Operations Planning Template (EOPT)

CSEPP developed the EOPT to support State, local, and tribal jurisdictions in aligning their

specialized chemical emergency response plans with NIMS and integrating them into their all-

hazards operations plans. The tool is currently in use in 14 states (including Kentucky), with a

user base that includes 6 tribal nations, 91 counties, 23 cities, and more than 47 other

organizations. In addition, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has adopted the tool for

use in developing their state and local continuity of operations (COOP) plans. The EOPT is

being tested by CSEPP’s sister program, the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program

(REPP), to help jurisdictions participating in that program simplify and update their radiological

emergency response plans and mesh these plans with all-hazards plans. The States of Kansas,

Louisiana, Illinois, and Iowa, in cooperation with the REP Program Office, are using the EOPT

to develop and deploy radiological emergency response plans for local jurisdictions. In

September 2017, CSEPP received a three-year Authority to Operate for the EOPT from the

FEMA CIO.

Emergency Operations Centers

An EOC serves as the central location for emergency management. In these

facilities, various response organizations come together to plan and implement

emergency response. CSEPP, with local and State contributions, helps fund EOCs,

ensuring that communities have the necessary facilities to manage an emergency

response. During FY 2017, the newly constructed and renovated EOCs in Kentucky continued to

test equipment, hold drills and exercises, and refine operational procedures in the new facilities.

Details on EOC projects are located in Appendices A and B.


27

Exercises

A robust exercise program is critical in building, evaluating, and sustaining the

planning, training, and operation of an emergency management program. Annual

CSEPP exercises are planned and executed by the Army and FEMA and jointly

managed by Army and FEMA Regional co-directors. These exercises ensure onsite

and offsite responses are properly coordinated across all response partners.

During FY 2017, teams of Federal, State, and local personnel evaluated the full-scale CSEPP

exercises in Pueblo on May 3, 2017, and Blue Grass on September 20, 2017. FEMA and the

Army distributed final after-action reports recommending corrective actions across the program

within 90 days of the exercise. Over the last 23 years at the eight sites, reports have been

prepared on more than 100 full-scale community exercises (and more than a dozen joint tabletop

exercises), examining community-wide and jurisdiction-specific practices. This process has

resulted in enhancements to depot-to-community emergency notification agreements, mass

decontamination practices by fire departments and hospitals, and protocols for community joint

information systems (JIS).

With social media becoming increasingly important in emergency management, robust social

media play has become a regular feature of CSEPP exercises. At both sites, a restricted digital

environment that keeps exercise communications secure displays controller-injected content,

enabling emergency management officials to demonstrate a broader range of capabilities than

would be possible with just telephone calls. These simulated interactions with the public and

media allow participants to test their social media plans and procedures to identify what works

well and what improvements may be necessary in an ever-changing medium.

In addition to these annual full-scale exercises, CSEPP jurisdictions participated in the Army’s

quarterly chemical accident/incident response exercises. Throughout the year, county emergency

managers also held all-hazards or other hazard-specific tabletop and functional exercises.

CSEPP exercise guidance emphasizes the benefits of a jointly managed Army-FEMA exercise

program and provides a specific roadmap for the planning, execution, evaluation, and assessment

of CSEPP exercises. The CSEPP Exercise Policy and Guidance9 maintains consistency with

HSEEP. Since many HSEEP precepts are already a part of CSEPP, the two communities have

experienced little difficulty in adopting HSEEP methodologies.

CSEPP policy emphasizes using peer evaluators during exercises. This initiative encourages

emergency managers and first responders from other jurisdictions to assist in exercise

evaluations; more than two dozen individuals took advantage of this opportunity during the two

exercises in FY 2017. This approach broadens the knowledge base of evaluators and serves as a

method of sharing best practices among the participants.

9 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/30493

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/30493

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/30493


28

Medical Program

In FY 2017, CSEPP communities maintained and enhanced their capabilities to

treat potential victims of a chemical agent release from an Army chemical weapons

facility. The active participation of public and private hospitals, State and local

health departments, and emergency services organizations in the program enables

this level of medical readiness.

The Army Public Health Center (PHC) and FEMA provide Federal technical support to these

communities. CSEPP offers several critical resources:

Training on PPE, chemical agent hazards, decontamination, treatment of patients,

hospital incident command, and healthcare facility evacuation, with nearly 300 students

from EMS and hospitals in Colorado and Kentucky attending a range of medical training

sessions during FY 2017;

Agent-specific pharmaceuticals and PPE for participating organizations; and

Enhancements to the safety and capabilities of hospital facilities.

In addition, involvement in the annual CSEPP exercise supports hospitals in maintaining their

accreditation. In FY 2017, 11 hospitals, as well as the onsite health clinics, demonstrated their

capabilities during the annual exercises. A team of health and medical professionals, both

program staff and contractors, were available to evaluate their performance. More details on

these activities are provided in Appendices A and B.

For management purposes, the CSEPP Medical Work Group holds open regular teleconferences

to support medical planning, training, and exercising. Personnel from EMS, fire, hospitals, and

the public health sectors constitute the core members of the work group. Other participants

include personnel from the FEMA Regional offices, U.S. Army CMA, U.S. Army PHC, and the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This collaboration enables FEMA and the

Army to continually track and support the medical stakeholders in each community.

Personnel

Federal, State, county, and local response capabilities must be maintained with a

team of qualified professionals. Experienced people are essential for overseeing

preparedness planning, implementing procedures, and coordinating response actions.

CSEPP-funded personnel execute the program on a day-to-day basis, including working to

ensure emergency responders are adequately trained and equipped to complete their missions.

During the fiscal year, FEMA evaluated and adjusted Federal employee staffing levels in

coordination with Army management to ensure program needs were met. In addition, FEMA

provided training to ensure personnel have the knowledge necessary to carry out their mission.

Building the capacity of program personnel continues to be a CSEPP priority.


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Protective Actions

In general, CSEPP supports a balanced protective actions strategy including

evacuation and sheltering-in-place as part of onsite and offsite hazard-specific

plans. This approach is zone-based because the most effective and appropriate

protective action for a specific incident can vary depending upon the distance from

the hazard and the time required for a hazard to arrive.

Sheltering-in-Place

To maximize the effectiveness of available protective actions, CSEPP has conducted studies to

determine the best way to protect residents during a chemical emergency. Madison County, KY

continued developing and refining a series of protective action decision trees for credible

chemical emergency scenarios. These decision tools are designed to ensure that all affected

individuals are protected from the event while minimizing the potential for unnecessary

relocation and reducing the impact of reception, decontamination, and mass care operations in

host jurisdictions. Quantifying the effectiveness of these protective actions has placed emergency

decision making on a sound, scientific footing.

Residents of the affected communities receive shelter-in-place kits to enhance shelter rooms and

decrease possible infiltration of a chemical agent vapor into their homes. Over the course of the

program, CSEPP has distributed more than 100,000 shelter-in-place kits in CSEPP communities.

In addition, CSEPP continues to distribute copies of its shelter-in-place training videos to

residences and businesses.

Over-Pressurization of Special Facilities

Over-pressurization of special facilities or safe areas, combined with air filtration, is a highly

effective method of protecting building inhabitants and is implemented where it demonstrably

reduces risk. Under a memorandum of agreement between FEMA and the Army, the USACE

continues to perform specialized maintenance on over-pressurized and enhanced shelter-in-place

facilities for specific vulnerable populations near BGAD. This maintenance includes operating

the systems, inspecting the systems to ensure that all components are functioning properly, and

performing repairs, preventive maintenance, and annual filter tests.

In addition, during FY 2017, the USACE oversaw modifications to the collective protection

system at Baptist Health Richmond in Kentucky, and initiated additional measures to enhance

the safety of potentially vulnerable populations at nine additional facilities in this community.

More details on these projects are provided in Appendix B.

Emergency Responders

According to CSEPP policy, offsite emergency responders should never enter the chemical threat

area identified by the hazard model. As an added precaution, CSEPP continues to provide PPE


30

ensembles (e.g., chemical protective suits, powered air-purifying respirators, gloves, and boots)

and the associated mandatory training to response personnel, including those who, for example,

manage traffic and access control points. Should there be a shift in the hazard area due to

weather conditions, this equipment can be used as an escape ensemble by these workers. They

also provide protection to emergency workers supporting decontamination operations. To date,

more than 5,000 protective equipment ensembles have been provided to protect CSEPP’s

emergency workers.

Public Outreach and Education

CSEPP public outreach and education is a critical function of a robust emergency

management system. CSEPP funds PIOs at the State level in Colorado and

Kentucky and in the counties closest to the stockpiles. PIOs have two primary

responsibilities: to conduct public outreach and education programs to ensure

residents know what to do in the event of a chemical accident and to maintain an emergency

public information capability to provide instructions to residents during an emergency. PIOs also

teach FEMA local-level public information courses in their communities. CSEPP provided

training throughout the fiscal year consisting of program-specific instruction delivered in CSEPP

communities.

The CSEPP Public Affairs Integrated Process Team (PA IPT) examines cross-cutting public

affairs issues at the two CSEPP sites. The PA IPT is a source of ideas for each community to

draw upon for best practices and lessons learned. During PA IPT meetings, PIOs provide case

studies of actual emergencies and review the results of CSEPP exercises. During the fiscal year,

the PA IPT continued building the PIOs knowledge, skills, and abilities with professional

development sessions on web-based technologies, social media monitoring, physiological first

aid for responders, and providing family assistance after a disaster. The IPT also formed a work

group to design a tabletop exercise to be delivered next year and assisted with the development

of procedures for simulcasting Spanish translation during news conferences.

“Prepare Pueblo” in Colorado and “Prepare KY” in Kentucky are public education programs

with locally maintained websites that provide CSEPP emergency information to residents.

CSEPP PIOs strengthen relationships with local stakeholders by engaging the whole community

through presentations to schools and civic organizations and by participating in community

events. During FY 2017, Colorado and Kentucky PIOs continued to work with persons with

LEP—and their local organizations—to identify and provide preparedness information to the

LEP community. Both sites make CSEPP outreach materials available in Spanish and English,

and Spanish interpreters are available for outreach events and program meetings. Specific details

on outreach initiatives in the two communities are located in Appendices A and B.


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Training

During FY 2017, CSEPP conducted classroom training at the State and local levels

for participants from the CSEPP communities, as well as personnel from other

Federal, State, and local agencies involved in homeland security. CSEPP stakeholder

and programmatic IPTs and work groups assess training needs and provide feedback

to program managers on future course content. CSEPP training is shared with many other

communities across the United States in hardcopy formats and through various partner websites.

Available CSEPP classroom training courses encompass the following topics:

CSEPP orientation and chemical awareness;

Use of antidote auto-injectors by civilian emergency medical personnel;

Decontamination and use of PPE;

Physician/emergency medical training;

CSEPP JIC/JIS;

CSEPP information and communication technology;

CSEPP advanced information and communication technology;

CSEPP spokesperson training;

CSEPP photography/video in social media formats; and

DHS Basic Planners Course.

In conjunction with FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute, CSEPP is piloting training on

the facilitation of inter-jurisdictional teams. Initially, this course has been offered only in the two

CSEPP communities. Additional pilot offerings occurred in FY 2017, as work continues to

transition the class to the FEMA training curriculum with an assigned course number.

CSEPP continues to sponsor first responder and first receiver training where continuing

education units or continuing medical education units were awarded to those who successfully

completed the training. Other training efforts that provide long-term and post-CSEPP benefits to

the communities include FEMA’s Master Exercise Practitioner Program (MEPP), and public

affairs and medical training. CSEPP has now sponsored three iterations of MEPP. This

nationally-recognized program has prepared local community emergency officials in designing,

testing, and evaluating their ability to respond to all-hazards events. There are 149 MEPP

graduates within the CSEPP communities who continue to provide a strong local foundation for

planning, conducting, and evaluating not only CSEPP but also all-hazards exercises.


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VI. Looking Forward

CSEPP remains committed to ensuring the two remaining communities are fully prepared to

respond to an accident involving the chemical weapons stockpile. This commitment will be

upheld until the stockpile is eliminated.

As operations continue at PCD, Pueblo County is scoping necessary improvements to its aging

siren system to ensure system stability and a replacement of its microwave system to provide

interoperability with the State of Colorado for the remainder of the program and beyond. In

addition, Pueblo County plans to replace the tone alert radios currently deployed in residences

and other facilities with off-the-shelf weather radios. Appendix A provides a detailed description

of ongoing closeout planning activities in the Colorado CSEPP Community.

In Kentucky, the counties will increase the resiliency of their communication infrastructure,

employ new communication systems, and perform emergency planning and outreach

enhancements. In recognition of State law, under which the ability of the community to protect

public health must be assured prior to State issuance of a permit allowing DoD to destroy

chemical agents, FEMA will continue its support for the enhancement and sustainment of first

responder communications and response capabilities in Madison County. The Kentucky CSEPP

Community intends to begin program closeout planning in FY 2018.

FEMA, in cooperation with the Army, will continue to closely align CSEPP efforts with overall

state preparedness efforts and the implementation of national preparedness doctrine. FEMA

continues to review CSEPP community needs in the context of whole community THIRA

analysis, leveraging the assistance CSEPP provides under the “maximum protection” mandate to

help the CSEPP communities achieve capability targets and maximize the shareable resources

available for CSEPP-related or other emergency events. As closeout planning continues in both

communities, FEMA will work with each community to ensure that capabilities provided by

CSEPP are sustainable to the greatest possible extent in the post-CSEPP environment.


33

VII. Conclusion

Over the last fiscal year, FEMA continued its mission to assist communities near the two

remaining chemical stockpile sites. Working closely with its U.S. Army and State and local

partners, FEMA continued to meet its program goals, with notable improvements in coordinated

emergency planning, interoperable communications systems, and public alert and notification

systems. Although these areas were priorities for the program, existing capabilities under all

12 benchmarks were maintained, and in some cases enhanced, during the fiscal year. CSEPP is

positioned to continue its preparedness mission until the Blue Grass and Pueblo sites complete

the chemical weapons destruction.

A cornerstone of CSEPP is the sharing of best practices, resources, and expertise among all

CSEPP communities. This includes the ongoing use of IPTs, in the communities and

programmatically, which remain critical to the successful advancement of CSEPP goals and the

resolution of new challenges. For example, the participation of community representatives on the

functional IPTs and in the working groups has promoted the spread of initiatives ranging from

planning for the future to conducting multimedia public outreach programs to building and

exercising additional core capabilities to the local use of IPAWS to alert the public. FEMA

personnel and Madison County, KY officials also presented lessons learned at a Homeland

Security Conference in Buffalo, NY, and CSEPP coordinated closely with the FEMA IPAWS

office to use a WEA message during the 2017 Blue Grass Exercise.

Two successful full-scale exercises demonstrated existing capabilities and assisted in prioritizing

capability needs in the coming year. FEMA will continue to follow the planning, programming,

budgeting, and execution model for advancing program goals to prepare and enable communities

to protect citizens in the unlikely event of a chemical emergency at the Nation’s two remaining

chemical weapons stockpile sites.


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PuebloPlex: Preparedness for a Public-Private Sector Partnership

As the Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD) approaches the completion of its mission, the Army is

working with Pueblo County to develop an approach for transitioning the property at PCD to

local control. A 2016 redevelopment plan identifies various proposed land uses, including

manufacturing, storage, work force housing, agriculture, and mineral extraction. The next step is

the transfer of more than 5,000 acres across the center of PCD (managed as PuebloPlex) to

Pueblo County scheduled for 2018; the Army has already begun leasing property in this area for

storage and manufacturing operations. This has resulted in a small increase in the daytime

civilian population in the vicinity of PCD while the storage and destruction of the stockpile

continues.

Pueblo County has been working with the Army and PuebloPlex to coordinate public safety and

other issues emerging from its incorporation of the additional property, such as future law

enforcement requirements. From a planning perspective, the Pueblo CSEPP Community is

updating the existing public protection strategy to address individuals in a new offsite planning

zone within the PCD. The installation of an additional siren, capable of alerting individuals across

PuebloPlex to an emergency, is planned as part of the enhanced CSEPP public alert system.

PuebloPlex has already posted preliminary public protection guidance at the entrance to the

storage units available for lease to the public.

Finally, to assess the effectiveness of these initiatives, the Pueblo CSEPP Community has begun

to incorporate PuebloPlex into its active exercise program. Specific challenges associated with

emergency support for citizens currently renting property were incorporated into the annual

CSEPP exercises in 2016 and 2017. In addition, on April 13, 2017, PCD, the Pueblo Chemical

Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP), PuebloPlex, and the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office held a

tabletop exercise focusing on a multi-phase incident at PuebloPlex. The scenario involved a

coordinated law enforcement, firefighting, and EMS response set at a time after PCD has

transitioned the property to Pueblo County. The exercise helped participants understand the

resources potentially available to support a response at PuebloPlex, determine the existing

challenges to applying those resources, and identify the planning and procedural changes that

might help overcome these challenges.


35

Appendix A: Colorado

The Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD) is located approximately 14 miles east of Pueblo, CO, where

chemical weapons have been safely stored since the 1950s. The depot occupies 23,000 acres and

stores 8.5 percent of the original U.S. chemical weapons stockpile in the form of mustard blister

agent housed in mortars and projectiles.

Destruction of the stockpile is the responsibility of the U.S. DoD’s Program Executive Office,

Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA), which oversees the Pueblo Chemical

Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP). Primary agent destruction at PCAPP continues through

a two-phase process of neutralization, in which mustard agent is mixed with hot water and a

caustic solution, followed by bio-treatment, in which sewage treatment bacteria consume the

organic components of the hydrolysate by-product from neutralization. In addition, the U.S.

Army’s Explosive Destruction System remains available to destroy munitions determined to be

unsuitable for processing in the main plant. PCD shares daily work plans, highlighting weather

conditions, planned activities, and associated hazards, with FEMA, the State of Colorado, and

Pueblo County staff, enhancing the situational awareness of depot operations by offsite

emergency personnel.

In addition to Federal partners, CSEPP in the Pueblo community comprises the State of

Colorado, Pueblo County, and the Pueblo City-County Health Department (PCCHD).

The most significant accomplishments of the year as reported by the Pueblo CSEPP community

are listed below.

Fiscal Year 2017 Accomplishments

Administration

The Pueblo CSEPP community

maintained compliance with all 12

benchmarks in FY 2017. Figure 4

illustrates total CSEPP expenditures

(grant dollars and Federal technical

support) to support preparedness in

Colorado during the last three fiscal

years. Two factors drove a funding

increase in Colorado from FY 2016 to FY

2017. Pueblo County began replacement

of the aging microwave infrastructure and

received funding to procure handheld and

mobile Digital Trunk Radios. The Figure 4: Colorado CSEPP Programmatic Spending


36

Colorado CSEPP Community Integrated Process Team (IPT) reviewed, revised, and approved an

updated IPT charter in April.

Alert and Notification

Pueblo County has begun the process of replacing its existing outdoor warning system to address

challenges due to the age of the equipment and the lack of availability of replacement parts.

Although regular system maintenance enables response to siren test failures, siren outages

continue. The proposed project will replace sirens, utility poles, and control equipment, retaining

the existing equipment until the new system is operational. In addition, Pueblo County plans to

add two new siren locations to enhance coverage for workers at PCAPP and citizens at

PuebloPlex (an area within PCD renting unused storage and manufacturing space to the public).

Pueblo County has also begun planning the replacement of 1,800 tone alert radios (TARs)

previously distributed to PCD, homes in the nearby community, and special populations with

weather radios, which will provide a long-term preparedness legacy for the community.

Colorado CSEPP is a major component of efforts to implement IPAWS at the State and local

levels. Colorado CSEPP continues to actively participate in the CSEPP working groups that are

evaluating the test results, inventorying local equipment to determine how different equipment

processes IPAWS messages, and identifying areas for future testing.

Last year, Pueblo County procured a new Emergency Notification System and has been updating

standard operating procedures, message templates, and job aids. Pueblo County used this system

multiple times in FY 2017, notably during the Beulah Hill and Junkins wildfires (October 2016),

to activate the EOC and notify the public. Lessons learned from these events are now being

incorporated into county notification procedures. During these recent events, EOC staff

contacted individuals in the affected areas who had previously been identified as having medical

or access and functional needs to determine any unmet needs.

The PCD-Pueblo County Notification Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is under review and

is expected to be signed in the near future. Additions will address notification and coordination

for a broader range of events.

Automation

The Pueblo CSEPP Automated Manual is an automated tool for quickly capturing notification

information from PCD. The tool automatically generates appropriate EAS messages, and guides

dispatch staff as they complete time-sensitive tasks (including public alerting) in the initial stages

of a CSEPP response. The tool was successfully tested during the annual CSEPP exercise.

Pueblo County installed new software for monitoring backup generators in the EOC’s

uninterruptible power supply (UPS) room, enhanced security for information technology

resources, and implemented a new suite of office productivity software. CSEPP staff continue to

participate in county critical systems infrastructure meetings and also presented briefings on


37

information technology security at the CSEPP Teams Meeting and the Colorado Emergency

Management Conference.

Communications

Pueblo County has added amateur radio equipment on county radio towers and in the EOC to

maximize the effectiveness of amateur radio operators supporting emergency operations. These

volunteers assist in disasters by providing supplemental radio communications capabilities as

tested annually during CSEPP exercises.

Information exchange between Pueblo County, the State of Colorado, and PCD continues to

employ the common use of WebPuff and WebEOC® to share daily work plans and coordinate

potential response activities.

In cooperation with an ongoing State of Colorado project, Pueblo County has begun planning a

replacement of the existing microwave communication infrastructure to enhance long-term

interoperability.

Coordinated Plans

During the fiscal year, regional planning activities included CSEPP stakeholders. In conjunction

with the Colorado South All-Hazards Region and Pueblo County Emergency Management,

CSEPP team members worked to better coordinate and synchronize training and exercise plans,

improvement plans, and stakeholder events. Pueblo County was a signatory to the Colorado

South All-Hazards Region Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment developed and

submitted to the State of Colorado. Through cooperation, these programs better leverage existing

opportunities and resources to further the CSEPP mission of increasing existing capabilities

across the community.

The Colorado Hazard Incident Response & Recovery Plan (formerly the State EOP) was signed

on November 1, 2016. This plan includes an Access and Functional Needs (AFN) Annex that

outlines the state response and recovery efforts to ensure nondiscrimination and to support local

activities with respect to limited English proficiency (LEP), persons with disabilities and others

with access and functional needs. Pueblo County will initiate a comprehensive update and

rewrite of the County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) in 2018 to adhere to national

accreditation standards; this process will include the CSEPP annex.


The EOC and Joint Information Center (JIC) at the new Pueblo County Emergency Services

Center (ESC) were fully functional for the annual CSEPP Exercise, which assessed facility

processes and equipment. During the year, the Pueblo EOC was activated for the Beulah Hill and

Junkins wildfires, a presidential candidate campaign visit, and several severe weather events.

Incident after-action reviews contributed to a training and exercise plan incorporating key


38

exercises events, anticipated natural hazards, pre-planned events, and planning opportunities.

EOC training was conducted monthly to maintain proficiency and to exercise changes to EOC

staffing and operating procedures.

The Pueblo County EOC was constructed in accordance with Americans with Disabilities (ADA)

standards. The Pueblo County Communications Center, co-located with the ESC, uses

Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf to support citizens with hearing or speech impairment

and provides a Language Line service to support interaction between responders and citizens

with limited English proficiency.

The phone system at the Colorado State EOC was upgraded.

Exercises

The Pueblo CSEPP Community Exercise 2017 (PCD Ex 17) was conducted on May 3, 2017 to

demonstrate the emergency response capabilities of the Pueblo CSEPP community. Exercise

design and planning was accomplished by the Army and FEMA Co-Directors and

representatives from PCD, Pueblo County, and the State of Colorado. The core capabilities

established under the National Preparedness Goal were reflected in each of the jurisdictional

extent-of-play agreements, exercise briefings, and after-action report.

Offsite exercise participants included State and local emergency management and public safety

organizations, private sector emergency medical services, amateur radio, local schools, three

local hospitals, the American Red Cross, Pueblo Animal Services, Community Animal Response

Team, and the Pueblo Behavioral Health Response Team. The scenario consisted of two events:

A forklift accident on PCD during a mustard agent shipping operation; and

Fluvial flash flooding along Fountain Creek in the City of Pueblo, leading to exposure of

nearby citizens to floodwaters contaminated with hazardous materials.

During the exercise, the offsite community demonstrated a full range of response capabilities,

including the use of incident command; response coordination between local, State, Federal, and

private sector officials; use of multiple communication channels, including public safety radio,

telephone hotlines, and amateur radio; selection and implementation of protective actions for the

public, including schools and other special populations, as well as small animal decontamination

and large animal sheltering; and operation of an evacuation center and shelter with the activation

of local and State survivor support services, including those individuals with access and

functional needs. Local hospitals and field response organizations demonstrated the ability to

triage and decontaminate potentially contaminated victims. Finally, a JIC/joint information

system (JIS) (consisting of local, State, and Federal agency representatives) coordinated and

disseminated news releases among multiple jurisdictions, monitored and used social media,

conducted a news conference, and responded to public and media inquiries.


39

A community-wide after-action report, including a corrective action plan, was published on July

7, 2017. Strengths were noted in the areas of pet decontamination, testing of critical systems, JIS

teamwork, and amateur radio operations. Observations were made to improve decontamination

and patient triage protocols. Prior to publication of the report, a finding regarding safety

protocols for hospital personnel performing decontamination activities was cleared. FEMA met

with local officials and determined that the hospital had instituted procedural changes and

employee training, after which a real-world exposure to an unknown contaminant in June 2017

enabled them to demonstrate safe operations.

Pueblo County actively participates in quarterly PCD CAIRA exercises. They also worked

closely with the Pueblo Chemical Depot in planning the PuebloPlex tabletop exercise and were

an active player in the exercise (see page 34). Other FY 2017 exercises in Pueblo County include

the strategic national stockpile, wildfire, and continuity of operations.

Medical

In conjunction with local emergency responders and medical services, three Pueblo area

hospitals (Parkview Medical Center–Main, Parkview-Pueblo West Medical Center, and St.

Mary-Corwin Medical Center) participate in CSEPP preparedness activities. CSEPP provides

equipment, training, and technical assistance to enhance medical preparedness for pre-hospital

care and in-hospital treatment of patients exposed to chemical agents. The program also works

with area public safety and health initiatives to enhance integration of the program locally.

Hospital extent-of-play agreements (XPAs) were developed and implemented for the 2017

CSEPP Exercise at the three area hospitals. The XPAs target objectives, specific areas of

evaluation, and demonstration, which resulted in clear expectations for planning purposes and for

execution during the exercise.

PCCHD CSEPP participates in the South Region Healthcare Coalition, Local Emergency

Planning Committee, Southern Colorado Regional Trauma Advisory Council, Pueblo Behavioral

Health Response Team, Emergency Medical Services Committee, Sheltering and Animal

Services, CSEPP Exercise Planning Group, Pueblo County Emergency Support Function,

Mitigation, Disability Inclusion in Emergency Planning, and community stakeholder meetings.

This community involvement has led to better integration and inclusion of CSEPP at the local

level and allows first responders and emergency planners to increase opportunities for CSEPP

training and awareness.

During the fiscal year, medical providers in the CSEPP community completed the following

training: hospital hazardous operations and hazardous materials operations/refresher classes;

hospital ICS training for command staff; PPE training for fire and law enforcement responders;

patient decontamination field training; healthcare evacuation course for medical personnel

(including HealthCare Coalition members); and triage.


40

Protective Actions

In 2017, CSEPP provided respirator fit testing to 576 members of the fire and law enforcement

agencies in Pueblo County, which is done annually in accordance with Occupational Safety and

Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.

Pueblo Animal Services and the City of Pueblo Fire Department demonstrated their new Animal

Decontamination Protocol on four dogs and a cat during the annual CSEPP exercise. In addition,

the Pueblo Community Animal Response Team (CART) demonstrated sheltering operations for

large animals (livestock).

The Emergency Support Function #6 (ESF#6) annex to the Pueblo County EOP addresses

adherence to ADA standards in the operation of the shelter facilities. All Pueblo County shelter

facilities identified in the State plan have been reviewed to ensure ADA compliance. In addition,

the CART plan outlines specific procedures for addressing evacuated citizens with service

animals.

The evacuation or sheltering-in-place of residents at the Boone Guest Home, a service provider

for developmentally disabled adults, and a shelter-in-place drill for Avondale Elementary

School, which services a very significant limited English proficiency population, are regular

components of the annual CSEPP exercise.

In anticipation of a transfer of some PCD property (known as PuebloPlex) to Pueblo County,

PCD and Pueblo County began discussing the emergency planning issues, including notification

and protective actions for individuals who may work in or visit these areas.


The “Prepare Pueblo” campaign continued during the fiscal year. This outreach campaign is a

blended approach that includes the use of a website, social media, and paid advertising (theater

advertisements and roadside billboards). Strategy, tactics, and advertisements were developed by

the Colorado CSEPP PIO team, capitalizing on CSEPP-provided training.

Message strategy was developed using survey results and lessons learned from other CSEPP

sites. The campaign reminds residents of the importance of preparedness at home, work, and

school. Specific topics include “pet preparedness,” “winter preparedness,” “refresh your

emergency preparedness kit,” and “preparedness for large animals/livestock.” Key messages

were developed to educate residents on how to get emergency alerts and information and how to

learn if a resident lives inside or outside of an emergency zone. Since protective actions differ for

those most at risk, it is important to educate residents living inside an emergency planning zone.

As agent destruction operations continued at PCD, local, national, and international news media

outlets continued to publish stories on the resumption of chemical agent destruction in the United


41

States. Community PIOs coordinated closely with DoD public affairs officers to ensure that

consistent messages were delivered to the public. They also participated in the 75th Anniversary

celebration for the Pueblo Chemical Depot, where they distributed community preparedness

information.

The JIC/JIS was also activated for two real-world events, the Beulah Hill and Junkins wildfires,

which provided staff the ability to receive valuable hands-on experience. It also provided the

opportunity to cross-train staff in various JIC roles.

The Pueblo County CSEPP PIO continued to maintain a cadre of trained individuals, known as

the Risk Communication Network (RCN), to help with disasters. The 40 members of this

network were recruited from public safety organizations; not-for-profit organizations; hospitals;

the business community; and Federal, State, and county agencies. CSEPP offered members

specific training to further develop their PIO skills; for example, the quarterly RCN meeting in

February focused on the JIC and its role during an emergency. In addition to participating in

CSEPP training and annual exercises, RCN members have deployed to assist with other

emergencies in their community and in neighboring counties.

In an effort to provide highly trained RCN members, the groups offered training locally and at

the State and national levels. This effort enables the State CSEPP PIO to build important

relationships with other PIOs that are essential for maintaining an efficient JIS.

The CSEPP team also participated in a number of community outreach activities focusing on

preparedness themes. Among the activities were the annual Safety Jam for kids; the PCD 75th

Anniversary celebration and the Change of Command ceremony; and the annual Veteran’s Day

celebration in the town of Avondale.

The ESF#15 annex to the Pueblo County EOP outlines policies and procedures for meeting the

information needs of those with limited English proficiency.

Training

FY 2017 was a busy year for training in Pueblo. Through more than a dozen CSEPP-sponsored

courses, CSEPP partners received training in 16 topic areas, ranging across basic and advanced

incident command, hazardous materials response, exercise design and evaluation, emergency

planning, facilitation, grants management, public affairs, automation, and continuity of

operations.

Future Planning

The completion of chemical agent destruction at PCD will result in the end of CSEPP in

Colorado. The closeout working group, established by the Community IPT, issued the initial

version of a closeout strategy in FY 2017 that encompasses budgetary and programmatic issues

for each CSEPP jurisdiction in Colorado. The working group includes representatives from the


42

organizations participating in the IPT and meets in conjunction with the Community IPT. Other

specific items addressed by the working group this year include disposition of property,

personnel, closeout milestones, and inclusion of closeout costs in the LCCE. In addition to its

traditional coordination role, FEMA provided technical assistance, including ensuring best

practices from the six previous CSEPP sites were provided to assist with the Pueblo closeout

planning.

FEMA will continue to provide technical support to Pueblo County to examine options for

sustaining certain capabilities after CSEPP has ended. This analysis, scoped by resources and the

remaining hazards in the community, focused on target levels for operational coordination,

operational communications, and public information and warning.


43

Madison County, KY Evaluates Protective Action Strategies

As the only remaining jurisdiction in the United States where military chemical nerve agent is

stored, and with 86,000 people living in close proximity to the storage location, Madison

County, Kentucky needed a way to determine the best strategies for protecting their community

in the event of a chemical stockpile emergency. They also needed to be fully confident that

those strategies would be effective.

Building an effective response to a high consequence, low probability event is challenging.

Because a large chemical stockpile release has never occurred, there is no historical evidence to

use in building protection strategies. In contrast to disasters with long lead times, there is no

time to debate response actions once a release has occurred. There will likely be little to no

warning of a chemical stockpile release, so an extremely fast, pre-programmed response to

protect those living and working nearby was needed.

FEMA, in coordination with the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity, provided technical

assistance to Madison County using a unique modeling and simulation methodology and tool

suite specifically developed for CSEPP, known as Quantitative Emergency Management (QEM®).

Using these tools and the results they provided, Madison County established the baseline risk to

the community and measured the effectiveness of various response strategies in reducing that

risk. The results enabled Madison County to select the most effective mix of protection

strategies for their community, and to develop plans to implement those strategies—plans they

have confidence in because they have seen the results in a simulated environment. Madison

County christened this as a “surgical” approach to protection—making sure that the people truly

at risk get priority for protection.

This cutting-edge approach to solving difficult challenges in protecting people from

technological hazards was accepted as a case study for presentation at the 2017 National

Homeland Security Conference held in Buffalo, New York. At that conference, FEMA and

Madison County experts presented Madison County’s methodology in selecting optimal

response strategies based on the results of the QEM modeling and simulation. Their

presentation explained how those strategies were translated into defensible, actionable plans

for public protection. Although this work was specific to chemical stockpile emergencies in

Madison County, Kentucky, it has broad applicability to the use of modeling and simulation tools

and risk-based analyses to optimize public protection from any hazard. This approach is a

perfect example of taking the THIRA process to the next level.


44

Appendix B: Kentucky

Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD) is located south of Lexington, KY near the city of Richmond,

and sits on 15,000 acres. The stockpile is maintained on 255 acres of land near the northern

border of the depot. The storage of blister agents began in 1944, and nerve agent storage

commenced in the mid-1960s. The safe storage of the chemical stockpile remains an important

mission of the Blue Grass Chemical Activity (BGCA).

Destruction of the stockpile is the responsibility of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Program

Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA). The Blue Grass

Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) will safely and efficiently destroy a

stockpile of chemical weapons currently in storage at BGAD. Utilizing neutralization followed

by supercritical water oxidation (SCWO), the plant will destroy munitions containing nerve

agent. Additionally, the Static Detonation Chamber, an explosive destruction technology (EDT),

will augment BGCAPP’s neutralization/SCWO technology to destroy the mustard agent-filled

projectiles in the Blue Grass stockpile, many of which have been found unsuited for processing

through the main plant.

In addition to Federal partners, the Blue Grass CSEPP community comprises the Commonwealth

of Kentucky; Madison, Estill, Clark, Garrard, Rockcastle, Powell, Laurel, Jackson, and

Jessamine counties; and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG).

The Kentucky CSEPP community includes 10 counties that have distinct planning zones. CSEPP

zones are geographical areas around the chemical depot defining the areas that are included in

the preparedness activities. Zones most at risk from a chemical release are referred to as

immediate response zones (IRZs); these are located in Madison and Estill counties, which are

thus referred to as IRZ counties. Zones farther out from the hazard are designated as protective

action zones (PAZs); Clark, Garrard, Rockcastle, Powell, and Jackson counties and the LFUCG

contain some PAZ areas and are thus referred to as PAZ counties. Laurel and Jessamine counties

are designated as host jurisdictions. A host jurisdiction is not considered to be at direct risk from

a chemical stockpile accident, but provides decontamination and medical treatment, mass care,

host facilities, and mutual aid support to at-risk jurisdictions.

The most significant accomplishments of the year as reported by the Blue Grass CSEPP

community are listed below.


45

Fiscal Year 2017 Accomplishments

Administration

The Blue Grass CSEPP community

maintained compliance with all 12

benchmarks in FY 2017. Figure 5 illustrates

total CSEPP funding (grant dollars and

Federal technical support) to support

preparedness in Kentucky during the last

three fiscal years. Several factors drove a

funding increase in Kentucky from FY

2016 to FY 2017. These factors include

beginning to replace the Madison County

interoperable communications system and

its community sirens, both of which had

reached the end of their lifecycle.

Throughout the year, the Kentucky CSEPP program continued to refine its financial reporting

and grants managements systems. All CSEPP counties and the Commonwealth use a common

web-based management software application to track developments during disasters. This

application was adapted to add financial reporting functions, allowing the Commonwealth and

all 10 county governments to share a common platform for financial reporting and grants

management. Since the same software application is used in day-to-day management functions,

personnel routinely use the system and are familiar with its functions. This familiarity increases

proficiency of those application users during disasters. The Commonwealth also continued its

refinements to the life cycle cost estimating systems and the grants reimbursement processes.

CSEPP WebCA is the financial tool that state and local CSEPP jurisdictions use to manage

grants, work plans, budget line items, and statements of work. In addition to financial reporting,

these systems allow counties to identify core capabilities for specific budget line item requests,

enhancing the link between budgets and specific emergency preparedness functions. CSEPP has

streamlined CSEPP WebCA quarterly reporting. The process allows counties to update their

project progression and link those projects to the CSEPP benchmarks, as well as FEMA’s Core

Capabilities benchmarks. CSEPP WebCA also allows FEMA to maintain visibility and provide

oversight and accountability.

Ensuring CSEPP stakeholders were trained on the Federal grant regulations at 2 CFR Part 20010

continued to be a priority for KY CSEPP during the fiscal year. In addition to specific grants

management training, FEMA Regional personnel conducted site visits to all ten counties and the

10 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl

Figure 5: Kentucky CSEPP Programmatic Spending

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl


46

Commonwealth to ensure grantees were aware of changes and had an understanding of the grant

objectives and guidelines.

The Blue Grass CSEPP Integrated Process Team (IPT) continued to function as the central

program management forum in FY 2017. During the year, various work groups continued to

address issues and propose solutions, improvements, new innovations, and updated procedures

for IPT consideration. One work group researched, organized product demonstrations, and

recommended a regional purchasing initiative to replace decontamination equipment. The

proposal was accepted by the IPT and will be implemented in the next few months. The IPT also

participated in an ADA Awareness course with a Kentucky not-for-profit organization that

advocates for persons with access and functional needs.

Alert and Notification

Integrated Public Alert and Notification System (IPAWS) testing continued in FY 2017, and

Madison County used the system during the CSEPP Annual Exercise in September. IPAWS

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), designed to improve the county’s capability to warn and

instruct the public through cellular telephone service, was successfully trained, deployed, and

tested during the exercise. Plans began in Madison County to upgrade advisory alert radios that

will provide added capability of receiving weather alerts. Planning for siren replacements in

Madison County also began in FY 2017. Madison sirens are capable for voice to help support the

Army “Big Voice” system. In Estill County, CSEPP-funded sirens were used to alert residents of

severe weather during a March 2017 storm. Estill County sirens are equipped with different

tones to alert residents of a severe weather event or chemical accident at BGAD. Public outreach

is provided to residents to educate the citizens on the different siren tones and their meanings.

Automation

Kentucky CSEPP counties and the Commonwealth use the same commercially available

software application to share emergency preparedness information. They convene several

working groups to coordinate automation projects within the counties and Commonwealth,

including this emergency preparedness information sharing software. A working group meets bi-

monthly with users to plan, coordinate, and resolve software-related problems within their

respective communities. During the fiscal year, a financial performance reporting capability

within this software was added that allows the tracking of core capabilities and mission areas to

budget line items. Funding for mapping and emergency management software products was

secured and system upgrades completed.

Planning began in the fiscal year for additional meteorological towers in Fayette and Estill

counties. These towers contain equipment that feeds meteorological data into the WebPuff

modeling program used for the program.


47

Communication

Several communication systems that were either fully or partially funded by CSEPP were used

throughout the fiscal year in support of emergency events or exercises. The Kentucky

Emergency Management Agency (KYEM) used a communications trailer to support the tens of

thousands of people who traveled to Kentucky to view the solar eclipse in August. The

equipment was deployed in a regional response center to assist with radio, telephone, and

internet communications. A self-contained communications vehicle was used in support of a

state-wide communications exercise. These exercises and real-world events allow emergency

preparedness personnel to hone their skills and test equipment that would be used in support of

an Army stockpile chemical accident.

KYEM also continued to test the systems used to communicate between the Blue Grass Army

Depot, the ten CSEPP counties, and the State. Studies are underway to examine the backup

systems that are used and the upgrade options being considered. The communication systems

between the Army and off-site community are tested daily and used in drills and exercises

throughout the fiscal year.

The Madison County interoperability public safety system is reaching its life cycle end, and

engineering planning began in the fiscal year to replace the existing system. Careful

consideration and planning are underway for the eventual end of CSEPP, resulting in the county

absorbing the cost of the ongoing maintenance of the system. Upgrades to radio tower control

building heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems were planned and bids were received

during the fiscal year. The county is also developing specifications for the upgrade of emergency

generators at the tower sites. The generators are scheduled for procurement and installation in

FY 2018.

Garrard and Jackson counties initiated upgrades and improvements to radio towers in FY 2017

with additional construction planned for FY 2018.

Coordinated Plans

The Kentucky CSEPP community formed a work group to develop a Recovery Sampling and

Analysis Plan (RSAP). This document will outline procedures for the county and state

emergency management agencies to coordinate with the U.S. Army sampling procedures

following a chemical release in the community. The planning group, with membership from state

agencies, affected counties, and the Army, has schedule planning conference calls and will hold

a workshop in January 2018 to identify available resources to carry out the sampling mission.

Emergency plans are updated annually, and KYEM routinely meets with CSEPP counties to

ensure coordinated CSEPP plans are current. FEMA also provides technical assistance

throughout the year to assist with planning efforts. During the fiscal year, Madison County

completed a review of their emergency plans and risk analysis, resulting in changes to their


48

protection action decision process. This effort was shared with the greater emergency

management community with a presentation at a Homeland Security conference and highlighted

on page 43 of this report.

A Closeout Work Group was formed in Kentucky, with membership composed of

representatives from FEMA, KYEM, and all the participating counties. The group is in the initial

phase of identifying and developing planning priorities for the eventual closeout of CSEPP in the

Commonwealth. Specific topics will include grants management, disposition of equipment, and

staffing levels within each organization. FEMA provides technical assistance to the work group,

and lessons learned from previous CSEPP closeout initiatives have been captured and are

available to this work group.


EOCs serve as the central location where emergency managers, elected officials, and emergency

support function representatives from responding agencies meet to plan and implement

emergency protective actions during an emergency. EOCs in the participating CSEPP counties

and at the Commonwealth have undergone renovation, or new facilities were built in some cases,

to better support emergency management operations. During FY 2017, several EOC

construction/renovation projects were completed in five counties, and the EOCs are operational

and providing functional facilities that support all-hazards emergency management.

KYEM

The KYEM EOC that underwent renovation several years ago was activated several times during

this fiscal year for wildfires, weather events, and the solar eclipse. KYEM also participated in

drills and exercises with the CSEPP partners. In addition to emergency management activities,

the Commonwealth and county facilities are used for training events and program meetings.

Madison County

Madison County completed renovations to their 25-year-old EOC in Richmond in FY 2016 and

spent their first full year in their new facility conducting drills and exercises to refine their

operating procedures. EOC technicians were hired and received training throughout the year to

prepare for the eventual start of agent destruction at the depot and the 24-hour staffing of the

Madison County EOC. The new facilities are also used throughout the year for program training

courses and served as the venue for the CSEPP Annual Teams meeting in August.

Estill County

The Estill County EOC was instrumental in the coordination of the response and resources

during a severe weather event in March. This significant weather event brought severe weather

and high winds and resulted in widespread damage to the county. FEMA is providing

engineering support to Estill County to develop plans for reinforcing the existing EOC building

to withstand stronger tornado force winds. The project will identify options for providing “safe


49

rooms” for emergency personnel. As in other CSEPP counties, the Estill County EOC also serves

as a training and meeting facility for program partners.

Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government

The LFUCG completed construction of its EOC during the fiscal year, which involved expansion

of an existing government building. The EOC now provides a modernized facility to centralize

all county emergency communications functions (law enforcement, EMS, 911, fire suppression,

HazMat, and public works) with the EOC. Emergency management personnel were temporarily

relocated to another facility in August 2014. The September 20, 2017 CSEPP Exercise marked

the first CSEPP exercise in the new facility and allowed county emergency managers to test and

validate equipment and procedures.

Also in LFUCG, the international population growth is tracked on language maps and geo-coded

to identify concentrations of languages in specific neighborhoods. Identifying and tracking

concentrations of languages allows the LFUCG Division of Emergency Management (DEM) to

maintain a network of relevant, trained interpreters willing to assist with emergency

preparedness and response. Given that the cadre of trained interpreters are all volunteers, the list

is updated and crosschecked frequently to ensure currency.

In addition, by incorporating a Multicultural Affairs Coordinator into the EOC and tracking and

mapping languages, the LFUCG planners and DEM know which languages are most prevalent

by neighborhood, and can provide translation services quickly and efficiently to local response

teams. This resource helps maximize effective planning and response efforts and mitigates the

risks associated with the lack of successful communication.

Laurel County

During FY 2017, Laurel County completed construction of its new EOC and the installation of

new audio-visual equipment. This included upgrades to displays screens, smart boards, and

computer interfaces to the audio-visual equipment. These improvements will enhance

information sharing and situational awareness among emergency management and emergency

support personnel.

Powell and Garrard Counties

During FY 2017, Powell and Garrard Counties received approval for the construction of new

storage facilities that will house emergency equipment. Installation and construction of the

facilities are scheduled to be completed in FY 2018.

Exercises

The Blue Grass CSEPP Community Exercise 2017 (BGAD Ex 17) was conducted on September

20, 2017 to demonstrate the emergency response capabilities of the Blue Grass CSEPP

community. Exercise design and planning was accomplished by the Army and FEMA Co-

Directors and representatives from BGAD, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the 10


50

Kentucky CSEPP counties. Prior to this year’s exercise, FEMA, Army, and KYEM officials

visited each county to review and assist with the development of the exercise extent of play

agreements that identified the capabilities that would be tested during the exercise. These site

visits enabled the development of these agreements to be completed in a more efficient manner,

saving time and effort during the planning process.

A scenario was developed to test the coordinated plans between the depot and the counties.

Offsite participants included State and local emergency management and public safety

organizations, amateur radio groups, schools in Madison and Estill counties and local hospitals.

Community volunteers were used to role play medical patients.

During the exercise, the offsite community demonstrated a full range of response capabilities,

including the use of incident command; response coordination between local, State, Federal, and

private sector officials; the selection and implementation of protective actions for the public,

including schools and other special populations as well as animals. The hospitals and field

locations (staffed by local first responder organizations) demonstrated the ability to triage and

decontaminate (as necessary) potentially contaminated victims. Finally, a joint information

center (JIC)/joint information system (JIS) (consisting of local, State, and Federal agency

representatives) coordinated and disseminated news releases among multiple jurisdictions,

monitored and used social media, conducted a news conference, and responded to public and

media inquiries. During the exercise, Spanish translators staffed the JIC to provide information

to Spanish speakers. The JIC also demonstrated the capability to use Spanish translation during

news conferences. An American Sign Language interpreter was also used during the exercise

news conference. A community-wide after-action report, including a corrective action plan, will

be published in FY 2018.

In addition to the jointly managed Army/FEMA Annual Full Scale CSEPP Exercise, the

participating counties and KYEM participate in communications drills and exercises designed to

test interoperable communications systems and the BGCA’s quarterly CAIRA exercises to

demonstrate the functionality of offsite EOCs and response procedures.

Medical

A team of Blue Grass CSEPP stakeholders, in consideration of the impending start of chemical

weapons destruction operations at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Pilot Plant (BGCAPP),

participated in a comprehensive review of Blue Grass CSEPP community pre-hospital and

hospital medical capabilities beginning in early 2015. This Medical Capabilities Review (MCR)

project was initiated by the Blue Grass CSEPP IPT to refine and optimize existing chemical

incident response preparedness and maintain maximum readiness to support chemical agent

destruction. The project involved the distribution of self-assessment survey questionnaires and

related guidance to the pre-hospital response agencies and hospitals that voluntarily agreed to

participate in the interest of enhancing their capabilities. Questionnaires and instructions were

distributed to participating organizations, completed, and returned for analysis.


51

A team of CSEPP partners, including representatives of the Army Public Health Center (APHC)

and CSEPP medical support contractor Battelle, then scheduled and conducted follow-up site

visits to clarify responses and gather additional information. Resulting site-specific data was

analyzed and presented in January 2016, and used as a basis for ongoing emergency

preparedness education.

The CSEPP MCR project brought together a range of Federal and State CSEPP partners, and

received outstanding voluntary cooperation from nearly two dozen local government and private

agencies from the Blue Grass CSEPP medical community. Local organizations responded very

positively to involvement in the multifaceted development, distribution, site visit, and data

analysis process, which was seen as an excellent opportunity for preparedness improvement

through self-assessment. The project produced recommendations as well as new tools that will

likely, if used to full potential, significantly enhance the readiness and capabilities of the local

medical community as it prepares for the commencement of chemical weapons destruction

operations at BGAD.

Throughout the fiscal year, CSEPP managers conduct site visits to first responder organizations

to review needs for equipment and supplies. Medical supplies such as first aid kits, vital sign

monitors, lift chairs, and training mannequins were identified and procured. This lifesaving

equipment is routinely used in non-CSEPP events throughout the fiscal year. An example

occurred in June 2017, when a 79-year-old woman collapsed in Estill County and a CPR device

purchased with CSEPP funds was used to successfully resuscitate the patient.

In Madison County, Baptist Health Richmond Hospital requires all personnel to undergo

Hazardous Materials Operations Level training, which greatly increases the potential pool of

available decontamination team members. Administrative support for the emergency

management program has been key in such efforts to ensure adequate numbers of appropriately

trained staff are available to respond to a hazardous materials incident around the clock.

In Fayette County during the annual CSEPP community exercise, a three-person pharmacy team

reported to the emergency department and provided exceptional advice to the clinicians

regarding the chemical agent exposure, signs, and symptoms, including treatment modalities.

The pharmacist assigned to the emergency department monitored a common web-based

management software application to track developments during disasters and provided timely

situational awareness throughout the exercise. In addition, one pharmacist provided support to

the hospital command center.

Personnel

Managing personnel continues to be a priority for KYEM and CSEPP participating counties.

KYEM filled several key CSEPP-funded positions during the fiscal year, including CSEPP

Planner, CSEPP Medical Officer, and CSEPP Training and Exercise Officer.


52

Protective Actions

The community IPT formed a work group to investigate the regional purchase of replacement

decontamination equipment used by the participating CSEPP counties. The group researched

equipment, scheduled demonstrations, and then developed a bid package of equipment. The

package was approved by the community IPT in the fiscal year, and the equipment will be

procured and placed in service in FY 2018.

With support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baptist Health South Hospital

completed the incorporation of existing collective protection systems into ongoing hospital

renovations. This facility is the largest hospital in Madison County and the primary facility for

receiving patients from the depot. Such modifications will ensure hospital staff can protect and

safely treat any patients exposed to chemical warfare agents. A new over pressurization and filter

system is completed, the controls have been inspected and the system is operational.

Within Madison County, nine buildings identified as possibly at risk by the community and

validated through FEMA risk assessments have completed weatherization and heating,

ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades to enhance the shelter-in-place effectiveness.

Buildings such as adult day care centers, a men’s halfway house, a hospice facility, a same-day

dialysis center, child care centers, and retirement homes received upgrades in the fiscal year.

CSEPP continues to impact its communities in significant ways. CSEPP-funded protective

equipment aided jurisdictions during non-CSEPP events. For example, Laurel County employed

decontamination equipment when a suspicious white powder was discovered at a circuit court

building, and their animal rescue unit was deployed to assist with housing over 60 animals that

were discovered in an allegedly illegal breeding farm. In Rockcastle County, message boards

assisted in diverting traffic away from a tanker truck accident on Interstate 75.


The Kentucky CSEPP community has full-time PIOs on staff at BGAD, Madison County, Estill

County, and the State CSEPP office. Several other counties have part-time PIOs. The team of

public information and public affairs officers engages in a variety of activities to educate

residents on what to do in the event of a chemical accident and maintains a capability to deliver

emergency public information during disasters. The PIOs work together to disseminate CSEPP

information at fairs, public meetings, and other gatherings.

During FY 2017, CSEPP PIOs distributed calendars in English and Spanish throughout the 10-

county footprint. These calendars are an annual outreach product that contains detailed

emergency information.

The Blue Grass Public Affairs Working Group has implemented a regional media campaign that

supplements county-specific outreach initiatives. During the fiscal year, a Spanish language


53

section of the campaign website was launched.

The Blue Grass Public Affairs Working Group and members of the PEO ACWA, the Depot, and

disposal plant contractor public affairs staffs held regular coordination meetings throughout the

fiscal year. The purpose of the meetings was to provide situational awareness briefings of the

respective agencies and coordinate public outreach events that included both onsite and offsite

personnel.

Fayette County Emergency Management implemented a Public Affairs Rapid Response Team

designed to bring personnel and equipment to the scene of a disaster to provide near-site media

assistance. The team participated in a state-wide communications exercise in Frankfort, KY

where members of the Blue Grass Public Affairs Working Group had the opportunity to review

the team’s capabilities. The response team also participated in an exercise at the Blue Grass

Airport.

In Rockcastle County, the CSEPP Coordinator maintains an effective community information

and outreach program. In the absence of an assigned PIO, the CSEPP Coordinator and the

County Judge Executive are both trained and prepared to provide community information. The

CSEPP Coordinator conducts community awareness and outreach as part of local community

events and festivals, and during school visits. Additionally, the CSEPP Coordinator conducts an

annual awareness campaign each year over local AM radio. During a weekly call-in radio

broadcast during the month of February, the CSEPP Coordinator asks community preparedness

questions, and citizens receive preparedness prizes for providing correct answers. This approach

is effective in engaging the community and assessing program effectiveness.

Throughout the year, the CSEPP PIOs staff information booths at county festivals, provide tours

of their EOCs, conduct public speaking events to community groups, and visit community

organizations to ensure emergency preparedness is provided.

Training

Training continues to be a priority for the program and especially critical in ensuring new hires

are onboarded quickly. A new Chemical Awareness Onboarding Online Course was developed

and will be helpful for new hires or those who need to have a refresher on the specifics of the

program.

During the fiscal year, 381 hours of training were offered, including a 40-hour Chemical Hazard

Analysis Course in Madison County. In addition, FEMA conducted a stakeholder training and

engagement session on the National Preparedness Goal and System, including CSEPP’s

alignment with this national doctrine, in conjunction with the February 2017 community IPT

meeting, leading to a greater community understanding of the National Preparedness Goal and

System.


54

Appendix C: CSEPP Stakeholders

State of Colorado

Pueblo Chemical Depot

Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Pueblo County (IRZ)

Pueblo City-County Health Department

Commonwealth of Kentucky

Blue Grass Army Depot

Kentucky Division of Emergency Management

Clark County (PAZ)

Estill County (IRZ)

Fayette County (PAZ)

Garrard County (PAZ)

Jackson County (PAZ)

Jessamine County (Host)

Laurel County (Host)

Madison County (IRZ)

Powell County (PAZ)

Rockcastle County (PAZ)


55

Appendix D: Abbreviations

ACWA Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

AFN Access and Functional Needs

APHC Army Public Health Center

BG Blue Grass

BGAD Blue Grass Army Depot

BGAD Ex 17 Blue Grass CSEPP Community Exercise 2017

BGCA Blue Grass Chemical Activity

BGCAPP Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant

CA Cooperative Agreement

CAIRA Chemical Accident or Incident Response and Assistance

CAP Common Alerting Protocol

CART Pueblo Community Animal Response Team

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CIO Chief Information Officer

CMA U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity

COOP Continuity of Operations

CSEPP Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

CTUIR Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

DEM Division of Emergency Management

DHS U.S. Department of Homeland Security

DoD U.S. Department of Defense

EDS U.S. Army Explosive Destruction System

EDT Explosive Destruction Technology

EMA Emergency Management Agency

EMS Emergency Medical Services

ENS Emergency Notification System

EOC Emergency Operations Center

EOPT Emergency Operations Planning Template

EPZ Emergency Planning Zone

ESC Pueblo County Emergency Services Center

ESF Emergency Support Function

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FY Fiscal Year

HazMat Hazardous Materials

HSEEP Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program

ICS Incident Command System

IPAWS Integrated Public Alert and Warning System

IPT Integrated Process Team


56

IRZ Immediate Response Zone

JIC Joint Information Center

JIS Joint Information System

JITC Joint Interoperability Test Command

KY Kentucky

KYEM Kentucky Emergency Management

LCCE Lifecycle Cost Estimate

LEP Limited English Proficiency

LFUCG Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government

MCR Medical Capabilities Review

MEPP Master Exercise Practitioner Program

MOA Memorandum of Agreement

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

NED FEMA National Exercise Division

NIC FEMA National Integration Center

NIMS National Incident Management System

NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity

NPAD FEMA National Preparedness Assessment Division

OMB Office of Management and Budget

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PA IPT CSEPP Public Affairs Integrated Process Team

PA Public Affairs

PAZ Protective Action Zone

PCAPP Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant

PCCHD Pueblo City-County Health Department

PCD Pueblo Chemical Depot

PCD Ex 17 Pueblo CSEPP Community Exercise 2017

PEO Program Executive Office

PEO ACWA Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives

PHC U.S. Army Public Health Center

PIO Public Information Officer

PPE Personal Protective Equipment

QEM Quantitative Emergency Management

RCN Risk Communications Network

REPP Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program

RMF DoD Risk Management Framework

RSAP Recovery Sampling and Analysis Plan

SCWO Supercritical Water Oxidation

SMS Short Message Service

SPR State Preparedness Report

TAR Tone Alert Radio

THIRA Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment


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TTX Tabletop Exercise

U.S.C. United States Code

UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply

USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

WEA Wireless Emergency Alert

XPA Extent of Play Agreement


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