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COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
Summary of Workshops on Private Sector Business and Property Owner
Requirements for Recovery and Restoration from a Disaster
Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference
April 14, 2009
Presented by Steve Stein and Ann Lesperance
Presentation Outline
BackgroundObjectives of Private Sector WorkshopsApproachPre-workshop InterviewsKey Workshop FindingsConclusions Follow-on Activities
Background
Interagency Biological Restoration Demonstration (IBRD) Program
Established in 2006 as a collaboration between DHS and DOD’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Goal is to work with interagency organizations, including state and local representatives, to reduce the time and resources required to recover and restore wide urban areas, military installations, and other critical infrastructures following a biological incident
Seattle urban area selected as demonstration region
Engagement with stakeholders through IBRD pointed to need to further examine the role of the private sector in supporting community resilience
Objectives of Private Sector Workshops
Assess private sector readiness to restore property and recover business operations
Understand what businesses and private property owners “want and need” from federal, state and local government to support recovery and restoration from a disaster
Use information shared during the workshops to support the development of guidance or other resources identified as high priority to enhance the ability of the private sector to recover and restore operations after such a disaster
Key Question: What is the ability of private sector businesses, building owners, service providers to restore property and recover business operations in the aftermath of a wide area dispersal of anthrax?
Source: SFD
Approach
Literature reviewInvited key playersConducted baseline assessment interviewsFacilitated 3 workshops in August 2008
Businesses
Building owners and operators
Critical service/infrastructure providers
Rated issues raised to establish prioritiesAssessed interest in continued engagement
Participant Interest in this Activity
Opportunities to improve public-private sector communications and intelligence sharingBest practices for recovery and restoration from a biological incident and opportunity to learn from what others are doingGuidance on standardizing plans, procedures and training to address biological incident recovery and restoration Better understanding of how to manage the expectations of their employees, clients and public
Pre-workshop Interviews Businesses
Recovery Planning90% have all hazards plans; only 20% have specific guidance on recovery and restoration from biological release
50% do not know whether their suppliers have recovery plans in place; 40% know that their vendors have recovery plans, and some actively communicate with strategic vendors about plans
CommunicationsJust 16% share their recovery plans with the building owners
90% have mechanisms for communicating with clients and service providers during an event and recovery (e.g. HAM radio, satellite phones, email lists, call lists)
Mutual Aid Agreements80% have formal agreements (e.g. SLAs) with key vendors, such as fuel suppliers for generators
60% have agreements with neighboring businesses, although most are informal, verbal agreements
20% have agreements with contractors for biological decontamination services
Insurance and Liability20% have addressed coverage and liability issues for biological incident with insurance providers
Pre-workshop Interviews Private Building Owners and Managers
Recovery Planning55% have plans that address disaster recovery/business continuity36% said plans cover a biological incident
Communications33% have shared recovery plans with tenants, and some conduct joint trainingNearly all plan to use standard communication tools such as call trees, websites, and email lists (e.g. SenWordNow) ) to reach tenants during event recovery
Mutual Aid Agreements60% have mutual support agreements (informal and formal) with adjacent building owners 50% percent have formal (e.g. SLAs) and informal agreements with key vendors to provide recovery and restoration services, primarily for janitorial, mold remediation, or other basic services20% have “looked at” agreements to support recovery from a biological incident
Insurance and LiabilityMost (60%) unsure whether their companies had addressed these issues with insurance providers
Pre-workshop Interviews Critical Service Providers
Recovery PlanningAll have all hazards plans in place to support continuity of operations 13% have plans that address a biological incident, although half address pan flu
CommunicationsAlmost all have plans for communicating with businesses and building operators during recoveryMajority rely on phone and email from major account representatives
Mutual Aid Agreements88% have formal or informal agreements with neighboring service providers for collaboration during R&R (e.g. utilities in other regions)
Liability and Insurance50% self-insured therefore not relevant to their organizations; others did not specify or know
Anthrax Scenario and AssumptionsNational Planning Scenario tailored for PNW :
Covert aerosolized anthrax attacks by an organized worldwide terrorist group
Tens of thousands of people exposed Thousands of deaths
President & WA Governor declared state of emergency
Significant contamination in affected areas, including critical infrastructure, commercial, military & private property
Approx contamination areas = 10 sq miles each500 buildings contaminatedPorts affected (Seattle, Tacoma)Local government operations relocatedBasic services affectedLocal businesses affectedLocal military installations affected (Ft Lewis/McChord AFB)
Scenario for discussion and planning purposes only. It does not represent an actual threat.
Scenario for discussion and planning purposes only. It does not represent an actual threat.
For Workshop or Exercise Purposes Only
Anthrax Scenario: 3 Months Later
Panic has calmed, streets in contaminated areas are largely deserted
Many transportation corridors are closed to traffic. Limited transportation corridors including I-5 are open.
Seattle and King Co governments have been reconstituted elsewhere in King Co and essential services are being provided
The Ports are operating but well below capacity
Contamination “knock down” processes using mist of low pressure water has been used in outdoor areas to try and reduce external contamination levels with some success
Businesses within the contamination zones remain largely closedCharacterization continues and some businesses on the edge of the contamination zones have begun to move forward with decontamination effortsCompetition for scarce decontamination resources and personnel is beginning
Source: Ecotech
Key Findings from WorkshopsBusinesses
Participants: Boeing, Costco, Port of Seattle, Premera Blue Cross, Safeco Insurance, Unified Grocers, Unigard
Top Concerns
1. Lack of guidance for continuity planning (especially for small businesses)
2. Inconsistent messaging from multiple sources
3. Uncertainty about prioritization of restoration
4. Access to limited remediation resources
5. Indemnification/liability if not property is not decontaminated properly
Other Issues/Needs
Reduction in workforce
Impacts from regional dependencies
Timing of recovery
Businesses/employees having confidence to return
Testing and sampling approaches
Ability to influence suppliers/insurance company clients to plan
Access to financial support for R&R
Key Findings from WorkshopsBuilding Owners and ManagersParticipants: Able, ABM, Beacon Capitol Partners, CBRE, CAC Real Estate Management, Tishman
Speyer, Institute of Real Estate Management, McKinstry, Metzler Realty, Wright Rundstad, Washington Real Estate Holdings, The Ashforth Companies, Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Seattle and King County, Rental Housing Association of Puget Sound
Top Concerns
1. Lack knowledge of anthrax cleanup protocols and contractors
2. No clear path to provide two-way communications
3. Lack general education/information on anthrax
4. Need access to financial support and incentives Insurance coverage for acts of domestic terrorismLow-cost loans and deferrals required to support mortgages without rental incomeRelocation assistance to keep it local
5. Need for timely clean-up and uncertainty about restoration prioritization approachCommercial building owners likely to walk away in ~6 monthsResidential owners have ~2 months or people will not return to the building
Key Findings from Workshops Building Owners and Managers (cont)
Other Issues/NeedsToolkit for facility planning for a biological event for integration into existing plans
basic health informationanthrax response and remediation information remediation service vendorskey government contactsrisk management planning
Indemnification – need federal backing to limit liability if tenants return
Source: SFD
Key Findings from WorkshopsCritical Service Providers
Participants: Harborview Medical Center, Virginia Mason Medical, Tacoma Power, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, King Co. Metro Transit, WA State DOT
Top Concerns1. Communications
From trusted, credible source (e.g. local health office)Two-way with private sector to ensure their priorities are understoodMedia must be a partner to ensure consistent messagingPublic education to manage fear
2. Assuring worker safety and allaying fearsEducation on treatment, risks, and safetyRapid healthcare response is key
3. Uncertainty about command and control during recovery and restoration
Who would be in charge?How would transition from response to recovery occur?How would recovery and restoration prioritization decisions made?
Source: Seattle Daily
Key Findings from WorkshopsCritical Service Providers (cont)
Other Concerns/Needs
Understand approach and responsibility for transportation system restoration
Opening key transportation corridors, ensuring clean routes not re-contaminatedDecontamination of vehicles (public transit, trucks)
Need for planning that looks at interdependencies across sectorsCritical businesses may not have continuity plansRestoration prioritization must consider these interdependencies
Legal and regulatory waivers on case-by-case basisIdentify essential supplies and services and plan to get them to those in needExpand cleanup resources and capabilities to support competing demands and reduced work force
Source: WSDOT
Conclusions from Workshops
Communications is key to private sector R&RMust come from a trusted, credible source; for many, CDC a credible voice in a biological incidentOne message Two-way between private sector to command and control
Source: Washington National Guard
Prioritization of R&R activities needs to be better understood and informed by private sector needs
Timing is critical to stay or go decisionNeed quick, clear direction from government on non-occupancyDesire to understand how to access limited remediation resources
Need for education and resources on anthrax/bio incident restoration that enable businesses to make decisions and actIndemnification and legal liability issues a concern to allFinancial support for R&R a key concern for businesses (particularly small) and building owners
Value of Workshops
Captured significant information that can be incorporated into the IBRD ProgramIdentified several areas where opportunities exist to enhance resilience Participants uniformly indicated the discussions were valuable to them—enhanced their thinking
Follow-on Activities
Support from DTRA/DHS to develop materials or otherwise respond to top concerns identified in workshops
Educational/information briefs on anthrax and the effects of exposureBasic decontamination methods recommended by public health and CDC for businesses, home, family and petsLists of credible cleanup contractorsInformation on efficacy and the potential reactions to medicationsGuidance and model plans for business continuity planning for small / medium businesses Recommended approach to 2-way communication/information sharing between businesses and governmentInformation brief on Stafford Act opportunities and limitations
Questions?
Steve Stein, Director
Northwest Regional Technology Center
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
(206) 528-3340
Ann Lesperance, Deputy Director
Northwest Regional Technology Center
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
(206) 528-3223