twca annual convention: texas state guard, mike thuss and bill callegari

Texas State Guard

“Assistance Available to Utilities, Local Authorities; and State Agencies After Hurricanes and Other Disasters”

Presented By:The Honorable Bill Callegari, PE/AA, Maj, TXSGMichael F. Thuss, PE, Col, TXSG

Texas Water Conservation Association – 3 Mar’16

2/15/16 1Texas State Guard

“Texans Serving Texas”

www.txsg.state.tx.us

Texas Military Forces: TAG; Army, Air, & State Guard

Texas State Guard

CONDITIONS/THREATS/RISKS• HURRICANE SEASON: 1 June – 30 November• OTHER HUMAN MADE AND NATURAL DISASTERS• SPECIAL EVENTS

RESPONSIVENESS• PREPARDNESS• RESTORATION SERVICES





Public Agency Response to Emergencies

• Federal Home Land Security

• Federal Emergency Management Agency

• Texas Department of Public Safety

• Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM)

• Federal Agencies• Federal Military

Departments• Active Duty Federal

Military & USACE• National Guard – Air

Guard and Army Guard• State Assets

2/15/16 Texas State Guard 3

– Participate in the National Incident Management System. Practice.

– Know your County and or City Emergency Management Person

– Know your TDEM Regional Person – Know when and how to get help – practice. – Understand how the TEXAS STATE OPERATIONS CENTER

(TXSOC) Works.


HOW DO I GET HELP?

– HQ’s Texas Adjutant General (TXSOC)– Army National Guard – State and Federal Asset– Air National Guard – State and Federal Asset– State Guard ( HQ’s, 8 Army Regiments, Maritime Regiment, Air

Wing, Medical Brigade, Engineer Group – Approx. total 2500) – All Volunteer– Credentialed First Responders– Serve only at the pleasure of the Governor in the State of Texas

– Mostly people (Some communications capability)– Limited State Funding– Limited State Equipment


Texas Military Forces

– General Missions of the Texas State Guard– General support to the State of Texas and the Military Forces of Texas– Special Event or Incident Support– Emergency Operations Planning and Operational Support to Local Incident

Commanders (County Judges, Mayors) – Evacuee Tracking– Shelter Operations– Point of Distribution Operations – Preliminary Wide Area Damage Assessments (For Disaster Declarations)– Land and water Search and Rescue– Medical and Dental Augmentation– Civil Engineering/Public Works Augmentation– ICS/IMT Augmentation– Chaplain and Counseling Augmentation– Communications and WEB EOC Augmentation– Liaison with Texas Nation Guard Units, State and Federal Agencies


Texas Military Forces

Engineer Group – Texas State Guard

“The Mission of the Engineer Group – Texas State Guard (EN GP) is to coordinate and provide civil engineering, public works, and general engineering operational support to the State of Texas, when and as directed by the Commanding General, Texas State Guard.”

(NOTE: This is usually during and after a significant event – such as a category 3 – 5 hurricane and or multi-county > 100 yr flooding or similar event which surpasses local emergency response capacity.)

MISSION:


Texas State Guard

Engineer Group

• General Civil Engineering• Environmental• Public Works (Water & Wastewater, Roads, Bridges, Drainage)• Disaster Declaration Orientated Preliminary Facility Damage Assessments• ICS/IMT Augmentation• Liaison





State Disaster Relief Operations


NORMAL OPERATIONS – as requested thru Texas Military Forces channels and as authorized by the Commanding General - the Engineer Group provides:

• National Incident Management System (ICS/EMT) Staff Augmentation to State Agencies, and Local Authorities.

• Credentialed personnel for participation in State Agency and Local Authority emergency planning, exercises and training.



EMERGENCY OPERATIONS – Working for the Local Authorities and with TCEQ and TDEM - thru Texas Military Forces channels and as approved by the Commanding General.

• General Civil Engineering• Environmental• Public Works (Water & Wastewater, Roads, Bridges, Drainage)• Disaster Declaration Orientated Preliminary Public Facility Damage Assessments• ICS/IMT Augmentation• Liaison


– Licensed Professional Engineers (Civil, Structural, Process, MEP)

– State Certified (C – AA) Water and Wastewater system & plant Operators

– NIMS/ICS/IMT Certified Personnel

– Environmental Scientists – Facility Asset Managers– Equipment and Materials

Managers

– Certified Program & Project Managers

– Budget, Finance and Accounting Specialists

– Public Relations Professionals– Human Resources Specialists– Communications Specialists– Information Technology

Specialists– Heavy Construction Managers &

Inspectors– Security Specialists



What Skills Do We have?

Engineer Group personnel usually deploy as Teams for 2 or more weeks.Teams are self sufficient for 7 days - except for fuel

– Unit Equipment:– RV & Campers– Tentage (800 sf)– Tables– Field Desks– Chairs– Generators/Fuel – Printer/Scanner– Projectors– Network Routers– Maps– Ham Radios

– Personal Equipment:– TXSG Uniforms for all weather operations.. – Credentials (TXSG ID Card, Licenses) – Safety Gear– Privately Owned Vehicle – Laptop Computer – Cell Phone, digital camera, GPS– Camp Gear: Sleeping bag, chair, propane

stove, light, fan, tent.– Food and Water – 7 days– Personnel have background check, medical

assessment, and have proof of current medical coverage & shot record prior to deployment


TXSG Engineer Group

What Do We Bring to the Fight?

Engineer Response Teams are self sufficient for 7 days

• 40 Members

What Can We do Together?Consulting Support Functional Areas:• Mobilize People and Deploy Quickly • Public Works – City and County Infrastructure including roads, drainage,

marinas, bridges.• Water and Wastewater Systems• Prior to the incident reviewing and testing hazard mitigation plans,

and become familiar with your environment, operations, and personnel.• Come early - Assist with immediate infrastructure damage

assessments for disaster declarations.• Augment your ICS/IMT with qualified personnel for continuous

operations• Provide advice and assistance in getting the right restoration

support. Monitor progress and costs; and report on specific elements.• Provide knowledgeable liaison to regional, state, and federal

agencies such as TXSG Units, TCEQ, TDEM, other local governments, FEMA support, and Federal Installations and Agencies.



• Damage Assessments for Disaster Declarations• Membrane Technology – Special considerations.• Other

Discussion Topics:



• Damage Assessments for Disaster Declaration– 1 page damage assessment and recovery estimate– For local critical infrastructure including but not limited to:

• Roads, • Bridges, • Drainage Structures,• Marinas • Water and Wastewater Systems• Public Buildings

– Will test and adjust this concept in Corpus Christi 9 – 12 June 2016.

Discussion Topics:



• Membrane Technology – Preparing for a Hurricane• Best advice we’ve found so far:

– Follow the manufacturer’s instructions! Incorporate their guidance into your “Mitigation Plans” for your specific system. You may have to specifically ask them for this.

– Control and Data Acquisition hardware and software – these control systems are critical to the efficient operations of membrane plants are the first to fail – they need to be especially protected and readily replaceable.

– Operators need to be trained on emergency procedures and they need to practice.

Discussion Topics:


State of Texas Assistance Request (STAR – ICS 213)


How do you get us? STAR – 213. Ask early.


• Professional Liability• Insurance - all kinds• Chain of Command• Relationship with National Guard and Home Land Security• Competition with private professionals• Cost Reimbursement

Other Discussion Topics:


Summary

• Assemble and get there on short notice• Take care of ourselves & operate correctly in a NIMS environment• Establish liaison and communications• Augment staff and advise decision makers on engineering matters• Provide damage assessment technical support - provide qualified support to

evaluate critical water & wastewater utility systems and public works infrastructure• Assist local emergency managers prepare, process, and track 213s• Coordinate and track personnel, equipment, and materials provided for relief

operations• Provide documentation for Federal Reimbursement• Augment local ICS/IMT Staffs with qualified personnel

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS : How can we assist State Agencies and or a Local Incident Commander? What can we actually do?


Generally –operate at the local level as part of a larger team under the direction of the Texas State Guard and the Texas State Emergency Management Organizations (TDEM, TXWARN, TCEQ,; TEEX -PW, TXSG-HQs, TXSOC) when requested through the Military Forces of Texas

Interested in Joining?

• Reasonable Availability• Medically Cleared• Background Check• Training:

– Drills: One (1) Saturday a month at Response Team Locations (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio)

– TXSG Annual Training Exercises –with Regiments, Agencies, and Local Governments

– Other Exercises and Operations as permitted by HQs

• Maintain Civilian Licenses and Certifications• Do not need to be former military.


Questions?

Contact Mike Thuss [email protected]


Key Personnel &

Experience


Name Lic/Cert Rank Experience

Mike Thuss PE COL27 yrs USA Corps of Engineers, CEO of SAWS, City Manager, Utility Heavy Construction, MSCE

Fred Waterman PE COL 40 yrs Exp. VP, Engineering Design Consulting Firm

Conrad Derdyen PE COLUSA Ret - 30 Yrs Engineering Experience. President of his own Consulting Firm

Pat Fink PE Col30 Years Air Force Civil Engineering. VP Consulting firm

Dan Jackson PE Col USA - Ret Engineer; Public Works DirectorBob Hudnel PE Col USA - Retired. Facilities & public works expert.

Bill Callagari PE/AA MAJPrincipal, Engineering Design Firm, Former State Representative

Franz Schmidt MSES Maj Environmental ScientistJim Hicks PE Cpt Concrete Expert - CEO of his own company

Kevin Schmitt ES SSG Environmental SpecialistMalcolm Cowdin

B SSG 25 years Water Production Exp.

Craig Sissel PE Cpt 25 yrs experience - Construction SpecialistBill Hasbrook MS Maj Design Build and P3 ExpertRick Shubet BS Lt 30 Yrs - High Voltage Electrical & HRJohn Hagler MBA Maj Logisitcs & IT & Communications

• 40 Members