Water/Wastewater Agency Water/Wastewater Agency Response NetworksResponse Networks

• Mike Snyder, PA-AWWA

• Gregg Haney, City of Harrisburg

ObjectivesObjectives

• Who and what is a WARN

• Why consider a WARN

• Support for creating a WARN

• What’s involved and who to involve

ObjectivesObjectives

• Benefits of a WARN

• Who to contact for help

Who and what is a WARN?Who and what is a WARN?

• Group or network of utilities helping Group or network of utilities helping utilitiesutilities

• Have common concernsHave common concerns– Natural disastersNatural disasters

– Human-caused disastersHuman-caused disasters

• Not a corporation or a Governmental Not a corporation or a Governmental unitunit

Who and what is a WARN?Who and what is a WARN?

• Utilities are organized within a StateUtilities are organized within a State– by agreementby agreement

– to assist each other with resources to assist each other with resources (personnel or equipment)(personnel or equipment)

Why consider a WARN?Why consider a WARN?

• Because disasters happen and the Because disasters happen and the utility will need help preparing for, utility will need help preparing for, responding to, and recovering from responding to, and recovering from events that happen.events that happen.

Why consider a WARN?Why consider a WARN?

• Past responses to disasters, as well Past responses to disasters, as well as, lessons learned teach us that as, lessons learned teach us that utility operations:utility operations:– are specializedare specialized

– must be self-sufficientmust be self-sufficient

– must initially handle the event until must initially handle the event until other governmental aid can arriveother governmental aid can arrive

Why consider a WARN?Why consider a WARN?

• Water at the tap provides hope to Water at the tap provides hope to the peoplethe people

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARNWARN

• HSPD-5 Management of Domestic HSPD-5 Management of Domestic IncidentsIncidents

• HSPD-7 Critical Infrastructure HSPD-7 Critical Infrastructure ProtectionProtection

• HSPD-8 National Preparedness GoalHSPD-8 National Preparedness Goal

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN (NIMS)WARN (NIMS)

• National Incident Management National Incident Management System (NIMS)System (NIMS)– Standardizes the Incident Command Standardizes the Incident Command

SystemSystem

– Promotes a unified approach to incident Promotes a unified approach to incident managementmanagement

– Has standard command and Has standard command and management structuresmanagement structures

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN (NIMS)WARN (NIMS)

• National Incident Management National Incident Management System (NIMS)System (NIMS)– Emphasizes preparedness, mutual aid Emphasizes preparedness, mutual aid

and resource managementand resource management

• Funding from the Department of Funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires Homeland Security (DHS) requires NIMS complianceNIMS compliance

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN (NIMS)WARN (NIMS)

• NIMS training is available at NIMS training is available at www.fema.gov/nimswww.fema.gov/nims

• Federal assistance grants for state Federal assistance grants for state and local entities will be available to and local entities will be available to those who are in full compliance those who are in full compliance with NIMSwith NIMS

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN (NRP)WARN (NRP)

• The National Response Plan (NRP) The National Response Plan (NRP) organizes the Federal response and organizes the Federal response and how it will interact with the state and how it will interact with the state and local agencieslocal agencies– The NRP became final in December of 2004The NRP became final in December of 2004

– Was put to the test by Katrina in August of Was put to the test by Katrina in August of 20052005

– Was revised in June of 2006Was revised in June of 2006

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN (NRP)WARN (NRP)

• Identifies that all incident response Identifies that all incident response begins at the local levelbegins at the local level

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN WARN

• National Preparedness GoalNational Preparedness Goal– Its function is to assist entities at all Its function is to assist entities at all

levels of government to develop and levels of government to develop and maintain the capabilities to prevent, maintain the capabilities to prevent, respond to, and recover from major respond to, and recover from major events of Incidents of National events of Incidents of National SignificanceSignificance

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN WARN

• National Preparedness GoalNational Preparedness Goal– This goal has a key priority: Expand This goal has a key priority: Expand

regional collaboration through mutual regional collaboration through mutual aid agreements and assistance aid agreements and assistance compactscompacts

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN (Regulatory)WARN (Regulatory)

• PA Department of Environmental PA Department of Environmental ProtectionProtection

• PA Public Utilities CommissionPA Public Utilities Commission

• PA Emergency Management AgencyPA Emergency Management Agency

• US Environmental Protection AgencyUS Environmental Protection Agency

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN (Water Sector)WARN (Water Sector)

• Joint Policy StatementJoint Policy Statement– Eight major water organizations Eight major water organizations

nationwidenationwide

– Encourages the creation of intrastate Encourages the creation of intrastate mutual aid and assistance networksmutual aid and assistance networks

– Provides for greater water sector Provides for greater water sector resiliency against natural or manmade resiliency against natural or manmade incidentsincidents

PA Associations PA Associations supporting PaWARN supporting PaWARN networknetwork

• PA Chapter – National Association of PA Chapter – National Association of Water CompaniesWater Companies

• PA Municipal Authorities AssociationPA Municipal Authorities Association

• PA Rural Water AssociationPA Rural Water Association

PA Associations PA Associations supporting PaWARN supporting PaWARN network (cont’d)network (cont’d)

• PA Section – American Water Works PA Section – American Water Works AssociationAssociation

• PA Water Environment AssociationPA Water Environment Association

• Water Works Operators of PA Water Works Operators of PA

• RCAP SolutionsRCAP Solutions

Support for creating a Support for creating a WARN (Water Sector)WARN (Water Sector)

• Utilities Helping UtilitiesUtilities Helping Utilities– 10 key steps in the formation of a 10 key steps in the formation of a

WARNWARN

– Includes a sample agreement that Includes a sample agreement that satisfies NIMSsatisfies NIMS

What’s involved in What’s involved in creating a WARNcreating a WARN

• The 10 key stepsThe 10 key steps– Identify interest in the programIdentify interest in the program

– Form an initial leadership teamForm an initial leadership team

– Prepare a kick-off sessionPrepare a kick-off session

– Establish a steering committeeEstablish a steering committee

– Identify a mission and establish goalsIdentify a mission and establish goals

What’s involved in What’s involved in creating a WARNcreating a WARN

– Review the use of state regionsReview the use of state regions

– Identify mutual aid/assistance Identify mutual aid/assistance activation criteriaactivation criteria

– Draft an agreementDraft an agreement

– Create facilitation toolsCreate facilitation tools

– Maintain the programMaintain the program

PaWARN Mission PaWARN Mission StatementStatement

• The mission of the PaWARN is to The mission of the PaWARN is to support and promote statewide support and promote statewide emergency preparedness, disaster emergency preparedness, disaster response, and mutual aid assistance response, and mutual aid assistance for public and private water and for public and private water and wastewater utilities for natural and wastewater utilities for natural and human caused events in the human caused events in the Commonwealth.Commonwealth.

Who to involve in creating Who to involve in creating a WARNa WARN

– Utility owner/operatorsUtility owner/operators

– State water/wastewater agenciesState water/wastewater agencies• State Health, DEP, etc.State Health, DEP, etc.

– State emergency managementState emergency management• PEMA, PaDHS, etc.PEMA, PaDHS, etc.

Who to involve in creating Who to involve in creating a WARNa WARN

– US EPA Regional participationUS EPA Regional participation

– Professional associationsProfessional associations• AWWA, NRWA, WEF, etc.AWWA, NRWA, WEF, etc.

Benefits of a WARNBenefits of a WARN

• Improved planning and coordinationImproved planning and coordination

• List of emergency contactsList of emergency contacts

• Access to specialized resourcesAccess to specialized resources

• Aid arriving more quicklyAid arriving more quickly

Benefits of a WARNBenefits of a WARN

• Reduced administrative conflictsReduced administrative conflicts

• Increased hope to the customersIncreased hope to the customers

• Avoids bureaucracyAvoids bureaucracy

CloseClose

• All emergencies are local and will All emergencies are local and will require a local responserequire a local response

• Mutual aid agreements will improve Mutual aid agreements will improve your utilities preparation and your utilities preparation and flexibility against any disasterflexibility against any disaster

CloseClose

• Mutual aid/agreements are a form Mutual aid/agreements are a form of low or no-cost action to help of low or no-cost action to help ensure the continuous operation of ensure the continuous operation of the water systemthe water system