Regional Emergency Response Advisors (RERAs)

1. Regional Emergency Response Advisors (RERAs) READY Road Map to Rick Rhodes & Jon Erwin Florida Department of Health Richard_Rhodes@doh.state.fl.us Jon_Erwin@doh.state.fl.us

2. RERA History • After October of 2001, it was decided that the Department of Health would field Disaster Planning personnel as well as Disaster Operations personnel while Logistics and Finance functions would be provided by Tallahassee. • This would provide planning expertise at the local level where it would be most effective as well as on-call response capabilities that many County Health Departments also needed. • From an Operations perspective, this decision meant that there would always be a core group of Health Department personnel who would be trained in exotic specialties and would be available 24 hours a day for a wide range of response needs.

3. Planners? RERAs? • County Disaster Planners are charged mostly with Planning • Regional Emergency Response Advisors (RERAs) are charged mostly with Operations

4. In Case of an Emergency Break Glass…

5. Bruce Martin Pensacola Regional Emergency Advisor Sam MacDonell Tallahassee Regional Emergency Advisor Sandi Courson Jacksonville Regional Emergency Advisor Ken Sturrock Tampa Regional Emergency Advisor David Crowe Orlando Regional Emergency Advisor Richard Rhodes Ft. Myers Regional Emergency Advisor George Colson Miami Regional Emergency Advisor

6. Who Do We Report To? • Originally called “Regional Coordinators” and were out-posted Central Office Personnel. • A couple of years ago, the RERAs were administratively moved to CHDs within our regions and our titles were changed from “Coordinator” to “Advisor”. • Most of the time, we report to our Regional Domestic Security Task Force (RDSTF) Health & Medical Co-Chair. • When the Governor declares a “State of Emergency” our command and control switches to the Division of Emergency Medical Operations, Office of Emergency Operations.

7. What Do We Do? • Technical Advisors & Notification • Inter-agency & Intra-agency field coordinators • Department of Environmental Protection • Florida Department of Law Enforcement • Bureaus of Laboratories and Radiation Control • Federal, State and Local Coordination • Post-disaster Field Coordination • Post-disaster Field Intelligence Collection • HazMat Incident Response & Consultation

8. Technical Advice • HazMat Skills • Trained and Equipped to deal with: • Biological, Chemical and Radiological agents • PPE, Travel IR, Sampling kits, Radiation Monitors • Crime Scenes • Emergency Management Skills • We work in County and Municipal EOCs • Charlie, Katrina, Rita, Wilma • Work in the State EOC and “forward commands” • Charlie Command, Task Force Florida, Dennis MAC

9. Field Coordination • Post Hurricane • Work with both Federal and Local ESF-8 partners • Working together has slashed request times • Insure mission request & completion • Work with locals during all phases of resource requests • Provide communications • Assist with Logistical Staging Area operations • HazMat Incidents • Work with local HazMat Teams • Advise CHD personnel if necessary • Serve on the DEP Emergency Response Team

10. Examples… • Charlie • First outside State personnel into DeSoto & Hardee • First ESF-8 personnel into Charlotte County EOC • Only communications asset available during the first 24 hours after Charlie in Charlotte County • Ivan Preparation • Worked with FEMA and Orange County to establish the “Super Shelter” at the Convention Center • Established ourselves with the FEMA RNA prior to Land Fall in Ft. Walton Beach • Katrina • Assigned to “Task Force Florida” to establish and conduct operations out of Stennis NASA Center • Advised Mississippi State Dept. of Health and MEMA on ESF-8 operations (First EMAC Mission of the storm)

11. Examples… • Rita • Conducted most field assessments and resource requests throughout Monroe County within 4 hours after landfall. • Wilma • Established a RERA in the Collier EOC 72 Hours Prior to land fall to assist with coordination and preplanning of possibly needed Health and Medical assets • Conducted Assessments from West to East Coast and assisted with resource requests.

12. A Majority of all RERA Hurricane Missions are conducted jointly with our Federal Partners • The only State agency to routinely do so

13. What About the Rest of the Time? • RERA duties vary from region to region • And RERA to RERA… • Assist in State and Local Planning as requested • Assist in Design and Conduct of exercises • Teach classes on HazMat and ESF-8 • Maintain inter-agency relationships • Maintain proficiency through classes and training • Manage special projects as assigned • EMS PPE, Chemical Antidotes, SNS/CRI, Chempack, Med 82 radios • Of course, we also attend meetings!

14. On a Quiet Day • Coordination and assistance in response to events that may have potential impact on public health (eg: mercury spills, incidents requiring evacuations, etc...) • Many of us serve as members of the RDSTF in positions of responsibility such as Operations, Planning, Logistics

15. On a Quiet Day • We are instructors • Development of Rad Pager Training • Development of Mark I training • ICS Certified Train the Trainers • Some of us can teach “Response to Terrorist Bombing Course” • Some are members of the State Working Group for Domestic Preparedness (SWG) and serve on several committees within the SWG

16. On a Quiet Day • Serve on committees and councils such as: • State Community Health Surge Committee • Bio Watch Advisory Council • Local Hospital Evacuation Committees • MMRS • Regional Planning Council • Pan Flu plan Review Committee • Some were voting members for the Domestic Security Funding Session held each year.

17. On a Quiet Day • Develop and maintain systems • EMSystem SW Florida (System Administrator) • Public Speaking • Community Groups • Schools • Other Local Agencies • Contributors to the writing of State Level Plans • SNS • Pan Flu Annex • EOP • Regional CHIRP

18. Being A RERA Isn’t Just Sitting Around…

19. We Walk, Fly, Drive… …and look sharp doing it!

20. Day to Day • Interpretation of State and Grant Set Goals • Training • Meetings • County Profiles • Position Description

21. Day to Day • Development of Job Action Sheets • Equipment • Communication • What is really needed in a response vehicle • Information Technology • Response • Vehicles

22. Day to Day • POC for Tallahassee Operations • POC for Co-Chairs

23. Questions?