This Won’t Happen To Us: Incident Readiness and Response

1. This Won’t Happen To Us: Incident Readiness and Response Jerry Fife Vice Chancellor for Administration Vanderbilt University jerry.fife@vanderbilt.edu 615-343-6658

2. May 1-3, 2010 in Nashville Tennessee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFjaQoOdJvI

3. 2010 Floods • Rain totals in some areas were greater than 14-22 inches • The Cumberland River crested at 51.86 feet • The Duck, Buffalo and Harpeth Rivers also recorded all time crests • Flood waters reached places in Tennessee that have never been flooded since there has been recorded history in the area • Many did not have flood insurance to cover damage caused by ground water

4. And at Vanderbilt University • Over 50 buildings were damaged or affected • The surge of groundwater was so strong it cracked and lifted a two foot wide slab of concrete fifteen feet long in the basement of Children’s Hospital • 7.5 million gallons of water had to be pumped into the utility tunnels to save the Children’s Hospital • The water rose 40 feet in the vertical shaft of the tunnel and endangered the telecommunication lines, fiber and steam lines

5. And at Vanderbilt University • Cars parked in underground garages were flooded • Total damage was $13.5 million • Full recovery took over one year to achieve • The first day of finals was cancelled for the first time in history

6. And at Vanderbilt University • Many employees were not able to get to work • Due to the flood • Because their homes and/or vehicles were damaged or destroyed • Employees whose homes were destroyed were given 2 weeks time off to deal with their tragedy

7. And at Vanderbilt University • A fund was established for employees in need • Vanderbilt provided summer housing at no cost for employees whose homes were destroyed • FEMA established presence on campus to assist employees

8. On A Personal Note • On Sunday May 2nd I began to realize the magnitude of flooding occurring in the Nashville/Vanderbilt Area • Flooding took out power, cable and cell towers in the area • I was only able to communicate via text message and my phone died in the early evening

9. On A Personal Note • Although my home was not damaged, subdivisions within ½ mile of me were underwater. • I was able to get to work on May 3rd by driving about 35 miles out of my way • To do so I drove under power wires with trees hanging on them and over bridges with water within a foot of the roadway

10. Lessons Learned • Have MOU’s with local utilities and government agencies before something happens • Have a plan • Share your plan • Plan on people not being at work

11. Lessons Learned • Be humane • Take lots of pictures • Take good notes and make a list of items that need follow-up • People are at their best when responding to an emergency

12. What Have We Done Since the Flood? • Vanderbilt established Emergency Preparedness Policy and Working Groups • To develop a single office to address the vast number of emergencies which might occur • To develop a communication strategy to notify the campus in the event of an emergency • To assess the possibility of each emergency and inform the leadership

13. What Have We Done Since the Flood? • Emergency Preparedness Policy Group • Vice Chancellor for Administration (Chair) • Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs • Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs • Vice Chancellor for Finance • Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs • Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs

14. What Have We Done Since the Flood? • Emergency Preparedness Working Group • Dean of Students - Public Affairs • General Counsel - Mayor’s Office • Campus Police - Housing • Environ. Health & Safety - Plant Operations • IT - Provost’s Office • HR - Hospital Admin. • VC Health Affairs

15. What Have We Done Since the Flood? • Enterprise Hazard Vulnerability Analysis • Performed annually and reported to the Policy Group and the Board of Trust • Analyzes the possibility of occurrence • Provides a plan for dealing with the emergency • Recognizes differences between university and hospitals (ex. bomb threat) • Designates decision making authority

16. What Have We Done Since the Flood? • Enterprise Hazard Vulnerability Analysis • Work place violence • Pandemic preparedness (Flulapalooza) • Storm/Tornado • Bomb threat • Active shooter • Chemical/Radiation spill/leak • Communication failures (data, land line, cellular)

17. What Have We Done Since the Flood? • Communication Platform • Opt Out • Unified system of notification for a number of emergencies • Email, Text, Voice, Loudspeakers, Sirens • Ability to segment population based on the emergency

18. What Have We Done Since the Flood? • In Process • Formation of a single office (Office of Emergency Management • Family Flulapalooza • Continued Hazard Vulnerability Analysis • Table top exercises • Follow up after events (what can we do better, what did we miss)

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