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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2007 0801 CC REG ITEM 09EMOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council FROM: John Brand, Senior Management Analyst' DATE: July 24, 2007 (CC Meeting of 8/01/2007) mm- 9.E. ..UMNEWOM. CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of 0 /�% ACTION: , -t� SUBJECT: Consider Response to Grand Jury Report: "Ventura County Disaster Evacuation Plan" BACKGROUND On June 20, 2007, the City received the 2006 -2007 Ventura County Grand Jury Report "Ventura County Disaster Evacuation Plan." Copies of the report were forwarded to the Council. State law, Penal Code §933(c) requires that the City respond to the Grand Jury within 90 days of receipt of the report. DISCUSSION The Grand Jury report examined certain aspects of the County's Office of Emergency Services and its efforts to plan for evacuations and to notify the public. However, some of the Grand Jury's recommendations are contrary to the practices of the City, the County, and other emergency responders and disaster relief agencies such as the American Red Cross. Specifically, Recommendation R -6 indicates that evacuation routes should be distributed widely to all residents of Ventura County. The City has prepared a brochure that will be distributed to City residents in September. It contains detailed information on preparing for evacuations. However, publicizing evacuation routes is not an accepted practice for Emergency Planners, because there is no means of predicting which routes will be available in any major disaster that threatens Moorpark, including, but not limited to, earthquake, flood, wildfire, hazardous material spill, or civil unrest. This is consistent with the American Red Cross of Ventura County's policy not to disclose its planned shelter locations to the public. Due to the complexity and nature of the hazards facing Moorpark, it may do a disservice to the public to direct the public to a particular evacuation route. 000060 Honorable City Council August 1, 2007 Page 2 STAFF RECOMMENDATION Approve the letter of response to the Grand Jury report. Attachment: Draft Letter 000061 MOORPARI 799 Moorpark Avenue Moorpark, California 93021 OFFICE OF THE MAYOR August 5, 2007 Honorable Colleen Toy White, Presiding Judge Superior Court of California, Ventura County Hall of Justice, #2120 800 South Victoria Avenue Ventura, CA 93009 (805) 517 -6200 SUBJECT: Grand Jury Report: "Ventura County Disaster Evacuation Plan" Dear Judge White: The City of Moorpark appreciates the opportunity to respond to the Grand Jury Report entitled Ventura County Evacuation Plan. The City of Moorpark recognizes the importance of Disaster Evacuation Planning. The Grand Jury Report "Ventura County Evacuation Plan" identities two (2) recommendations (R- 01 and R -06) that affect the City of Moorpark. R -01 — VC OES and VCDC should work with the ten cities in the county to facilitate development of coordinated and integrated emergency evacuation plans for each of these communities. These plans should include how the public and emergency service providers are to be informed of an alert and what their responses should be. These local plans need to recognize that the VC OES is the chief disaster coordinator in the County, the plans need to be readily available to the public. With regard to Recommendation R -01, the City of Moorpark has a close working relationship with Ventura County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services (VC OES) for emergency plans and policies. Moorpark coordinates with the county for the services that are most often associated with implementing evacuation plans: Ventura County Sheriff's Department as the City's contract provider for public 000062 PATRICK HUNTER KEITH F. MILLHOUSE ROSEANN MIKOS JANICE S. PARVIN MARK VAN DAM Mayor Mayor Pro Tem Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Honorable Judge White Grand Jury Report August 5, 2007 Page 2 safety and police services, and the Ventura County Fire Protection District for fire protection, medical aid, rescue, and hazardous material response. City staff is a member of the Emergency Coordinators Council which is led by VC OES. The City participates with the VC OES PIO group to provide coordinated public information in the event of an emergency. The City has prepared a comprehensive "Emergency Preparedness Handbook" that provides specific and detailed information regarding personal, family, and business evacuation planning and preparation, evacuation instructions, and guidelines for sheltering in place. For reasons explained more fully below, the Emergency Preparedness Handbook does not provide specific evacuation routes to the public. R -06 — Any evacuation plans developed by VC OES and the cities or special districts in Ventura County should be widely distributed. A user - friendly brochure detailing preparedness action and evacuation routes should be developed for distribution to all residents of Ventura County. As maps and plans are updated, the changes should be similarly publicized. With regard to Recommendation R -06, the City of Moorpark supports a policy not to pre - publicize evacuation routes. This is consistent with the American Red Cross of Ventura County's policy to not disclose its planned shelter locations to the public. Publicizing evacuation routes (and shelter sites) in advance can be problematic because the affected area cannot be predicted for most of the hazards that Moorpark faces, primarily earthquakes, floods, and fires. Moorpark and other agencies have to carefully consider an all- hazards approach to evacuation planning. The City's Emergency Preparedness Handbook (evacuation pages enclosed) provides extensive information in the user - friendly format the Grand Jury recommends. The Grand Jury might be interested to know that the City of Moorpark has developed a Special Needs Registry for Emergency Evacuation Assistance (enclosed). It allows those residents with mobility constraints (shut - ins, physically impaired, bed ridden, etc.) to voluntarily sign up for this service, identifying themselves as needing help in evacuations. Attached is a copy of the Annotated Agenda of the August 1 City Council Meeting, showing City Council approval of this response to the Grand Jury report. Also enclosed are copies of the Moorpark Emergency Preparedness handbook and the Special Needs Registry forms. A copy of the minutes from this 000063 Honorable Judge White Grand Jury Report August 5, 2007 Page 3 meeting will be forwarded to you upon approval by the City Council. The City wishes to express its appreciation to the Grand Jury for addressing the critical issue of Disaster Evacuation Plans in the County, and for the opportunity to respond to its report. Sincerely, Patrick Hunter Mayor PH: jb Attachment: Annotated Agenda CC Mtg. 8/01/07 Enclosures: Preparedness Guidebook (excerpts) Special Needs Registry forms Copy: Honorable Grand Jury Honorable Moorpark City Council Steven Kueny, City Manager Hugh R. Riley, Assistant City Manager SAAssistant City ManagerUohn Brand \Special Projects\2006 -2007 Grand Jury \Letter. PH.G randJury.V C_Disaster_Evacuation. Plan.2007. doc 000064 "OpIrr .71W Evacuations The Ventura County Fire Chief and the County Sheriff have simplified the disaster evacuation process so that everyone may understand what it means when a Law Enforcement or Fire official contacts you to evacuate. The two commonly used evacuation terms are: Precautionary Evacuation: A Precautionary Evacuation means that danger is nearby. You should immediately prepare to leave and leave as soon as you can. Time permitting, you should make advance measures to prevent horm and secure belongings. A fire or other hazard has been seen in the immediate area or has crossed a predeter- mined trigger point. Make preparations to leave, and proceed to leave in an orderly manner. Although you may have up to a three -hour window of opportunity prior to flames, dangerous smoke or embers, or other hazard, do not wait for a Recommended Evacuation order, as it may well be too late. It is never too early to get you, your family, and your animals to safety! Recommended Evacuation: The fire or other hazard has advanced and now poses imminent danger to you, your family, and your prop- erty. Leave now if you are going. This is the final notification and you should heed the warning immediate- ly. If you elect to stay, you are on your own. Please make sure that your children, adult dependents, pets, and all other animals (including service animals) have been removed or taken to a safe location. If a low enforcement officer, firefighter, or other government official, either in person or by way of a loud speaker, contacts you, it is recommended that you immediately evacuate to a safe location (designated shelters or another safe location of your choosing.) This is the time to act decisively and follow all of the instructions given to you by the responding authorities in a cooperative manner. A Recommended Evacuation is your final warning! Ventura County does not declare "mandatory evacuations." Evacuation Tips Prepare an Evacuation Checklist and Organize: Critical medications Important personal papers, photos Essential valuables Pet and livestock transport, include pet food Change of clothing, toiletries Cell phone, out -of -state contacts and family disaster plan Critical papers and effects in a fire -proof safe p An Evacuation Route Map with at least two routes. Drive your planned route O of escape before an actual emergency* Plan for evacuations in advance, there will not be enough time during the emergency. C C You may hove to leave behind things that are important to you 9 don't plan 0 ahead and pack for your evacuation as early as possible! `During an evocuotbn low enforcement /emergency personnel moy determine your route. Yaw lob is to Irsten corebrlly and cooperate. [r1�1: ■■[eJ� The Evacuation PTOcess Officials will determine the evacuation areas and the routes to use for evacuations. You will not be aware of all of the factors that go into developing an evacuation route. The evacuation. route may not be the route you prefer. Follow the instructions thot your are given. Do not improvise. Cutting in line or taking shortcuts may put you or other people in harm's way. Low enforcement agencies are typically responsible for enforcing an evacuation order. Remember, a Preliminary evacuation means to get ready leave and leave as soon as you can. A recommended Evacuations means leave now, this is your last warning! Follow evacuation directions promptly! You will be advised of potential evacuations as early as possible. You must take the initiative to stay informed and aware. Listen to your EAS radio/TV stations for announcements from law enforcement and emergency personnel. (See Information Sources on page 10.) You may be directed to temporary assembly areas to await transfer to a safe location. When hazards exist on the evacuation route or visibility is reduced, movement may be restricted only to escorted convoys. The Law Whenever a menace to the public health or safety is created by a calamity such as flood, storm, fire, earthquake, explosion, accident, or other disaster, officers of the law may close the area where the men- ace exists. [Penal Code 409.5 (a)) Any unauthorized person who willfully and knowingly enters on area that has been closed and who willfully remains within the area after receiving notice to evacuate or leave shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. [Penal Code 409.5 (01 Special Needs Registry The City of Moorpark has established a Special Needs Registry for Emergency Evacuation Assistance. During a disaster or other public emergency, many residents ore unable to evacuate their homes without assis- tance. The Special Needs Registry is designed to identify those residents in our community who may need assistance evacuating during an emergency. The Special needs registry is a voluntary registry of persons who may need assistance evacuating during on emergency. This is not a promise or guarantee that the City will hove the resources and the ability to assist you during an emergency. Contact City Noll at (805) 511 -6200 for more information or to request a Special Needs Registry application. R City of Moorpark Emergency Evacuation Assistance q +w Program Special Needs Registry V Fp This is a Voluntary Program The Special Needs Registry is for people to identify themselves as a person who is not capable of complying with an evacuation order. The City of Moorpark believes that in the event of an emergency requiring evacuation, this Registry will serve as a valuable tool that may assist the City in providing more effective emergency assistance to the residents of Moorpark. Individuals are eligible to be registered with the Special Needs Registry if they are frail, elderly, disabled, or otherwise need assistance to evacuate out of harm's way during an emergency. Residents wishing to participate are required to complete and sign the attached application to be placed on the registry. PLEASE NOTE: 1. This program is not a promise of emergency evacuation assistance. The City makes no guarantee or assurance that it will be possible to assist you. The ability of the City to provide evacuation assistance depends on available resources at the time, procedures of the Standardized Emergency Management System and National Incident Management System, and additional factors at the time that may be unforeseeable. 2. If an emergency arises in which you are ordered to evacuate, you are strongly advised to do so. If you are able to evacuate, do not wait for emergency assistance. 3. If you are unable to evacuate, and City emergency personnel arrive to assist you, it may not be possible to accommodate your family members, pets, or friends at that time - -so any persons able to evacuate should do so at their earliest opportunity. 4. The City intends to keep the information contained in the attached application confidential and use that information exclusively for emergency purposes -- however, State law may require disclosure of this information as a public record under certain circumstances. 000066 Emergency Evacuation Assistance Program Special Needs Registry Application Please complete this form, or have someone complete it on your behalf. Please print or type. Your Name: Street Address: Moorpark, CA 93021 Birth Date Phone: (Optional): Spouse's Spouse: Birth Date: Is Spouse registered in Special Needs Registry? ❑ Yes ❑ No Do you require a personal care attendant? ❑ Yes ❑ No Can you sit up and ride in a bus or van? ❑ Yes ❑ No Are you receiving home health care? ❑ Yes ❑ No If yes, name of Home Phone Health Care Agency: Number: ❑ Wheelchair ❑ Cane Do you use any of the following? ❑ Walker Emergency Contact Person: Relationship: Address: Emergency Phone: City: State: Zip Code: Please continue on next page 000067 Certification: I hereby certify that: 1. The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. 2. 1 have read the information sheet attached and I understand the limitation on the services and level of care available. 3. 1 understand that assistance will be provided only for the duration of the emergency and that alternative arrangements should be made in advance in the event I am not able to return to my home. 4. 1 also understand that I will be responsible for any charges and costs associated with hospital or other medical facility care or medical transportation. 5. 1 grant permission to medical providers and transportation agencies and others as necessary to provide care and disclose any information necessary to respond to my needs. 6. 1 also grant permission to emergency personnel and disaster service workers to enter my home following an emergency if deemed necessary by proper authorities. 7. 1 understand that this registration is voluntary and hereby request registration in the Special Needs Registry (SNR). 8. 1 understand that the City will endeavor to keep all information given in strict confidence, for emergency use only, but that State law may require disclosure of this information. 9. 1 also understand that it is my responsibility to keep my information current with SNR by completing annual renewals and providing updates as my condition changes. I certify under penalty of perjury that the information contained in this application is true and correct. Signature of Resident Please return to the following: ewp k Lc cam bel rtk"-s�qooc, Date Date of Signature EEAP Special Needs Registry City of Moorpark 799 Moorpark Avenue Moorpark, CA 93021 OOOOGS