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The Washington
County/Johnson City Emergency Management Agency (EMA) was the Civil Defense
program until 1986 when the federal government required every county to
have an emergency management coordinator and EMA program. Today,
the Washington County/Johnson City EMA program doesn't look like your
father's Civil Defense. It is driven by technology such as GIS
mapping and disaster response software and critical coordination of
local fire and police, EMS, hospitals, the FBI, FEMA, the Red Cross,
and state security and environmental offices.
The Washington County/Johnson City EMA is a coordination
and logistics organization that can mobilize teams and equipment in
the event of natural disasters (floods, huge fires, tornadoes, hurricanes,
earthquakes, etc.) hazardous materials spills, and terrorist attacks.
"Since September 11, this office has dealt with
more than 100 calls from people concerned about possible presence of
anthrax in white powder. Investigations were conducted through
the FBI and state agencies. All had to be investigated but in
Washington County none were found to be a real threat. There were
over 1,000 investigations across the state and all were negative, "
said EMA Director Nes Levotch.
"We are a support system to local response teams.
For example, the city fire department has a HAZMAT (Hazardous Materials
Response) team and if the emergency requires additional support we are
called. We have mobile units that can set up command and communications
posts anywhere instantly upon arrival at the scene. WC/JCEMA has
equipment and access to teams with larger resources than the City."
Grants Access Advanced Equipment
The local EMA strives to stay ahead of the curve with
advanced equipment and training. In 2001, the agency received
a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the purchase
of WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) equipment including monitoring,
communication, and personal protection equipment (biohazard suits).
Local fire, police, sheriff's department and emergency teams are trained
in use of the equipment. (Levotch recently received training from
the Department of Justice in Weapons of Mass Destruction Technical Emergency
Response for chemical incendiary, biological, and radiological threats).
Also in 2001, the EMA received a
major grant award for a Project Impact Disaster Resistant
Community Grant from
FEMA. Levotch wrote the grant based on the hazardous mitigation
for the I-26 Corridor that
will soon be completed through Tennessee to Asheville, North Carolina.
"This is preparation for a possible disaster or HAZMAT situation
that could occur on I-26," said Levotch. Note: The
new I-26 Corridor provides an interstate alternate route to I-40
which
has been subject to closures in the past due
to rock slides.
The local Project Impact grant activities include the
use of the HAZUS software produced by
FEMA that can analyze and calculate losses due to a disaster based
on data meticulously collected before the event. When HAZUS is
in full swing it can estimate the loss of life, debris, infrastructure
damage, injuries, etc. The area under siege has been previewed
and analyzed. For example, every 50' of I-26 will have been photographed
and analyzed. An emergency response team can pull up the data
on laptops en route to the emergency and know if there is a sinkhole
on the site, population, buildings, and local surrounding topography
and businesses. (Contaminants can spread for miles off I-26
if streams and rivers are nearby).
"HAZUS is our biggest tool in disaster preparedness.
We trained a team in September 2001 on the use and implementation
of HAZUS that included the ETSU College of Geology and Geography, School
of Technology, police and fire representatives, Johnson City Metropolitan
Planning Organization (MPO), industry people, and FEMA staff.
Then recently in Nashville this office made a presentation to a Federal
Highway Administration and Tennessee Department of Transportation workshop
on the development of the highway (I-26) Incident Management Programs
here. The federal staff told us that we are well into the game
compared to the rest of the nation. FEMA is excited about our
progress, and is considering doing a pilot program of our area and making
ETSU a HAZUS training site for our region," said Levotch.
Industry Preparedness
Project Impact encourages industries to Pre-Plan for
a disaster. Levotch and associated organizations will be glad
to address industry groups on how to do this. Call the EMA
office at (423) 434-6081 for more information. |
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Joe Rachel of FEMA with Nes Levotch
EMA
Article
reprinted from February 2002 edition of Johnson City Business
Magazine.
Author - Noreen Wray
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