Water Sector Incident Action Checklist – Tornado



Yüklə 67,66 Kb.
Pdf görüntüsü
tarix21.04.2018
ölçüsü67,66 Kb.
#39565


Incident Action Checklist – Tornado

Tornado Impacts on Water and Wastewater Utilities

Tornadoes can occur in any location with little to no notice. Tornadoes can have wind gusts from 65 to over 200 

miles per hour (mph) and are often accompanied by floods, high straight-line winds up to 140 mph, hail and 

lightning. About 1,200 tornadoes occur in the United States each year, and they can have devastating impacts 

to water and wastewater utilities. Impacts may include, but are not limited to:

• Damage to infrastructure (e.g., storage tanks, hydrants,

residential plumbing fixtures, distribution system) due to

hail, wind, debris and flash flooding, resulting in loss of

service and/or reduced pressure throughout the system

• Restricted access to the facility due to debris and damaged

roads

• Loss of power and communication lines



• Potential contamination due to chemical leaks from

ruptured containers

• Severe water and pressure loss due to ruptured service

NOAA


lines in damaged buildings and broken fire hydrants from airborne debris

The following sections outline actions water and wastewater utilities can take to prepare for, respond to and 

recover from a tornado. 

Example of Water Sector Impacts and Response to a Tornado

Smithville, Mississippi 2011 Tornado 

An EF-5 tornado with estimated winds of 205 mph and a half-mile wide base hit Smithville, Mississippi in April 2011, 

destroying 150 homes and several businesses and city facilities, including the water system. The utility’s elevated 

storage tank was damaged and several pipes were bent due to a car striking the structure. The tornado also tore out 

appliances and plumbing fixtures from homes and destroyed at least three fire hydrants.

Both the drinking water and wastewater systems lost power immediately after the tornado hit, and half of the town 

was without water due to damage to infrastructure and the power outage. Generators were coordinated through 

the Mississippi Rural Water Association to provide temporary power. The drinking water and wastewater utilities 

conducted damage assessments and teams were quickly deployed to fix leaks, turn off meters in destroyed homes 

and restore service throughout the systems.



Source: NRWA’s “

Rural Water assists tornado-ravaged Mississippi

” 

The actions in this checklist are divided up into three “rip & run” sections and are examples of activities that water and 

wastewater utilities can take to: prepare for, respond to and recover from a tornado. For on-the-go convenience, you can 

also populate the “My Contacts” section with critical information that your utility may need during an incident.

1 of 8



Planning

Coordination

•  Incident monitoring:

• 

Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network 



(WARN)

 (EPA)


• 

Storm Prediction Center (National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration

 [NOAA])


• 

Community Based Water Resiliency

 (EPA)

• 

U.S. Tornado Climatology



 (NOAA)

Facility and Service Area 

• 

Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage



 (NOAA)

• 

Emergency Response and Preparedness Florida 



• 

Severe Weather 101: Tornado Basics

 (NOAA)

WARN Best Management Practices for Water and 



• 

National Weather Service Weather Alerts

 (NOAA)

Wastewater Systems



 (University of Florida Center for 

Training)

• 

Planning for an Emergency Drinking Water Supply



(EPA)

• 

Water Agencies Respond to Tornadoes



 (Florida Rural 

Water Association and Florida WARN)

• 

All-Hazard Consequence Management Planning 



for the Water Sector

 (Water Sector Emergency 



Documentation and Reporting

Response Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory 

Council [CIPAC] Workgroup)

• 

Federal Funding for Utilities In National Disasters 



(Fed FUNDS)

 (EPA)


• 

Vulnerability Self Assessment Tool (VSAT)

 (EPA)

• 

Preparing for Extreme Weather Events: Workshop 



Power, Energy and Fuel

Planner for the Water Sector

 (EPA)

• 

EPA Region 1 Water/Wastewater System Generator 



• 

Tabletop Exercise Tool for Water Systems:  

Preparedness Brochure

 (EPA)


Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Climate 

Resiliency

 (EPA) 

  Mitigation

• 

How to Develop a Multi-Year Training and Exercise 



• 

Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool 

(T&E) Plan

 (EPA)


(CREAT)

 (EPA)


• 

Make a Plan

 (FEMA)

• 

Adaptation Strategies Guide



 (EPA)

My Contacts and Resources

CONTACT NAME

UTILITY/ORGANIZATION NAME

PHONE NUMBER

Local EMA

State EMA

State Primacy Agency

WARN Chair

Power Utility

2 of 8



___________________________Planning'> ________________________

Planning

Review and update your utility’s emergency 

response plan (ERP), and ensure all emergency 

contacts are current.

Conduct briefings, training and exercises to 

ensure utility staff is aware of all preparedness, 

response and recovery procedures.

Identify priority water customers (e.g., hospitals), 

obtain their contact information, map their 

locations and develop a plan to restore those 

customers first.

Develop an emergency drinking water supply 

plan and establish contacts (potentially through 

your local emergency management agency 

[EMA] or mutual aid network) to discuss 

procedures, which may include bulk water 

hauling, mobile treatment units or temporary 

supply lines, as well as storage and distribution.  

Conduct a hazard vulnerability analysis in which 

you review historical records to understand the 

past frequency and intensity of tornado events 

and how your utility may have been impacted. 

Consider taking actions to mitigate tornado 

impacts to the utility, including those provided 

in the “Actions to Recover from a Tornado: 

Mitigation” section.

Complete pre-disaster activities to help apply 

for federal disaster funding (e.g., contact state/

local officials with connections to funding, set 

up a system to document damage and costs, 

take photographs of the facility for comparison to 

post-damage photographs).



  ____________________

Coordination

Join your state’s Water/Wastewater Agency 

Response Network (WARN) or other local 

mutual aid network.

•  Outlining response activities, roles and 

responsibilities and mutual aid procedures 

(e.g., how to request and offer assistance)

•  Conducting joint tabletop or full-scale 

exercises 

•  Obtaining resources and assistance, such as 

equipment, personnel, technical support or 

water


•  Establishing interconnections between 

systems and agreements with necessary 

approvals to activate this alternate source. 

Equipment, pumping rates and demand on 

the water sources need to be considered and 

addressed in the design and operations

•  Establishing communication protocols and 

equipment to reduce misunderstandings 

during the incident

Coordinate with WARN members and other 

neighboring utilities to discuss:

Coordinate with other key response partners, 

such as your local EMA, to discuss:

•  How restoring system operations may 

have higher priority than establishing an 

alternative water source 

•  Potential points of distribution for the delivery 

of emergency water supply (e.g., bottled 

water) to the public, as well as who is 

responsible for distributing the water

Understand how the local and utility emergency 

operations center (EOC) will be activated and 

what your utility may be called on to do, as 

well as how local emergency responders and 

the local EOC can support your utility during a 

response. If your utility has assets outside of the 

county EMA’s jurisdiction, consider coordination 

or preparedness efforts that should be done in 

those areas.

Ensure credentials to allow access will be valid 

during an incident by checking with local law 

enforcement.

Sign up for mobile and/or email alerts from your 

local EMA, if available.



Actions to Prepare for a Tornado

3 of 8



 ____

Communication with Customers

Develop outreach materials to provide your 

customers with information they will need 

after a tornado (e.g., clarification about water 

advisories, instructions for private well and septic 

system maintenance and information about 

tornado mitigation). 

Review public information protocols with local 

EMA and public health/primacy agencies. 

These protocols should include developing 

water advisory messages (e.g., boil water) and 

distributing them to customers using appropriate 

mechanisms, such as reverse 911.

__________

Facility and Service Area

Inventory and order extra equipment and 

supplies, as needed: 

• Motors


• Fuses

• Chemicals (ensure at least a two week supply)

• Cellular phones or other wireless 

communications device

• Emergency Supplies

  Tarps/tape/rope



  Cots/blankets

  First aid kits



  Foul weather gear

  Plywood



  Flashlights/flares

  Sandbags (often, sand must be ordered as 



well)

  Bottled water



  Batteries

  Non-perishable food



Ensure communication equipment (e.g., radios, 

satellite phones) works and is fully charged.

Develop a GIS map of all system components 

and prepare a list of coordinates for each facility.

Document pumping requirements and storage 

capabilities, as well as critical treatment 

components and parameters.

_______________________

Personnel

Identify essential personnel and ensure they are 

trained to perform critical duties in an emergency 

(and possibly without communication), including 

the shut down and start up of the system.

Establish communication procedures with 

essential and non-essential personnel. Ensure 

all personnel are familiar with emergency 

evacuation and shelter in place procedures.

Pre-identify emergency operations and clean-

up crews. Establish alternative transportation 

strategies if roads are impassable. 

Consider how evacuations or limited staffing 

due to transportation issues (potentially all 

utility personnel) will impact your response 

procedures.

Identify possible staging areas for mutual 

aid crews if needed in the response, and the 

availability of local facilities to house the crews.

Encourage personnel, especially those that 

may be on duty for extended periods of time, to 

develop family emergency plans.



Actions to Prepare for a Tornado 

(continued)

4 of 8



 ___________

Power, Energy and Fuel

Evaluate condition of electrical panels to accept 

generators; inspect connections and switches.

Document power requirements of the facility; 

options for doing this may include:

• Placing a request with the US Army Corps 

of Engineers 249th Engineer Battalion 

(Prime Power): 

http://www.usace.army.

mil/249thEngineerBattalion.aspx

• Using the US Army Corps of Engineers on-line 

Emergency Power Facility Assessment Tool 

(EPFAT): 

http://epfat.swf.usace.army.mil/

Confirm and document generator connection 

type, capacity load and fuel consumption. Test 

regularly, exercise under load and service 

backup generators. 

Fill fuel tanks to full capacity and ensure that 

you have the ability to manually pump gas in the 

event of a power outage. Ensure this equipment 

and other hazardous materials are located in a 

safe zone. 

Contact fuel vendors and inform them of 

estimated fuel volumes needed if utility is 

impacted. Determine your ability to establish 

emergency contract provisions with vendors 

and your ability to transport fuel if re-fueling 

contractors are not available. Develop a backup 

fueling plan and a prioritization list of which 

generators to fuel in case of a fuel shortage. 

Collaborate with your local power provider and 

EOC to ensure that your water utility is on the 

critical facilities list for priority electrical power 

restoration, generators and emergency fuel.

FEMA


Actions to Prepare for a Tornado 

(continued)

Notes:

5 of 8



  ____________________

Coordination

Notify your local EMA and state regulatory/

primacy agency of system status.

If needed, request or offer assistance (e.g., 

water buffalos, water sampling teams, 

generators) through mutual aid networks, such 

as WARN.

Assign a representative of the utility to the 

incident command post or the community’s EOC.

 ____

Communication with Customers

Notify customers of any water advisories 

and consider collaborating with local media 

(television, radio, newspaper, etc.) to distribute 

the message. If emergency water is being 

supplied, provide information on the distribution 

locations.

  __________

Facility and Service Area

Overall

Conduct damage assessments of the utility to 

prioritize repairs and other actions. 

Check that back-up equipment and facility 

systems, such as controls and pumps, are 

in working order, and ensure that chemical

containers and feeders are intact.

Drinking Water Utilities

Identify facility components (e.g., valve boxes) 

and fire hydrants that have been buried, are 

inaccessible or have been destroyed. 

Inspect the utility and service area for damage. 

Ensure pressure is maintained throughout the 

system and isolate those sections where it is not.

Isolate and control leaks in water transmission 

and distribution piping.

Turn off water meters at destroyed homes and 

buildings. 

Monitor water quality, develop a sampling plan

and adjust treatment as necessary.

Notify regulatory/primacy agency if operations 

and/or water quality or quantity are affected.

Utilize pre-established emergency connections 

or setup temporary connections to nearby 

communities, as needed. Alternatively, implement 

plans to draw emergency water from pre-

determined tanks or hydrants. Notify employees 

of the activated sites.

Wastewater Utilities

Inspect the utility and service area, including 

lift stations, for damage, downed trees and 

power availability. Inspect the sewer system for

debris and assess the operational status of the 

mechanical bar screen.  If necessary, run system

in manual operation. 

Notify regulatory/primacy agency of any changes 

to the operations or required testing parameters. 

Actions to Respond to a Tornado

Notes:

6 of 8



 ______

Documentation and Reporting

Document all damage assessments, mutual aid 

requests, emergency repair work, equipment 

used, purchases made, staff hours worked and

contractors used during the response to assist 

in requesting reimbursement and applying for 

federal disaster funds. When possible, take 

photographs of damage at each work site (with 

time and date stamp). Proper documentation is 

critical to requesting reimbursement.

Work with your local EMA on the required 

paperwork for public assistance requests.



_______________________

Personnel

Account for all personnel and provide emergency 

care, if needed. Caution personnel about known 

hazards resulting from tornadoes.

Deploy emergency operations and clean-up 

crews (e.g., securing heavy equipment). Identify 

key access points and roads for employees 

to enter the utility and critical infrastructure; 

coordinate the need for debris clearance with 

local emergency management or prioritize it for 

employee operations.

Ensure personnel are aware of potential hazards 

and delays while traveling within the affected

service area (i.e., flat tires caused by debris, 

navigation issues caused by uprooted/missing 

street signs).



___________

Power, Energy and Fuel

Use backup generators, as needed, to supply 

power to system components.

Monitor and plan for additional fuel needs 

in advance; coordinate fuel deliveries to the 

generators.

Maintain contact with electric provider for power 

outage duration estimates.



Actions to Respond to a Tornado 

(continued)

Notes:

7 of 8



 ____________________

Coordination 

Continue work with response partners to obtain 

funding, equipment, etc.

____

Communication with Customers

Assign a utility representative to continue 

to communicate with customers concerning 

a timeline for recovery and other pertinent 

information.

__________

Facility and Service Area 

Complete damage assessments.

 

______

Documentation and Reporting

Complete permanent repairs, replace depleted 

supplies and return to normal service.

Compile damage assessment forms and cost 

documentation into a single report to facilitate 

the sharing of information and the completion 

of state and federal funding applications. 

Visit EPA’s web-based tool, Federal Funding 

for Utilities—Water/Wastewater—in National 

Disasters (Fed FUNDS), for tailored information 

and application forms for various federal 

disaster funding programs: 

http://water.epa.gov/

infrastructure/watersecurity/funding/fedfunds/

Develop a lessons learned document and/or 

an after action report to keep a record of your 

response activities. Update your vulnerability 

assessment, ERP and contingency plans. 

Revise budget and asset management plans to 

address increased costs from response-related 

activities.

_______________________

Mitigation

Identify mitigation and long-term adaptation 

measures that can prevent damage and 

increase utility resilience. Consider impacts 

related to the increased frequency and intensity 

of tornadoes when planning for system upgrades 

(e.g., ensure adequate backup power supply 

for key assets, pursue interconnections with 

FEMA

neighboring utilities).



Actions to Recover from a Tornado

Notes:

Office of Water (4608-T)    EPA 817-F-15-007   January 2015  



 8 of 8

Yüklə 67,66 Kb.

Dostları ilə paylaş:




Verilənlər bazası müəlliflik hüququ ilə müdafiə olunur ©genderi.org 2024
rəhbərliyinə müraciət

    Ana səhifə