Del
Norte
County
Cascadia
EOC Activation
Exercise
May 14, 2014
After Action Report / Improvement Plan
September 2014
After Action Report/Improvement Plan
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
ADMINISTRATIVE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS
1. The title of this document is Del Norte County Cascadia Subduction Zone EOC
Activation Exercise After Action Report/Improvement Plan.
2. The information gathered in this AAR/IP is for assessment and future planning efforts
and should be handled as such. This document should be transmitted and stored in
accordance with appropriate directives. The Del Norte County Cascadia Subduction Zone
EOC Activation Exercise was a classified exercise with participation from CAL OWS
SOC, Costal REOC, CMACS Coordination Group, Del Norte )A, Humboldt OA, and
Mendocino OA. Control information is based on public sensitivity regarding the nature
of the exercise rather than actual exercise content. Reproduction of this document, in
whole or in part, without prior approval from Del Norte County Office of Emergency
Services is prohibited. Public release of this report to third parties is at the discretion of
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Del Norte County Cascadia
Subduction Zone EOC Activation Exercise Planning Team or the Del Norte County
Office of Emergency Services.
3. The attached materials will be disseminated at the discretion of the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) or thee Del Norte County Office of Emergency Services and
will be stored with sufficient protection against unauthorized disclosure.
4. Point of Contact:
Cindy Henderson, Exercise Director
Emergency Services Manager
Del Norte county Office of Emergency Services
981 H Street, Suite 240
Crescent City, CA 95531-8095
chenderson@co.del-norte.ca.us
707-464-0430 EXT. 376
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
CONTENTS
Administrative Handling Instructions………………..…………………………………2
Contents………………....................................................................................................3
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………..4
Exercise Overview………………………………………………………………………5
Planning Team…………………………………………………………………………..6
Exercise Objectives, Capabilities, and Activities………………………………………6
Communications Plan…………………………………………………………………10
Exercise Design Summary…………………………………………………………….11
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….11
APPENDIX A: Participating Agencies………………………………………………12
APPENDIX B: Acronyms…………………………………………………………...13
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This is an 8 hr. activation with two incident action periods -8:00-12:00/12:00-4:00.
This exercise will begin on day 3 of the 9.0 Cascadia /40'+Tsunami event.
Day 3 is about the time we will run out of fuel, water, manpower and all EOC/IC Positions.
Review of EOC Organization Chart and Unified Command for Resource Requesting.
Scenario: On Monday, 12 May 2014, at 0800 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the coast of
southern Oregon, rupturing the Cascadia Subduction Zone fault line from Cape Mendocino in
California, to Vancouver Island in the Northwest. Ground shaking was severe and lasted 5
minutes. Shaking was felt all along the northern coast of California, particularly in the counties
of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino where are closest to the fault line. Additionally, strong
shaking was felt to the inland counties as well as down in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Within 10 minutes of the shaking, a tsunami was generated by massive deformation of the
seabed. Waves began coming ashore, impacting Crescent City in Del Norte County, the
Humboldt Bay area (including Eureka/Arcata), and numerous smaller communities along the
coast. Wave heights in Crescent City were measured at 49 feet.
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
EXERCISE OVERVIEW
Exercise Name
Del Norte County EOC CSZ Activation Exercise
Exercise Dates
March 14, 2014
Scope
Mission Area(s)
Core
Capabilities
This exercise is an 8 hour exercise that will test the Emergency Operations
Center Response to a full scale Cascadia Subduction Zone event.
Response
All


Objectives

To test the ability to staff the EOC for two operational periods.
To practice a shift change and all that it entails as well as working
through two operational periods.
Working with various counties that are at play for resource requests
as well as working with the state REOC.
Threat or
Hazard
Magnitude 9.0 (M9.0) Earthquake and Tsunami
Scenario
The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) is an 800 mile-long offshore thrust
fault stretching from northern California to Vancouver Island (Canada). A
magnitude 9.0 earthquake has occurred, followed by a tusnami and has had a
catastrophic impact on three northern California counties: Del Norte,
Humbolt and Mendocino.
Sponsor
CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Participating
Organizations
Point of Contact
Cal OES SOC, Coastal REOC, CMACS Coordination Group, Del Norte OA,
Humboldt OA, and Mendocino OA
Cindy Henderson, Emergency Services Manager
Del Norte County.
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
Exercise Planning Team Leadership
Cindy Henderson
Mary Cowart
Dennis Louy
Dr. Rehwald
Harvey Smithson
Leanard Smith
We had a lady from CERT and works at social services...remember?
Exercise Objectives, Capabilities, and Activities
Activate Del Norte Operational Area EOC for two complete shifts with a shift change in between
for Cascadia Subduction Zone Exercise with the state of California.
(Working with various counties that are at play for resource requests as well as working with the state
REOC.)
(To practice a shift change and all that it entails as well as working through two operational periods.)
Core Capability: Operational Coordination
Establish and maintain a unified and coordinated operational structure and process that
appropriately integrates all critical stakeholders and supports the execution of core capabilities.
Major Strengths
State and Fed. Levels impressed at/ by Del Norte participation & products.
Participation of community to play along.
Primary Areas for Improvement
Flow needs to improve to documentations /Review person.
Code of conduct for EOC /behavior or personality for waiting in EOC.
Job description training for each job.
“What to Do,” book for necessary positions (reference guide) with flip guide & updated Sit
Reps.
Mental Health in EOC under Operations.
More help to Access / Functional Needs.
Better understanding of Resource Request Forms.
Canned messages / frank decisions on death & injuries.
Handwriting on forms.
Zone Maps –fixed.
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Pre-plans & contingency plans for:
A. Maps, list of community locations for different (uses)?
B. Food.
C. Back-up EOC.
D. Hospital.
E. Communications down.
F. What can Red Cross provide Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, with housing, shelter, &
food.
G. Need training on “What, When, How, Why, and What If” Red Cross can’t get
here.
Wish List of Supplies:
More computers.
More phones w/ headsets.
More radios/headsets.
More tables and chairs.
More SAT Phones-prepaid minutes.
Name Tags.
Maps to show where things are located (for management).
Way to broadcast video feed of board to PIO Room etc.
Two Sided name (Position) plates.
MHOAC news updates.
Scan IN & Out.
Liaison Vests
Boards for Resource Tracking.
Surge strips/extension cords.
Organizational Capability Target 1: Communications
Critical Task: Communication between the Incident Command Post (SIM Cell) and the
Emergency Operations Center
Critical Task: Communication within the sections of the Emergency Operations Center
Critical Task: Communications with the agency liaisons that come into the Emergency
Operations Center.
Critical Task: Communications within the sections within the Emergency Operations Center.
Observation:
Strengths:
Areas of Improvement:
Need someone at each station tied to a radio.
Training radios & telephones.
Communications training for when communications are down.
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
Analysis:
Recommendations:
Sign on Web ED at trainings.
PIO area needs access to phone lines/power.
Separate PIO Hot Line.
Need battery powered radio for EOC.
MHOAC needs phone, computer, etc. (Ops separation).
Organizational Capability Target 2: The ability to follow through with all actions that
come into the Emergency Operations Center including those that originate from the EOC.
Critical Task: Operations Section
Critical Task: Planning Section
Critical Task: Management Section
Critical Task: Logistics Section
Critical Task: Finance Section
Observation:
Strengths:
Shifts too short to build JAP’s
Starting Day 3 hard scenario.
Areas of Improvement:
Analysis:
Recommendations:
Do it again!
Organizational Capability Target 3: The planning and set up of the exercise in general.
Was this exercise beneficial and or ways that we could improve.
Critical Task: Objectives
Critical Task: Planning
Critical Task: Food and Drink
Critical Task: Layout of the EOC
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
Observation:
Strengths:
Cohesive & professional.
Impressed w/ staff.
Happy about food.
Impressed w/ exercise.
Impressed w/ progression technology.
MHOAC went well.
Yea planning!
Good communications PIO/Management
No more grids- yea!
Sheer number of participants!
Areas of Improvement:
Section specific training: DMORT; DMAT; POD; CALMAT; EOC Staff; Security
Training.
Need MORE Logistics training, people & break it down to specific Log jobs.
Analysis:
Need to work on flow of EOC and flow of information.
Timeline to activate EOC/IC?
Need complete Scenario to know more about selecting injects.
How to complete a position change mid-shift?
NIMS / SEMS / ICS Resource Requesting Process!
Medical Health Resource Requesting!
Information Tracking.
Resource Tracking. Fuel Requests and Priorities?
Recommendations:
Management deciding who & when is on a shift with which partner.
Using “In” & “Out” boxes better.
Establishing priorities and practices managing these.
Make sure forms match (?) Web EOC.
Planning/Meeting area needed other than Board Room.
Set up of EOC needs work.
EOC needs fans or A/C.
Resource Tracking on rolling monitors.
Extra table for security (badges).
Safe Room (Dorm) training.
Realign EOC Fire, Law, Section Chief
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
Idea of “Tactical Meeting” to establish big stuff. (Where/When all make decision then
goes to docs.)
Deb’s idea of training expert.
The planning and set up of the exercise in general. Was this exercise beneficial and or ways
that we could improve.
The ability to follow through with all actions that come into the Emergency Operations
Center including those that originate from the EOC
Communications Plan
We will be working on V-Tac Channels only.
NO real radio time including HAM.
VCOM only to notify someone to go to one of the TAC channels.
VTAC 1:
All EOC Traffic from Section to Section
VTAC 2:
ICP to Operations
VTAC 3:
Sim Cell Use Only
VTAC 4:
Liaison to Access and functional Need agencies
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
Exercise Design Summary
Exercise Purpose and Design
This was an 8 hr. activation with two incident action periods, 8:00-12:00/12:00-4:00.
This exercise was designed to begin on day 3 of the 9.0 Cascadia plus 40 foot Tsunami event.
Day 3 is about the time we would run out of fuel, water, manpower and all EOC/IC Positions.
This was also an excellent opportunity to review our EOC Organization Charts and Unified
Command for Resource Requesting.
Specific challenges we elected to address included:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Timeline to activate EOC/IC?
How to complete a position change mid-shift?
Completing, submitting, and tracking Resource Request Forms for both the State
and MHOAC.
Prioritizing and allotting our local Fuel and Emergency Response Resources
Identifying and activating our local MOU back-up resources.
Conclusion
Like all of the exercise learning scenarios that we have designed and held in Del Norte County
this CSZ Scenario proved to be quite valuable and educational toward improving our Crisis
Response Planning and Training throughout Del Norte County. The one hundred plus multiagency and community members who participated in the event now have a much clearer
“Concept of Operations” as to enormous task of setting up and running an EOC. They were
given the live opportunity to see first-hand the number of different ICS positions needed to be
filled in an emergency operations response. They were able to gain a better understanding on the
importance of position training, cross-training, and the true importance of ongoing training.
This training also highlighted the need to:
1. Realize the limited number of First (Second, and Third) responders we may have
available in our community following a CSZ/Tsunami.
2. Better understand the extended response time it may take our 1st responders to arrive at
the EOC.
3. Realize the importance of Community/Self Preparedness and the length of time it will
take to begin getting our first emergency support and supplies from the State and Federal
resources.
4. Identify and prioritize areas of improvements to work toward in our ongoing multiagency planning meetings, training, and response protocols.
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
APPENDIX A:
Participating Organizations
Bi-Coastal Media
CAL OES
Cal-Ore Life Flight Ground and Air
City of Crescent City
Community Organization Active in Disasters
Crescent City Fire Department
Crescent City Harbor District
Crescent City Police Department
Crescent Fire Protection District
Del Norte Ambulance
Del Norte Chapter of the American Red Cross
Del Norte Community Emergency Response Team
Del Norte County
Del Norte County Amateur Radio HAM
Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services
Del Norte County OES
Del Norte County Sheriff’s Department
Del Norte County Unified School District (Transportation)
Del Norte Triplicate
NOAA National Weather Service
North Coast Emergency Medical Services
Pelican Bay State Prison
Sutter Coast Hospital
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APPENDIX B:
ACRONYMS
AAR/IP
After Action Report/Improvement Plan
DHS
Department of Homeland Security
EOC
Emergency Operations Center
CSZ
Cascadia Subduction Zone
CFPD
Crescent Fire Protection District
HSEEP
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
ICS
Incident Command System
JIC
Joint Information Center
LHD
Local Health Department
NIMS
National Incident Management System
NOAA
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
NWS
National Weather Service
RDMHC
Regional Disaster Medical and Health Coordinator
REOC
Regional Operations Center
SEMS
Standardized Emergency Management System
Sit Rep
Situation Report
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CAL OES Emergency Performance Grant
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)