HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-22-2024 Storm Ad Hoc minutesMINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
STORM AND INCIDENT READINESS AD HOC COMMITTEE
OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE
Members Present: Chuck Engelken, chair; Bill Bentley; Mason Peres, Jeff Suggs, Sherri
Ditrich
Members Absent: None
Members Attending Remotely: None
City -Appointed Officers Present: Corby Alexander, City Manager; Lee Woodward, City
Secretary
The Storm and Incident Readiness Committee of the City of La Porte
met on October 22, 2024, at the City Hall Council chamber,
604 West Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, Texas, at 5:00 p.m.
1. CALL TO ORDER - Chair Engelken called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
2. CITIZEN COMMENT (Generally limited to five minutes perperson; in accordance with
state law, the time may be reduced if there is a high number of speakers or other
considerations.)
There were no comments.
3. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to approve the minutes of the
September 24, 2024, meeting.
Member Ditrich moved to approve the minutes of the September 24 2024 meeting;
the motion was seconded by Member Peres; the motion was adopted, 5-0.
4. Committee Charge, Discussion, and Possible Action
Purpose: The City of La Porte is establishing an ad hoc committee to assess
and enhance the City's preparedness for storms and other significant
incidents. This committee will focus on identifying strategies to protect
residents, infrastructure, and resources to ensure the City maintains a
strong preparedness posture to plan for, respond to, and recover from
emergencies.
Objectives:
The committee will review the following topics with the intent to make
suggestions for improvements, implementation and/or modernization.
• Emergency Preparedness Planning
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o Review and make recommendations to update the City's response plans.
o Identify potential hazards and conduct risk assessments to preparedness
measures.
Public Communication and Education
o Review existing public awareness campaigns for pre -incident readiness
such as evacuation routes, shelter locations, and emergency procedures.
o Review the utilization of social media and other communications platforms
for real-time updates pre, during and post incident.
o Review engagement with local small businesses to ensure resilience after
incidents.
Resource Allocation and Logistics
o Review readiness for deployment of emergency supplies and equipment
with the purpose of optimizing logistics for efficiency.
o Review mutual aid agreements with neighboring cities and regions to
enhance resource availability.
Vulnerable Population Support
o Review plans for vulnerable groups, including seniors, assisted care
facilities and home bound individuals.
o Review outreach programs to ensure these populations are informed and
prepared for storms and other incidents.
o Review any city partnerships with community organizations that provide
targeted assistance to vulnerable populations.
Evacuation and Shelter Planning
o Review existing facilities for possible use as cooling stations and/or
distribution sites pre and post event and ensure these sites are equipped
to handle displaced residents.
o Review/develop transportation plans for vulnerable populations, including
the elderly and disabled, to ensure their safety during evacuations.
First Responder Coordination
o Review training and drills for police, fire, and EMS.
o Review communication and coordination protocols among first
responders.
o Review any rapid deployment strategies for emergency services to ensure
swift and effective responses.
Financial Planning and Insurance
o Review budget for emergency preparedness and recovery efforts,
ensuring financial resources are available when needed.
o Review existing plans to access federal and state disaster relief funds
pre/post event.
Post -Event Recovery and Assessment
o Review established procedures for debris removal and damage
assessment following an incident.
o Conduct evaluations of the City's response to incidents, identifying
lessons learned and areas for improvement.
Technology and Innovation
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o Review the existence or possibility to utilize data and predictive modeling
to anticipate storm impacts and inform preparedness measures.
o Review existing and new technologies, including At and GIS systems, to
enhance emergency management capabilities.
o Review existing Emergency Operations Center (EOC) technology and
capabilities.
Emergency Management Coordinator Johnny Morales discussed after action reports
(AARs) that have been reviewed per request of the Committee. Items for attention
were:
-Training and Drills,
- Communication and Engagement, and
- EOC Technology and Innovation.
Chair Engelken asked about the cost -share ratio for FEMA during events and Mr.
Morales said it was usually 75% but that the state was picking up the remainder for
Hurricane Beryl debris removal.
The Committee encouraged consideration of an 'ambitious' plan to achieve
recommendations over several years to reach a'cutting edge' and'treat our residents
the best' for presentation to the full Council. Also proposed was providing all residents
with a radio and working with local radio to improve communications when power is
down.
The Chair asked that members share their ideas with Mr. Morales and the City
Secretary's Office to compile. It was agreed that the next meeting will be for the public
and held at the EOC.
Members thanked the OEM for the presentation and recommended their ideas and
planning.
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