Hurricane Workshop

 

Florida Mosquito Control Association

Spring Meeting, Naples, Florida

May 3-4, 2005

 

Background:

In 2004 the state of Florida experienced the unprecedented impact of four major hurricanes. Almost every region of Florida suffered some damage from at least one of the storms. Some areas suffered severe damage and many areas were affected by more then one storm.

 

Mosquito populations throughout the state responded to enormous hurricane-driven rainfalls by producing some of the largest broods ever recorded in the state. Large populations of pest mosquitoes as well as species that are known to be vectors of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile, eastern equine encephalitis, and St. Louis encephalitis viruses were reported.

 

During the post-hurricane period, many Florida citizens were forced to live in temporary housing and many more lived under conditions that exposed them to high mosquito biting levels.  The sheer number of pest and biting mosquitoes deserved immediate control efforts to reduce the annoyance to citizens, there was, however, also the secondary potential of an increase in the risk of mosquito-borne disease resulting from the post-hurricane conditions.

 

Florida mosquito control was urgently needed following the four Florida hurricanes and was an integral component to managing an effective recovery for citizens after the hurricane emergencies.  The 2004 hurricane season called attention to the reality that Florida mosquito control organizations also suffered hurricane-related damage that reduced the capability of these organizations to maintain efficient, effective and environmentally sound mosquito control operations.  The immediate and long term challenges of mosquito control operations to provide services during a hurricane emergency situation are immense and sometimes overwhelming.

 

The Program for the Florida Mosquito Control Association Meeting on May 3-4, 2005 in Naples, Florida was run as workshop to address the needs, challenges and opportunities for Florida mosquito control before, during, and after hurricanes. 

 

Workshop Goals:

  1. To provide an opportunity for Florida Mosquito Control Agencies to share information that will improve their ability to provide effective, efficient and environmentally proper mosquito control after the impact of a Florida hurricane.
  2. To provide Florida Mosquito Control Agencies with a set of guidelines to help improve their response capabilities after a declared emergency resulting from a hurricane event.

 

Method:

Attendees representing ca. 70% of organized Florida mosquito control and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services participated in the FMCA Workshop. Workgroups provided answers to several critical questions, shared their information with the other workgroups, and solicited additional information and conclusions from the meeting participants in formal discussion sessions.

 

Workshop Groups and Output:

 

 

Workshop Group 1: Impediments

 

 

                        Facilitator:                    Ed Fussell

                        Recorder:                     Frank Van Essen

                        Reporter:                      Jonas Stewart

                        FMEL Liaison: Walter J. Tabachnick

 

Questions Addressed:

1.      What are 6 impediments to mosquito control effectiveness during a hurricane emergency?

2.      How can mosquito control overcome the identified impediments?

 

Output:

 

I.       Major impediments to effective mosquito control after a hurricane emergency

 

  • Travel restrictions

Ø      Inability to perform operations, inability of personnel to be at work.

  • Road damage
  • Not having a hurricane preparedness plan
  • Money
  • Payroll/Administration
  • Media
  • Back-up support
  • Lack of organized plan to deal with aerial adulticiding
  • Guidelines beforehand for spraying
  • Lack of knowledge about mosquito control from higher-ups
  • Special districts vs. county
  • Marshal law
  • Electricity
  • Communication
  • Equipment
  • Fuel
  • Coordination
  • Human resources
  • Facilities/ Accommodations
  • Re-entry
  • Security
  • Training- ICS- on FEMA website, DACS also at FMCA meeting

 

II. Methods to Overcome Major Impediments

 

  • A tested response plan that is in  place is essential

Ø      Make a plan- review, practice, train

Ø      Plan for travel restrictions

Ø      Plan for aerial adulticiding

Ø      Plan for options for ground spraying

Ø      Have plan for important contacts

Ø      Plan for procedures to allow safe re-entry to damaged facilities

  • Have established mutual aid agreements
  • Prepare with needed emergency equipment

Ø      Emergency generators

Ø      Communication equipment

a.       8oo MHz system

b.      Chargers in vehicles

c.       Portable towers

d.      Communication with EOC, emergency number

Ø      Vehicles

a.       Extra tires already inflated and on rims

b.      Rent 4 wheel drive vehicles

Ø      Fuel

a.       Fuel all vehicles

b.      Pre-arranged contracts to obtain fuel

  • Human Resources

Ø      Mutual AID agreements

Ø      Out-of-state help

Ø      Give time off to secure homes

  • Coordination with Important Contacts -  EOC- State, County

Ø      Know EOC director

  • Money and Payroll

Ø      Obtain and have on hand ready cash in form of cash advance

Ø      Prearrange ability to provide payroll through external banking

  • Security

Ø      Keep in contact with local law enforcement

 

III. Conclusions

 

  • There are substantial impediments to reinitiating mosquito control operations after a hurricane.
  • A hurricane response plan that is tested and in effect prior to the actual emergency is essential.
  • Hurricane response plans need to address what items should be in place well in advance of the actual hurricane and how to respond appropriately once the hurricane has passed during the hurricane recovery period.
  • The major impediments to mosquito control result from infrastructural damage that is both physical and organizational.

 

 

 

Workshop Group 2: Priority Setting

 

            Facilitator:                    Bill Opp

            Recorder:                     Kelly Etherson

            Reporter:                      Dennis Moore

            FMEL Liaison:             C. Roxanne Rutledge-Connelly

 

Questions Addressed:

1.      What are the 4-6 primary priorities for mosquito control during a hurricane emergency?

2.      What measures are needed to achieve each priority?

 

Output

 

I.       Primary priorities for mosquito control during a hurricane emergency

 

  • Staffing:

Ø      Training for hurricane emergency

Ø      Assigning employee duties/ authority

a. Chain of command

Ø      Prioritizing first response teams

a.  Pre and post storm

b. Current addresses and phone numbers of all staff

Ø      Address appropriate balance between the personal and professional needs of staff

Ø      Update employee handbook to include emergencies

  • Communications:

Ø      Mutual activity agreements

Ø      Coordination to suspend spray restrictions

Ø      Early EOC visits (coordinated by EOC)

Ø      Develop a plan before emergency

a.       Be flexible

b.      Modify as you go

Ø      Radio/media

Ø      Tracker protocols

  • Resources:

Ø      Mutual agreements (prestorm)

Ø      Funding/ CASH (prestorm)

Ø      Exchange of services (during and prestorm)

Ø      Fuel/generators (prestorm)

Ø      Food, ice, water (prestorm)

Ø      Fully stocked supplies (prestorm)

Ø      Blue tarps (prestorm and poststorm)

  • Protection of Assets:

Ø      Safety/security

Ø      Evacuation of aircraft/ vehicles

Ø      Laptops, secure chemicals

Ø      Con- air/ground (??)

Ø      Documents

a.       Pre/post inventories.

Ø      Keeping facility operational.

Ø      Back-up facility/payroll.

Ø      Facilities- structure ok?

II.                Measures needed to achieve priorities.

 

  • Staffing

Ø      Establish staffing plan in advance.

Ø      Incorporate reduced size in available personnel due to personal responsibilities.

  • Communications

Ø      Plan ahead for making contacts.

Ø      Develop agreements in advance.

  • Resources

Ø      Have resources on hand in advance.

Ø      Develop agreements in advance.

  • Protection of Assets

Ø      Develop plans in advance.

 

III.             Conclusions.

 

·        Priorities have to be set in advance of the storm.

·        Priorities include dealing with personnel issues, communications within and without the organization, acquiring resources, and protecting organizational assets during and after the storm.

·        Priorities change before the storm, during and after the storm.

·        Plans for changing priorities have to be in place well in advance of the emergency.

 

Workshop Group 3: Coordination with other agencies

 

      Facilitator:                    Bob Betts

      Recorder:                     Alan Curtis

      Reporter:                      Mark Lathem

      FMEL Liaison:             Jonathan F. Day

 

Questions Addressed:

1.      What are the 6 primary agencies which mosquito control must coordinate efforts?

2.      What is the role of each agency in supporting mosquito control?

3.      What is the optimal expectation of mosquito control from each agency? What is the optimal expectation that each agency has for mosquito control?

4.      What are the impediments to coordination and support with each agency? What measures can be put in place to overcome impediments to coordination?

 

Output:

I.       Identified Primary Agencies

 

·        Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and Emergency Operations (EOC).

·        Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

·        Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

·        Florida Mosquito Control Association (FMCA) and County Mosquito Control Agencies.

·        Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

·        Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Agency (USFW).

·        Federal Aviation Agency (FAA).

·        Law Enforcement Agencies

 

II. Needs from Agencies to Support of Florida Mosquito Control

A. DEM (EOC)

·        Coordinate aerial activities with FAA to ensure safety and ability to fulfill aerial spray missions.

·        Mosquito Control must have access to the “Tracker” system.

·        Establish chain-of-command time line (local/state/federal responsibilities).

·        Coordinate with Public Information Office (email to EOC and Law Enforcement).

·        Special Districts need good coordination with their local EOC, i.e., need a desk a presence at the EOC.

·        Emphasize scientific basis, not sensationalize arboviruses with media.

·        Provide State EOC ID badges for mosquito control personnel that could be used as an official identification during hurricane emergency and alert law enforcement that this permits holders to conduct their duties.


B. FEMA

·     Provide a single State Contact for information. The contact could be located in Tallahassee fielding mosquito control issues from throughout the state.

·        Provide a project officer as a point contact for each district.

·        Provide a list of successful contracts for getting services accomplished through FEMA funding.

·        Contact CDC or other mosquito borne disease authorities who can assess mosquito control data on pest and disease carrying mosquitoes that report hurricane related extremes on mosquito populations compared to historical information provided by districts.

·        FEMA is primarily concerned with recovery,  an after the event funding source

 

C. FDACS

·        Develop a Pre Hurricane Emergency Plan in collaboration with FMCA that will include a list of essential emergency contacts and information concerning the role of the contacts.

·        Develop a working exercise on Hurricane Response issues that are specific to mosquito control.

·        Develop a “Resource List” that includes all Florida mosquito control organizations that contains resources at each organization that could be provided elsewhere in the state in support of emergency mosquito control operations.

·        Provide oversight and information through participation in state government level hurricane emergency planning like the annual Governors Hurricane Response Conference

 

D. FMCA and Florida Mosquito Control Districts

·        Collaborate with FDACS to develop a Pre Hurricane Emergency Plan that will include a list of essential emergency contacts and information concerning the role of the contacts.

·        Provide authoritative support to local mosquito control requests to agencies that are based on sound science.

·        Participate and share information from the annual Governors Hurricane Response Conference.

·        Develop a list of mosquito control resources that are available in Florida for use in hard-hit areas, i.e. aircraft tie-downs, hangar space, etc.

·        Develop a template document for use as “legally acceptable” mutual aid agreements for use between individual districts to share resources and support one another.

 

E. FDOH/CDC

·        Provide support allowing appropriate responses to both disease (arbovirus) and pest problems.

·        Provide template forms that can be used to justify appropriate responses to both disease (arbovirus) and pest problems.

·        Include mosquito control as an essential component to efforts part of disaster recovery.

·        Coordinate release of important messages, i.e., 5 D’s, mosquito control responses, etc.

 

F. DEP/USFW

·        Coordinate thru FDACS for emergency status and mosquito population levels.

·        Develop an Emergency Response plan to include what might be allowed above normal operations for mosquito control as stated in current management plans.

 

G. FAA

·        Provide access to traffic areas and restricted airspace as needed.

·        Alert other traffic, public/private/military to mosquito control activity.

·        Coordinate with military recovery efforts (many low flying helicopters).

 

H. Law Enforcement

·        Exempt mosquito control personnel from curfews to allow them to perform mosquito control operations.

·        Provide access to damaged areas that have been sealed if safe to do so.

·        Provide or recognize special IDs and permit mosquito control personnel to perform their duties.

·        Recognize mosquito control ID’s during enforced evacuation policies to allow mosquito control employees to re-enter evacuated areas if safe to do so.

·        Provide enhanced security of damaged facilities to protect access to mosquito control pesticides.

 

III. Agency Expectations of Mosquito Control Districts

A.     DEM/FEMA

·        Keep in contact with agency.

·        Provide appropriate forms and justification for any requests for assistance.

 

B FDACS

·        Keep in contact with agency. Stay in touch.

·        Get in touch and develop a working relationship with local EOC members.

·        Provide complete spray request information including surveillance data, corresponding historical data and maps with coordinates and other features for any requests for DACS assistance.

·        Provide assistance to DACS during emergency spray operations in personnel and expertise to trap and identify mosquitoes in areas where expertise does not exist.

 

C. FDOH/CDC

·        Inform FDOH of surveillance and mosquito information to allow risk assessment that affects the public health and well being.

·        Work with FDOH in Tallahassee and with the local county DOH office.

·        Coordinate any public messages concerning public health risk through FDOH in Tallahassee and with the local county DOH office.

 

D. DEP/USFW

·        Provide justification in the form of scientific data for any requests to modify access to protected lands as part of emergency mosquito control as part of hurricane recovery.

 

E. FAA

·        Keep in contact and inform FAA of activities.

 

F. Law Enforcement

·        Adhere to local law enforcement restrictions during hurricane recovery.

·        Keep law enforcement appraised of operations and needs.

 

IV.              Conclusions

 

·        Mosquito control has specific needs for support and assistance from several local, state, and from federal agencies during the recovery phase from a hurricane event.

·        Several essential agencies have yet to develop a planning document that includes mosquito control as part of the after hurricane recovery response.

·        Agency response plans that include mosquito control are urgently needed.

·        FDACS as the state agency with over sight for mosquito control plays a key role in coordinating state and federal resources within Florida.

·        FDACs needs to work closely with FMCA, and through FMCA with Florida mosquito control districts to develop a mosquito control hurricane response plan document for distribution to mosquito control, public health and law enforcement agencies.

 

 

Workshop Group 4: Responses

 

      Facilitator:                    Doug Carlson

      Recorder:                     Gary D’Andrea

      Reporter:                      Ed Hunter

      FMEL Liaison:             George F. O’Meara

 

Questions Addressed

1.      What mosquito control responses are available using local resources?

2.      What are 4-6 mosquito control responses using external resources?

3.      What methods are available to obtain external resources?

 

Output

 

I.                   Mosquito Control Responses Using Local Resources

 

A. Action responses taken shortly before the arrival of a hurricane.

·        Structural preparedness: covering windows, moving supplies, equipment, vehicles and airplanes to safer locations.

·        Review and update hurricane response plans, especially contact information for employees, emergence relief agencies and those with decision making authority.

·        Obtain supplies that would be difficult to acquire immediately after a major hurricane (e.g., fuel, cash, alternative energy sources, tire repair kits, etc.).

·        Evaluate potential mosquito treatment options that can be implemented following a hurricane.

·        Contact vendors to make arrangements for additional supplies that might be needed, especially insecticides.

·        Begin or continue interactions with the local EOC.

 

B.     Action responses taken after the hurricane.

·        Assess damage to facilities and equipment.

·        Contact employees and attend to their needs for food and shelter.

·        Address needs for mosquito and mosquito-borne disease surveillance.

·        Re-evaluate the unit’s mosquito control capabilities and the area’s need for emergence mosquito control.

·        Refine mosquito treatment plans based on current capabilities and needs 

Ø      Timely larvicide and adulticide responses.

·        Repellent distribution

·        Expand mosquito control capacity by requesting assistance from local city and county governments, other Florida mosquito control districts, and state and federal agencies.

·        Follow through with contracted services

·        Using various media sources to communicate with the public

·        Documenting and justifying actions taken.

Ø      Filling out forms.

 

II.                Mosquito Control Responses Using External Resources

·        Increase available operational equipment.