Paratransit Emergency Preparedness and Operations Handbook (2013) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 59-82
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From page 59... ...
59 C h a p t e r 5 Paratransit preparedness plans are put into action during the response phase of reacting to emergencies. Actions are taken to provide life-sustaining support, prevent loss of life or further injuries, stabilize and control the situation, treat and transport the injured, address other basic humanitarian needs, and prevent further property or environmental damage.
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60 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook and service requests. Thus, paratransit would have its own designated channel for internal communications with the ability to switch to other channels to communicate with the Incident Command Post (ICP)
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response 61 ment, industry, and non-governmental organization personnel. GETS provides emergency access and priority processing in the local and long-distance segments of the public switched telephone network (PSTN)
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62 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook Resource for Urban/Suburban Areas ▪▪ Developing Multi-Agency Interoperability Communications Systems http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/show_resource.php? id=3898 This Office for Domestic Preparedness handbook was developed to address interoperability and intended to enhance communications among the numerous agencies who would respond to large-scale incidents or emergencies.
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response 63 ▪▪ Government Emergency Telecommunications System (GETS) http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/show_resource.php?
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64 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook Strategy ▪▪ Work out methods in advance for communicating timely and accurate information to paratransit customers and partner agencies about service disruptions, shutdowns, and subsequent service startup and include these methods in your EOP. Partner agencies may include primary caregivers, medical providers, and resident care centers.
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From page 65... ...
response 65 ▪▪ Communication Systems Supporting Essential Functions Worksheet http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/show_resource.php? id=4151 Complete one of these worksheets from TCRP Report 86/NCHRP Report 525, Volume 8: Continuity of Operations (COOP)
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66 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook assigned role at the EOC. Problems can arise when there is insufficient communication and coordination between transit, paratransit, and emergency management.
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response 67 Resources for Urban/Suburban and Rural/Tribal Areas ▪▪ Emergency Operations Center Guide http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/show_resource.php? id=4173 This document from the Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management describes in detail the purpose and function of an EOC.
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From page 68... ...
68 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook ▪▪ In no-notice events, the magnitude of the emergency will dictate whether there is a need to activate a DOC. Paratransit providers may operate through the DOC, or on their own, to meet the emergency transportation needs of their customers.
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From page 69... ...
response 69 Resource for Urban/Suburban and Rural/Tribal Areas ▪▪ Information Sharing Guidebook for Transportation Management Centers, Emergency Operations Centers, and Fusion Centers http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/show_resource.php? id=4174 This site provides an overview of the mission and functions of transportation management centers, EOCs, and fusion centers.
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70 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook Strategy ▪▪ Fleet readiness, including pre-fueling vehicles, can greatly enhance timely response to emergencies. When planning for reacting to local emergencies, your agency may determine on its own whether there is a need to stage or pre-position equipment.
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response 71 needs of its customers, community-wide emergency response capabilities can be affected. This type of decision needs to be discussed with emergency management before an emergency occurs.
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72 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook Tool: Service Continuity ❑ Establish thresholds for the temporary suspension of paratransit services due to emergency conditions. Share this protocol with partner agencies, emergency management, and other key stakeholders.
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From page 73... ...
response 73 ▪▪ Emergency Service Contingency Policy http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/show_resource.php? id=4183 This example excerpted from "Guidance for Paratransit Emergency Planning" provides guidance on closing normal paratransit operating services in the event of a regional, city-wide, or federal disaster that affects service conditions.
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74 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook ▪▪ Establishing a dedicated mobile command vehicle capable of dispatching and operating under almost any condition is another strategy that enables paratransit to carry out its emergency response missions. Smaller paratransit operators sometimes utilize a radio-equipped paratransit vehicle or administrative vehicle for emergency dispatching purposes.
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From page 75... ...
response 75 nications was developed through a collaborative effort with APTA, CTAA, and other industry representatives. One of the transit industry goals identified in the resulting strategic plan is the creation of a joint council to implement the strategic plan.
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76 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook 5.C.3.b Level of Need It is difficult for emergency management to know the specific needs of individuals requiring evacuation assistance, whether residing alone or within resident care centers. Failure to fully assess the medical and psychological conditions of evacuees may result in paratransit being dispatched to transport individuals requiring a higher level of care than paratransit drivers are trained or qualified to deliver.
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From page 77... ...
response 77 Strategy ▪▪ Paratransit providers can assist emergency management in identifying and locating people with access and functional needs that may require evacuation assistance. While emergency management may know the locations of resident care centers, it may have limited knowledge about the travel patterns and personal residences of people living independently in the community who may need evacuation assistance.
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From page 78... ...
78 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook ▪▪ NCHRP Project 20-59(32) , "A Transportation Guide for All-Hazards Emergency Evacuation" http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?
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From page 79... ...
response 79 ited English proficiency, who speak other languages, and who have a disability that affects communications. 5.C.4 Mobilization Before responding to critical incidents or emergency service requests, your paratransit agency may have to call in additional staff while on-duty drivers complete existing service requirements.
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80 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook Strategy ▪▪ Have a plan for quickly mobilizing paratransit resources in an emergency and include a course of action for a staffing surge. An important part of this plan is to be able to accurately assess the number of staff that will report to work during an emergency and the length of time it will take to mobilize staff.
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From page 81... ...
response 81 Resources for Urban/Suburban Areas ▪▪ Template Call-Down List and Instructions http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/show_resource.php? id=4155 This resource is adapted from a form located on the Salt Lake City Community College Risk Management website.
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From page 82... ...
82 paratransit emergency preparedness and Operations handbook ▪▪ Issues surrounding pet evacuation typically require extensive pre-planning to address safety and security concerns, and therefore, advance-notice emergencies tend to be less challenging where pet transportation is concerned. Effective Practices ▪▪ The success of community-wide evacuation activities has been significantly enhanced when emergency management and paratransit providers have jointly agreed to policies that address the emergency transportation needs of individuals accompanied by pets, while also protecting the safety of other passengers.
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