After Action Conference

Disaster Resistant Communities Group – www.drc-group.com / All Clear Emergency Management Group - www.allclearemg.com

After Action Conference


• Purpose of Exercise• Participant Comments• Improvement Action Items

Agenda


Exercise Purpose


• Networking with various agencies and organizations while gaining insight on different concepts and resources that are available.

• Coordination with surrounding agencies. The exercise highlighted that other agencies will need to be coordinated with to provide for a seamless disaster response.

• Identified gaps in our current plans.

• Shelter coordination.

• Having the majority of the county's municipalities and other support agencies in the same room at the same time.

• The county is currently in a very unique position to take on a stronger leadership role regarding disaster response collaboration and coordination among municipalities and VOAD members.

Participant Comments


• Networking with American Red Cross and the volunteer groups was very positive and good relationships were established.

• Post storm recovery. Areas not originally identified as being problem areas now became priorities. It taught us to broaden our planning to a least considered issues that we didn't originally.

• Now that we know about the VOAD system, utilizing it.

• Messaging coordination with other communities and county.

• Collaboration became increasingly important and made me realize that detailed preplanning was paramount when faced with a natural disaster. Small details loomed larger when facts were considered.

Participant Comments


Action Items

Observation

At the beginning of the exercise only a few agencies and organizations collaborated or coordinated with one another or the county.

Recommendation

Develop a virtual Multiagency Coordinating Center (MACC) concept designed to enhance information gathering and sharing among municipalities, the county and community / faith based organizations.

Responsible Agency Monmouth County OEM

Date October 1 2012


Action Items

Observation

At the beginning of the exercise only a few agencies and organizations collaborated or coordinated with one another or the county.

Recommendation

Implement a virtual Multiagency Coordinating Center (MACC) by providing training on its utilization then conduct a countywide virtual MACC exercise.


Date Begin implementation by January 1 2013


Action Items

Observation

Many of the municipalities are not aware of the resources that are available to their residents from community and faith based organizations.

Recommendation

Have 2-1-1 and VOAD leadership conduct a workshop on the resources that are available to individuals and families via 2-1-1 before, during and after a disaster.


Date October 1 2012


Action Items

Observation

There was limited coordination and collaboration among agencies and organizations when disseminating important information to residents and the media.

Recommendation

Develop Joint Information System (JIS) designed to ensure consistent messaging is provided to residents and the media.


Date January 1 2013


Action Items

Observation

There was limited coordination and collaboration among agencies and organizations when disseminating important information to residents and the media.

Recommendation

Implement the Joint Information System (JIS) by conducting training on the utilization of the system. Incorporate the use of the JIS in the virtual MACC exercise.


Date Begin implementation by February 1 2013


Action Items

Observation

The ability for municipalities to effectively establish and manage evacuee shelters appears to be very limited.

Recommendation

Engage all municipalities and appropriate organizations in the development of a countywide sheltering plan. Upon completion of the plan assess its capability by conducting a drill in which in which all of the shelters are simultaneously opened and staffed with appropriate personnel.


Date Begin planning process by August 1 2012


Discussion / Questions

Documents

After Action Conference