“Keep the Courts Open”

“Keep the Courts Open”

Emergency Preparedness in the Florida Emergency Preparedness in the Florida State CourtsState Courts

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Presentation Overview

1. Overview of Emergency Preparedness Planning in the Florida State Courts

2. Examples of Hurricane Damage and Lessons Learned/Reinforced

3. Appendix: Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic


Overview of Emergency Preparedness Overview of Emergency Preparedness PlanningPlanning

in the Florida State Courtsin the Florida State Courts

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Clear Strategic Goals Established

Justice WellsJustice Wells Justice AnsteadJustice Anstead

We must deal with crises in a way that protects the health and safety of everyone inside our facilities

We must “keep the courts open” to ensure justice for the people

Justice ParienteJustice Pariente Justice LewisJustice Lewis

Chief Justices of the Florida Supreme Court, 9/11 to PresentChief Justices of the Florida Supreme Court, 9/11 to Present

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Staff Dedicated to the Initiative

Emergency Coordinating Officer (ECO) Public Information Officer (PIO) A branch-wide ECO and PIO were also

established Alternates for each ECO and PIO were

also established

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Practical Tools Developed to Achieve the Goal

The Process for Responding to Emergencies Administrative and Emergency Procedures Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)

The Court Emergency Management Group (CEMG) The CEMG represents a policy group

The Eight Fill in the Blank Templates The Court Emergency Management Team

(CEMT) The CEMT represents an operational team

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Process under the Administrative and Emergency Procedures

Emergency Pending or Occurs

Initial Response to Emergencies Will be Outlined

and Should be Followed Based on the Administrative and Emergency Procedures

Does Emergency Causethe Closure of Primary

Facility?

Address Emergency and Resume Full Operations in Primary Facility

Handle the Emergency Situation as Outlined in the

Administrative and Emergency Procedures

No

Is the Length of the Closure Minimal and Acceptable?

Yes

Address Emergency and Resume Full Operations in Primary Facility

Yes

No

COOP

An Individual or Group will make an Initial Assessment as to Whether or Not the Primary Facility Needs to be Closed

Immediately

A copy of this slideshow is available atwww.flcourts.org (Click on “Emergency Preparedness”)

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Process under the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)

COOP

Activate COOP and Begin the Process toward Performance

of Mission Essential Functions in a Predetermined and

Temporary Alternate Facility

Can Full Operations in Primary Facility be

Reconstituted in 30 Days?

Transfer Back into Full Operations in the Primary

Facility

Immediately Begin Efforts to Reconstitute Full Operations within 30 Days in a Long-

Term Alternate Facility

Full Operations in a Long-Term Alternate Facility Initiated

within 30 Days

Perform Mission Essential Functions under the COOP on

a Temporary Basis

Yes

An Individual or Group will Assess Whether or Not Full Operations in the Primary

Facility can be Reconstituted within 30 Days of COOP

Activation

Immediately

Perform Mission Essential Functions under the COOP on

a Temporary Basis

No

A copy of this slideshow is available atwww.flcourts.org (Click on “Emergency Preparedness”)

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The CEMG is local group to develop local policy for preparing, responding, and recovering from emergencies

The CEMG is a means to develop policy given the multiple players and multiple constitutional officers

The CEMG is the means to address the “authority issue”

Membership on the CEMG should include representatives from all relevant stakeholders

The CEMG should utilize the planning templates to develop their unique local plan(s)

The Court Emergency Management Group (CEMG)

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The Eight Fill in the Blank Templates

Copies of these templates are available atwww.flcourts.org (Click on “Emergency Preparedness”)

Administrative and Emergency Procedures1. Checklist for Administrative and Emergency

Procedures2. Decision Making Guide3. Employee Directory Template4. Family Disaster Plan5. Agency Directory Template

Continuity of Operations Plans6. Mission Essential Functions Template7. Alternate Facility Template8. Continuity of Operations Plans Template

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The Court Emergency Management Team (CEMT)

While the CEMG represents a policy group, a separate group, referred to as the Court Emergency Management Team (CEMT), represents an operational team

The CEMT should be made up of the officials and staff who will actually perform the mission essential functions if the COOP is activated

The CEMT members must be provided (or must maintain) all the resources necessary to perform their assigned function Resources agreed to be provided by the alternate facility The CEMT members maintaining “black-bags” Pre-positioning resources at the alternate facility

The CEMT members must have a family disaster plan


Examples of Hurricane DamageExamples of Hurricane Damage

and Lessons Learned/Reinforcedand Lessons Learned/Reinforced

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Examples of the Impact of Hurricane Ivan

M.C. Blanchard Courthouse in Pensacola Florida

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Examples of the Impact of Hurricane Ivan

Justice Barbara J. Pariente visits Pensacolato Review the Response to Hurricane Ivan

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Examples of the Impact of Hurricane Dennis

Santa Rosa County Courthouse in Milton Florida

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Examples of the Impact of Hurricane Dennis

Santa Rosa County Courthouse in Milton Florida

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Examples of the Impact of Hurricane Wilma

Third DCA Courthouse in Miami Florida

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Hendry Courthouse in LaBelle Florida

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Broward Courthouse in Ft Lauderdale Florida

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Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center in Miami Florida

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Lessons Learned/Reinforced Leadership must make emergency preparedness a

priority Leadership must establish clear strategic goals Leadership must dedicate staff to the initiative Staff must get the courts tapped into the existing

emergency management network Staff must coordinate with all relevant stakeholders Staff should develop practical planning tools to

assist in the development of policies and plans Staff must implement redundant means of

communication Staff must address information technology and

records issues


Appendix: Preparing for a Pandemic

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Planning Efforts related to Pandemic Influenza

Florida State Courts Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Endorsed March 29, 2006

Statewide training event held on June 26, 2006 in Orlando

Purchase of emergency supplies

Coordination with the Florida Department of Health and other stakeholders is ongoing

A copy of the Strategy is available atwww.flcourts.org (Click on “Emergency Preparedness”)

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Elements of the Florida State Courts Strategy for Pandemic Influenza

Seven planning tasksplanning tasks with detailed subtasks

A processprocess flowcharting the specific steps and decisions for responding to an influenza pandemic

Short-term and long-term tactical tactical objectivesobjectives

Reasserted strategic policy goalspolicy goals


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Relationship Between the Elements of the Strategy for Pandemic Influenza

Complete the Seven Planning TasksComplete the Seven Planning Tasks

Improved Capacity to Implement Improved Capacity to Implement the Processthe Process

Improved Capacity toImproved Capacity to

Achieve the Tactical ObjectivesAchieve the Tactical Objectives

Improved Capacity toImproved Capacity to

Achieve the Strategic GoalsAchieve the Strategic Goals


Leads toLeads to

Leads toLeads to

Leads toLeads to

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Questions or Comments

FYI, some questions I hope you FYI, some questions I hope you don’tdon’t ask ask: Has every Florida state court fully developed their plans? Has implementation been like making sausage? How have the Florida State Courts addressed NIMS

compliance? How do courts access DHS funds? Which, if any, ESF do the courts fit into? How do courts ensure they can protect their records? Are the courts really that important in an emergency

response?

Contact Information:Greg Cowan 850-922-5460 or 850-509-1578

[email protected] Information:

www.flcourts.org (Click on “Emergency Preparedness”)

Documents

“Keep the Courts Open”