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Emergency Planning for Large Scale Events

Joseph Gilliard Manager, Gas Emergency Planning June 25, 2013

Gas Distribution - US

In the US, we own and operate gas networks in upstate New York, New York City, Long Island, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island

Deliver natural gas to 3.5 million consumers

Emergency Planning and Management

Monitor

Learn

Collaborate Mobilize

Act

Train

Be Prepared Be Aware Be Ready

Conduct Training & Exercises

Annually provide training to personnel with emergency response and restoration duties.

Perform annual hurricane/tropical storm/flood readiness exercises.

Perform annual large scale gas emergency restoration exercises, including participation with external agencies.

Small scale tabletop exercises with specific groups of employees to refresh knowledge and/or focus on particular issues that may or have affected operations.

Hurricane/Flood Preparatory Actions Annual Review and Revision of the Hurricane/Flood Plan. During April of each year, perform a hurricane readiness

assessment of operational areas. For incoming storms, Preparatory Sessions held 72, 48, and

12 - 24 hours prior to landfall.

Implement proactive public awareness communications.

Move vehicles, equipment and supplies that may be affected by flooding to alternate locations.

Implement flood zone patrols.

Initiate the Gas Emergency Response Plan, finalize the emergency organization roster and communicate activation of EOC(s).

Experience and Knowledge

• Lesson’s learned are generally driven by the effects experienced.

• Past storms challenged our established planning measures, but not in the way that Super Storm Sandy did.

Our plans were developed based on our Past Experience and Knowledge Gained from affects on

other regions and utilities.

What Changed with How We’re Planning for Emergencies?

Experience and Knowledge

Super Storm Sandy – convergence of multiple weather systems followed days later by a nor’easter with 40 – 50

mph winds and 8 inches of snow.

Experience and Knowledge 2006 North Fork Gas Outage 2012 Super Storm Sandy

Customer Outages: 1,870 Customer Outages: 23,000 Single Commodity Event Multiple Commodity Event Contractor Damage of Gas Main requiring:

• Customer cut off

• Repair

• Re-gas

• Customer re-light

Extensive flooding of gas mains and services, undermining / damage to LP system, replaced 28 miles of gas main, still replacing meters and regulators (30K and 60K), coordination of re-gas with energization of electric, contractor support with dewatering, meals, safety, lodging, extensive communications, affect on multiple regions, etc.

Mutual Aid: Never before requested Over 320 crews from 24 Utilities

Learning Experience Although we experienced an event that caused extensive damage and distress to both the Communities we serve

and employee’s, it provided an opportunity to re-evaluate our established planning and preparedness processes.

• Not possible for single commodity events

• Limited possibility to evaluate and consider all potential conditions can be experienced.

Learning Experience As a result, we were able to implement actions that will provide for better planning of future large-scale

emergency events.

The following are some of the key actions taken.

Organizational Enhancements

ICS Organization Enhancement

Established a Planning Section Chief Position. • The role and responsibilities of a Planning Section Chief

previously fell within the Operations organization.

ICS Organization Enhancement

The Planning Section Chief has overall responsibility to ensure availability of qualified Company, contractor, and mutual aid support resources.

Separating the responsibility of Operations and Resource Planning ensures: • Focus is placed on ensuring availability of qualified

Company and contractor support.

• Allows Operations focus fully on restoration activities.

• Greater emphasis is placed on data gathering and documentation development.

• Adds the position of Mutual Aid Coordinator.

ICS Organization Enhancement

Enhanced Logistical Support

ICS Organization Enhancement

Previously implemented a Logistics Organization that was primarily staffed with Gas Organization personnel who would coordinate implementation of logistical needs along with support from: • Purchasing

• Fleet Management

• Facilities Management

• Materials Management

ICS Organization Enhancement Now: Full support of the Logistics function with

appropriate pre-defined organizational personnel to meet the required needs to obtain lodging, delivery of meals, vehicle maintenance, repair, fueling, info technologies, materials, etc.

Communications

Communications

Communications to Media and Community Focus placed on core elements, such as:

• Accurate messaging delivered early,

• Protecting Company reputation, • Demonstrating proficiency in handling

emergency situations,

• Creating trust among customers, community, internal and external stakeholders when emergencies occur,

• Use of multiple delivery and feedback options (text, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc.).

Communications Establish a communications infrastructure that allows:

• Seamless management of comm’s for any gas emergency

• Collaboratively work within Incident Command Structure.

Gas Emergency Crisis Playbook

Performance of Specific Crisis Response Actions within a newly developed “Playbook.” • Define specific actions required for implementation

over the course of the first 36 hours (and greater if needed). Take steps to engage Media and Stakeholders via

social media and Company website.

Communicate with Employee’s via all existing channels to inform of situation (i.e., Intranet, blast email, etc.).

Gas Emergency Crisis Playbook

Communicate facts about gas incident with Media and specific steps the company is taking to resolve the situation.

Establishment of On-scene presence.

Prepare colleagues with information and instructions to address questions by external stakeholders.

• Utilize pre-established Worksheets, Checklists, and boilerplate Media Statements for specific types of emergency events.

Data Gathering and Reporting

Data Gathering and Reporting

Increased Administrative Support • Improved distribution of administrative support to

appropriate organizational areas.

Efficiently obtain and input data.

Coordinated report development

Data Gathering and Reporting

Implementation of a tablet or smart phone based application. • Application development by in-house IT,

• Significantly increases the ability to gather accurate customer outage information and input into the system,

• Efficiently transfers customer outage information into a database,

• Provides greater accuracy of status reporting,

• Better support of Customers with more accurate ETR’s.

Emergency Plans

ERP Standardization Gas and Electric Emergency Response Plans Differ

in structure and delivery of information. • Contracted with Consulting Organization to establish

desired ERP structure.

• Review Best in Class ERP’s,

• Collaborate via workshops with Company Leadership and personnel in key Emergency Organization roles to gain buy-in.

• Evaluate gaps and best practices.

• Develop and approve new ERP’s and establish a training process.

Flood Plans Enhanced Customer Communication guidance on

what to expect and how to contact National Grid for any gas service issue.

Bolster coordination for relocation of Company personnel, vehicles and equipment from flood zones.

Flood Plans

Developed Guidance for Confirmed Flood Areas Not Isolated • Performance of Field Safety Assessments

• Performance of Leak Surveys

Assess for service equipment, inside piping and appliance damage

• Evaluation for water infiltration/damage of service regulators and meters including vents

• Notification for need to conduct a safety inspection of Customer owned equipment.

Command Posts and Staging Areas

Command Post Establishment

Evaluate Need for Establishing Command Posts

Include Material, Equipment, Personnel Staging Areas

Command Posts Establishment of 7 Command Posts provided:

Efficiencies with command of restoration efforts in the hardest hit areas • Pre-event consideration for use

and potential locations. • Provides localized command

and control options.

Co-staffed with Community Reps to Support Customers • Provides customers with

localized point of contact for ETR’s, coordination of restoration, etc.

• Rallying points for Customer Outreach programs.

Staging Areas

Plan for Use of Staging Areas and Establish them Early Pre-determine materials and equipment to be staged. Very Useful as Areas to Feed Crews Away from the Locally

affected areas.

Final Thoughts

Some areas we haven’t spoken about require further effort and time to implement.

Opportunities such as today’s event further our ability to learn and collaborate.

This combination of past emergency planning practices and lesson’s learned from Sandy place us in a strong position going forward.

Monitor

Learn

Collaborate Mobilize

Act

Train

Be Prepared Be Aware Be Ready

Questions?