Recently there has been some commentary regarding the Town of Greenwich’s Emergency Operations Plan. Post September 11, 2001 this plan has been an increasingly important document to determine how our Town will respond to the many possible emergencies that we may face.
It is a guideline that we use to detail how each department and our many community partners will work together to address emergencies. The plan is designed to assist the Town to preplan how we will respond and cooperate to lessen the impact on our citizenry of such disasters. The plan is a requirement under State Law. Under Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 1-210 subparagraph 19(viii) it is also exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. It is exempt because it contains many sensitive public safety plans that could be jeopardized or disrupted if they were made public prior to an event and it is also filled with personal contact data from the many individuals and groups that help keep our citizens safe.
The Town of Greenwich staff review the Emergency Operations Plan regularly to update the information and make it is as current as possible. Our most recent effort is designed to partition the document in such a way that information that is not sensitive is available for public access while those sections that deal with security or personal data is segregated and kept private. This is not to deny the public’s right to know but merely to preserve our legitimate need to protect public safety and personal privacy.
To provide the public with a better understanding of what transpires during an emergency situation I have prepared a short summary of how we respond to emergency conditions.
When a disaster is imminent, I activate the Town’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). In this room we have representatives from all responding departments and our community partners so that we may address whatever the threat is in a unified fashion. As First Selectman I have the responsibility under the law to lead this effort. Obviously, we have many qualified and experienced people within our organization and our partners who I rely on to assure that no element of the emergency situation is overlooked. The departments and community partners who are regularly included in this effort are: Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, G.I.S., Health, Conservation, Board of Education, Greenwich Emergency Medical Service, Red Cross and depending upon the situation the Greenwich and Perrot Libraries. Other departments and community groups may also be added if conditions warrant. We also coordinate closely with the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection as well as with our state and federal partners. Often our state and federal legislators join us to facilitate our efforts. Of equal importance are the many volunteers and other organizations that based upon the situation work to ensure the resilience of our community.
During Hurricane Irene individuals like teenager Victoria Horton of Cos Cob or youth from the Greenwich Boy Scouts who gave of their time to fill sandbags, or the many volunteer firefighters who hand-delivered evacuation notices to residents, or like Julia Chiappetta who helped to answer the phones in the Emergency Operations Center for countless hours, or like Ross Ogden of the Red Cross who has served our community for the past 40 years by focusing on providing shelter and support services to individuals and families dislocated from their residences. Without the assistance of these and many other individuals Greenwich could never meet the challenges that disasters like Hurricane Irene present.
During 2010 our Town was hit by a nor’easter that caused significant damage to our community. Our coordinated response was touted by then-Commissioner of Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Peter Boynton in remarks after the event as being a best-practice and a model for other Connecticut communities. However, while we were proud of our actions we also identified several areas were we could do better. These included the need to better prepare our residents for disaster situations, improved relations with Connecticut Light and Power and a more coordinated communication plan with the media.
As a result, on September 21st, 2010 the Town of Greenwich Health Department published a Resident Guide to Hurricane Preparedness, which contained pertinent information about what residents should do in case of a hurricane. This handbook was widely distributed throughout the community and was (and still is) available on the Town’s website. Shortly thereafter, the Town hosted a Hurricane Preparedness symposium at the Cole Auditorium of the Greenwich Library. This event gathered all department heads responsible for responding to an emergency as well as representatives from Connecticut Light and Power and Connecticut Natural Gas to detail how each entity prepares individually and as a part of a coordinated response. It also detailed what departments are responsible for what actions during and after the storm. This symposium was moderated by ABC News 7 Meteorologist Bill Evans and was broadcast live by Channel 79 and WGCH. Channel 79 also recorded and repeatedly rebroadcast this event in the subsequent weeks. The presentation itself was made available (and is still available) on the Town’s website.
As Hurricane Irene approached, we incorporated those lessons learned and invited community radio station WGCH as well as having a dedicated CL&P representative into the EOC. WGCH assisted with getting more and better information out to the public while the CL&P representative assisted with coordinating our joint response to the storm. While many in Town - myself included - were not happy with how long it took to restore power to all residents, this was a function of the resources allotted by CL&P. The inclusion of a CL&P representative in the EOC was very helpful over the course of the restoration period in reopening roads and electric service. I believe their presence made the process better than it would have been if they were not present.
Recently the Town was recognized by the Community and Regional Resilience Institute and asked to participate in a nationwide program to improve emergency response. We were one of only eight communities so recognized and asked to participate in this model program. This program is being managed out of the Oakridge National Laboratories and is designed to develop high-performing emergency response communities. It is both an honor for the Town of Greenwich and recognition of the excellent emergency services that we provide.
No one looks forward to emergencies but when the unexpected occurs and when there are dire circumstances, I know that the Town of Greenwich and our many community volunteer groups are not only well prepared but filled with dedicated people who come forward to face these challenges. The Town is truly blessed and I am extremely pleased to be leading such a fine group of individuals and organizations.
Respectfully,
Peter J. Tesei
First Selectman
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