CSEPP.ORG

Purpose: Evacuation

Under Oregon State statutes, the Counties have a legal and ethical responsibility to protect its citizens and their property from natural and man-made disasters and emergencies. This document, describes how Morrow County, Umatilla County, and affected municipalities will respond to emergency events which threaten the lives, health, and property of their residents. Additionally, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is responsible for the operation of all state and interstate highways within Oregon.

The Umatilla Chemical Depot, which housed approximately 12% of the nation's original stockpile of chemical warfare agents, is located within Morrow and Umatilla Counties. Release of these chemical agent munitions, due to accident or terrorist action, has the potential to kill and injure hundreds of county residents, devastate the environment, and cause sustained, widespread economic hardship.

This CSEPP Evacuation Plan, identifies designated evacuation routes and modes of communication, activation and operation of the Evacuation Control System (ECS), and the initial deployment of response personnel and assets for Morrow and Umatilla Counties, the affected cities within the Immediate Response Zone/Protective Action Zone (IRZ/PAZ), and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), and ODOT in the critical early moments following initial notification of a chemical agent accident.

Background

The Umatilla Community has adopted an initial default "shelter-in-place"* protective action strategy in the event of a Community Level Emergency. The public will be notified of the emergency and instructed to shelter-in-place via the community wide Alert and Notification System (ANS). The ANS will be activated by personnel of the Umatilla County Sheriff's Department E-911/Dispatch Center*. Following activation of the ANS, E-911/Dispatch personnel at Umatilla County, Morrow County, the Hermiston Safety Center, Tribal Dispatch Center, the Oregon State Police, Oregon Department of Transportation, and Oregon Emergency Management will begin the notification of emergency responders and key emergency management personnel. Upon initial notification, personnel will report immediately to their predetermined duty stations or staging areas.

* Motorists in vehicles at the time of the event will be directed to evacuate the area utilizing the ECS, which consists of: designated evacuation routes marked by variable message signs, coordinated traffic signals, static signs, drop arm barricades, and law enforcement personnel.

Special Facilities and Events

The following special facilities and events create serious concerns and problems associated with emergency evacuation efforts due to the large number of people who participate, attend, or work in these facilities (See Annex N):

UMATILLA COUNTY FAIR & RODEO GROUNDS (HERMISTON)

Events held at the Umatilla County Fair & Rodeo Grounds present a significant challenge to an efficient and effective evacuation during an emergency. Attendance numbers and the nature of vehicular traffic parking along adjacent streets and in parking areas constrict potential evacuation routes during these events. Of particular interest to evacuation needs and routing is the probable pedestrian movement across arterials and collectors which will conflict with vehicular movement along those designated as evacuation routes. Traffic management and safety personnel must be appropriately trained to facilitate an evacuation under these circumstances. Public education programs must also address special event issues so the public is aware of this serious concern and problem.

WATER PARK & SOCCER FIELD (HERMISTON)

The Hermiston soccer fields and water park located just east of the Good Shepherd Medical Center pose a very significant and unique challenge for evacuation during an emergency situation. The soccer fields and ongoing games may have 500 to 1200 young children and spectators present at one time. A large percentage of these children are dropped off by their parent(s)/guardian creating a very serious problem in the event of an emergency and the need for evacuation.

In addition, the following special facilities and events also create serious concerns and problems associated with emergency evacuation efforts due to the large number of people who participate, attend, or work in these facilities:

• Northwest Livestock Commission & Sale Arena (Hermiston-Westland Road)
• Wal-Mart Super Store (Hermiston)
• Wal-Mart Distribution Center (Hermiston)
• Home Depot (Hermiston)
• Local Bass Tournaments during the summer

Local large scale event coordinators will coordinate with the UMCD to see if scheduled Depot maintenance requirements can be scheduled during these events to minimize the risk associated with weapons destruction at times when evacuation options are seriously compromised.

If requested by the IC, and authorized by the Governor, National Guard support will be available to assist with evacuation efforts.

Managing Adjustments to an Emergency Evacuation

During a chemical agent emergency evacuation, for a variety of unanticipated reasons, it may become necessary to adjust or modify the chemical agent emergency evacuation plan. Apparent reasons for such modifications could include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Changes in the plume direction or seriousness of the chemical agent event;
• Blockage or excessive vehicle congestion on a designated evacuation route;
• Anticipated failure to complete the chemical agent emergency evacuation before the hazardous conditions impact evacuees; and
• Unforeseen weather changes.

Alternate chemical agent emergency evacuation routes, actions, and resource deployment can be pre-planned by Planning Section Chief to address these potential issues. For other situations that cannot be anticipated during the planning of a chemical agent emergency evacuation, the IC will work with all relevant agencies at the time to adjust the emergency evacuation routing in accordance with the guidance provided in this section. In the event of a physical blockage of an emergency evacuation route, the Law Branch Director will coordinate, as necessary, to remove the blockage. If removal is not feasible, the Operations Section Chief will work with the Planning Section Chief to plan and implement alternate routing.

Communications - (See Annex E)

Plan Development and Maintenance

In order to maintain the capability of effectively implementing an emergency evacuation, all State and local agencies and organizations that support emergency operations, working under the coordination of the IC and each county emergency management agency, will accomplish the following:

• Participate in and support, as appropriate, emergency evacuation planning efforts;
• Provide information regarding the organization's available personnel, equipment, facilities, and supplies to facilitate the implementation of emergency evacuations;
• Review appropriate state and local procedures to ensure adequate understanding of the organization's responsibilities and commitment pursuant to each potential hazard;
• Integrate the responsibilities and operational concepts defined in the hazard-specific annexes into the organization's other emergency plans and procedures;
• Provide and/or participate in training regarding the implementation of emergency evacuation procedures;
• Maintain preparedness to implement the organization's responsibilities when events necessitate the need for an emergency evacuation;
• Upon the decision to implement an emergency evacuation, conduct local operations to support the evacuation in accordance with this plan, and other plans and procedures utilized by the county ECC/EOC; and
• Participate in after-action evaluations and assessments of this and other state and local procedures

Maintenance of this Procedure

Annually, CSEPP, working through the Program Managers, will take the following steps to ensure that this procedure is maintained:

• Ensure emergency evacuation planning meetings are convened and that, at a minimum, participants complete the following activities:
  • Review the existing emergency evacuation plans for all hazards to ensure continued accuracy and validity, and make any necessary modifications;
  • Review the availability of regional emergency evacuation routes, public shelters, and hotel/motel capacities for all hazards, and modify as needed;
  • Determine the need to develop additional procedures;
  • Ensure training in this procedure has been made available locally to all relevant agencies.
• Consider simulated implementation of this procedure as a part of the annual CSEPP exercise and other training opportunities;
• Modify this procedure and/or the hazard-specific annexes accordingly;
• Review all public information materials to ensure their adequacy to support and facilitate an emergency evacuation;
• Identify any construction projects which may significantly decrease the capacity of designated emergency evacuation routes; coordinate with the involved agencies to evaluate and define feasible alternative actions in the event of an evacuation along a particular route(s); and
• Provide training for the CSEPP staff in the use and implementation of this procedure.