APRIL—JUNE 2018; VOL 2
HSEM HOSTS NORTHEAST RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIRECTOR’S MEETING
On June 27th, HSEM hosted the Northeast Radiological Emergency Preparedness Directors Meeting at the New Hampshire Hospital Association in Concord. Representatives from NextERA Energy (Seabrook Station), Entergy (Vermont Yankee and Pilgrim) and 3 Yankees (Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Connecticut Yankee) along with officials from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, the NRC and FEMA were amongst the 35 attendees.
Topics included new technologies, including the new modular reactor designs, as well as the upcoming evaluated ingestion pathway exercise, scheduled for September of 2020.
HSEM FIELD SERVICES HELPS NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY SEVERE WEATHER
HSEM Field Service Representatives continue working with the New Hampshire communities impacted by recent severe weather. Five separate storms caused extensive damage throughout the state in the past 18 months. Once a storm passes and the initial damage is assessed, the restoration begins and usually continues for an extended period of time. 
The team in Field Services is continuing to work with both Program Developers for FEMA and the local communities, in their designated fields, in an effort to help damaged communities rebuild. They have also been instrumental in working with training community leaders to work with the FEMA Grants Portal, as well as the required data entry. The reps continue to help with site inspections as individual counties and towns complete the disaster restoration process.
In April, Field Services took part in the graded exercise for Seabrook Station, helping to ensure both the EPZ communities and the host communities are prepared in the unlikely event of an emergency.
SCHOOL SAFETY PREPAREDNESS TASK FORCE ISSUES COMPREHENSIVE REPORT
In May of 2018, Governor Sununu chartered the School Safety Preparedness Task Force, chaired by HSEM Director Perry Plummer. Governor Sununu charged the Task Force with evaluating the procedures New Hampshire currently has in place and making actionable recommendations that can be implemented in the future to increase school safety. The Task Force was given 90 days to complete their report. During this time, Governor Sununu requested the focus of the committee be on active shooter situations. The goal was to develop practical recommendations schools could implement easily while continuing to foster an atmosphere in which New Hampshire students are able to have their educational, emotional and physical needs met.
The task force was made up of 16 members from the areas of law enforcement, various staff from New Hampshire schools, parents, and local police, firefighters and first responders. This dedicated team consulted experts on school safety and spent over 1,000 hours researching how other school districts across the country have handled incidents of active shooters and what systems are in place to prevent these incidents in the future. Members of the public were also asked for their input. All comments were accepted and evaluated. Director Plummer and the team also reviewed current New Hampshire law.
The resulting 76-page report focused on seven areas: legislation, mental health, planning, training, exercises, communications and facilities. A total of 59 recommendations were agreed upon by the Task Force members. These recommendations addressed all seven of the focus areas.
When developing the 59 recommendations, Task Force members were focusing not on replacing the current systems but on improving the safety standards that are already in existence. Some of the recommendations included implementing a window and door numbering system , so first responders are able to locate certain areas within the school as expeditiously as possible; putting language into legislation to include all-hazard drills, with at least one of these drills involving an active shooter; increasing and promoting mental health within the school; working with Homeland Security and Emergency Management to complete a reassessment of the school’s physical location and their emergency practices every three years or after a significant staff change or changes to the facility.
The report, in its entirety, can be accessed with the following link: https://www.governor.nh.gov/news-media/press-2018/documents/20180705-school-safety-report.pdf
TRAINING KEY TO BEING PREPARED
Extensive training allows for staff to fine tune their roles during emergency situations. In the event of a situation arising, staff members who have practiced their roles are better equipped to respond quickly and effectively.
HSEM places a high priority on training staff in emergency preparation and response. Between the beginning of April 2018 and the end of June 2018, HSEM Operations played a fundamental role in facilitating close to 100 training exercises. These exercises ranged from Active Shooter Integrated Response to Disrupting the Extremist.
The following classes were facilitated, coordinated, or participated in during the 2nd quarter:
Coordinated:
- ALERRT Active Attack Integrated Response (AAIR) Co-Taught course x2
- ALERRT Active Attack Integrated Response (AAIR) Train the Trainer course
- ALERRT Active Shooter Level I course in Newington x4
- AWR-130 Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings course x2
- AWR-144 Port & Vessel Security for Public Safety & Maritime Personnel
- AWR-319 Leveraging Tools for Conducting Damage Assessments course
- AWR-343 Hurricane Awareness course x2
- Disrupting the Extremist course
- G-191 ICS/EOC Interface
- G-317 CERT (Citizen’s Emergency Response Team) course x3
- ICS Paper Forms Training (EOC/ESF Monthly Meeting)
- MGT-417 Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents course
- NY Tactical Officers’ Conference
Taught:
- CRASE (Citizen’s Response to Active Shooter Events) x7
- Government Resources for Houses of Worship & Faith Communities x3 (UNH Durham, Nashua, Berlin)
- WebEOC courses x11
Participated In:
- 2018 National Preparedness Symposium at the Emergency Management Institute, Emmitsburg, MD
- Black Sky Events
- NH Chiefs of Police Trade Show
- NH Emergency Preparedness Conference
Exercises:
- NH/ME Rural Water Full Scale
- NH/ME Rural Water Tabletop
- REP 2018 Evaluated Seabrook Station Plume Exercise
- REP Dover Reception Center
Coordinated & Facilitated:
- Central NH Hazmat & Civil Support Team – Drill
- Charlestown – Workshop
- Cheshire County Communications – Tabletop x2
- Concord – Workshop & Tabletop
- Great Bay Community College – Tabletop
- Henniker School – Tabletop
- Laconia – Game
- Lyme – Workshop
- Mt. Washington – Workshop
- Patriot Response (SEOC) – Functional
- Stratham Fair – Workshop
- Westmoreland – TTX
- Merrimack – Workshop
- Mills Falls Charter School – Workshop
Funded But Did Not Participate In:
- Hooksett – Functional
- Exercise Topics Included:
- Active Threat x4
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear & Explosives (CBRNE)
- Continuity of Operations x2
- Emergency Operations Center x2
- Emergency Operations Plans x7
- Evacuation
- ICS/EOC Interface
- Reunification
- Water Contamination x2
- Weather: Hurricane
UPCOMING TRAINING COURSES
* Hosting the 2018 New England Exercise & Training Officers workshop (State Exercise and/or Training Officers)
* Coordinating & facilitating functional scale exercise for Strafford County Courthouse.
‘READY’ FOR AN EMERGENCY?
Ready the Prepared Puppy has been hard at work during the 2nd quarter. He attended the Emergency Preparedness Conference, The Dover Fire Safety Festival, Nashua Health and Safety Fair, and the Governor’s Easter Egg Hunt. Each event was an opportunity to remind everyone to prepare for all man-made and natural disasters. If you would like Ready to visit your school or community, contact us at HSEMPIO@dos.nh.gov.
HSEM PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES NOW
ON YOUTUBE
HSEM has an active presence on YouTube. Videos include PSAs for weather events, including flooding; See Something, Say Something™; hurricane preparedness; Ready, the Prepared Puppy; and Turn Around Don’t Drown® . All videos are available for public use.
Go to : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUHWcQMkzczX2jCvPiddOqw?view_as=subscriber to check out and utilize all of the materials available.
