July – September 2018, Vol. 3
SCHOOLS IN WEARE, HENNIKER, AND STODDARD TRAIN WITH HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Employees in leadership roles in SAU 24 spent an entire day in July training with local law enforcement and Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Schools officials in Henniker, Weare, and Stoddard worked together to review the district’s Emergency Operations Plan and practice various emergencies exercises.
DEVELOPING A HIGH QUALITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN
On Wednesday, August 15th, Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s School Readiness Program partnered with the Department of Education to host a free workshop on developing a high quality emergency operations plan. Participants met at ConVal Regional High school in Peterborough. The curriculum focused on helping develop and improve a school’s emergency operations plan. Public and private schools from throughout the state were represented, including SAUs 11, 30, and 87. Ready, the Prepared Puppy also made an appearance to remind teachers and staff that preparing for emergencies is also important for children.
FULL-DAY ACTIVE THREAT TTX AT COE-BROWN
Homeland Security and Emergency Management hosted an all-day tabletop exercise August 14th for SAU 44. Participants met at Coe-Brown Northwood Academy in Northwood. The exercise discussed how an active-threat scenario could impact the region and what the most effective response would be to coordinate an inter-agency response. Attendees included school personnel from Northwood, Nottingham, and Strafford schools, as well as the Northwood Police Department, Northwood Fire and Rescue, Nottingham Police Department, Nottingham Fire Department, Strafford Police Department, and Dail Transportation.
ACTIVE ATTACK INTEGRATED RESPONSE TRAINING
Homeland Security and Emergency Management partnered with local emergency personnel in New London for an active attack integrated response training day. On August 7, 2018, police, fire, EMS, and dispatch personnel from Sutton, Andover, Sunapee, Charlestown, New London, Lebanon, Newbury and Merrimack County trained together on how to work collaboratively to resolve an active shooter situation. The training took place at Kearsarge Regional Elementary School and was hosted by the New London Fire Department. Instructions were given by New Hampshire Certified instructors. For more information on the Active Attack Integrated Response training, please contact training@dos.nh.gov.
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH
September was Emergency Preparedness Month. The Public Information Office at Homeland Security and Emergency Management set up four different activities for families to perform each week throughout the month. September 3rd through 9th, residents were urged to sign up for NH Alerts. September 10th through 16th, residents were prompted to make an emergency plan, decide where they would go, what route they would take, or where they would meet if the family was separated during an emergency. September 17th through 23rd’s task was to fill out emergency contact cards. September 24th through 30th reminded residents to build their emergency kits. Kits can be built year round by purchasing one or two items each week. For more information on preparing for emergencies and to download any and all of these materials, go to ReadyNH.gov.
ICS 402 – OVERVIEWS FOR EXECUTIVES/SENIOR OFFICIALS
ICS 402 is a course designed to familiarize executives and senior officials, both locally and throughout the state, with the Incident Command System. This particular session was designed with elected officials, town and city managers, and agency administrators in mind. Discussions focused on familiarizing participants with the principles of the incident command system(ICS) , the National Incident Management System(NIMS), and how to successfully use these systems in their jurisdictions during an event.
The first course was held at the North Country Health Consortium in Littleton, New Hampshire on September 26th. An additional course was held at the Androscoggin Valley Hospital Community Room in Berlin on Saturday, November 10th. For more information, contact training@dos.nh.gov.
FULL-SCALE EXERCISE HELD FOR STRAFFORD COUNTY COURTHOUSE
Homeland Security and Emergency Management coordinated and facilitated a functional, full-scale exercise for Strafford County personnel at the William A. Grimes Justice and Administration Building in Dover on September 22, 2018, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants and staff were instructed on proper procedures and proper responses in the event of a real incident. Members of the media were invited to observe the exercise.
HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HOSTS WORKSHOP ON FLOODING HAZARDS
On Thursday, September 27th and Saturday, September 29th, Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s Field Services division held a class on the hazards associated with flooding. The class, AWR362 Flooding Hazards: Science and Preparedness, covered the science behind flooding, how to forecast, risk assessment prior to a flood event, and how to best prepare and mitigate for long and short-term flooding. Among other flood-related topics, participants were instructed on how to read FEMA flood risk maps and how to interpret watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service. The main focus of the eight-hour course was on the safety of first responders and other emergency personnel, as well as equipping attendees to better serve the public before, during, and after an event.
HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
HOLDS TRAINING FOR DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS
On August 15, 2018, the Public Information Office at Homeland Security and Emergency Management held a training exercise for other Department of Safety public information officers. The exercise centered on preparing and publishing evacuation orders and emergency alerts in the unlikely event of an emergency at Seabrook Station. The Public Information Officer for the Department of Safety, Michael Todd, trained attendees on the proper procedures for filling out the required forms and the proper channels through which the paperwork should flow. Attendees participated in a mock exercise to familiarize themselves with the process.
