FEMA Releases Hurricane Pandemic Plan

In May 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published a hurricane pandemic plan entitled, COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season.  While it does not directly target utility companies, the document is a must-read for anybody in the emergency preparedness field, no matter what the sector.   

Snapshot of the Hurricane Pandemic Plan

The document, which is divided into two sections (response planning and recovery planning), has the following objectives:

• Identify the unique challenges that the coronavirus poses to emergency planning and recovery operations
• Summarize FEMA’s recommendations for adapting to these challenges
• Create a shared understanding between FEMA and emergency managers regarding how to operate safely and efficiently in a COVID-19 world
• Provide tools and resources to improve response and recovery efforts during the pandemic

While the document is mainly positioned as a hurricane pandemic plan, the information is definitely relevant for other types of disasters as well, including forest fires, flooding, tornadoes and similar events. 

Ignoring the title page, the 2-page executive summary, and table of contents, the body of the report spans 14 pages and covers a wide range of response and recovery topics.  These include mass care/emergency assistance, damage assessment processes, implementation of disaster recovery centers, hazard mitigation, interagency coordination, staffing and workforce planning, supply readiness, community services, environmental planning, and evacuation planning. 

The remaining 28 pages contain the appendices, which provide a wealth of information, including a comprehensive listing of dozens of links to additional information, a preparedness checklist, a response checklist, a recovery checklist, information around public messaging guidance and best practices, and a list of common acronyms.

All-in-all, FEMA’s hurricane preparedness plan is a fantastic resource.  Although not every element of the report is directly attributable to the utility industry, there is enough there that makes the relatively short booklet worth reading.  It also probably covers some scenarios and processes that you may not have thought about it.  Bottom line – I recommend giving it a read.  Enjoy!