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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStatement of Understanding- FIPATRICIA A. FINNEGAN TOWN ATTORNEY patricia.finnegan@town,southold.ny.us KIERAN M. CORCORAN ASSISTANT TOWN ATTORNEY kieran.corcoran@town.southol&n~ .us LORI HULSE MONTEFUSC'O ASSISTANT TOWN ATTORNI/;Y lorLmontefusco@town,southold.ny.us JOSHUA Y. HORTON Supervisor Town Hall Annex, 54375 Route 25 P.O. Box 1179 Southold, New York 11971-0959 Telephone (631) 765-1939 Facsimile (631) 765-6639 OFFICE OF THE TOWN ATTORNEY TOWN OF SOUTHOLD November 23, 2004 Ms. Sue Rochester-Bolen Manager, Branch E, nergency Services Charter Oak Chapter, American Red Cross 209 Farmington Avenue Farmington, CT 06032 Re- Statement of Understanding Between Fishers Island, New York and the Charter Oak Chapter of Connecticut of the American Red Cross Dear Ms..rl, ochester-Bolen: / Pursuant to your letter dated October 13, 2004, in connection with the referenced matte~, enclosed please find the Statement of Understanding, which has been executed by Joshua Y. Horton, as Supervisor of the Town of Southold, on behalf of Fishers Island, New York. Kindly send us a fully executed copy of the Statement at your earliest convenience. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me. ~"~ry truly yours, ,_.. Town Attorney ~ ~ PAF/Ik Enclosure cc: Members of the Town Board Ms. Elizabeth Neville, Town Clerk Statement of Understanding between Fishers Island, NY and the Charter Oak Chapter of Connecticut of the American Red Cross STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING This is a STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING between the Fishers island, NY and the Charter Oak Chapter of Connecticut of the American Red Cross. I. PURPOSE The purpose of this Statement of Understanding is to provide for the cooperation and coordination between the Town and the Charter Oak Chapter of the American Red Cross ih carrying out their respective responsibilities in the event of a natural or man made disaster. I1. DEFINITION OF A DISASTER A disaster is defined as an occurrence such as those outlined below that causes human suffering and creates needs that the victims cannot meet without assistance. There are two basic lypes of disaster scenarios: 1, Limited disasters which are c:onrined to a small, defined area within one municipality or adjacent municipalities. Typh:al examples are rims, explosions, timited hazmat contamination, or an isolated tornado or flash flood whose effects are limited to a small area. Extended disasters include incidents occurring simultaneously across multiple towns, up to regional-sized events affecting several states. Typical examples are hurricanes, winter storms, extended power failure, multiple tornado strikes, earthquakes, generalized flooding, widespread contamination by hazardous materials, nuclear accidents, or incidents involving weapons of mass destruction. In addition, an extended disaster may occur in a relatively small area, but affect so many peop!e that regional resources will be required to provide adequate immediate assistance. The Town and the Chapter will work together in substantially different ways depending on the disaster scenario, No..re: A situation caused by economic, political and soci?~ maladjustment, including the occupatlenal dsks of industry and agdculture, is not a "disasteY' applicable to this Statement of Understanding/nor is the lack of housing~ food, clothing, etc. due to personal crises such as evictions, cut-off of utilities, landlord-tenant dispute,~;, lack of p~oper building maintenance, indebtedness, and misconduct. IlL OVERVIEW OF AMERICAN RED CROSS DISASTER SERVICES The Charter Oak Chapter of the American Red Cross is located at 209 Farmington Avenue in Farmington, CT. The ;hapter has a branch office in New London, CT, Our chapter jurisdiction covers eighty-three towns as shown on lhe attached map. The Chapter is the local unit of the Amedcan Red Cross. It is responsible for all local Red Cross activities within its jurisdiction and is subject to the polities and procedures of the natio"al organization. Them are 14 chapters of the Amedcan Red Cross in Connecticut. A, Authority and Leclal Status Federal, state, and local laws require that the federal, state, and local governments establish a system of mitigating, preparing for, and responding to disasters. The Chapter is a chadered unit of the American National Red Cross, an inslrumentality of the United States Government, codified at 36 U.S.C., Section 1 et. seq., under which it is charged to "...carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same." The authority of the Red Cross to provide disaster services was reaffirmed in the 1974 Disaster Relief Act (PL 93-288) and the 1988 Robed T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Red Cross responsibilities in a commercial aviation disaster are further defined in the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 (PL 104-264) and the Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters (April 1997). The Chapter has the authority and responsibility for carrying out the purposes of the American Red Cross, for delivering local Red Cross services, and for meeting other corporate obligations within its territorial jurisdiction. Statemlet~t of Ullderstanding [Rev. 6/03] Charter Oak Chapter and Fishers Island, NY Page 3 of ~ Advocacy/Mitigation/Education: Advocacy of effective federal, state, and local government programs and legislation which mitigate disaster damage and loss of life and seek to meet the needs of disaster victims; communi!y disaster mitigation, education and preparedness activities. ~ther disaster~re~ated assistance may be pr~vided ~n ~ case~by~case basis~ if deemed appmpdate by the Chapter and in accordance with Red Cross pelicy. Assistance may also be provided in non-defined emergencies, especially those involving large numbers of people with evideet human needs. D. Limitations 1. The Red Cross is not responsible for the transportation of disaster victims or non-Red Cross emergency workers. Red Cress shelters are not apl:)ropdate for people who, due to medical or mental health conditions, are unable to care for themselves. Red Cross shelters will not be used for people evacuating from hospitals, numing homes, assisled living facilities, or from other such situations where the individuals require skilled, ongoing medical attention. However, technical support may be provided, along with a shelter manager, if appropriate, competent medical support staff is available to adequately care for people in these situations and the Red Cross has available disaster staff. 3. Only bona-fide service animals will be allowed in Red Cross shelters. Pet owners must make their own arrangements for the care of their animals. 4. Red Cross services will not be provided in an area/facility unless qualified authodlies have declared it safe from the effects of a particular disaster or causative agent. Red Cross personnel will not engage in decontamination activities, nor accept responsibility for management of decontamination sites or reception centers. (However, limited services, such as liaison, may be provided at reception centers.) Anyone requesting access to Red Cress facilities must have undergone any necessary decontamination before being admitted. 6. Red Cross personnel will not provide estimates of the dollar impact of a disaster. Furthermore, the Red Cross is not responsible for Disaster Assessment for an ew.~nt where a Presidential Declaration has been requested. IV. SCOPE OF ACTIVITY By law, local government has the responsibility to protect the health, welfare and safety of its residents when disasters occur. The Charter Oak Chapter of the American Red Cross works as a partner with the cities and towns in our service area to support this process. There are five key elements to lhe partnership: There must be a signed written agreement [known as the "Statement of Understanding" or SOU] between the Town and the Chapter which defines how the municipality and the Chapter will work together in the event of a disaster. 2. Chapter representatives will be consulted by the appropriate munidpel officials in emergency planning by the Town, invited to participate in exemises in support of this planning, and invited to attend Emergency Planning Committee meetings. 3. The Chap[er will be provided with a controlled copy of the Town's Emergency Operations Plan [EOP] or its equivalent. The Town and the Chapler will work together to identity and survey facilities in the town to be used by the Chapter as shelters dudng disasters and for preparedness activities. The Town and the Chapter will execute wdtten agreements governing the use of these facilities. 5. The Town will use its besl efforts to recruit town residents who would then be trained by the Chapter to provide certain Red Cress services in their town when needed, and represent the Red Cross in the Town Emergency Operations Center. In the event of a cataslrophic situation, such as a transpo~lation wreck, chemical spill, etc., requiring mass sheltering and feeding, the Chapter can administer these thnctions subject to prior notification and agreement. .~t.l~,~nt ei' II,da~',t.ndlml IRav. 6/03] Cti,,rlar Oak Chapter and Fhher~ bbnd, NY PalCO 5 of 9 This assessment must be completed by the DA T before certain Red Cross services can be provided. The liaison officer can assist by' letting the DAT leader know when it is safe to enter the promises. If mom than five families or 25 individuals are displaced from their homes by the disaster, the Chapter may decide to open a shelter. The liaison officer can assist by centacting the appropriate town officials to open the facility designated by the Town as its primary shelter. Under no circumstances should any Town official make any representations to individuals or families affected by the disaster of the nature or extent of Red Cross services. Furthermore, Town officials should not represent to any vendor that the Red Cross will pay for any services Without ~leftin~l confirmation from the Eme~encv Services Denartment of the Chapter. [Note that motet rooms are only provided if there is a justified need, which mu~t be determined by the Red Cross DA T on an individual basis.] How the Town and the Chapter work together in extended disasters, including local power failures: 1. The Town will open temporary reception/warming/cooling centers for people seeking immediate assistance based on the effects of the event. 2. If the temporary receptionhvarming/cooling centers are insuffident, and the need for overnight shelter becomes evident, the Town will open their primary shelter [and others, if needed] immediately as a town shelter, nofify the Emergency Services Department at lhe Chapter thai they have opened one or more shelters, and provide the following initial information for each: a. Who will be managing the shelter, and if the person is certified by the Chapter. b. Staffing arrangements for the shelter that have been made locally. c. Arrangements thai have been made to feed shelter residents. d. if they expect to open any additional factiifies, the number and location of each. e. The number of people they evenlually expect to shelter. L The number of additional cots and blankets they may need. g. Any other disaster-retated needs in the Town which may be supported by the Red Cross. If there is a substantial change to any of this information, the Town should call the Chapter with an update. 3. If the disaster creates needs for shelter that exceed the Town's resources, the Town should call the Chapter immediately to discuss the details, so the Chapter can assess the situation and provide assistance within the Chapter's resources. 4. If the Town would like its shelter[s] to be converted to a Red Cross shelter, it should make the request atthis time. 5. The Chapter will complete a preliminary disaster assessment [PDA] chaptorwide, and take similar reports fi.om towns throughout the chapter service area that have determined a need to open oee or more she~ters. 6. When the PD,~ is complete, the Chapter will assess local and chapter resources and determine which town shelters can be converted to Red Cre~,~ shelters, and the fimeline. Once the determination is mede, the Chapter will inform the Town. Depending on the scope and seve., ity of the disaster, ~it may take 6 - 72 hours after the PDA is complete to establish Red Cross shelters in multiple towns. I~sglonal shelters to serve people from several communities may be needed. 7. To open [or convert to} a Red (:;ross shelter, the following must be in place: a. A written sheller agreement bek, veen the Chapter and the Town for that facility. b. An inspection and im/entory of the facility completed jointly by a representative of the Chapter and the Town before the shelter opens or is converted to Red Cross shelter. c. A shelter manager trained by the Chapter available for each shilt. d. An adequate shelter staff committed, with appropriate materials [24 hour coverage]. e. A qualified nurse at tile shelter or on-call. f. Adequate cots and b:lankets [in-place or stored nearbyJ g. Food and beverages for shelter residents must be arranged. h. Reliable communications [telephone, e-mail or radio] must be established. i. Security provided by the Town 24 hours per day. Red Cross shelters will be opened based on serving the most people possible with the local and Chapter resources ava#able. Towns that are the most prepared with effective plans executed and local resources committed are likely to be the first to be converted to Red Cross shelters. ~tatentent or [Inderstanding [Rev. 6/03i Charter Oak Chapter and Fishers Island, NY Page 7 of 9 VI. CONTACTS Contact the Emergency Services Department of the Charter Oak Chapter of the American Red Cross as follows: 1. Call the Chapter headquarters in Farmington at (860) 678-2830 or the seutheastern CT Branch {860) 447.3248 anytJme. After business hours, this number rolls over to an answering service that can get in touch with Emergency Services staff 24 hours a day. 2. Ca~~~86~)678-2785du~ngbusinessh~urs~f~radirect~inet~theDirect~r~fEmergencyServices~Mari~Brun~ 3. Call (860) 447-3248 for Sue Rochester-Bolen, Manager of Emergency Services for the SECT Branch VII. SIGNATURES This Statement of Understanding is in effect as of October 1. 2004 and shall remain in effect for two years, or until termthated by wdRen notification from one of the padies to the other. The SOU should be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure all phone numbers and names are correct. For the American Red Cross, Charter Oak Chapter: X Mado Bruno Director of Emergency Services Charter Oak Chapter of Connecticut American Red Cross Date: X Sue Rochester. Bolen SECT Branch Emergency Se~ces Manager Charter Oak Chapter of Connecticut American Red Cross Date: For Fishers Isl~h/d, NY ,,~/~ x Printna~e: Joshua Y. Horton Title;/s upe r vi so r Fish,rs Island, NY Town of S~uthold Date: I ! [~,'~ [0~ Title: D,~ Fishers Island, NY Date: / °/,2,d/'~ Statement of Llnderstanding [Rev. 6/03[ Charter Oak Chapter and Fish ,rs Island, NY Page 9 of 9