Programs

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TEAMS

In the event of an emergency, the District will require an accurate assessment of its damaged facilities to initiate repairs, properly allocate resources, assist in cost recovery and to mitigate against future damage.

Eight Damage Assessment Teams have been formed based on the District's regional field stations:

All Engineering and Construction related professionals employed by the District (regardless of job title) are assigned to one of the eight teams.

Currently the District has approximately 200 trained Damage Assessment Team Members.

Teams have coordinated with their corresponding Regional Field Managers to establish a database of District facilities with regard to emergency response. This database includes those facilities that may have potential for problems in regard to strength to withstand hurricane force winds, flooding, access problems, or influence on other facilities.

Team leaders have also identified service bridge load capacities and alternate means of access.

The District's Damage Assessment Teams at times are required to support other governmental agencies. Recently, a district team supported the recovery effort of the State of Florida after the EL NINO Floods in the winter of 98. By 1998 the teams had written 2.6 million dollars worth of Damage Survey Reports.

CITIZEN INFORMATION LINE

The purpose of the Citizen Information Line is to provide the public with person to person contact regarding questions a citizen may have concerning the district's response to the emergency situation. Citizen Information Line Representatives are also able to assist callers with information concerning water levels in district canals, local drainage district numbers and the status of operations within the callers' area of concern.

The Citizen Information line is activated by the Emergency Manager during an emergency situation, and when the volume of calls exceeds the capability of one department or an area office.The toll-free phone lines are located in the B1 cafeteria conference room. Representatives from every department man 8 phone lines on a 24 hour basis, as long as the volume of calls justifies an activation. Information regarding the emergency situation is continually provided from the EOC to the Citizen Information line to insure updated information is shared with callers.

DISTRICT'S 24 HOUR WARNING POINT

The District's Operations Control Center is the primary Warning Point for the receipt and dissemination of various warning and emergency information. The Operations Control Center is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is the location of the District warning systems. These systems include the NOAA weather wire, The State of Florida Emergency Satellite Communication System (ESATCOM) as well as the district's radio and microwave communications.

The purpose of the 24 hour Warning Point is to:

The requirements for a 24 hour Warning Point capability are identified in the District's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

RAPID IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND RESPONSE TEAMS

The Rapid Impact Assessment Team (RIAT) is composed of personnel from an impacted Regional Field Station. Its primary purpose is to conduct immediate impact assessment to define boundaries of destruction and report to the EOC the immediate needs of the impacted regional flood control system.

The RIAT is tasked from the EOC and is under the leadership of the Regional Operations and Maintenance Director / Assistant Director.

The Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) are composed of personnel from non-impacted Regional Field Stations and are tasked to provide the following:

The RRT will be activated for mutual aid functions to provide support to other areas within the State of Florida.