Responsibilities

Response to Disasters

During a disaster all of the resources of the town are coordinated through the AOEM for response and recovery.  The town has an Emergency  Operations Plan (EOP) based upon the Incident Command System (ICS) format.  The town’s EOP falls within the National Response Framework (NRF) at the national level.  The NRF has within it the National Incident Management System (NIMS).   The Board of Selectmen have accepted NIMS and ICS as the systems that town will operate under during an emergency.  The town’s EOP falls within the State Emergency Operations Plan (SEOP).  Depending upon the scale of the disaster the town may apply for and receive Public Assistance funds from FEMA.  The PA program pays for 75% of the cost of emergency response and the repair of damaged infrastructure.  In some years the state has paid and additional 12.5% leaving the town with paying for the remaining 12.5%.  The town has received PA funds every year since 2006 except for 2009.  FEMA also provides for Individual Assistance funding on a case by case basis.  The town has only received IA funds on one occasion which was as a result of the 2007 flooding.  This funding provides rental assistance, small business loans and limited funding for loss.

Recovery from Disasters

During the recovery phase of a disaster the town operates from the town’s Disaster Recovery Plan.  The town’s plan follows the format of the National Disaster Recovery Framework.  Another key component is the National Disaster Housing Strategy.  We will utilize applicable portions of this strategy to implement a housing plan as a component of our recovery strategy.

Planning, Prevention and Disaster Mitigation

The Planning, Prevention and Mitigation phases are areas we have placed a lot of emphasis.  Developing the various plans to include the Hazard Mitigation Plan has received considerable effort.  The EOP was re-written in 2011.  The Hazard Mitigation Plan was last updated and 2010 and is undergoing a re-write in the Spring of 2013.  The Disaster Recovery Plan was approved in 2012.

There are two river gages on the Suncook River to provide early warning in regards to flooding issues.  The N. Chichester gage provides water level data and predictions of flood levels during high water events.  The Suncook gage located at the Allenstown/Pembroke town line on Rt. 28 provides water level data also.  A static water level meter is located on the Rt. 3 bridge to provide an onsite visual determination of the water level.   The Suncook gage and the Rt. 3 water meter were installed in 2011.

In 2012 the Suncook River Flood Inundation Maps became available to allow us to determine the impact of different flood water levels.  We encourage our citizens and businesses to utilize the Ready.gov website which provides information for individuals to better prepare for disasters.  The flood plain maps for the town are available at the link or at town hall.  We also encourage citizens to sign up for the police departments Twitter and/or Facebook sites to receive updated emergency information.

The town has completed four major mitigation projects and is in the process of completing a fifth project.  These projects have involved the purchase and demolition of 32 homes in the Suncook River flood plain.  This is almost one third of the homes in the flood plain.  These projects mitigate the impact of flooding by removing victims from the hazard area.  These parcels of land will now become conservation land.  A reforestation project has been underway to enhance the capacity of the flood plain to absorb water and restore these areas to their natural state.

Exercises and Training

The town has participated in 28 exercises and training events since 2008.  These exercises focused on the ability of the town to respond to or recover from large and small scale disasters.  After each exercise or real event we conduct an After Action Review (AAR).  The AARs document what went well and what areas we need to improve upon.  We then utilize the AARs to modify our plans and focus our training efforts.  Staff and volunteers from all functional areas of town government have participated in these exercises.  Additionally staff and volunteers have participated in hundreds of hours of emergency management training.

Cooperative Agreements

AOEM coordinates the town’s involvement in several emergency management mutual aid agreements.  The town is part of the Capital Area Public Health Network (CAPHN) which provides the organization to respond to public health threats such as an outbreak of an infectious disease.  The CAPHN also coordinates the regional shelter agreement.  The purpose of which is to provide for regional shelters and to coordinate the resources both personnel and material to operate the shelters.  The town also is also a member of the Public Works Mutual Aid Network.  This network provides for shared resources such as road maintenance, wastewater treatment support services, building inspectors, etc.