CITY OF CROOKSTON

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN

LOGISTICS SECTION

REVISION: 5/1/2010
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I. PURPOSE

The Logistics Section will be responsible for obtaining and coordinating equipment, supplies, food, lodging, etc. for disaster workers. This section will work closely with the Finance Section to ensure all purchases are authorized and are within the City Council’s emergency guidelines. This section will also coordinate public health and wellness needs and congregate care. It is recognized that in most major disaster situations, the Polk County Emergency Operations Plan will be activated and some of the Logistics Section responsibilities will be coordinated at the county level.

II. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. The primary Congregate Care needs of disaster victims including emergency sheltering, registration, tracking and feeding of victims, will be coordinated through the Crookston City Clerk’s office. Supporting agencies for this effort will be the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

B. The Emergency Counseling of both victims and responders to a disaster will be coordinated through the Polk County Mental Health and Polk County Social Services agency.

C. The Public Health Care needs of the disaster victims will be coordinated through Polk County Public Health. This agency will coordinate and help staff mass care facilities to ensure health safety standards are met.

D. The Purchasing of Materials/Supplies will be coordinated through the City Clerk’s Office

E. The Sheltering of Animals will be coordinated through the Police Department. Many people needing congregate care may have pets with them and arrangements are necessary to provide these pets with adequate care and shelter until their owners are able to resume caring for them. Refer to the resource section for contact information.

III. AVAILABLE RESOURCES/FACILITIES

Congregate Care

A. Potential registration centers, limited congregate care facilities and sites for limited mass feedings are listed in the Resource Section of this plan

B. Local shelters have been identified generally school buildings and churches, within the city. They have agreed to shelter area citizens in the event of a disaster. The local Red Cross Chapter has limited personnel, but will be augmented by the state level of the Red Cross from St. Paul, MN.

Health and Medical

Health and Medical in this section primarily deals with needs of the responders to an emergency. Initial casualties from the initial incident will be dealt with by EMS in the Operations Section. Some issues related to victims are addressed in this section however.

A. Hospital Care - Injuries would be cared for at either Riverview Hospital in Crookston, Altru Clinic in Crookston or Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND. Depending on the number of victims transported to the facilities, various hospitals in the surrounding area will also be used as needed.

B. Ambulance Services – Great Plains Ambulance Service would coordinate EMS activities for our area.

C. First Responder Units - These are volunteer groups that have trained in basic first aid, and do not transport victims. Most area Fire Departments have first responder groups.

D. Emergency Mortuary Operations - These services would be coordinated through the county coroner and through the morticians throughout Polk County. Contact Names will be found in the Resource Guide.

E. Health Threats - Serious potential or actual health problems (epidemics, pandemics, food and/or water contamination, etc.) associated with a disaster will be the responsibility of Polk County Public Health and the Minnesota Department of Health.

F. Terrorism, either chemical or biological is becoming a weapon of choice by some groups. Specific training is available to help recognize tactics, methodology and symptoms of these weapons and procedures to respond to them. Incidents affecting large numbers of people are possible in these incidents. Direct effects as psychological stress to non-contaminated citizens could also be a likely possibility.

G. Health Decontamination – It is the desire and intent for decontamination to be conducted on the scene of the incident and prior to transport to the medical facility. However, it is likely that some victims will bypass an organized decontamination on scene. The Crookston Fire Department and Riverview Hospital have the capability and written procedures to decontaminate injured victims who have been chemically or radioactively contaminated.

EOC (emergency operation center)

The City of Crookston EOC is located in the lower level of the Police Department at
321 West Robert Street. The alternate EOC is located in the City Hall conference room at 124 North Broadway.
Communication equipment located in the EOC includes: Telephones, computers with internet access, printers, fax machine, copy machine, VHF mobile and portable radios, walkie-talkies and provisions for Hamm radio operators are available.

Ward Command Posts

The City of Crookston has six wards. Each ward has a designated command post giving the council members and citizens an area to coordinate emergency response activities. The resource manual has additional ward command post information including location and contacts.

IV. VOLUNTEERS

It is recognized that large numbers of people may show up at an area to prepare for a disaster, such as filling sandbags for flood control, or after a tornado to help with cleanup. These volunteers may have been requested or may show up on their own. All volunteers are required to register before beginning any activities related to a disaster or emergency. Registration will be coordinated through the EOC and Ward Command Posts.

It is also important that clear information is disseminated stating whether or not volunteers are needed and for what purpose. Coordination between the Public Information Officer, Logistics Officer and then the media is vital to maintain control of a situation. If volunteers are requested it is important to have facilities, e.g. staging and registration areas, mass transportation (to control entry and exit of affected areas), sanitary facilities, feeding facilities, etc., arranged for. Additionally, needed work equipment, e.g. gloves, shovels, rakes, bags, etc., must be provided. Staffing must be available for a first aid station to care for minor cuts or scrapes.

V. DONATIONS MANAGEMENT

It is also common to have shipments of both requested and un-requested goods of nearly any description, quantity and quality show up at a disaster. Some items are usable, and some are not appropriate for the situation. Storage, dispersal and disposal then become a problem. Logistics section should be prepared to assign a donations management team to check in, turn away, warehouse and distribute donated items, as they would arrive in the area of the disaster.