PURPOSE: This re-entry plan is being identified t prvide nt nly first respnders, but als prperty wners, business wners, hmewners, renters, cntractrs, private- and nn-prfit respnse and recvery persnnel and rganizatins, infrastructure wners, and the general ppulatin at-large an understanding f the re-entry plan fr any area in Escambia Cunty that may have been evacuated by authrized public and private emergency respnse persnnel as a result f a public safety threat r hazard. It is f the utmst f imprtance and in the best interests t lcal authrities t allw public access back int an evacuated area as quickly and safely as pssible, allwing prperty and business wners the pprtunity t prtect their prperty frm further damages and t start the rebuilding and recvery prcess as quickly as pssible after a threat r hazard has past. Lcal fficials understand the ptential emtinal, ecnmic, and financial impacts that evacuatins cause. Sme f thse impacts can be very cmplex and can have significant dynamic affects n peple, businesses, and the ecnmy: Lss f use and increased travel and temprary husing csts. Issues surrunding children as it may impact schl, child care, and the parent s ability t reprt t wrk. Impacts n insurance claims when prperty cannt be quickly prtected after initial disaster impacts. Impacts n business and persnal incme, and financial respnsibilities. Tax revenues t lcal gvernment rganizatins. The ptential lss f custmer base frm an inaccessible business. The ptential lss f visitr and turist base and industry financial benefits. Emtinal stress f individuals, families, business wners, and visitrs. Increased peratinal csts f initiating and maintaining evacuatins. Ptential negative impact n business grwth and relcatin in the cmmunity. And many ther dynamic effects. Evacuatins are nt issued lightly and are issued typically as natural r man-made hazards may threaten and place at risk the health, safety, and welfare f the public. AUTHORITY: This plan will be implemented at the discretin f the Incident Cmmander r ther authrity as authrized by law. Cnsultatin and input frm public safety persnnel and ther subject matter experts will be incrprated int the decisin making prcess as they may apply. This plan is applicable t all areas within the gegraphical bundaries f Escambia Cunty, t include all jurisdictins as may be authrized by law. Cunty Ordinance: Chapter 2-Administratin (Chain f Successin) Chapter 37-Emergency Management Appendix K Page 1
Flrida Statutes: Chapter 14-Gvernr Chapter 30-Sheriffs Chapter 125-Cunty Gvernments Chapter 166-Municipalities Chapter 252-Emergency Management Act Chapter 381-Public Health PLAN: Overview: When making the decisin t allw access back int an evacuated area, public safety issues and cncerns will unquestinably be the deciding factr. Each evacuatin will be evaluated based upn the specific hazards that dictated the need fr the initial evacuatin and the impacts t thse evacuated areas caused by the hazard and any subsequent threats and hazards as a result f thse primary impacts. In cncept, nce an evacuated area has been determined t be safe fr public access, then peple will be allwed back int the cmmunity. The decisin t allw peple back int previusly evacuated areas will typically be accmplished utilizing a cmpressed r expanded timeline f activities that may be managed and mderated based upn the prgressive effrts t reduce r eliminate public safety risks and hazards t the public. Generally, the decisin-making re-entry prcess must cnsider: Bridges, rads, and ther infrastructure may be required t be evaluated by apprpriate engineers and cntractrs befre first respnders can access specific areas. Initially, authrized first respnders and search and rescue teams, as apprpriate, will assess any impacts and cnsequences f the hazards and any cntinued threats as quickly as pssible, and typically as daylight allws. Basic infrastructure repair and rebuild crews may be allwed access befre the general public, t allw the basic securing, repair, r rebuilding f basic infrastructure t minimize risk and create a basic safe envirnment fr the general public. This may include: Evaluatin and certificatin that bridges are safe fr travel and may require engineering inspectins and repair. Electrical pwer lines and infrastructure damage must be secured. Water, gas, and sewer lines may need t be secured t minimize threats and hazards. Temprary bathrms and water supplies r ther specific human needs services may need t be crdinated and set-up befre access can be allwed t prvide fr basic sanitary and health needs befre any peple may be allwed limited access t an evacuated area. As basic infrastructure is secured, repaired, r rebuilt, limited public access may be allwed at prgressively increasing rates as areas are deemed safe fr public access. Re-entry access may ccur in the fllwing prgressive manner: Level One Initial emergency and life-safety respnse agencies (fire, EMS, law enfrcement) and persnnel frm any level f gvernment and mutual aid supprt agencies. Search and Rescue teams and rganizatins Appendix K Page 2
Others as apprpriately identified by authrized persnnel. Level Tw Teams t identify, assess, and mitigate public safety hazards and threats. Gvernment damage assessment teams Gvernment and/r lcal utility assessment and repair teams Gvernment r gvernment cntractr infrastructure repair teams (rads, bridges, etc.) Level Three (Once public safety hazards and threats are mitigated) Business wners and emplyees lcated in the restricted area Residents lcated in the restricted area Level Fur Additinal gvernment recvery cntractrs Suppliers and vendrs supprting business in restricted area with prper dcumentatin Private cntractrs with apprpriate dcumentatin r escrted by prperty/business wners and blue cntractr tag issued by cunty building inspectins Level Five Open t the all public and ther business, n restrictins Timeline expectatins fr the implementatin f re-entry fr the five levels described abve are nt specifically utlined in these re-entry levels. The extent and magnitude f impacts frm a hazard in a specific evacuate area; the time it will take t repairs and address the basic public safety issues will all dictate the implementatin timeline fr re-entry. ACCESS MANAGEMENT: IN COUNTY: When an evacuatin is in place fr a cmmunity, there may be law enfrcement r ther fficial persnnel psitined at check pints managing access as determined t be apprpriate t maintain public safety and as directed by the Incident Cmmander r ther apprpriate authrity. When access is limited, at any given level as identified in the previus sectin, dcumentatin will be required n the part f anyne r any rganizatin seeking access t the evacuated area. Withut the prper dcumentatin, access may be denied. It is stressed that fr any check pint persnnel, cmmn sense shuld be applied in assessing the dcumentatin being presented by peple and rganizatins t justify their need t access a restricted area. This includes any first respnders, nn-prfit and fr-prfit respnse and recvery persnnel at any given stage f restricted access. Just because a persn des nt have the suggested dcumentatin, des nt mean they shuld nt gain access if they are prviding ther dcumentatin r have evidence f their need fr access, nr shuld smene be allwed access if their dcumentatin and their justificatin fr access des nt make sense and there is sme cncern, n the part f the checkpint persnnel, fr the truthfulness and accuracy f their need fr access and their dcumentatin. Any issues can be crdinated with immediate checkpint supervisrs and/r thrugh the incident cmmander r emergency peratins center persnnel as apprpriate. Appendix K Page 3
There is a variety f dcumentatin that culd be utilized t dcument an individuals r a businesses need t be in an evacuated and restricted area. The key cncept is t merely prvide dcumentatin that identifies wh the persn is and dcumentatin that links a persn t an address within the evacuated area. Typical dcumentatin that will be required fr peple t gain access at any given level f re-entry frm n access t limited access t full access may include the fllwing: A gvernment issued picture ID that can verify wh the persn is that is seeking access. A gvernment issued picture ID that can verify the persns address within the restricted area. A utility bill r ther fficial dcument identifying the address f the prperty in the restricted area that als identifies the persn seeking access, tied back t their ID. A rental r lease agreement with apprpriate address. Any ther fficial dcumentatin that can tie the prperty being accessed t the persn seeking access. (Prperty tax bill, deed, business license, etc.) Emplyees with a cmpany ID r current letterhead dcument identifying their relatin with a business address in the restricted area. Delivery cmpanies with typical decaled cmpany vehicle with an rder/delivery bill, bill f lading, wrk rder, etc. that identifies the delivery address in the restricted area. Additinal items f dcumentatin fr specific areas f the cunty r specific functin f recvery will be addressed in the next sectin(s). PENSACOLA BEACH AND PERDIDO KEY All the prcesses described abve still apply t Pensacla Beach and Perdid Key, but because f the significant ptential impacts frm hurricanes and strm surge, impacting a majrity f the peple wrking and living n the islands, each island has identified an additinal tl t manage re-entry n thse islands. Initiated by the Santa Rsa Island Authrity and the Perdid Key Chamber f Cmmerce, a windw sticker prgram has been established fr peple wh can justify their need t access beach areas shuld access be restricted as a result f a public safety evacuatin. These stickers DO NOT prvide any exceptins t the authrized access identified by public safety fficials at any given level as described abve, and DOES NOT prvide any special r fast lane access. The sticker merely demnstrates that each year, the persn has prvided justificatin fr their access, when evacuatin and re-entry activities are initiated. The nly benefit the sticker prvides is the ptential eliminatin f a persn having t prduce dcumentatin at a given checkpint when apprpriate access is authrized. Each year, a resident, business wner, prperty manager, prperty wner, r authrized cntractr may apply t the Santa Rsa Island Authrity and/r the Perdid Key Chamber fr a new sticker with the apprpriate justificatin dcumentatin. The stickers must be renewed each year, and clrs f the stickers may rtate fr each f the categries f stickers as may be applicable. A nminal fee may be charged t cver basic expenses f the prgram and materials. Stickers fr Santa Rsa Island Authrity (Pensacla Beach) cnsist f: Gvernment Officials Residential & Cmmercial Leasehlders Licensed Cntractrs (Issued by Escambia Cunty Cntractr Cmpetency Bard) Appendix K Page 4
Stickers fr Perdid Key cnsist f: Gvernment Officials Hmewners, Prperty Owners, Prperty Managers, and Business Owners Cntractrs INSURANCE ADJUSTERS AND CONTRACTORS Fllwing a disaster declaratin all insurance adjusters and cntractrs perfrming repair wrk must have a cntractr s hurricane identificatin pass, which will be issued by Escambia Cunty Building Inspectins Department, Cntractrs and their emplyees being hired t perfrm wrk in any f the evacuatin areas shuld maintain cmpany picture identificatin alng with cpies f cmpany wrk rders dcumenting where within the evacuated area they will be wrking. ALABAMA/SANTA ROSA COUNTY FLORIDA ACCESS In any evacuatin, peple may evacuate frm Alabama thrugh Escambia Cunty, Flrida, r peple may evacuate frm Flrida, and/r Escambia Cunty, Flrida, thrugh Alabama and its several jurisdictins, r thrugh ther Flrida cunties. Evacuatins t and frm r thrugh any jurisdictin will be crdinated, as apprpriate, with neighbring jurisdictins as they may be impacted by decisins made lcally. That crdinatin and cmmunicatin will typically be managed thrugh first respnder agencies, incident cmmanders, emergency peratins center persnnel, r ther apprpriate gvernment fficial. Each neighbring cmmunity will supprt evacuatins f ther neighbring cmmunities as is in the best interests f public safety. In turn, re-entry will als be crdinated in the same manner allwing peple access back thrugh their cmmunity t the cmmunity frm which they riginally came as thse cmmunities may deem travel safe thrugh their respective cmmunities. Keeping in mind, justificatin and dcumentatin may be required t enter r pass thrugh ther jurisdictins and peple and businesses will need t be aware f any additinal requirements in neighbring cmmunities utside f Escambia Cunty, Flrida. Each neighbring cmmunity will crdinate, cmmunicate, and be made aware f dcumentatin requirements f the ther jurisdictins as apprpriate, and each neighbring cmmunity will d their best t allw travel thrugh r int their cmmunity as they may decide based upn their public safety cncerns in their respective cmmunities. Mst access back int a lcal cmmunity will be thrugh the interstate highway system and travel thrugh r int a jurisdictin alng state access highways will nt be restricted by the lcal jurisdictin. If state highway systems are restricted by state fficials, it will typically be as a result f direct highway emergency impacts and nt necessarily lcal cmmunity impacts unless an ff ramp frm the highway system places a traveler int a lcally evacuated and restricted area r the highway passes thrugh an evacuated area based upn specific circumstances. S travel thrugh cmmunities n state highway systems may nt likely be restricted by lcal actins r authrities. Hwever, as a result f histrical peratinal and plitical bundaries between tw different states, Escambia Cunty, Flrida and the City f Orange Beach have entered int an interlcal agreement recgnizing sme f the basic re-entry situatinal and peratinal cnditins that utline sme brad understandings and parameters fr re-entry access thrugh and t each ther s jurisdictins as it relates t Appendix K Page 5
the barrier islands f Perdid Key and the City f Orange Beach. The understandings and parameters can be summed up as fllws: The barrier islands may receive significantly mre infrastructure impacts as a result f wind and strm surge caused by hurricanes and ther trpical events than further inland cmmunities thus raising mre significant public safety issues than ther areas f each cunty and state may typically identify. Re-entry thrugh and t each cmmunity will be allwed nly as public safety cnditins may warrant. Each jurisdictin will cmmunicate and crdinate evacuatin and re-entry decisins and prcedures, and recgnize the dcumentatin and/r sticker prgrams as may apply. Escambia Cunty, Flrida re-entry prgram is identified in the previus sectins f this plan. The City f Orange Beach Re-entry prgram identifies five re-entry levels as fllws: Level One City f Orange Beach Emplyees Baldwin Cunty Emplyees Baldwin EMC Emplyees State f Alabama Emplyees Federal Gvernment Emplyees Mutual Aid and Other Respnding Agencies Level Tw Damage Assessment Teams Utilities City f Orange Beach Cntractrs Level three Businesses (by zne) Residents (by zne) Level Fur Cntractrs (ptinal) Level Five All znes pen, n restrictins It is identified that each jurisdictin will cmmunicate and crdinate the varius re-entry authrizatins and that each jurisdictin will supprt each ther s re-entry plan as public safety cncerns allw. Appendix K Page 6