How to Make Your Emergency Action Plan More Effective: On-Demand

Speakers: Steve Jamieson, P.E., Principal, W.W. Wheeler and Associates, Inc.; Bill McCormick, P.E., Chief of Dam Safety, Colorado Dam Safety Branch; and Kerry Kimble, Planning Section Chief, CO Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

PDHs: This webinar is eligible for 2 PDH credits. 

In the last forty years, dam safety professionals have recognized the importance of preparing emergency actions plans (EAPs) as an effective tool to minimize the consequences of dam failures. In the last 15 years, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) was established and the Incident Command System (ICS) has become a more important emergency response tool. As a result, EAP formats, procedures for testing dam EAPs, and training personnel have evolved to meet the needs and capabilities of the emergency management and emergency response community. In recent years, we have learned some valuable lessons about the effectiveness of EAPs as part of an efficient emergency response from recent large storm events in the United States. This webinar will provide a brief overview of the evolution of emergency response and EAPs for dams and discuss key elements and formats for dam EAPs as well as some thoughts on the future of more effective and simplified EAP formats. We will provide some tools to improve decision making, preventative actions, and communications during dam incidents and emergencies. We will also provide an overview of some of the latest inundation mapping tools and techniques. The differences between EAPs for dams and levees will also be highlighted. The webinar will conclude with an EAP effectiveness checklist that will highlight dam owner, consultant, state dam safety program, and emergency management and response perspectives.

Steve Jamieson, P.E.

Principal, W.W. Wheeler and Associates, Inc.

Steve Jamieson is a registered professional engineer and the President of W. W. Wheeler & Associates, Inc. in Englewood, Colorado.  He has an MS degree in civil engineering from the University of Colorado at Denver and a BS degree in civil engineering from Colorado State University.  He has more than 34 years of experience in dam engineering, design, construction, operations, and risk assessments.  Mr. Jamieson has a unique perspective as a former dam owner and current consultant to numerous dam safety programs.  He has prepared, reviewed or tested hundreds of emergency action plans for dams nationwide and has been involved in several dam incidents. 

Bill McCormick, P.E.

Chief of Dam Safety, Colorado Dam Safety Branch

Bill McCormick holds a bachelors degree in Geology and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Geological Engineering. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and a Professional Geologist in the state of Colorado.  He has over 28 years of professional experience as geologist, engineering geologist and civil engineer involved with design, construction and regulation of water projects in Colorado and Nevada. He has been with the Colorado Division of Water Resources for the past 14 years and as Chief of the Colorado Dam Safety Branch since 2011.  Bill and his award winning team of dam safety engineers have responsibility for developing and executing a comprehensive dam safety risk management program for all dams in the state of Colorado in the interest of public safety.  Bill currently serves as Secretary of the ASDSO Board of Directors.

Kerry Kimble

Planning Section Chief, Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Kerry has been a Certified Emergency Manager in Colorado since 2004 and certified by the International Association of Emergency Managers since 2006. For the past fifteen years Kerry Kimble has worked at numerous Colorado offices of emergency management in the Departments of Local Affairs, Public Safety, and Transportation.  He has been responsible for numerous updates of the State Emergency Operations Plan, the State Continuity of Operations Plan program, the FEMA required State Preparedness Report, and the Colorado Community Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) Recovery Plan. As a certified Type III Planning Section Chief, Kerry has worked on such incidents as summer wildfires (2016); April floods (2015); September floods and June wildfires (2013); High Park/Waldo Canyon wildfires (2012), the Democratic National Convention, Northeastern Colorado Tornados, and the Alamosa Salmonella incident (2008).  He was also a member of the Joint State – FEMA Teams for incident Recovery during the 2013 multi–county flood and the 2015 severe storm and flood events. Kerry has also been deployed via the Emergency Management Assistance Compact to support response and recovery for the Joplin Tornado (May 2011) and New York – Hurricane Irene/Tropical Storm Lee (Sep 2011).  He also performed the duties of an Area Commander for preparations in receiving Hurricane Katrina evacuees and the Plans and Operations Officer at the Lowry Evacuee Operations Complex (for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita evacuees).

  1. Why do we need Emergency Action Plans for dams & levees?
    1. Dam Failure Case Histories
      1. Teton Dam Failure, Idaho
      2. Delhi Dam Failure, Iowa
    2. Flood Levee Failure Case Histories
      1. Hurricane Katrina, Lousiana
  2. Who is typically involved in dam emergencies and incidents?
    1. Description of typical key players.
    2. Importance of developing pre-incident relationships
  3. What do emergency responders need to know about dams?
    1. Typical dam components
    2. Understanding normal flooding operations
    3. Understanding dam emergency operations
  4. QUESTION SESSION NO. 1
  5. What do dam owners and dam engineers need to know about ICS
    1. Incident Types (Type 5 through 1)
    2. Overview of the ICS Structure
    3. Key roles within the ICS structure
    4. Effective communications during emergencies
      1. External Communication (the Press & social media)
      2. Internal communication within the EOC
      3. Effective communication within your organization
      4. Effective use of conference calls
    5. How does ICS really work
    6. Effective ICS training
  6. Minimum EAP Requirements
    1. The 5 steps of any dam emergency
    2. Evolution of EAP formats
    3. Common EAP formats
    4. Flood Levee EAP formats
  7. Effective dam-failure inundation mapping (Steve)
    1. What do emergency responders need from inundation maps
    2. Basic information needed on inundation maps
    3. Types of inundation and evacuation mapping
    4. New tools for preparing inundation maps
    5. How are flood levee inundation maps different
  8. QUESTION SESSION NO. 2
  9. Testing and Updating EAPs
    1. Types of EAP Tests
    2. New Methods for Testing EAPs 
      1. Regional approach
      2. Using floodplain animation
    3. Effective EAP Updating
  10. Effective Responses to Dam Incidents
    1. Oroville Dam
    2. 2013 and 2015 Colorado flooding events
    3. The next generation of EAPs based on lessons learned
  11. Webinar Conclusions
    1. Overview of Key Takeaways
    2. Your Effective EAP Checklist
  12. FINAL QUESTIONS

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