Southern Indiana Business Report
ODON – Community leaders from Daviess, Greene, Lawrence, Martin and Sullivan counties, state and regional agencies, utility companies and Naval Support Activity Crane came together in late January for a regional emergency preparedness exercise at WestGate@Crane Technology Park.
The day-long event marks an important milestone in regional collaboration and included an in-depth exercise with Crane and the communities working side by side to address the challenges and planning needed for a multi-hazard event in the area.
Hosted by the White River Military Coordination Alliance and the Southern Indiana Development Commission, the exercise is the next step in a series of activities conducted over the last several months with funding from a Military Installation Resilience Review Grant through the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation Installation Resilience program. WRMCA and SIDC are working to enhance regional resilience against current and future threats to critical infrastructure that could affect the mission readiness of NSA Crane and Lake Glendora Test Facility.
The goal of the emergency preparedness exercise is to clarify emergency management roles and responsibilities in a multi-hazard scenario, identify gaps in current response strategies, and develop potential project and resource opportunities and supporting actions to enhance community resilience.
“The MIRR study and community tabletop exercise is a great example of the community and installation collaborating together to understand and find solutions for critical areas of emergency management and shared infrastructure support,” said CDR Luis “Homie” Martinez, Base Commander of Naval Support Activity Crane. “Developing joint strategies and enhancement projects with the community will further bolster the region’s preparedness and resiliency to future disasters and strengthen our bonds with area counties, community, and the installation.”
The counties and NSA Crane assessed the area’s current resources and the ability to ensure public safety while keeping critical infrastructure operational. The exercise challenged the group to address various phases of the emergency including preparedness, immediate impacts and initial response, fallout and long-term impacts and recovery.
Participants shared information on topics such as number of first responder and ambulances available, dispatch and radio resources and mutual aid opportunities between the base and the counties. They also worked through solutions to establish temporary housing and shelters, address water shortages and the challenge to obtain critical supplies with the possibility of road and rail closures.
“Attending this regional community resiliency and emergency management meetings was not only important, but essential for strengthening our local preparedness and response strategies. By collaborating across communities, we ensure that we are better equipped to face challenges, protect our residents, and foster a resilient economic future for everyone,” added Jessica Potts, executive Director of the Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth.
Tetra Tech, a worldwide consulting and engineering firm specializing in water, environment and sustainable infrastructure that has been working with WRMCA during the past year as part of the MIRR grant, facilitated the event.
“This tabletop exercise was a unique opportunity to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders from local governments, emergency services, regional utility providers, NSA Crane staff and command, and regional economic development partners to plan for a multi-hazard disaster. This exercise went beyond typical emergency preparedness measures by asking stakeholders to propose solutions for identified resource and communications shortfalls, Brian Potts, senior planner at Tetra Tech.
The exercise concluded with dozens of project ideas identified, which Tetra Tech will use to help create a study that WRMCA will then develop into its next set of priorities for the Crane community.
“The upcoming MIRR study will include lessons learned from the exercise, such as recommendations for potential infrastructure projects and methods of resource sharing and communication between civilian and military stakeholders, thus improving the region’s resilience to severe hazards,” added Brian Potts.
In addition to the tabletop exercise, WRMCA and Tetra Tech have conducted stakeholder interviews, workshops and community assessments as part of the Military Installation Resilience Review.
“We are very pleased with the participation from our counties and the collaboration from Crane,” said Matt Craig, director of Crane Community Support at Radius Indiana. “This group continues to show its commitment to improving our area and supporting Crane and taking on new initiatives like the resilience review show the strength of the Crane community.”