| REPORT: |
Following his introduction by Chairman Diaz, Bryan Koon, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director, noted touring the State of Florida and meeting with all County Emergency Operations managers were among his top priorities. He noted he needed to better understand the challenges and capabilities. Mr. Koon said he believed Miami-Dade County’s emergency management (EM) program was one of the most innovative, progressive, and proactive programs within the State of Florida and could be used as a model.
Expounding on the impact of hurricanes and other catastrophe weather conditions, oil spills, mass migration, terrorism, population density, elderly population, culture diversity, and lacking infrastructure, Mr. Koon noted Miami-Dade County and surrounding areas deserved special attention from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA). He also noted that infrastructures had been created to offset these threats.
Mr. Koon noted collaboration and consolidation of efforts and partnerships among governmental agencies increased significantly since Hurricane Andrew as well as the number of people pursuing professional careers in EM and stronger building codes were in place to decrease the among of property damage. He commended the County Commission for investing billions of dollars in mitigation programs over the past 19 years to ensure the County was prepared in the future. He noted the following improvements were made in the County:
• Emergency management response;
• Coordination of efforts among all governmental agencies;
• Business relationships and preparation;
• The ability to leverage faith-based and neighborhood partnerships; and
• Education and citizen engagement
Mr. Koon noted he wanted the County’s “311 Program” to be referred to as a best practices model at the state level. The month of September was National Preparedness Month, which increased awareness for future emergencies, Mr. Koon noted. He noted 65 shelters had the capacity to house 92,000 people and the County had implemented a local mitigation strategy to protect life and property, and to ensure that sufficient resources were available in the event of an emergency—beyond the local capacity.
Following further comments by Chairman Diaz and Mr. Koon, Commissioner Heyman expressed concern regarding the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision relating to evacuation of shelters and the increase in the ADA compliance requirements, which would impact the County, particularly considering public schools were used as shelters.
In response to Commissioner Heyman’s comments regarding Functional Needs Support Services (FNSS) related issues, Mr. Koon noted he agreed with the system requirements and was aware of the economic impact of providing shelter to anyone regardless of the circumstance. He noted the importance of collaborative efforts among all counties to develop a long-term plan to meet the requirements and ensure a regional capability. Mr. Koon noted the County’s EM Directors was currently working on a document, in conjunction with representatives from the State of Florida, to provide guidance on the development, in terms of sheltering and future plans. Mr. Koon noted resources such as special cots or medical supplies had been distributed throughout the State to help counties meet ADA requirements.
Chairman Diaz welcomed Deputy Mayor Chip Iglesias, whom he noted would be working closely with members of the PSHAC. |
