Activation Plan and Post Disaster Planning

During and after activation the Public Safety Building will have an increased presence on the site due to the number of staff occupying the building, outside agencies, government officials, and various other staging needs associated with Emergency Response Operations.  Based on the size of the complex and the available site area, available over flow parking should be considered that may or may not be paved.  Staging areas for emergency response vehicles, temporary structures, media vehicles, potential city utility response teams, area for supply delivery, and even livestock should be given consideration depending on the needs of the Activation and Post Disaster plan. Large vehicle spaces with media connections tied into the Public Safety Facility should be located in proximity to the primary building for use by the Media Vehicles and/or FEMA vehicles.  Multiple means of ingress/egress to the site during activation should be maintained to account for a possible blockage due to unforeseen conditions.  The main Public Safety Building will be designed with various levels of backup systems to maintain continuous operations during and after events, so in many cases these facilities become shelters to house critical staff and officials, and possibly local citizens.  In this event, design consideration for dormitories, lockers, showers and restrooms should be considered.  Under prolonged activation, food and dining needs will need to be accommodated along with storage of dry goods, non perishables, prepackaged MRE meals, drinking water, and bulk supplies.  Large flexible space may be commandeered as added dormitory or dining space to meet expanded needs.  Due to the potential for injury during events, triage spaces may be considered in the design program as well as medical supply storage.  The list of Activation and Post Disaster Planning considerations will be greatly determined by the level service anticipated to be provided and the action plan as determined by the agency in question.  As always, planning ahead is paramount as well as leaving room for contingency issues.

Final Considerations

All in all, this process should begin with a detailed risk assessment to determine the level of service and protection needed.  Based on the client’s needs and specific program being considered, the risk assessment will have a varying impact.  Due to the complexity of this project type, identification of any and all applicable codes per the client’s request, program, grant criteria, and local and regional codes will guide the level of survivability that is planned and budgeted for in the project development cost.  Once the baselines for the project are established, it is essential for the design team to systematically analyze the impact to the site design, building design, and utility and support system design.  The issues should be reviewed to ensure the site size is adequate, building systems are available, and the project budget is feasible. The key stakeholders must be engaged in an open and transparent process to ensure all expectations are being considered and met.  While all projects are unique, this outline should serve as a good starting point to ensure the critical design considerations of considered and successful project may follow.