This annex presents a system to coordinate damage
assessment and reporting functions, estimate the nature
and extent of the damage, and provide disaster recovery
assistance.
II.
SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS
A.
Situation
1.
Most hazardous events, which may affect the county, have
the potential for causing damage. A planned damage
assessment program is essential for effective response
and recovery operations.
2.
An initial damage assessment will determine the severity
and magnitude of the disaster, and identify what type
supplemental assistance is necessary to recover from its
effects.
3.
If a disaster occurs of such magnitude that it could
result in a Presidential declaration of "major disaster"
or "emergency", a countywide initial damage assessment
of public and private property is required. This
information will provide a basis for the determination
of actions and resources needed, the establishment of
priorities, the allocation of local government resources
in the disaster area during the early stages of the
recovery effort, and what, if any, outside assistance
will be required to restore the affected area to
pre‑disaster condition.
B.
Assumptions
1.
The county will continue to be exposed to various
hazards resulting in damage to both public and private
property.
2.
Implementing damage assessment procedures will expedite
relief and assistance for those adversely affected.
III.
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
A.
General
1.
Initial responsibility for damage assessment and
recovery operations lies with county and municipal
governments.
B.
Specific
1.
Emergency and recovery operations will initially be
coordinated from the Gaston County Emergency Operations
Center or city/town emergency operations center.
Accurate emergency logs and expenditure records must be
kept from the onset of the disaster by each response
agency/organization.
2.
Damage assessment/recovery personnel will be assigned to
Emergency Operations Center organization. The
municipalities will coordinate their damage assessment
with the County Emergency Operations Center and request
assistance as needed to conduct damage assessment in
their jurisdictions.
3.
As appropriate, the
Damage Assessment Officer (DAO) will
coordinate notification of damage assessment personnel.
Damage assessment personnel will be comprised of
representatives from the Building Inspections Department,
Tax Department, Emergency Services Department, Red
Cross, and Gaston County Cooperative Extension Office.
These personnel will report to the affected areas to
conduct the Individual Damage Assessment as teams so to
prevent double reporting.
4.
The DAO will organize, equip, and assign teams to the
affected areas to conduct the initial damage assessment.
5.
The DAO will coordinate the compilation of damage survey
data, prepare damage assessment reports for the
Emergency Management Administrator, and plot damaged
areas on local maps.
6.
The
Emergency Management Administrator will review, with
other appropriate local officials, the damage assessment
reports to determine if any outside assistance will be
necessary to recover from the disaster.
7.
The Emergency Management Administrator will forward
damage assessment reports and any requests for
assistance to the N.C. Division of Emergency Management
(NCEM) by the quickest means available. The Director of
the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management is
authorized to commit any state resources to assist with
the emergency/recovery efforts.
8.
Based upon the local damage assessment reports, the
North Carolina Emergency Management Director will
determine what recovery capabilities are available to
meet the anticipated requirements. If the capabilities
of state/local/private resources appear to be
insufficient, he may request a joint federal/state/local
Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) be conducted.
9.
The Governor may request a Presidential declaration of a
"major disaster", "major emergency", or a specific
federal agency disaster declaration (Small Business
Administration, Department of Agriculture, Corps of
Engineers, etc.) to augment state/local/private disaster
relief efforts.
10.
The President, under a "major emergency" declaration may
authorize the utilization of any federal equipment,
personnel and other resources.
11.
The President, under a "major disaster" declaration may
authorize two basic types of disaster relief assistance:
Individual Assistance (IA)
Temporary housing
Individual and family grants (IFG)
Disaster unemployment assistance
Disaster loans to individuals, businesses, and
farmers
Agricultural assistance
Legal services to low-income families and
individuals
Consumer counseling and assistance in obtaining
insurance benefits
Social security assistance
Veteran's assistance
Casualty loss tax assistance
Public Assistance (PA)
Debris removal
Emergency protective measures
Permanent work to repair, restore or replace
road systems, water control facilities, public
buildings and equipment, public utilities,
public recreational facilities, etc.
12.
In the event a major disaster or emergency is declared:
A Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) will be
appointed by the President to coordinate the federal
efforts.
A State Coordinating Officer (SCO) and Governor's
Authorized Representative (GAR) will be appointed by
the Governor to coordinate the state efforts.
A Disaster Field Office (DFO) will be established
within the state (central to the damaged areas) from
which the disaster assistance programs will be
administered.
For Individual Assistance only, Disaster Application
Centers (DACs) will be established central to the
affected areas where individuals may apply for
assistance.
If the area is declared eligible for Public
Assistance programs, an Applicant's Briefing will be
conducted for officials of counties, cities, Indian
tribes, and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations to
explain eligibility criteria. The Emergency
Management Administrator will be requested to assist
with identifying and notifying eligible applicants.
Each PA applicant (including local government
entities) will appoint an "Applicant's
Agent" to coordinate the collection of
documentation and submission of information to the
DFO.
IV.
DIRECTION AND CONTROL
A.
The local officials, in conjunction with the Emergency
Management Administrator, will direct and control
recovery activities from the EOC.
B.
The Damage Assessment Officer is a member of the EOC
staff and is responsible for the coordination of damage
assessment activities.
C.
All county departments will provide personnel and
resources to support the damage assessment/recovery
effort, as requested. Personnel from operating
departments assigned to damage assessment
responsibilities will remain under the control of their
own departments, but will function under the technical
supervision of the Damage Assessment Officer.
V.
CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT
The line of succession is:
A.
Gaston County Tax Collector
B.
Gaston County Planning Director
C.
Chief Building Inspector
D.
Lines of succession for agencies supporting damage
assessment are in accordance with the agency's
established procedure.
Receive a briefing from the Emergency Management
Administrator or Incident Commander regarding the
anticipated primary areas of suspected damage.
The briefing may include:
General description of suspected damage area.
Maps.
Blocked roads or blocked access.
Other
damage assessment teams from other organizations
(i.e. fire departments, Red Cross, State, etc.)
that may be called on or are already deployed.
Equipment available (i.e. vehicles, drivers,
computers, forms, etc.).
Location of equipment and supplies and the time
the equipment and supplies will be available for
use.
Locations of security check points or roadblocks
and credentials necessary to gain entry into
secured areas.
Other
information that may be important (i.e.
predicted weather).
Advise
teams to log both vehicle mileage and
their time and return that information at
the debriefing along with reports, materials and
supplies.
Assign or issue necessary equipment and supplies
(i.e. forms, computers, pencils, pens, paper,
camera, safety vests, flashlights, hard hats,
etc.).
Issue security credentials if required.
Mark vehicles if necessary or appropriate to
indicate they are official vehicles.
Establish times that teams are to report back
and a location they are to report to (not
the EOC).
Track each team and remain in contact by radio
or telephone.
At the appointed time and location greet each
team and log the time of their return.
Debrief each team individually
Gather
returning supplies.
Gather
damage report forms or computer records.
Ensure
each returning team member is in good health and
has received no injury. If injury did occur,
ensure prompt medical attention and write a full
narrative report.
If
information is received during the debriefing
regarding the damaged area that in your judgment
warrants the attention of the Emergency
Management Administrator or Incident Commander
and/or law enforcement, report it immediately to
the Emergency Management Administrator or Incident
Commander and/or law enforcement.
Ensure all teams and all personnel have returned
safely. If a team has not returned at the
appointed time, attempt contact with the team.
If no contact is made, inform the Emergency
Management Administrator or Incident Commander
and/or law enforcement.
Gather, collate and compile as necessary all
damage reports from all locations.
Calculate the total estimated dollar loss and
report this figure to the Emergency Management
Administrator and/or Incident Commander. Enter the
information into State computer systems as
requested or required.
Makes copies of all reports. Deliver one copy to
the Emergency Management Administrator and/or
Incident Commander and retain one copy in a
secure location.
As required or requested, meet with state and/or
federal damage assessment teams or officials and
make copies of your reports as required or
requested, for them.
As required or requested, provide personnel to
assist State and/or Federal teams/officials.
Prepare and brief, as requested, the County
Manager and/or Board of Commissioners and
include projected economic and tax base impacts.
Perform other duties as requested or required by
the County Manager and/or Board of
Commissioners.
Attachment 3 Damage Assessment Team Member Checklist
When contacted by the
Damage Assessment Officer (DAO) report to
the designated location at the appointed time.
If you are not familiar with the designated area
by name, ask for directions.
Dress appropriately for the field and for the
weather.
Work
clothes
Boots
or appropriate footwear (generally tennis shoes
or similar footwear are not appropriate...there
may be nails or other debris that can easily
penetrate soft sole footwear)
Rain
jacket or other appropriate jacket
Gloves
Hard
hat (if not to be issued at briefing)
Safety
vest (if not to be issued at briefing)
Bring
food, water, personal medications or other items
you deem necessary to support you.
Paper and pens / pencils.
Tell your immediate family where you are going
and (if known) the approximate time of your
return.
Attend the briefing that will be conducted by
the Damage Assessment Officer. Take notes and/or
gather instructions.
Be familiar with the damage assessment report
forms issued to you and/or the computer
database.
Meet your driver or transportation provider.
Ensure you have all the supplies you will need
for the duration of your assignment.
Receive your assigned area and maps of your
area.
Familiarize yourself with the area assigned and
address any concerns with the Damage Assessment
Officer during the open briefing.
Understand your route and exactly what you are
supposed to do.
Begin your route or assignment.
Safety is first!
As
you enter your assigned area, get the "big"
picture by observing overall damages (i.e. trees
blown over, downed power lines, roads blocked,
emergency crews working in the area, etc.).
When
you observe a home or business that has
obviously sustained damage, Stop! Get out
of the vehicle slowly, taking your forms with
you.
On the form record
the address of the location (if
known).
On the form record
the name of the owner if it can be
determined.
If the owner or
occupant is available, speak to
them. Identify yourself as Damage
Assessment. Ask if anyone is/was
injured, if so how badly? Is
immediate emergency medical
attention needed? If so, call 911.
Ask the owner or
occupant their opinion of the amount
(in dollars) of their loss. Do
not argue, simply record the
figure on the form.
Ask if the owner or
occupant has home owners insurance.
Ask if they have contacted their
agent. Record the answers on your
form.
If the owner or
occupant is not available, estimate
the total structural damage
and record it on your form.
If you are speaking
with the owner or occupant, do
not give information you do not
have. If they need information (i.e.
location of shelters) get an answer
by contacting the Damage Assessment
Officer or Public Information
Officer at the Emergency Operations
Center.
Be polite and
professional, but expedite gathering
the information necessary to assess
the damage.
Ensure you have all
necessary information available
before you leave that location and
move on to the next. Write it down!
Move
to the next home or business and follow the same
process as above until your assigned area has
been covered.
Return to the designated "debriefing" area at
the appointed time.
Gather from the vehicle all paper, computers and
other issued supplies.
Report to the Damage Assessment Officer (DAO).
Present your written reports/forms to the DAO.
Advise the DAO of any relevant information and
your observations.
During the debriefing turn in all issued
equipment, paper, forms and supplies to the DAO.
Turn in all mileage and time reports to the DAO.
Be prepared to accept a new assignment or return
for a new assignment at an appointed time and
location.
If you have questions, comments or suggestions
that would be beneficial to other damage
assessment teams present that information to the
DAO during debriefing.
Damage assessment forms and reports (paper
forms) are available from the Emergency
Management Administrator and are kept in the
Emergency Operations Center. Copies of those
forms are available here in PDF format.
