Purpose: The City of La Porte is establishing an ad hoc committee to assess and enhance the City’s preparedness for storms and other significant incidents. This committee will focus on identifying strategies to protect residents, infrastructure, and resources to ensure the City maintains a strong preparedness posture to plan for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.
Objectives:
The committee will review the following topics with the intent to make suggestions for improvements, implementation and/or modernization.
• Emergency Preparedness Planning
o Review and make recommendations to update the City’s response plans.
o Identify potential hazards and conduct risk assessments to preparedness measures.
• Public Communication and Education
o Review existing public awareness campaigns for pre-incident readiness such as evacuation routes, shelter locations, and emergency procedures.
o Review the utilization of social media and other communications platforms for real-time updates pre, during and post incident.
o Review engagement with local small businesses to ensure resilience after incidents.
• Resource Allocation and Logistics
o Review readiness for deployment of emergency supplies and equipment with the purpose of optimizing logistics for efficiency.
o Review mutual aid agreements with neighboring cities and regions to enhance resource availability.
• Vulnerable Population Support
o Review plans for vulnerable groups, including seniors, assisted care facilities and home bound individuals.
o Review outreach programs to ensure these populations are informed and prepared for storms and other incidents.
o Review any city partnerships with community organizations that provide targeted assistance to vulnerable populations.
• Evacuation and Shelter Planning
o Review existing facilities for possible use as cooling stations and/or distribution sites pre and post event and ensure these sites are equipped to handle displaced residents.
o Review/develop transportation plans for vulnerable populations, including the elderly and disabled, to ensure their safety during evacuations.
• First Responder Coordination
o Review training and drills for police, fire, and EMS.
o Review communication and coordination protocols among first responders.
o Review any rapid deployment strategies for emergency services to ensure swift and effective responses.
• Financial Planning and Insurance
o Review budget for emergency preparedness and recovery efforts, ensuring financial resources are available when needed.
o Review existing plans to access federal and state disaster relief funds pre/post event.
• Post-Event Recovery and Assessment
o Review established procedures for debris removal and damage assessment following an incident.
o Conduct evaluations of the City’s response to incidents, identifying lessons learned and areas for improvement.
• Technology and Innovation
o Review the existence or possibility to utilize data and predictive modeling to anticipate storm impacts and inform preparedness measures.
o Review existing and new technologies, including AI and GIS systems, to enhance emergency management capabilities.
o Review existing Emergency Operations Center (EOC) technology and capabilities.