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Home My WebLink AboutA55 V6 Approved 2016 - Sect II - Man-Made Haz M-ZJefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 333 May 2017 MAJOR FIRE ACTIVITY SUMMARY The Hazard: Major fire activities are generally associated with urban settings, even in rural communities. Urban fires are fires in cities and towns with the potential to rapidly spread to adjoining structures. These fires damage and destroy homes, schools, commercial buildings, and vehicles. By “major”, we are excluding single structure fires unless they are of special note; we are including fires that were significant for their time. Impacts and Effects: Any or all of the following: • loss of life, • loss of property, • extensive damage to business and homes, • overtaxed emergency response system, • overtaxed healthcare provider system; and • long term, costly cleanup of damage. Previous Occurrences: Port Townsend has had its share of major fires. The most famous recent urban fire is the Aldrich Market Fire in which the oldest continuously operating grocery store in the state was destroyed in the City of Port Townsend in August of 2003. This was started by teenagers playing with fireworks in an outside stairwell. The building has been rebuilt, but condominiums have replaced the heritage seed business which occupied the second story. The seed company, which collected and propagated rare seeds from plants thought lost, had its entire collection destroyed. It never recovered from the loss. Figure MF-1 - Aldrich Market Fire Source: http://www.burkedigitalpix.com/ © The Leader Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 334 May 2017 Table MF-1, below, provides a look at how the city and nearby communities have fared with major urban fires. Table MF-1 Significant Fires in Port Townsend and Vicinity History Date Name Circumstances 09/06/1885 Downtown Fire Started in a blacksmith shop. Burned down all buildings (20) between Water, Washington, Taylor and Tyler streets1. 08/21/1886 Leland School House Fire Embers from a near-by forest fire ignited the school house and burned it to the ground, along with the books and furniture. The school term, nearly over, was postponed indefinitely2. 06/17/1900 Uptown Fire of 1900 The entire block between Lawrence, Clay, Tyler and Polk streets burned down. Firefighters were delayed because a citizen who spotted the fire couldn’t find the key to open the alarm box. Keys were kept at nearby residences at the time3. 09/24/1900 Downtown Fire of 1900 The entire block currently occupied by the west half of Memorial Field was burned to the ground after a fire was touched off by the carelessness of one of the city’s “soiled doves.4” 07/08/1914 The “Green Light” Fire The fire originated in a house of ill repute behind city hall, about six feet from the old fire department headquarters. The “Green Light” was a total loss. The mayor had employees ready to remove city records if city hall caught fire5. 04/06/1923 W. H. Learned Opera House Probably caused by a pyromaniac that was active that year6. 06/23/1923 Eisenbeis Hotel Burned to the ground. Probably caused by a pyromaniac that was active that year7. 10/31/1959 Quilcene Halloween Fire A fire broke out in the 71-year old Linger Longer Lodge at around mid-night on Halloween. Telephone lines were down, so the fire department wasn’t notified and didn’t arrive until it was too late to save the structure8. 12/27/1959 The Hill & Landes Fire Two commercial buildings, the Hill & Landes building and the Sheehan & Seavey Building, were destroyed by a fire that breached their common wall9. 08/03/2003 Aldrich’s Market Fire Billed as the “worst commercial fire since 1959”. Aldrich’s Market was the oldest continuously operating grocery store in the state, having been founded in 1895. The fire was started by children playing with fireworks in an outside stairwell that led to businesses on the second story of the market. The Heritage Seed Company, which collected seeds from rare plants for propagation, lost all of its collection and went out of business. Aldrich’s Market reopened in 2005, and continues to be the oldest grocery store in the state that has operated under the same trade name.10 Probability of Future Events: Moderate – Although Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend have had major structure fires, conditions were not conducive to spread the fire to other buildings. County fire departments and the City of Port Townsend Fire Department have used rapid response, excellent training, and have exercised mutual aid agreements to prevent large fires from developing into a conflagration. Hazard Assessment and Vulnerability Assessment Port Townsend is a Victorian Seaport with its business district listed in the Registry of National Historic Sites. For decades, nobody had the money to tear down or replace the structures that people were Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 335 May 2017 abandoning during a local depression in the late 1800s, until it became fashionable to preserve and restore them. Thus many homes and buildings in this small city are over 100-years old, while many “newer” homes are easily over 50-years old. Many homes and business structures were constructed prior to the time that construction and fire safety codes were in place and actively enforced. Many older residences are equipped with original wiring, making electrical systems a potential source of ignition. In older neighborhoods, houses are often very close together, lack sprinkler systems, and are conducive to rapidly spreading fire. A significant number of old industrial/business facilities have not been retrofitted with new electrical infrastructure or fire extinguishing sprinklers. Regular fire inspection of residences is non-existent, however recent hiring of fire prevention specialists and fire code inspectors will go far in addressing this situation before it becomes a problem. Water systems in older residential areas are aging. Some systems may fail to meet demands for fire protection water availability. Land use planning and system upgrades must be addressed in these areas. Residential area roads are often narrow and prevent the response of adequate fire apparatus. In areas where newer industrial and business buildings are located, these structures are reasonably secure from destruction in the case of a spreading urban fire. New industrial buildings are generally constructed of fire resistant materials, protected with automatic sprinkler systems, and have reasonable spacing between the structures. Although a major fire could occur in such facilities, it would not spread as quickly between neighboring structures. The Uniform Fire Code has required sprinklers in certain industrial and business buildings since 1985. As older buildings have been remodeled and reconfigured to accommodate shops and downtown hotels, they were required to meet more stringent fire codes as well. Although Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend have had major structure fires, conditions are no longer conducive to spreading the fire to other buildings. County fire departments, which have absorbed the City of Port Townsend Fire Department, have used rapid response, excellent training, and have exercised mutual aid agreements to prevent large fires from developing into a conflagration. More stringent enforcement of fire codes has helped ensure reliability of the facilities’ defenses. As the county has grown, fire districts have become better equipped and have more paid full-time firefighters on the staff. Fire stations are still located great distances apart; however, much improvement has been experienced over the past decade. Nevertheless, there are always scenarios in which firefighting resources can be stretched to their limits. Port Townsend has no gas pipelines, but it does have hundreds of propane tanks. It is not inconceivable to have an earthquake break the connections of many propane tanks and have several explode and cause fires. In addition, the earthquake could break the single water line from the city reservoir to Port Townsend and also damage the 5 million-gallon reservoir that the city currently uses. In one fell swoop, there could be multiple fires with casualties at the same time water to put out the fires is cut off. It is a low probability scenario, but one that is well within the bounds of possibility. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 336 May 2017 Conclusion Multiple structure fires are an ever-present danger in all parts of the county. Jefferson County needs to continue public education on fire safety, fire alarms, and fire response. The County must continue its efforts in ensuring fire codes are appropriate and enforced. The current system to bring water to Port Townsend and to store it is being seismically retrofitted or replaced, depending on the conditions of the existing infrastructure. References – MAJOR FIRE 1. Port Townsend An Illustrated History of Shanghaiing, Shipwrecks, Soiled Doves and Sundry Souls, Thomas W. Camfield, Ah Tom Publishing Inc., 2000, p. 246. 2. Ibid., 246. 3. Ibid., 236. 4. Ibid., 237. 5. Ibid., 242. 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid. 8. Ibid., 247 9. Port Townsend The City that Whiskey Built, Thomas W. Camfield, Ah Tom Publishing Inc., 2002, p. 289. 10. Aldrich’s Market, “On the Hill A History of the Uptown Business District”, Pam McCollum Clise, 1995 (Updated in 2007.) Tables - MAJOR FIRE MF-1 Significant Fires in Port Townsend and Vicinity History Figures - MAJOR FIRE MF-1 Aldrich Market Fire Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 337 May 2017 MAJOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY SUMMARY The Hazard: Any incident that disrupts a community to the degree that police intervention is required to maintain public safety is a major law enforcement activity. In small jurisdictions, such as Jefferson County or the City of Port Townsend, this could be a hostage incident, bank robbery, bomb incident, civil disturbance or civil disorder, or a major natural disaster requiring significant control of an area. Many of the other hazards addressed in this Plan include a major law enforcement component in reacting to the event. Impacts and Effects: • Loss of life • Loss of property • Closure of businesses • Looting • Arson • Long term divisiveness in the community • Adverse impacts on tourism and economic development • Increased demands on law enforcement and emergency response resources • Increased demands on mental health Previous Occurrences: There are bomb scares at city and county schools two to three times a year, but none have been real so far. There are regular public displays of anti-war protest groups such as the “Raging Grannies”, but again, everything is normally orderly and friendly. In 2009, there was a double-homicide with arson to hide the crime. Probability of Future Events: High – The increase of illegal methamphetamine production and distribution in rural areas such as Jefferson County serve to increase the probability of future incidents necessitating major law enforcement activity. By 2016, the prevalence of cell phone videos and the 24- hour news cycles on the internet exacerbated police mistakes and/or malfeasance across the nation until there was a violent national reaction from the black community to any police shootings. In some cities police are being ambushed and murdered. On August 14, 2016, there were reports of rioting and cars being set on fire in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a reaction to police shooting of an armed suspect after a police foot chase.1 Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 338 May 2017 © Calvin Mattheis / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel A car burns after violence erupted during a standoff between police and an angry crowd near N. 44th St. and W. Auer Ave. Definition Any incident that disrupts a community to the degree that police intervention is required to maintain public safety is a major police activity, civil disturbance or civil disorder. Demonstrations, riots, strikes, public nuisances, domestic disputes, terrorism, and/or criminal activities can all fall into this category. The hazard could surface in any community, and can be sparked by disagreements ranging from simple family disturbances to political, racial, belief, social and economic differences History of Major Police Activity in Jefferson County Jefferson County has not experienced the violence associated with riots occurring in nearby Seattle in the 1990s. In Seattle, a small-scale riot occurred after the 1992 Rodney King verdict. After the jury’s decision was announced small groups of people roamed downtown Seattle streets smashing windows, lighting dumpster fires and overturning cars. In 1999, during the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, riots resulting in injury and death of participants and bystanders occurred. The City of Seattle declared an emergency and the Governor signed a proclamation of emergency allowing commitment of state resources to support affected local jurisdictions. In 1998, the Washington State EOC was activated in response to the Makah Indian Nation proposed whale-hunting activities at Neah Bay. At the request of the Clallam County Sheriff, the State of Washington provided resources from the National Guard, Washington State Patrol, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources and Emergency Management Division to control disturbances between protestors and residents. County High Schools including Port Townsend, Chimacum, and Quilcene have all had bomb scares and have had instances of students bringing weapons to school. Following the Columbine High School Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 339 May 2017 experience in Colorado, such incidents have been approached with intense seriousness. Although nothing approaching the level of Columbine has occurred, school officials are aware and cognizant of the possibilities. In 2009, a double-homicide with arson to cover up the crime in the Quilcene area became the focal point of major police and fire activity. The alleged perpetrator was caught within 24-hours, but the continued drain of law enforcement resources to process the crime scene and build a case had budgetary impact on county operations. June 2013 – A school employee doing maintenance at Blue Heron Middle School discovered a pipe bomb that had been brought to the school in the 1990s. He transported the device to the Port Townsend Police Station, which is housed in a former school building that now contains community service organizations. The police, the YMCA, Red Cross, food bank, city swimming pool, parts of the Port Townsend Library, and KPTZ-FM radio are all housed there and had to be evacuated until the Washington State Police bomb squad could be activated and transported to the scene – a two-hour trip from its station. The State Patrol bomb squad safely detonated the device.2 Figure MP-2 – Pipe Bomb Incident – June 28, 20132 A maintenance worker in a Blue Heron Middle School classroom found this pipe bomb on June 28. The worker transported the device to the Port Townsend Police Department at Mountain View Commons about 10:45 a.m. The campus was evacuated because of dangers associated with the device and hazardous chemicals that were also found at Blue Heron and transported to Mountain View. As of 1:22 p.m., the Washington State Patrol bomb squad had detonated the pipe device to destroy it. Photo courtesy Port Townsend Police Department Walter Chartrand of a Washington State Patrol bomb squad works on analyzing a pipe bomb brought to the Port Townsend police station by a school district employee who had found it while cleaning science classroom storage at Blue Heron Middle School. Mountain View Commons was locked down and evacuated for several hours before the old pipe bomb was destroyed in a controlled explosion. Photo by Tristan Hiegler Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 340 May 2017 Hazard Assessment and Vulnerability Assessment Civil disturbances are divisive, often complex in their origin, and are possible in nearly every community in the nation. As the population continues to grow, so will the concentrations of ethnic groups, varied perspectives, and disparate economic status. Jefferson County has experienced a growth rate that has outpaced the rest of the State of Washington. Diverse philosophies exist in county residents. As the economy fluctuates due to economic realities of declining fishing and forest industries, emotions tend to run high. Tourism, a major source of revenue for county businesses could be affected by an increasing potential or the actual developments of civil disturbances. The difficult economy combined with the smuggling of designer drugs through Canada and the increase in meth labs in rural areas increase the probability of criminal activity that requires a major law enforcement response. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has twenty deputies, and the City of Port Townsend has sixteen commissioned officers to cover an 1800 square mile county twenty-four-seven. During holidays or festivals, when man-power is ramped up to deal with a special influx of people, there is a limited additional surge capacity through personnel recall, activating all of the police volunteers and getting volunteers from nearby jurisdictions on a mutual-aid basis. In the event of an active shooter scenario, individual units of the Washington State Patrol may provide additional support, but specialized units such as a Swat Team or Armored vehicle take two-hours to be authorized, mount-up, and arrive in Port Townsend from their normal staging areas. Conclusion The potential for major police enforcement activity exists in Jefferson County. Main participants might not be residents of the county. County law enforcement resources are aware and have practiced response scenarios if such disturbances occur. Even with a quick response, state and federal law enforcement support will not arrive to help for many hours. Police actions that are considered fairly common and routine in large urban areas become major police activities in small rural communities. Serving a warrant, discovery of a pipe bomb, maintaining security at a major fire or festival – all can require resources from outside the agency because of limited personnel and sometimes because of specialized skill sets involved. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 341 May 2017 References – MAJOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION 1. “Uneasy Calm in Milwaukee after police shooting, protests”, by Aaron Mak and Jacob Carpenter, USA Today, August 14, 2016. 2. Old pipe bomb found in science room storage is exploded by WSP bomb squad, by Tristan Hiegler of the Leader, Port Townsend Leader, July 3, 2013. Figures - MAJOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION ML-1 Photo of Burning Car in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Calvin Mattheis / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, August 14, 2016. ML-2 Pipe Bomb Incident - June 28 2013 Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 342 May 2017 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 343 May 2017 MARINE OIL SPILL1 SUMMARY The Hazard: The release of toxic materials, oil and other petroleum discharges in particular, into the marine environment in sufficient quantities to put some portion of the public or the environment in immediate danger from exposure, contact, inhalation or ingestion.2 Impacts and Effects: • Illness and injuries • Loss of marine flora and fauna, particularly endangered species • First responders, population and workers at risk until abatement is effective • Permanent loss of fishing, clam beds, and oyster beds from chemical spills • Loss of recreation sites and tourism • Loss of seafood processing jobs • Potential contamination of water supplies • Business closures • Long term loss of property use • Potential lawsuits tying up property and funding for extended periods • Decrease in property values. Previous Occurrences: Small occurrences happen every year. Most are below the reporting levels. Probability of Future Events: High – The Admiralty Inlet is one of the most heavily used shipping lanes in the country. Definition “An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually applied to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters, but spills may also occur on land. Oil spills may be due to releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, heavier fuels used by large ships such as bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil.”3 The use, storage, transportation and disposal of hazardous petroleum material and wastes, places the public and the environment at significant risk. A release may occur by spilling, leaking, emitting toxic vapors, or any other process that enables the materials to escape its container, enter the environment, and create a potential hazard. The nature and extent of this risk is difficult to determine as the process involved in hazardous materials and toxic waste management are dynamic. Many federal laws and regulations exist to manage the manufacture, utilization, and disposal of hazardous materials. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 344 May 2017 History of Major Spills in Washington and Jefferson County4 Data reported to Jefferson County about occurrences happening to hazardous materials average between 25 and 30 per year. Most are small. Spills under 10 gallons are not reportable. Clean up is the responsibility of the spiller; however, the spiller or waste-dumper may not be known. Occurrences have ranged from marine oil spills during bunkering operations to spilled fuel or oil on the road from accidents or overturned containers. The following spills in Washington and vicinity waters are notable:5 • The 1985 ARCO Anchorage tanker spill in which 239,000 gallons of crude oil was released into marine waters at Port Angeles; • The 1988 Nestucca barge spill which released 231,000 gallons of fuel oil into waters along the coast of Grays Harbor; • The disastrous 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska which unleashed 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound; • The 1991 Texaco refinery spill at Anacortes which released 130,000 gallons of crude oil, of which 40,000 gallons went into Fidalgo Bay; and • The 1991 spill at the U.S. Oil refinery in Tacoma which involved 600,000 gallons of crude oil, most of which was stopped from entering state waters. • 2003 – Point Wells – Crews loading a tank barge with heavy fuel oil, overfilled the tanks and spilled approximately 4,700 barrels into Puget Sound. There was significant damage to the sensitive estuary. • 2004 – Legislature passes a bill calling for a “zero-spill” strategy. • 2004 – In October an unknown vessel spills 1,000 gallons in Dalco Pass, fouling 21 miles of shoreline. The Coast Guard eventually tracked the spilled oil back to the Polar Texas, owned by Arco. • 2011 – In January of 2011, a derelict barge, the Davy Crockett, leaked fuel oil into the Columbia River near Camas during an unpermitted scrap metal salvage operation. Cleanup and the dismantling and removal of the barge cost $23 million. Figure OS-1, below, shows oil spills in Jefferson County waters from July 2011 through March 2015.6 Since 2011, the only significant spill in Jefferson County waters has been 800 gallons of fuel from a recreation boat that developed mechanical problems off the coast. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 345 May 2017 Figure OS-1. Oil spills in the Jefferson County Vicinity6 July 1, 2011 – March 31, 2015 *The largest oil spill in Jefferson County waters was 800 gallons in the Pacific Ocean. Source: Washington State Department of Ecology Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 346 May 2017 Throughout the State of Washington, nearly 4,000 confirmed hazardous materials spills are reported each year. Illustrative data on the kinds, types and frequencies of Washington maritime spills over 10,000 gallons from 2002 to 2015 is shown below (Table OS-17): Table OS-1. Maritime Oil Spills in Washington over 10,000 Gallons (2002 – 2015)7 Product Volume Date Source Type Cause Type Medium Bunker C/IFO/HFO 270,000 08/25/2004 Vessel Human Error Marine Gasoline 11,000 11/27/2003 Vehicle Unknown Fresh Water Data on spills is received from many sources. The State Emergency Management Department advises the county on all reports received. These reports may come from other state agencies, private citizens or federal agencies Oil Spill Readiness in Washington and Jefferson County As assessment of Washington’s capacity to respond to a large-scale oil spill (48,000 – 50,000 barrels) was prepared by the Washington Oil Spill Advisory Council in February 2009.8 Local responders were asked to identify the recovery systems they would use for a 50,000-barrel instantaneous release spill and a 48,000-barrel continuous release spill of 1000 barrels an hour for 48 hours. Key findings are: • On-Water Capacity of the state is between 9,500 and 19,500 barrels of a 50,000-barrel instantaneous release during the first 48 hours. • On-Water Recovery is greatly affected by environmental conditions and the availability of non-dedicated resources, such as equipment and personnel. • Non-mechanical responses such as dispersant could treat between 1,400 and 8,000 barrels of a 50,000-barrel release using available resources. It could also interfere with on-water recovery by making the dispersing oil harder to collect. • Burning could treat as much as 4,800 gallons of a 50,000-gallon spill. • A 50,000-gallon spill could require thousands of trained shoreline cleanup personnel if conditions were “high-consequence”. Hundreds could be needed in a smaller spill under more favorable conditions. There is a maximum of 684 shoreline response personnel available in all of Washington. • It is estimated that a major oil spill could oil up to 6,000 birds. Washington currently has the capacity to rehabilitate 100 birds, a few pinnipeds such as harbor seals, and up to 25 sea otters. In short, we are woefully unprepared to deal with a major oil spill on our own. To that end, the best defense is a strong offense, so the Oil Spill Advisory Council advocated for a permanent response tug-boat to be permanently stationed at Neah Bay to assist vessels that are in trouble. A temporary tug-boat was stationed there in 2004. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 347 May 2017 In 2007, the Port of Port Townsend received funding for an Oil Spill Response Trailer, which is now stationed at the Boat Haven boatyard in Port Townsend. The trailer contains absorbent material and booms for control and recovery of marine oil spills. Local fire and Port of Port Townsend security personnel are trained to use the equipment. The county Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) was established under the provisions of the State and Federal law (The Community Emergency Planning and Community Right-to- Know Act--EPCRA). The purpose of the LEPC is to coordinate the development of emergency plans and procedures for dealing with a hazardous materials incident. The committee’s charter is to conduct hazard identification, vulnerability analysis, and risk management activities. Additionally, they are chartered to develop and maintain emergency response plans appropriate to hazardous materials based on the volumes and types of substances found in, or transported through their jurisdictions.9 The Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team, POSPET, evolved from the simple premise that small oil spills can add up to cause significant environmental and economic harm, and are a regional problem that can be remedied more effectively through collaborative projects drawing from existing talent and resources. For over a decade, POSPET has served as a forum for exchanging information and outreach ideas about prevention of oil spills and other boater best management practices while providing boat and marina operators with a consistent and accurate pollution prevention messages. POSPET members include representatives from state and federal agencies, industry associations, and nonprofit groups from Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and nationwide.10 Hazard Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis Key findings of the Washington Oil Spill Advisory Council (February 2009) indicated that the Jefferson County coastline (along with other county’s coastlines) remains vulnerable to large-scale oil spills. These oil spills, which could result from shipping accidents or other maritime incidents could result in greater than 50,000 barrels of spilled materials. Available resources for collection and recovery could meet only a fraction of the needs at this level. Available on-water recovery systems could handle anywhere from 9,500 to 19,500 barrels in the first 48 hours. Dispersants could treat between 1,400 and 8,000 barrels of a 50,000-barrel release. Hundreds of trained shoreline cleanup personnel would be required to clean up the release. Historical data from the Arco Anchorage in Port Angeles Harbor, the Tenyo Maru which spilled oil along the entire Washington State shoreline with heavy concentration along the Makah Indian Reservation and Olympic National Park, and the Nestucca spilling oil from Grays Harbor north to the Olympic National Park shoreline provide important models for oil spill analysis. The 2001 International Oil Spill Conference received a report entitled “Assessing Environmental Impacts from a Puget Sound Spill” by Cindy Chen and Robert Neumann which utilized these historical spills as models11. The study notes that all spills are different, and the same quantity of soil spilled in two different locations, or under different environmental conditions, can have significantly different impacts. The report identifies several variables which could affect the severity of the impact to the environment: • Spill location • Spill quantity and oil type • Time of spill (Natural resources of birds and salmon have the highest vulnerability in the spring of the year) • Weather and currents Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 348 May 2017 In 2007, the Port of Port Townsend received funding for an Oil Spill Response Trailer which is currently stationed at the Boat Haven in Port Townsend. The trailer contains absorbent materials and booms for control and recovery of marine oil spills. Local fire and Port of Port Townsend personnel are trained to use the equipment. Annual exercises with the Port Townsend Paper Corporation address procedures and processes involved with major pollutants. These exercises involve joint coordination and cooperation between local emergency management officials, Port Townsend Paper Corporation, United States Coast Guard, recovery assets, and the Washington State Department of Ecology. Conclusion For major marine oil and hazardous material spills, the Northwest Area Contingency Plan (ACP) will be used for all responses. It combines the resources of the local, State, and Federal governments. Two Geographic Response Plans (GRPs) cover the shorelines of Jefferson County, specifically the Washington Outer Coast and Hood Canal/Admiralty Inlet. They include resource priorities, protection and clean-up strategies, and local logistical information. Legislative creation of the Oil Spill Advisory Council in 2004 led to advocacy for a permanent tug boat to be stationed at Neah Bay to assist vessels in trouble, particularly those laden with petroleum cargos. As of 2008, it was estimated that a contracted tug boat at Neah Bay had prevented 34 major incidents.12 In 2009, congress approved funding for a permanent tug boat at Neah Bay. Also, in 2009, the governor of Washington proposed eliminating the Oil Spill Advisory Council as part of an effort to balance the state budget. Due to inadequate oil spill response capabilities throughout the state, the Jefferson County coastline and Port Townsend Bay remain vulnerable to large scale oil spills. Despite studies, exercises and planning, it is estimated that a major oil spill would be disastrous to the Jefferson County shoreline and to the economic viability of the entire area. Experiences in the Gulf of Mexico during 2010 pointed out the complexities and frustrations of rapid cleanup procedures required to prevent permanent damage to Jefferson County and adjacent counties. The likelihood of Jefferson County experiencing a major oil spill is significant. The ability to quickly respond to ensure collection, recovery and cleanup is critical. At this point, major outside resources will be required to affect a swift and thorough cleanup and recovery from a major oil pollution event. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 349 May 2017 References – MARINE OIL SPILL 1. “Marine Oil Spill – Major Pollution Event”, The Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2011, pp. 60-62. 2. “Marine Oil Spill – Major Pollution Event”, The Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2011, p. 60. 3. “Oil Spill”, Wikipedia, Accessed August 2016. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_spill 4. “Fifty Years of Oil Spills in Washington’s Waters”, by Eric de Place and Ahren Stroming, Sightline Institute, January 12, 2015. Available at: http://www.sightline.org/2015/01/12/fifty-years-of-oil-spills-in-washingtons-waters/ 5. Oil Spills in Washington State: A Historical Analysis, by Jon Neel, Curt Hart, Donna Lynch, Steve Chan, and Jeanette Harris, Washington State Department of Ecology, Publication #97-252, April 1997 (rev. 2007), p. 5. 6. Oil Spills in the Jefferson County Vicinity, Spill Map, Washington State Department of Ecology, July 2011 – March 2015, Accessed August 2016. Available at: https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/coastalatlas/storymaps/spills/spills_sm.html 7. Maritime Oil Spills in Washington Over 10,000 Gallons (2002 – 2015), Edited for Washington by the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, August 2016. 8. Assessment of Capacity in Washington State to Respond to a Large-Scale Oil Spill, Oil Spill Advisory Council, February 2009. 9. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, Washington Department of Ecology, Available at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/epcra/index.html 10. Spills Aren’t Slick – A Campaign of the Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team (POSPET) 11. “Spills Greater than 10,000 Gallons (2002 – 2015)”, Summary of West Coast Oil Spills, Pacific States / British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force, June 2015, pp. 19-22. Available at: http://oilspilltaskforce.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Oil-Spill-Data-Summary_2015_FINALpdf.pdf 12. Oil Spill Advisory Council presentation to the Washington State Legislature, 2007. Tables - MARINE OIL SPILL OS-1 Maritime Oil Spills in Washington Over 10,000 Gallons (2002 – 2015) Figures - MARINE OIL SPILL OS-1 Oil spills in the Jefferson County Vicinity Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 350 May 2017 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 351 May 2017 MARITIME EMERGENCY1 (Ferry Accident; Ship Collision) SUMMARY The Hazard: In addition to the Puget Sound itself, the region contains many smaller bodies of water. These areas are vulnerable to shipping and boating accidents, as well as those involving ferries. Ferry accidents could result in a mass casualty incident that may be difficult to address, though the United States Coast Guard has the primary responsibility for safety and rescue on the open waterways. Major emergencies associated with freight vessels though, are more likely to result from collisions with other vessels or mechanical failures during severe weather. Impacts and Effects: • Possible loss of life • Possible injuries to vessel occupants and to first responders • Possible mass casualty incident • Loss of vessel and/or cargo • Loss of property of vessel passengers • Threat to endangered species of both aquatic and airborne species from chemical or fuel spills resulting from the accident • Possible contamination of commercial fishing grounds or shellfish farms • Possible significant economic damage in limited sectors of the Jefferson County economy Previous Occurrences: In 2005, an escort tug veered in front of a single-hull oil tanker loaded with two million gallons of light fuel oil. The tug boat was rolled over multiple times by the collision, but no one was seriously hurt and no fuel was spilled.2 In 2007, the Director of Washington’s State Ferry System pulled the two ferries on the Port Townsend – Keystone run out of service on an emergency basis just before Thanksgiving week-end because the 80-year old vessels were considered to be too risky to run.3 Probability of Future Events: Moderate – Puget Sound and the Admiralty Inlet are some of the highest trafficked sea lanes in the United States. The Port Townsend Bay has traffic from the ferry system, submarines, navy and coast guard warships, commercial fishing vessels, occasional cruise ships, and many pleasure craft. At times, the rough seas can threaten the ferries or small vessels. Definition A maritime accident, for the purposes of the HIVA, would be one in which a vessel of significant size had an accident causing the loss of life and property to the extent that it required the activation of elements of the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management to help respond. “Marine disasters can be roughly divided into the following four groups: collisions, weather-related events, fires, and infectious diseases. At sea communities are very small and resources are minimal compared to shore-side catastrophes so not much is required to turn a shipboard emergency into a disaster”.4 Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 352 May 2017 Jefferson County is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, Puget Sound, and the Admiralty Inlet as well as having smaller bodies of water such as Discovery Bay, Port Townsend Bay, and the Hood Canal. These areas are vulnerable to shipping and boating accidents, as well as those involving ferries. Ferry accidents could result in a mass casualty incident that may be difficult to address, though the United States Coast Guard has the primary responsibility for safety and rescue on the open waterways. Major emergencies associated with freight vessels though, are more likely to result from collisions with other vessels or mechanical failures during severe weather. History of Maritime Accidents in Jefferson County Jefferson County was once a major west coast seaport, and as such, has a rich history of maritime accidents. During the period from 1853 through 2002, there have been at least 27 major maritime accidents in the area from Protection Island through the Admiralty Inlet and down to Port Ludlow.5 This included the steamship Clallam, which broke down in a storm, resulting in the deaths of 56 people who were in lifeboats that were launched into a riptide. Many Washington maritime incidents occur along the Pacific Coast too. In adjacent Clallam County, for example, there have been at least 33 significant maritime accidents around Tatoosh Island off Cape Flaherty. Figure ME-1: Unknown vessel aground near Tatoosh Island. Hazard Assessment and Vulnerability Assessment Jefferson County waters and adjacent international sea lanes are traversed by freighters, oil tankers, cruise ships, submarines, warships, pleasure craft, and the occasional whale. Rough water in Port Townsend Bay often causes the cancelation of ferry runs. Figure ME-2 below illustrates why. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 353 May 2017 Figure ME-2: A Washington State Ferry experiences rough water in the Puget Sound. The Puget Sound area is one of the busiest seaways in the nation with some many unique features:6 • It is 3500 square miles; larger than San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, and New York combined. • It has an international border with Canada. • Over 5,000 deep draft ships transit each year. • It contains the home ports for the Alaskan Fishing Fleet. • It contains the Washington State Ferry System, largest in the nation with 500+ transits daily and over 20,000 passengers daily. • 15 Billion Gallons of Oil are moved annually. • 3rd Largest US Navy Strategic Port in the U.S. • Recreational Boat Population of 1.3 million. Given the volume of traffic and the mix of vessels, it is a wonder that there aren’t more maritime accidents than there have been. The Seattle Gateway Sector as control over Puget Sound vessel traffic in much the same way that air traffic controllers control the skies. The Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend is adding an “Alternate Gateway Emergency Operations Center” to its new building in Port Townsend to provide backup control if the primary center in Seattle goes down. A rescue tug boat has been stationed at Neah Bay to provide assistance to vessels in trouble at the entrance to Puget Sound and its vicinity. Several Jefferson County law enforcement and fire agencies have a limited water rescue and fire-boat capability. These programs are hampered by funding issues, so the equipment is old and their capabilities limited by size. Since the agency boats are not manned full-time, response times are contingent upon whether trained crews happen to be on duty with their respective agency at the time of a water related emergency. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 354 May 2017 Conclusion Although the waters around Jefferson County can be difficult, safety standards, the positioning of a safety tug boat at Neah Bay, and aggressive response by the USCG have kept the loss of life and vessels down. Nevertheless, the large volume of commercial and recreational vessels in the Puget Sound suggests that it is inevitable more maritime accidents will occur. Local law and fire agencies train to respond to maritime emergencies, but have limited ability to deal with large maritime disasters. References – MARITIME EMERGENCY 1. “Maritime Emergency”, Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend Hazard Mitigation Plan, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2009, pp. 185-188. 2. “San Juans Disaster Narrowly Averted”, Nalder, Eric, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 24, 2005 3. “Ferry run between Port Townsend and Whidbey island suspended”, by Record staff, South Whidbey Record, November 21, 2007. 4. Handbook of Bioterrorism and Disaster Medicine, Robert E. Antosia, M.D., MPH, Springer U.S., 2006, p. 193 5. “Ship Graveyard – Port Townsend Area”, Chart, Jefferson County Historical Society, 2002 6. “Enhancing Maritime Outreach”, Captain Steve Metruck, Captain of the Port, National Harbor Conference, Seattle Washington, May 12, 2008 Figures - MARITIME EMERGENCY ME-1 Unknown vessel aground at Tatoosh Island. Unknown attribution. ME-2 A Washington State Ferry experiences rough water in the Puget Sound. Source: Internet Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 355 May 2017 MILITARY ORDNANCE INCIDENT1 SUMMARY The Hazard: The largest munitions depot on the west coast, Naval Magazine Indian Island (NAVMAG II), is located within the boundary of Jefferson County. Tens of thousands of tons of high explosives in the form of missiles, torpedoes, warheads, etc. are shipped in and out of the depot every year by ship and by truck. There is a possibility of an accident or incident detonating high explosives near a populated area. Impacts and Effects: • Loss of life and injuries as a direct result of an explosion • Fatalities and injuries as an indirect result of an explosion, e.g. from flying glass • Destruction of property in the explosion radius • Economic impact due to destruction of businesses within the blast radius • Psychological trauma to survivors and residents • Depending on the type of event, there may be hazardous residues that contaminate the area for long periods • Economic impacts due to the loss of property values because of the perceived threat of living near NAVMAG Indian Island • First responders, population and workers at risk until abatement is effective • Explosions resulting in destruction and fires • Permanent loss of fishing, clam beds, and oyster beds from chemical spills • Loss of recreation sites and tourism • Potential contamination of water supplies • Business closures Previous Occurrences: In 2008, a fully loaded semi-truck carrying 155mm munitions out of the base lost its brakes on a hill leading to the main gate of the navy base. A quick-thinking sentry raised the security bollards, which stopped the truck from entering onto the state highway fronting the base. There were no detonators with the munitions, so the threat of explosion was relatively low in this case. Probability of Future Events: Low – NAVMAG Indian Island has a superb track record for safety. The 2008 incident caused the revision of protocols to prevent a recurrence. There have been no significant problems as of December, 2016. Definition2 FEMA defines hazardous materials in a broad sense to include: - Explosive, flammable, combustible, corrosive, oxidizing, toxic, infectious, or radioactive materials - that, when involved in an accident and released in sufficient quantities, - put some portion of the general public in immediate danger from exposure, contact, inhalation, or ingestion. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 356 May 2017 The production, use, storage, transportation and disposal of hazardous material substances and wastes, places the public and the environment at significant risk. A release may occur by spilling, leaking, emitting toxic vapors, or any other process that enables the materials to escape its container, enter the environment, and create a potential hazard. The nature and extent of this risk is difficult to determine as the process involved in hazardous materials and toxic waste management are dynamic. Many federal laws and regulations exist to manage the manufacture, utilization, and disposal of hazardous materials. An ordnance incident is the deliberate or accidental detonation of military ordnance, warheads, missiles, torpedoes, fuels, or any military related device or substance intended for the delivering high explosives or causing destructive explosions. The largest munitions depot on the west coast, Naval Magazine Indian Island, is located within the boundary of Jefferson County. Tens of thousands of tons of high explosives in the form of missiles, torpedoes, warheads, etc. are shipped in and out of the depot every year by ship and by truck. There is a possibility of an accident or incident detonating high explosives near a populated area. History of Military Ordnance Incidents in Jefferson County There have been no accidental detonations of military ordnance in Jefferson County. February 15, 20083 – A shipping truck exiting NAVMAG Indian Island crashed into security bollards raised by the guards when the vehicle lost its brakes. The crash on February 15, 2008 happened just after 7 p.m. when a shipping truck transporting ordnance to the base crashed into one of the hydraulic security walls just inside the main gate. Navy investigators determined that the 2003 Volvo truck and trailer, carrying 360 rounds of 155mm M107 projectiles, experienced a brake malfunction as it entered the base, causing it to crash into the movable wall used as a security measure. According to an accident report from the Navy, no ordnance was damaged in the crash and no individuals were injured. After the incident, a safety perimeter of 1,700 feet was set up, stopping traffic on state Highway 116 for more than an hour. The area remained closed until a Navy explosive ordnance disposal team arrived to inspect the truck and ordnance. The team later determined it was safe to reopen the road. The ordnance was offloaded and a tow truck was called to dislodge the truck from the barrier. Hazard Assessment and Vulnerability Assessment Indian Island has its own security and fire department to handle incidents within the base. Vulnerabilities of the base to severe windstorms, and the potential of hazardous material accidents that could impact the communities around the bay necessitate inter-governmental cooperation at all levels. Depending on its nature, a catastrophic explosion could scatter radiologic debris. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 357 May 2017 Additionally, the trans-shipment of hundreds of thousands of tons of munitions, including spent Uranium projectiles, through the area periodically creates opportunities for protest groups.4 Loaded munitions ships leaving the base sometimes sail within a few hundred yards of downtown Port Townsend because of tidal conditions. During the Persian Gulf operations known as “Desert Storm” and during Operation Iraqi Freedom, several thousand tons of explosive passed through eastern Jefferson County between the Hood Canal Bridge and Naval Magazine Indian Island. The type of cargo that is loaded/offloaded at NAVMAG Indian Island is primarily ammunition (e.g., bombs, bullets and missiles). Contract trucks and trailers made several trips each day moving materials between Indian Island and Naval installations in Kitsap County. U.S. Pacific Fleet ordnance material flows from producers and procurement sites through Naval Magazine Indian Island to the Pacific Fleet. Areas at risk for ordnance materials transportation incidents lie along highways, pipelines, rivers, and seaport areas. These risks are compounded by natural hazards (e.g. earthquakes, floods, and severe storms). Each incident’s impact and resulting response depends on a multitude of interrelated variables that range from the quantity and specific characteristic of the material to the conditions of the release and area/population centers involved. Figure OR-1 shows the route that trucks take from the Hood Canal Bridge to NAVMAG Indian Island. According to the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), a semi-truck fully loaded with high explosives needs an evacuation radius of 7000 feet.5 Depending on where an ordnance truck had an accident, the evacuation radius could include the County EOC, 9-1-1 facilities, sheriff’s office and jail complex, two propane storage facilities, gasoline stations, two schools and a library. It is also possible to have an accident in which the evacuation radius would include both the NAVMAG EOC and the County EOC, thus necessitating transferring EOC operations to the Alternate EOC at the City of Port Townsend nine miles away. Conclusion Jefferson County has convened its leaders to examine and more thoroughly understand existing emergency response processes, communication plans and methodologies. NAVMAG Indian Island conducts periodic Educational outreach presentations for the public. "We really wanted to reach those parts of the community who don't get a chance to get involved in what's happening in their area," said Melissa Kilgore, administrative assistant for human resources, financing and budgeting for NAVMAG Indian Island.”6 Citizens, both public and private, must be prepared with evacuation or shelter-in-place plans for all hazards including ordnance incidents. Agencies should have critical incident plans outlining roles for school administrators, law enforcement, fire departments, and medical care providers. Agencies should coordinate their plans with each other to ensure that redundancies are addressed and to further the understanding and opportunities for cooperation by all potentially affected agencies. A number of critical agencies are vulnerable to be being affected by an ordnance truck accident and should have procedures and exercises predicated on having to move operations to the Alternate EOC. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 358 May 2017 Figure OR-1. Ordnance Truck Incident Evacuation Zone5 Source: Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 359 May 2017 References – MILITARY ORDNANCE INCIDENT 1. “Military Ordnance Incident”, Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend Hazard Mitigation Plan, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2009, pp. 189-192. 2. “Hazardous Materials”, SLG 101: Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning”, FEMA, Washington D.C., September 1996, p. 6-C-1. Available at: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/plan/6-ch-c.pdf 3. “Cargo truck wrecks inside Navy gate”, Sullivan, Patrick J., Port Townsend Leader, Port Townsend Washington, February 27, 2008. 4. Part of the mission of NAVMAG Indian Island is “depleted uranium management”.6 Military medical sources maintain that depleted uranium is not harmful unless it is inside the body, either through inhalation, ingestion or hostile action.7 5. Bomb Threat Stand-off Distances, National Counter-terrorism Center, 2006. (Unclassified) Available at: https://www.nctc.gov/docs/2006_calendar_bomb_stand_chart.pdf 6. NAVMAG Indian Island Conducts Outreach, Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class (AW/NAC) Eric J. Rowley, Fleet Public Affairs Center Det. Northwest, Story Number: NNS071206-19, 12/6/2007. Available at: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=33702 7. Depleted Uranium Fact Sheet, Available at: http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/dod/du_factsheet_4aug98.htm Figures - MILITARY ORDNANCE INCIDENT OR-1 “Ordnance Truck Incident Evacuation Zone”, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2009. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 360 May 2017 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 361 May 2017 POWER OUTAGE – ENERGY EMERGENCY1 SUMMARY The Hazard: Electricity may be interrupted due to drought, earthquake, major destruction of power transmission lines. They can develop quickly due to storms or an earthquake, or they may develop slowly such as when world politics might produce shortages.2 Only very rarely do power outages escalate to disaster proportions, however, they often accompany other types of disasters, such as severe winter storms and floods, which hampers relief efforts. Electromagnetic pulses and voltage spikes from high altitude nuclear blasts (HEMP), deliberate satellite attacks, or natural Carrington events can also damage electricity infrastructure and electrical devices.3 Cyber-attacks can bring down the power grid by interfering with control systems. Impacts and Effects: • Imperilment of life due to the inability to provide life-support services, e.g. an oxygen concentrator at home • Imperilment of life due to the inability to produce heat or cooling during adverse weather periods • Loss of communications • Disruption of critical services • Endangerment of property due to catastrophic failure of systems dependent on power • Extreme hardship for elderly and special needs population • Loss of refrigeration and losses from spoilage • Loss of water resulting from inability to run electric pumps • Potential failure of waste removal systems • Disrupted fuel supplies • Loss of business and revenue • Banking systems are disabled • Shortage of food supplies as stores close • Communication systems disrupted as battery backups are depleted • Higher costs for electricity • Higher costs for petroleum products • Alarm systems disabled, potential for criminal acts increased • Law enforcement and emergency response teams challenged with increased traffic accidents with non-working traffic lights • Limited patient care as emergency generators become overtaxed Previous Occurrences: There have been a few “major” occurrences in Jefferson County, but none that could be considered catastrophic in that they were localized and individual emergencies were manageable with local and regional resources: • After the Columbus Day storm in 1962, there were areas in Washington that were without power for two to three weeks. • During the summer of 1996, problems with line loading caused major regional power outages along the west coast. Storms have also caused power outages ranging from hours to 3-4 days in areas of Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 362 May 2017 Jefferson County. Electrical power shortages also occurred during 1973-74 and in 1977-due to drought conditions. • Following the “Super Bowl Storm” in 2006, Port Ludlow was without power for three days when major transmission lines were damaged in the high winds of accompanying that storm. • The last significant occurrence in Jefferson County was on December 31, 2008, when severe winds broke a Bonneville Power Feeder line cutting off power to 2/3 of the Jefferson County population. Power was restored within hours through a work-around, but the line itself was not fully repaired for many days. Probability of Future Events: High – Severe winter storms combined with above-ground power lines in forested areas makes power outages a regular recurring event. Whether any given outage becomes an extended outage is a function of the severity of the problem, its physical location, and the environmental conditions during the event. Definition: A power outage is an interruption of normal sources of electrical power. Short-term power outages (up to a few hours) are common and have minor adverse effect, since most businesses and health facilities are prepared to deal with them. Extended power outages, however, can disrupt personal and business activities as well as medical and rescue services, leading to business losses and medical emergencies. Extended loss of power can lead to civil disorder, as in the New York City blackout of 1977. Only very rarely do power outages escalate to disaster proportions, however, they often accompany other types of disasters, such as hurricanes and floods, which hampers relief efforts.4 Although there are no statutory definitions of an extended power outage, the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 246-293-660 sets the minimum standards for water system reliability by defining a power outage as a minimum of 30 minutes.5 It indirectly sets the outage standard for power utilities as averaging less than four hours per outage, with three outages or less per year over a three-year period. Not more than one outage per three-year period can exceed eight hours. From this we can infer that an extended power outage is anything over eight hours long. Other jurisdictions define an extended power outage as one which puts “the comfort and safety” of its citizens at risk. “Comfort and Safety” means an ambient temperature that minimizes residents’ susceptibility to loss of body heat and risk of hypothermia or susceptibility to respiratory ailments and colds. Hazard Assessment and Vulnerability Assessment Puget Sound Energy (PSE), the power provider up until 2010 had a history of major power outages, typically caused by large storm events. Power outages have lasted as long as 9 – 10 days in some areas of the county. During storms accompanied by cold winter temperatures, power outages have been problematic and dangerous for special needs populations and the elderly. The Jefferson County Public Utility District Nbr. 1 (JPUD), the current power provider for East Jefferson County, purchased the power assets from PSE in 2010. It is attempting to mitigate the potential for extended power outages by creating more of a presence in Jefferson County to work with consumers, and establishing closer relations with the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management to improve communications during power outage events. JPUD purchased the power related assets from Puget Sound Energy in on April 1, 2013, and took over the power distribution responsibility from them. Its strategy was Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 363 May 2017 to keep the power distribution at a local level rather than with a non-local provider, but the production assets are still from the outside, primarily the Bonneville Power Authority. Loss of a major distribution system due to damage or an act of terrorism on the grid could cause power outages for several hours to several days. Loss of refrigeration and water sources that require electrical pumps could present major health issues. Loss of electricity to power gas stations could affect the fuel supply. With power outages, retail food outlets would be closed, alarm systems could be disconnected, and eventually emergency communication systems and cell phones would be affected after the battery life of backup systems was expended. Back-up generators would be at risk for breakdown following extensive utilization. Long-term power outages due to drought or failure at a hydroelectric generation station could present problems. The power distribution systems that currently exist are designed to help prevent major power outages for long periods of time. Washington State is connected to a regional transmission grid that has major connections with other grids out-of-region, including British Columbia, Montana, California, and other southwest states. In general, if Washington is short of electricity due to drought and low water levels in reservoirs powering hydroelectric generating plants, electricity can be purchased elsewhere. The result is higher cost electricity, rather than inadequate supply. Utility companies build on an “N-1 capacity”. This means the utility is prepared for one of each kind of line to go down without a disruption in service. If two of the same type of lines goes down, some may lose power. In the 1996 event, Portland was forced to take everything off line to avoid melting of transmission lines from the overload of power. Even with the grid system, however, voluntary curtailment and conservation must be practiced. The Washington State Curtailment Plan for Electric Energy (WAC 194-22) describes a 5-stage plan for power curtailment with each level representing a more severe shortage that require sterner steps. Most of the out-of-region power is thermal; it is not affected by drought. In fact, a shortage of electricity over the long term is not a major concern in Western Washington since a substantial amount of electricity is transmitted from Canada to California via Washington and Oregon, therefore providing easy access to external power supplies. Hot weather and increased use often associated with droughts can be a concern for electric utilities, however. Increased loads cause electric lines to heat up; when lines get too hot, they sag. Sagging lines into trees and other vegetation is a major concern and therefore loads must be monitored to control sagging. Jefferson County is vulnerable to localized, short-term energy emergencies brought about by accidents, terrorism or storms. Most of these energy emergencies can be handled by the utility companies. The effects of energy shortages could include inconvenience to consumers, reduced heating and lighting capability, reduced production in all sectors, potential failure of transportation, water and waste, communication, information, and banking systems. Secondary hazards associated with these events could include traffic accidents as traffic lights are out, limited patient care at the hospital due to power capabilities of backup generators, injuries due to downed power lines, and closure of retail operations including food stores, gas stations, restaurants, and other stores. Energy emergencies can seriously hamper emergency response capabilities and should be planned for. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 364 May 2017 09/02/2015 Fire in Mason County Cuts Electric Service to Over 2000 Jefferson County Customers. Submitted photo to the Port Townsend Leader Terrorism and the Grid: There are three levels of terrorism to deal with when discussing the grid: physical, cyber, and pulse. A particular attack may involve one or more of these types of attack. Physical Terrorism: On April 13, 2013, unknown individuals attacked the Pacific Power & Light Metcalf Transmission Substation near San Jose, California. These saboteurs lifted a heavy vault lid to a vault carrying AT&T fiber optic cables. Within 30 minutes of cutting the cables and knocking out communications, they attacked the transmission substation and knocked out 17 transformers in 19 minutes by firing AK-47 assault weapons from outside the locked perimeter. They left the scene one minute before police units arrived. The Metcalf Substation provides power to Silicon Valley.6 Power was rerouted from other areas and producers to keep Silicon Valley going, but it took 27 days to get the substation back in operation. Jefferson County PUD substations have the same kind of vulnerability to physical attack. Cyber-terrorism: In 2008, the U.S. and Israel cyberattacked the Iranian Nuclear program using the Stuxnet virus. Shortly thereafter, Iran retaliated with a cyberattack against the Aramco Oil company in Saudi Arabia, destroying 30,000 of its computers. The attack on the Iranian program was accomplished by introducing the “worm” into the SCADA system causing the uranium purification centrifuges to tear themselves apart. That SCADA system was manufactured by Siemens as is most of the SCADA systems used by the power industry in the United States.7 Pulse Attack: High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulses (HEMP) can be used to damage the grid over a wide-scale area.8 A HEMP attack would most easily be from a high-altitude nuclear detonation, but could also be from a non-nuclear device or a satellite. A detonation at 400 km high can send a pulse that covers the entire continental United States. Damage to electrical equipment would be highly variable and depend on physical location, whether equipment was powered on, etc. The ability of the United States power grid to withstand such an attack would depend on whether equipment was on, the topography of the location (mountain shadow), and a myriad of unknowable things occurring at the time. See “Carrington Event” below for what the levels of electromagnetic pulses can do. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 365 May 2017 Carrington Event: Not to be outdone by mere terrorists, our sun can produce a “pulse attack” that can take out the entire world. A “Carrington Event” is a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) from the sun that results in a solar geomagnetic storm that can easily take out electric grids and electronics. Such an event is named after amateur astronomer Richard Carrington, who observed the phenomena on September 1, 1859, the largest such geomagnetic storm ever recorded. Even back then, telegraph equipment caught fire, the auroras turned night into day, and some telegraphers were shocked. Ice core samples have determined that the 1859 event was the largest in the last 500 years.9 NOAA has developed a “Space Weather Scale” to rate geomagnetic storms along with other types of phenomena. Figure PO-1, below, presents the Geomagnetic Storm portion to illustrate the kinds of damage that an EMP pulse can do:10 “A G3 - Strong geomagnetic storm conditions were observed beginning 05:59 UTC on May 8, 2016. Power system voltage irregularities are possible, false alarms may be triggered on some protection devices. Spacecraft systems may experience surface charging; increased drag on low Earth-orbit satellites and orientation problems may occur. Intermittent satellite navigation (GPS) problems, including loss-of-lock and increased range error may occur. Radio - HF (high frequency) radio may be intermittent. Aurora may be seen as low as Pennsylvania to Iowa to Oregon.11” On January 22, 2017, USA Today reported the NASA Space Weather Station observed a massive coronal hole transiting the sun.12 The following link contains the video of that transit: http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/wonder/watch-massive-coronal-hole-rotate-across-suns-surface/vi- BBy4Vry?ocid=spartandhp Massive Coronal Hole Transits Sun12 - It is unknown what effect it will have on earth’s electronics, but is expected to generate an aurora. Source: USA Today Network Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 366 May 2017 The Impact of Long Term Power Outage The most immediate impact of extended power outages is the potential for loss of life due to medical devices at home failing, or temperatures reaching hot or cold extremes because of the loss of heating/cooling capabilities resulting in vulnerable people being placed at risk. As time progresses without the restoration of power, families began to incur economic damage from the loss of food stores in their refrigerators and freezers, or from having to travel to and pay for commercial shelter such as a hotel. Retail establishments experience loss of business due to their operations not being able to function during the outage. Those businesses with back-up power incur extraordinary costs in producing their own power until the extended outage is over. Particularly long outages can impact water supply and create other issues as emergency power capabilities break down from extended use, thus requiring extraordinary efforts to maintain normalcy. Outages lasting into the months can result in the breakdown of civilization locally and migration to areas of support. All of the above effects result in economic and revenue losses for county residents, and the state. Climate Change Washington State relies on hydropower for nearly three quarters of its power and sales to households use 54% of that.13 Climate warming will have a negative impact on both supply and demand of electricity throughout Washington. The biggest factors determining the effects on electricity are annual temperature changes and the change in peak snowpack melt and stream flow.14 The Northwest Power and Conservation Council predicts a 300 megawatt (about 1% of Washington’s generating capacity) reduction in demand for each degree the temperature rises.15 Increased stream flows from early snowpack melt could result in higher power supply in the spring when demand is down due to warming conditions, and lower power supply in the summer when demand is highest due to more hot days and the demand for air conditioning. Higher demand for lower power supply can lead to brown-outs, black-outs, rate increases, and the cost of living and doing business in Washington going up. Table PO-1 provides NOPRCD’s projection for temperature increases in the Olympic Peninsula due to global warming.16 Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 367 May 2017 Table PO-1 – Temperature: Trends and Extremes16 Source – NOPRCD Report Global warming notwithstanding, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council issued a warning that the loss-of-load probability will approach 10% in 2021 due to the retirement of several coal plants. In this scenario, the region will need over 1,000 megawatts of new capacity to maintain adequacy.17 If there is any significant increase in in summer heat waves or severe winter storms, there will be an increase in demand for power to run air conditioners or heaters, just when the region is losing it. Conclusion Because of its location, Jefferson County is at risk for severe wind and winter storms that are capable of causing extended power outages. Not all critical facilities have back-up power, while others have diesel or gasoline back-up generators that can eventually run out of fuel. If the event causing the power outage has also damaged arterial highways, fuel resupply may not be available, thus causing secondary power outages two to three days after the initial outage as back-up generators fail. Several fire stations have back-up generators that run off of 1000-gallon propane tanks, and can last for weeks during winter weather. Power outages caused by a wide-scale event such as an earthquake would severely hamper relief efforts and exacerbate the enormity of the event. The Jefferson County Public Utility District Nbr. 1 (JPUD), the power provider for East Jefferson County, is attempting to mitigate the potential for extended power outages by creating more of a presence in Jefferson County to work with consumers, and establishing closer relations with the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management to improve communications during power outage events. JPUD purchased the power related assets from Puget Sound Energy in 2010, and took over the power distribution responsibility from them. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 368 May 2017 Figure PO-1 – Geomagnetic Storm Scale10 Source: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 369 May 2017 References – POWER OUTAGE 1. “Energy Emergency”, The Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2011, pp. 53-55. 2. “Energy Emergency”, The Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2011, p. 53. 3. Anthropogenic Hazard, ”Power Outage”, Wikipedia, Retrieved August 2016. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropogenic_hazard#Power_outage 4. Anthropogenic Hazard, ”Power Outage”, Wikipedia, Retrieved August 2016. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropogenic_hazard#Power_outage 5. WAC 246-293-660 Minimum Standards for System Reliability, Retrieved August 2016. Available at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=246-293-660 6. Lights Out, Ted Koppel, Crown Publishers, New York, pp. 17-19. 7. Ibid. 40-41. 8. The Early-Time (E1) High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) and Its Impact on the U.S. Power Grid, Edward Savage, James Gilbert, William Radasky, Metatech Corporation, Goleta, CA., January 2010. 9. A Perfect Solar Superstorm: The 1859 Carrington Event, Christopher Klein, History.com, 2012. Available at: www.history.com/news/a-perfect-solar-superstorm-the-1859-carrington-event 10. NOAA Space Weather Scales: Geomagnetic Storms, Space Weather Prediction Center, NOAA, Washington, D.C. Accessed January 8, 2017. Available at: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation 11. https://watchers.news/2016/05/08/strong-geomagnetic-storms-in-progress/ , Accessed 01/22/2017. 12. Coronal Hole Transit of Sun, USA Today Network, 01/22/2017. Available at: http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/wonder/watch-massive-coronal-hole-rotate-across-suns-surface/vi-BBy4Vry?ocid=spartandhp&pfr=1 13. Climate Change in Washington – Electricity, Wikipedia, Accessed August 2016. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_in_Washington#Electricity 14. Ibid. 15. Ibid. 16. Petersen, S., Bell, J., Miller, I., Jayne, C., Dean, K., Fougerat, M., 2015. Climate Change Preparedness Plan for the North Olympic Peninsula. A Project of the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Council and the Washington Department of Commerce, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. p.14. Available: www.noprcd.org 17. Pacific Northwest Power Supply Adequacy Assessment for 2021, Northwest Power and Conservation Council, August 9, 2016. Available at: http://www.nwcouncil.org/media/7150504/2021-adequacy-assessment-final-aug_9_2016.pdf Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 370 May 2017 Tables – POWER OUTAGE PO-1 Temperature: Trends and Extremes Figures – POWER OUTAGE PO-1 Geomagnetic Storm Scale Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 371 May 2017 TERRORISM (CBRNE) 1 SUMMARY The Hazard: Terrorism comprises a political effort to oppose the status quo by inducing fear in the civilian population through the widespread and publicized use of violence, including murder, injury, and destruction. Impacts and Effects: • Loss of life • Loss of property • Damage and potential destruction of government buildings • Disruption of ferries, bridges, and seaports • Destruction of historical sites • Damage to law, fire, emergency medical services and responder facilities • Disruption of financial institutions and banking • Contamination of food and water supplies • Death or illness from bioterrorism, chemical attacks, or nuclear detonation • Overtaxed emergency response system • Overtaxed healthcare provider system • Long term clean-up of environmental damage • Disruption of telecommunication systems and transportation systems from cyber terrorism • Mass influx of refugees from highly populated areas • Instillation of fear and paranoia throughout the population Previous Occurrences: Although no overt act of terrorism has been detected in Jefferson County, the Sheriff’s Department has received reports of people observing operations at the Naval Magazine Indian Island. In one incident of such suspicious behavior in 2007, a citizen was able to obtain a license plate number that was subsequently traced to a stolen vehicle. The suspect was not apprehended. From time-to-time, there are reports of suspicious people or suspicious packages being left on the Washington State ferries. So far, these have not resulted in more than an inconvenience on the Port Townsend ferries as authorities take the time to check out the persons or packages. Probability of Future Events: Medium – Even though Port Townsend and Jefferson County seem like low priority targets, the FBI has reported threats against ferry systems, and it is known that NAVMAG Indian Island has periodically been under observation by persons not wanting to be identified. It is impossible to provide a precise probability of future events of this type but the general consensus is anywhere from 1 to 10 years. The most likely tactics to be used are Active Shooter(s), Bombings (any variety), and Cyber Attacks. The least likely tactics to be used are Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Bombing/Attack and Hijacking/Skyjacking. Most likely targets are assessed to be Government Facilities, Commercial Facilities (Public Assembly, Retails, Entertainment and Media, etc), Transportation, and Military and Law Enforcement.2 Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 372 May 2017 DEFINITION: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objective”. The definition continues to specify terrorism as either domestic or international, based upon the origin, base, and objectives of the terrorist organization.3 This has now been expanded to include Cyberterrorism: “Cyberterrorism is the convergence of cyberspace and terrorism. It refers to unlawful attacks and threats of attack against computers, networks, and the information stored therein when done to intimidate or coerce a government or its people in furtherance of political or social objectives. [A cyberterrorism] attack should result in violence against persons or property, or at least cause enough harm to generate fear. Virtually initiated attacks which lead to the death or bodily injury, explosions, or severe economic loss can also be included in cyberterrorism-related activities. Attacks against elements of a government’s critical infrastructure could also be classified as acts of cyber-terrorism depending on the impact of such an event.”4 HISTORY OF TERRORISM IN JEFFERSON COUNTY Jefferson County residents, businesses, schools and government have received numerous threatening phone calls over the years regarding bomb threats. Although many reports of pending explosions are received, most are malicious mischief. A few mailboxes have been blown up, and a few cases of arson have occurred. Arson commissions have been for personal gain, some for revenge, and some for a “thrill”. These occurrences have not met the definition of terrorism especially when compared to events such as those that occurred in New York City and Washington DC on September 11, 2001. Although no overt act of terrorism has been detected in Jefferson County, the Sheriff’s Department has received reports of suspicious persons observing operations at the Naval Magazine Indian Island. In one such incident in 2007, a citizen was able to obtain a license plate number that was subsequently traced to a stolen vehicle. The suspect was not apprehended. In 2013, there was a rumor of terrorism, when a Port Townsend School District (PTSD) employee discovered a pipe bomb while doing maintenance. The Port Townsend Police Department and other organizations based at Mountain View were evacuated and streets in the area closed after the PTSD employee brought the suspected pipe bomb to the police department. The device had apparently been brought to Blue Heron Middle School in the 1990s by a student and given to a science teacher. The school district employee located the object while performing maintenance at the school. The pipe object was then brought to the police station to turn over. It was at that time that the Mountain View campus and surrounding area was secured due to safety concerns. The State Patrol bomb squad was summoned and detonated the device. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT On September 11, 2001, the entire nation was initiated into the world of international terrorism. Acts resulting in tremendous violence introduced the country to groups such as Al Qaeda. The nation watched with horror from their living rooms the frantic searches and recovery operations at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in an obscure field in Pennsylvania. Fear, disbelief, and immediate counter-terrorism reactions were instituted. These acts accomplished exactly what terrorism is designed to do. The new threat is from the radical terrorist group, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which is very adept at using the internet to recruit terrorists-in-place throughout the world. Terrorists cells are able to evolve and communicate without detection. Since Port Townsend and Jefferson County have both anti-war groups and a significant military installation that supplies munitions used in the Mid-East, it is easy to postulate Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 373 May 2017 the radicalization of an individual in the area and an attempt to damage or destroy a warship or the Indian Island Naval Magazine. Terrorists hope to instill fear and panic in civilian populations by convincing them that their governments cannot: • Protect its own population • Protect the symbols of its authority • Protect society’s institutions • Protect society’s infrastructure • Protect its own officials • End the threat of more terrorism, and as a result, • Cannot maintain normal, peaceful conditions in society. Washington State is vulnerable to terrorist activity. Terrorism can be state sponsored or the outgrowth of a frustrated, extremist fringe of polarized and/or minority groups. Extremists have a different concept of morality than mainstream society, thereby making predictions on what and where they will perform other acts of violence very unpredictable. Terrorist groups may include extremists in: • Ethnic, separatists, and political refugees • Left wing radical organizations • Right wing racists, anti-authority survivalist groups • Extremist issue-oriented groups such as religious, animal rights, environmental, etc. Jefferson County has no immunity to potential terrorist activity. Terrorist groups at play today are constantly emerging. Aside from the notorious Al Qaeda groups, there are other potential “copy groups” who would not hesitate to utilize chemical and biological materials. Terrorists perform acts of violence or spread anthrax through the mail system, or release bio-toxins into the food supply want notoriety, want to spread the maximum amount of fear through the population, and want to create an event that will receive national/international attention. As home to important military installations and our close proximity to Seattle’s economic, financial, and population centers, Jefferson County’s vulnerability to the effects of terrorism is substantial. Communities that are most vulnerable to terrorist incidents have visible and vulnerable targets. These kinds of targets that are found in Jefferson County include: • Government office buildings, courthouses, schools, hospitals • Dams, water supplies, power distribution systems • Military installations • Ferries, bridges, seaports • Theaters, parks, concert halls • Financial institutions and banks • Sites of historical and symbolic significance • Scientific research facilities, academic institutions, museums • Industrial plants; business offices • Law, fire, emergency medical services and responder facilities • Special events, parades, religious services, festivals, celebrations The term “Weapons of Mass Destruction” (WMD) describes weapons that can be classified into the following categories: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive. These categories are often referred to as the acronym CBRNE. Biological and chemical agents pose threats because of their Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 374 May 2017 accessible nature and the rapid manner in which they could be spread. Most agents can be easily introduced into the environment through aerosol generators, explosive devices, breaking containers, or other forms of covert dissemination. Dispersed as an aerosol, chemical agents have their greatest potential for inflicting mass casualties. Biological agents can be disseminated by the use of aerosols, contaminated food or water supplies, direct skin contact, or injection. The consequences of biological attacks will first be recognized in the hospital emergency rooms and by other health care resources, and will present communities with an unprecedented requirement to provide mass protective treatment, mass patient care, mass fatality management, and environmental health clean-up procedures and plans. Radiological and nuclear weapons would inflict explosions, thermal radiation, and radiation exposure injuries, sickness or death. Cyberterrorism is a relatively new phenomenon that can be used to potentially disrupt society and exploit our continuing reliance on computers and telecommunication. Cyberterrorism threatens the electronic infrastructure supporting the social, health, and economic well-being of all citizens. Interlinked computer networks regulate the flow of power, water, financial services, medical care, telecommunication networks, and transportation systems. If one were able to accurately predict, it would be more likely that a site in Seattle or Tacoma or a nearby military installation would be the direct target rather than one located in the County. The consequences are that Jefferson County could appear (or it could be announced to the Seattle-Metro area) that this area could be a haven for people fleeing from a terrorist situation. County resources would be quickly overloaded, food supplies would quickly be depleted, lodging would be scarce, and management of people (both local and “refugees”) could be extremely difficult. County leaders have addressed such scenarios and are becoming cognizant of potential problems and the implications of such an event. In the same vein, Jefferson County’s relative quiet lifestyle offers several areas of seclusion from which covert activities could be planned. The rise of militia groups in other parts of Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho underscores this aspect of the County’s demographics. Groups could see the County as a place to organize and wait until circumstances are right in other areas of the country. Alert citizens and law enforcement alike have the responsibility to be aware of citizens’ activities and to be mindful of the realities of the world today. CONCLUSION Terrorism is a deliberate strategy. Terrorism is discriminate since it has a definite purpose, but indiscriminate in that the terrorist has neither sympathy nor hate for the randomly selected victim. Although the focus of terrorists is a political authority, their targets and victims tend to involve innocent civilians. Civilians are easier to attack and often produce more dramatic consequences. Changes in the National Homeland Security Advisory System levels are provided as soon as they are available via an Emergency Management phone line accessible by anyone with a telephone. Jefferson County has convened its leaders to examine and more thoroughly understand existing emergency response processes, communication plans and methodologies. Citizens, both public and private, must be continually aware of suspicious activities. Agencies should have critical incident plans outlining roles for school administrators, law enforcement, fire departments, and medical care providers. Agencies should coordinate their plans with each other to ensure that redundancies are addressed and to further the understanding and opportunities for cooperation by all potentially affected agencies. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 375 May 2017 References – TERRORISM 1. “Terrorism”, The Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2011, pp. 64-66. 2. “Terrorism Profile”, Tab 5.16, Washington State Threat Mitigation Plan, October 2012, p. 1. 3. Threat Definitions, “Terrorism Profile”, Tab 5.16, Washington State Threat Mitigation Plan, October 2012, p. 3. 4. Threat Definitions, “Terrorism Profile”, Tab 5.16, Washington State Threat Mitigation Plan, October 2012, p. 3. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 376 May 2017 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 377 May 2017 WATER SHORTAGE / SEWER FAILURE (EXTENDED) SUMMARY The Hazard: Water can be in short supply or become contaminated due to either intentional actions or to unintentional consequences of improper handling, system breakdowns, or through the introduction of bacteria from various means.1 It can also be chronically in short supply due to the effects of climate warming on municipal water supplies.2 Impacts and Effects: • Health problems ranging from mild discomfort to extremely ill and/or death • Health care providers overwhelmed by patients • Hospital bed shortages • Emergency Medical Systems challenged by increased calls • Loss of tourism resulting in loss of business revenue • Long term emergency management crisis if water supply is contaminated • Adverse impact on agriculture, especially dry land farms and grazing lands • Increased danger of fires • Serious impacts to recreation areas • Imposition of water conservation measures • Curtailment of industries using large quantities of water causing unemployment • Shortages of water for firefighting • Increased prices for local produce Previous Occurrences: There have been no major historical incidents of food or water contamination in Jefferson County other than occasional “food poisoning” episodes at restaurants or social gatherings.3 Probability of Future Events: Moderate – Climatic changes may be impacting the frequency and duration of drought conditions on the Olympic Peninsula and lead to spot shortages of water. Definition: Water can be in short supply or become contaminated due to either intentional actions or to unintentional consequences of improper handling, system breakdowns, or through the introduction of bacteria from various means. Shortages in this context are extended, but are through non-climatic events, thus droughts are not addressed here, but have their own section. History of Water Shortage/Sewer Failure in Jefferson County There have been no major historical incidents of extended water shortages or water contamination in Jefferson County other than occasional breaks in water lines or the occasional “food poisoning” episodes at restaurants or social gatherings. Wells and water supplies have had short-term periods of contamination following maintenance work on their systems or by accidental contamination of wells due to poor drainage Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 378 May 2017 systems or other similar events. In each case, the cause of contamination was referred to the proper authorities or was solved by private owners of the water wells involved. • Several local lakes have had periodic contaminations by blooms of a toxic blue-green algae. This has killed or injured small pets, and has resulted in periods in which the lakes have been quarantined. While inconvenient, these lakes are not major contributors to the economy or the drinking water supply, so the occurrences are of concern only to the degree that they threaten county residents and their animals. • Port Townsend has a single 36” diameter pipeline from the City reservoir to the city itself, twenty-eight miles away. This has occasionally been broken by landslides in vulnerable areas. These are quickly repaired, and water outages have never been more than a day. The city has a 5-million gallon reservoir that can supply the city for two to three days during a water line disruption.4 • On December 14, 2009, an 80-year old 12” main broke at 11:00 a.m. The break was repaired by 7:00 p.m., but restaurants were ordered by the Public Health Department to close until the water was tested twice with satisfactory results. The test concluded at 4:00 p.m. on the next day. Hazard Assessment and Vulnerability Assessment At this time in the history of our country, people are primarily dependent on others to provide water, although a significant number of rural households in Jefferson County have their own wells. County and city water supply systems are large and provide the majority of the county with drinking water. While this system encourages efficiency of supply, it is vulnerable to interruption and can also spread disease rapidly. Over the past decade, the vulnerability of the Jefferson County communities’ water supplies has been increasing. Primary reasons for the increased risk include: • Increased development in rural areas has put stress on available water sources • Possible climatic changes that reduce the winter snow packs responsible for recharging ground water systems • Aging water delivery infrastructure that is easily disrupted • Parasites, bacteria, and other organisms have become more resistant to pesticides • It can take up to a week for people to show signs of exposure. This makes it difficult to track the source because people tend to forget what and where they ingested. Additionally, more people can contract the illness during the incubation period. • New parasites and bacteria are being identified all the time. • Speculation based on intelligence gathered in the war on counter-terrorism suggests that contaminating the nation’s regional water supplies would create a disaster for hundreds of thousands of people The City constructed a new 5-million-gallon reservoir and drinking water treatment facility, which went into service in 2016. The new facility improves capabilities to meet Federal requirements, and replaces a reservoir that was old and could not withstand a significant earthquake. This increases the available supply of potable water to 3.0 mgd, the planned treatment plant capacity.5 The primary effects of a contaminated food or water supply are illnesses and sometimes even death. If the contamination leads to an epidemic, it could severely tax the health care system in regards to diagnosis, treatment and prevention. A community dependent on tourism, such as Port Townsend, would be affected by loss of productivity. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 379 May 2017 During a region-wide event such as a major earthquake, Jefferson County water supplies are extremely vulnerable. For example: • The City of Port Townsend, which has about 1/3 of the county’s population, depends on a single 36” diameter pipeline to carry its water supply that is known to cross areas that are subject to landslides. Originally built in 1926, with upgrades in 1956, it has known vulnerabilities that are being addressed within funding limitations. The estimated cost to replace the entire line is approximately $30 million. Figure H2O-1, below, shows the system.6 • The Jefferson County Public Utility District No. 1 (PUD) has a 4000-gallon water tanker trailer to support the region during a water shortage emergency. The PUD tanker is not regularly used, and the tires are worn. James Parker, General Manager of the PUD, says the tires will be replaced by the end of January, 2017. • The PUD provides water to small communities such as Quilcene, and could have an obligation to be in multiple places with one piece of equipment during a major event – assuming that the roads were in such a condition as to allow it. • On September 19, 2016, routine testing identified the possibility of a toxic substance in the City water supply. Subsequent testing showed the water to be safe. In the meantime, the EOC prepared a plan to distribute water to 10,000 residents daily. Water trucks and bladders were deemed not adequate. Estimated costs to deliver bottled water were $30,000 per day in both direct and indirect costs.7 • There were three small independent water districts in which neighborhoods in rural areas have banded together to provide water to about a dozen households each. These are isolated and do not have significant back-up power for their pumps. Since 2009, one of these has been taken over by the PUD. Climate Change Warming climates will cause earlier snowmelt resulting in a shift as to when water must be captured in reservoirs to prevent a shortage in the summer. Figure H2O-2 illustrates the shift from a “transition” hydrologic basin type to a “rain dominant” basin type in the WRIA that serves Port Townsend and East Jefferson County.8 A “transition” basin type is one which depends on both snow and rain to recharge its water supply, as opposed to the “rain dominant” basin type, which is self-evident. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 380 May 2017 Figure H2O-1. City of Port Townsend Water System6 Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 381 May 2017 Figure H2O-2 – Shift in Hydrologic Basin Types8 “Shifting hydrologic basin types in the PNW under climate change9. This projection shows the shifting of hydrologic basins on the North Olympic Peninsula away from a transient (rain & snow) watershed to rain dominant by the end of the century under climate change. With global temperature rise showing few signs of future abatement, this future may vary in timing but not in ultimate outcome.10” Source: NOPRCD Report Conclusion Education of the population’s water resources must be ongoing and dynamic. Safe drinking water requires two critical steps: protection and treatment. Pollution prevention needs to be integrated with safe drinking water programs. All Group “A” public water systems in Washington State (greater than 15 connections) are required to collect samples for coliform bacteria analysis per WAC 246-290. Security procedures of water reservoirs must be examined to insure that intentionally introduced contamination is addressed. For instance, the intentional exposure to botulism can easily be done through aerosol droplets falling into the water systems. Health Department and health care providers must be increasingly aware of potential diseases that can be transmitted to the population as a form of terrorism. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 382 May 2017 Proactive maintenance and upgrade of vulnerable assets must be addressed in both the city and county, particularly in the context of a region-wide disaster event. References – WATER SHORTAGE (EXTENDED) 1. “Food and Water Contamination”, Jefferson County Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2011, pp 56-58. 2. Climate Change in Washington: Municipal Water Supply, Wikipedia. Accessed August 2016. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_in_Washington#Municipal_water_supply 3. “Food and Water Contamination”, Jefferson County Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, 2011, pp 56. 4. City of Port Townsend Water Plan (Rev. 2014), HDR Engineering and The City of Port Townsend staff, City of Port Townsend, 2014, p.15. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. 16-Charlie 8. Petersen, S., Bell, J., Miller, I., Jayne, C., Dean, K., Fougerat, M., 2015. Climate Change Preparedness Plan for the North Olympic Peninsula. A Project of the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Council and the Washington Department of Commerce, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. p. 69. Available: www.noprcd.org 9. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), 2011. Climate Impacts Vulnerability Assessment. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/B290651B-24FD-40EC-BEC3-EE5097ED0618/0/WSDOTClimateImpactsVulnerabilityAssessmentforFHWAFinal.pdf 10. Ibid. 7,69. Figures - WATER SHORTAGE (EXTENDED) H2O-1 City of Port Townsend Water System H2O-2 Shift in Hydrologic Basin Types