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2022-052 Winter Weather After Action Final ReportAugust 19, 2022 Report No. 2022-052 INFORMAL STAFF REPORT TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT: Winter Weather After-Action Progress Report – Final Report PURPOSE: In response to the Winter Strom Uri disaster, the City of Denton developed the 2021 Winter Weather After Action Report and Plan to address identified areas of improvement in its inclement weather response process. The Internal Audit Department and City Manager’s Office have partnered to provide quarterly reports on the progress made towards this plan. This is the last planned report on this action plan. DISCUSSION: Based on the Winter Weather After Action Report and Plan, there were originally 42 after-action items identified after Winter Storm Uri. Seventeen of these items were reported to be complete as part of a previous Winter Weather After Action Progress report. As of this report, 36 of the 42 items have been verified as complete. The details of all items Winter Weather After Action items are summarized below. Facilities Determine backup generator needs for City buildings, create a priority list, and develop a plan and budget 70% • Staff identified four generators that need to be upgraded immediately at Fire Stations. The Department is recommending that generators be upgraded at 11 additional locations and identified some existing generators that could cover peak load capacity if reconfigured. • Funding for these generators was requested as part of the annual fiscal year 2021-22 Facilities Capital Improvement Plan. • The Department placed an order for the materials to upgrade the identified generators at Fire Stations. Materials are delayed due to supply chain constraints but are expected to arrive prior to the calendar year-end. • Additional generator needs will be covered by a combination of DME and rental generators as needed. Develop a plan and a budget to winterize fire suppression systems for all city buildings. Complete • Staff have identified the sections of the City’s fire suppression systems that are most vulnerable to winter weather and are developing a written standard operating procedure. • All non-functioning vestibule heaters have been repaired. Update electronic building access to improve building security and access during power outages. 85% • In the Spring of 2021, staff engaged a security consultant to assess the City’s key and access control system. August 19, 2022 Report No. 2022-052 • Funding for facility security improvements was included in the fiscal year 2021-22 Facilities Capital Improvement plan budget. • The City issued a solicitation for the purchase of a new building security access control system in October 2021. • The City’s current access control system is systematically being converted to the new system. Several key buildings to the City’s operation have been completed successfully, with all replacements estimated to be complete by December 2022. Review list of critical infrastructure and hospitals for rolling power outages. Complete • Denton Municipal Electric has met with all major critical customers and all critical infrastructure facilities. Meetings with smaller or less critical facilities and customers are in the process of being scheduled. • Since Winter Storm Uri, about 25 additional facilities have been added to the list and the emergency load shed plan has been updated to account for these new facilities. • In addition, the Utility is working to consolidate critical loads onto the same feeders. Vehicles Develop a plan and procedures to properly winterize City vehicles, including a plan to prevent fuel gelling. Complete • Fleet Services has developed standard operating procedures covering procedures for winterizing fuel in advance of significant winter events as well as more general procedures for winterizing city vehicles and equipment in advance of significant weather events. Create a plan to utilize fleet vehicles for plowing, road maintenance, etc. Complete • Fleet has created a plan to provide the Streets division with a list of currently available winter equipment. • The Streets Division will then focus on major City thoroughfares based on a developed map and staff these routes with three rotating eight-hour shifts when needed. • Staff will also respond to immediate needs from emergency dispatch and deploy drivers around the City based on needs. Determine best practices for winterizing Fire emergency vehicles. Complete • The Fire Department created and updated a standard operating procedure to provide a guideline for Winter Weather Apparatus Operations. Procure plow attachments, sand spreaders, and other road maintenance needs for major arterials. Complete • Fleet staff prepped spreaders and sand was ready for deployment if winter precipitation occurred as of January 2022. • In addition, a fuel trailer was budgeted as part of the Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget and is in the process of being procured. Develop SOPs and train staff for sanding/plowing activities for major arterials in the City. Complete August 19, 2022 Report No. 2022-052 • A snow and ice roadway sanding standard operating procedure has been developed and implemented by the Streets Division. Determine proper fuel stock and delivery methods for emergency generators. Complete • Fleet Division staff determined that the City’s fuel should not have a biodiesel content greater than five percent. • Fleet will dose all City vehicle fuel tanks with additive for cold weather operation in December. The location and fuel quantity for all units has not yet been determined. • Additional fuel transport trailer was purchased and received in January 2022. Improve communication with departments as the weather is impending regarding shared resources/vehicles. Complete • The Fleet Division prepared a standard memorandum that is communicated to Departments prior to each freezing or inclement weather event. Emergency Services/Business Services Review Departmental Emergency Action Plans. 75% • The Fire Department filled the Emergency Management Program Position in January 2022. This position will partner with the Safety team to review and finalize departmental emergency action plans for fall 2022. Establish business continuity/contingency plans. 50% • The Emergency Management Program Manager began the process of establishing business continuity and contingency plans for City Departments with plans being finalized in fall 2022. Develop a plan for departmental Wi-Fi hotspots for essential staff to maintain internet connectivity. 75% • Cost analysis is ongoing and will be complete in Fall 2022 after which a funding determination will be made. Update Human Resource’s Inclement Weather Policy for City Employees. Complete • The City of Denton’s Inclement Weather policy was updated as of June 2021 to include more clear guidance regarding inclement weather and remote work. • The updated policy can be seen here. Improve citywide emergency communication by setting up a live status board accessible by EOC leadership. Complete • The City has switched its mass resident notification system and is reviewing coordinating with this new vendor to implement interdepartmental paging procedures. • In addition, during Winter Storm Landon in 2022, the Microsoft Teams application proved to effectively keep a live update and status report to EOC leadership. Amend EOC procedures to include holding daily calls with leadership to discuss major issues within the City Complete August 19, 2022 Report No. 2022-052 • The Direction and Control annex of the City’s Emergency Management Plan has been updated to include wording that if EOC staff is working remotely then they will still have at least two designated meeting times with all active EOC members daily. Review Police and Fire staffing levels for emergency events and increased calls. Complete • The Fire Department has established a minimum staffing level policy to provide guidelines for unit staffing levels based on daily operational needs and unique local or regional circumstances. • The Police Department has begun up-staffing its night shifts during winter weather events. Secure a minimum of two traction control devices for all [Fire Department] vehicles. Complete • According to the Fire Department, all engines, aerials, and the Rescue have one set of new tire cables at their station. In addition, cables are available for medic and staff vehicles. The Department has also received new tires to be “studded” in-house. • Fuel treatments for each fire station generator and the diesel apparatus have been ordered, received, and delivered. Develop staffing plan/training to stand up short-term and long-term community response needs. Complete • Staff developed a plan and procedure to winterize park infrastructure, irrigation systems and mobile equipment. The start of winterization on infrastructure and irrigation systems is November 15 and de-winterization begins on March 15. • Created a winter weather emergency SOP for staff training on winter weather locations and operations and developed winter weather shift and equipment schedule prior to sanding/plowing activities. • Coordinated with Streets Department for large sanding/plowing needs and with FEMA to acquire cots, bedding, and water for warming stations Connect with local partners to form a wholistic view of Emergency Management. Complete • The City has recently hired a new Emergency Management Program Manager who is currently working with community partners and stakeholders regarding emergency management. Develop specific stages of winter weather with trigger points to keep departments aware of pending operations changes. Complete • With the implementation of a new public warning platform, EOC leadership can opt-in to receive notifications on a wide variety of winter watches and warnings. • In addition, Emergency Management will utilize these standards as minimum criteria to notify other departments of potential and known winter weather approaching Denton. • Specific advisories, watches, and warnings related to sleet, snow, blizzard, freezing fog, freezing rain, ice, winter storm, and winter weather available August 19, 2022 Report No. 2022-052 from this new system will be integrated into specific trigger points for individual departments that may not be getting automatic notifications. Public Communications Update communications protocols for outages and boil water notices. Complete • According to the Public Affairs Department, the communication protocols for outages and boil water notices have been updated. • Based on a review of the Public Affairs Department’s Water Outage Communication Protocol, the protocol includes information about how to disseminate information about boil water notices, including roles and responsibilities and timeliness. Incorporate into protocols: additional communication channels, town hall/live updates, rumor response actions, and Spanish-language procedures. Complete • According to the Public Affairs Department, communication protocols have been updated to include these improvements. • Based on a review of the Public Affairs Department’s Power Outage Crisis Communication Protocol, the protocol includes information about communication methods including preparing for a townhall in the first 24 hours of an outage and rumor response methods in the first one to four hours. • Both the Power Outage Crisis Communication Protocol and Water Outage Communication Protocol require all critical messaging to be distributed in both English and Spanish on social media, email, and print. Create crisis preparation webpages and convert these to response pages. Complete • Public Affairs has created new Emergency & Disaster Preparedness webpages on the City’s website that can be seen here. Consider reverse notification tools in the 311/CRM procurement. Complete • Finalists in the 311/CRM solicitation were asked to show if their system had the ability to general user broadcasts to registered users. Denton Municipal Electric & Denton Energy Center Increase Natural Gas Fuel Reliability/Winterization of the Denton Energy Center. Complete • Denton Municipal Energy has hired a consultant to complete a feasibility study of natural gas fuel reliability options. • This report has been completed and presented to the Public Utilities Board. • DME has made operational and limited physical infrastructure changes at the DEC to ensure, should natural gas supply be interrupted, damage to equipment from extreme cold weather will be minimized or eliminated. • In addition, DME expects long-term fuel reliability improvements to be in place for the 2023/2024 winter. Swap intermittent renewables for fixed shape and price. Complete • DME has executed transactions for firm shaped renewable energy. Evaluate cost of outage insurance for winter and summer; revise hedge targets for winter and summer. Complete August 19, 2022 Report No. 2022-052 • Solicitation was issued for power plant forced outage insurance on November 5, 2021. An ordinance approving spending authority for forced outage insurance of the Denton Energy Center was approved on December 14, 2021. In addition, insurance for the summer has been procured. • Based on the Energy Management Office’s review, the City’s current hedge targets appear to be appropriate based on long-range weather tools (i.e., upcoming winter looks average or mild). In addition, current hedging prices are very high, and the City is currently in a long position for the upcoming winter months. Develop a plan to communicate and work with major industrial and commercial users to reduce power load. Complete • DME has identified and communicated with industrial and commercial customers with critical loads to determine if they are willing to volunteer to shed load in emergency situations. Those that were interested in volunteering, are currently working with DME on implementation. Department Specific Complete backup Customer Service operation center. Complete • The Customer Service Division has worked with Facilities Services to set up multiple workstations at City Hall East for employees who are unable to work remotely. Most Customer Service representatives work from home in order to provide better continuity during typical storm events. Develop a plan and procure temporary street signage in case of traffic signal failure. Complete • The Traffic Operations Division has purchased and received 13 temporary stop signs and stands, which is enough to cover three intersections in the event of an outage. If there is a system failure, Traffic intends to focus on major thorough fares. Test and replace battery backup systems for all traffic signals Complete • As of November 2021, the Traffic Operations Division has tested all signals with battery backup units and replaced ten units along with 40 batteries. Purchase generators for long-term signal power outages. Complete • The Traffic Operations Division has purchased two generators to power signal during an outage. According to staff, this is enough to run three intersections through a long-term power failure. Review policies related to emergency expenses to make recommendations for future emergencies. Complete • The Procurement Department has developed and Local Emergency and Inclement weather Lodging Policy, which defines the allowable circumstances and procedures to be used if a City employee must procure lodging within City limits. Implementation of this new policy is awaiting adoption by the City Council. • This new policy was approved by the City Council on December 7, 2021 and communicated to employees on December 21, 2021. August 19, 2022 Report No. 2022-052 Establish remote processes for most functions within Finance. 50% • Two software implementations are underway with expected completion in early 2023. Establish minimum and maximum levels for emergency supplies available to departments in the Warehouse. Complete • The Procurement Department has developed a minimum supply inventory for emergency shelter supplies in collaboration with Community Development and Parks and Recreation, including cots, water, meals, bedding, and hand and toe warmers. A contract for these items has been executed and additional products can be delivered within two business days. Establish a list of readily available supplies and contracts to be utilized during future emergencies. Complete • The Procurement Department has compiled a list of almost 90 existing contracts that can be used for services and commodities needed during emergencies including heavy equipment rentals, electrical, HVAC, generator, and irrigation services, temporary labor, large retail stores, and more. Review existing policies related to food and lodging to make recommendations for future emergencies. Complete • A policy regarding local emergency and inclement weather lodging was adopted by the City Council in October 2021. Geocode water/wastewater infrastructure, update GIS database. Complete • All water meters are fully integrated with the GIS system. Set new winter inventory levels for water/wastewater treatment plants. Complete • Water Utilities has set a policy to keep at least a 15-day supply of needed inventory prior to any inclement weather event. Determine and secure proper levels of sand storage for weather events. Complete • The Streets Division has determined that 1,000 tons of sand should be sufficient to allow them to treat major thoroughfares as well as any needed additional roadways and intersections. STAFF CONTACT: Madison Rorschach City Auditor Madison.rorschach@cityofdenton.com (940) 349 – 7228 REQUESTOR: Staff Initiated August 19, 2022 Report No. 2022-052 PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS: Internal Audit, City Manager’s Office, Denton Municipal Electric, Airport & Facilities Management, Parks & Recreation, Procurement & Compliance, Technology Services, Fire, Police, Public Works, Human Resources, Public Affairs, Finance, and Water Utilities. STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT: Six hours to summarize and verify the information.