Team Norfolk - Hurricane Irma Update - 9-6-27 @ 6:30pm

Team -

No doubt you have been following the track of Hurricane Irma (click on link and see VDEM storm dashboard below), and no doubt you’ve also noticed the recent changes in its track.  Internally, our conversations and response efforts began over the holiday weekend with “what if?” scenarios – planning for the worse and hoping for the best.  Based on the latest tracks, these discussions have not been for naught. 

We have reached out to several partners already and today initiated 24-hour operational periods with daily situation reports and Emergency Operations Center briefings.  In other words, based on our plans and checklists, we are focusing on those immediate tasks based on our hurricane readiness level from 4:00pm today through 4:00pm tomorrow while our Planning section is always looking ahead modifying or establishing goals and objectives for the following 24-hour operating period.  This is the Incident Command System.

A proactive unity of effort is what we strive for throughout Team Norfolk Emergency Operations.  As such, you are part of this process.  Therefore, starting tomorrow (9-7-17), please send your storm response status as well as your intentions / needs for the next 24-hour period no later than 2pm to EOC-Plans@norfolk.gov.  (If you know your long-term resource needs feel free to share them as well).  Our daily Team Norfolk EOC Briefing call will commence at 3pm followed by an internal conversation among our Policy Cell at 4pm.  Please be advised: the EOC Briefing call will in fact be brief.  An update on the threat will be provided as well as a status on the unified goals and objectives.  Resource needs should have already been submitted through the situation reports and thus will be included in the briefing, but only as confirmation.  These calls are to ensure shared situational awareness while not delaying preparedness efforts.

If you do not receive an invitation to participate on the EOC Briefings, please do not be offended.  It is merely due to the fact there are only so many ports available.  All that is provided and discussed will be shared without delay!

More to follow tomorrow, including the latest copy of our Basic Plan and Hurricane Annex as well as the accompanied Battle Rhythm (checklist of action items for each hurricane readiness level).  Please read it and challenge it so it can be improved!  Also, in order to ensure a comprehensive community response to the storm(s), please remember to submit a situation report no later than 2pm every day until the storm dictates otherwise (sitreps become more frequent or the storm blows away).

Ladies and Gentlemen – this is what we do.  We have our plans in place and we have each other = TEAM NORFOLK.  Please take this time to prepare personally and for your family.  Hurricane Irma could prove to be the real deal and we’ll need all hands-on deck to respond and recover.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thank you!!

Jim

Jim Redick, Director
Norfolk EOC
james.redick@norfolk.gov