HomeMy WebLinkAboutSS3 - Emergency Council Update - CorrespondenceReceived After Agenda Printed
May 14, 2019
Item No. SS3
Subject: FW: Topics for discussion at next meeting
-----Original Message -----
From: gary belt <garywbelt@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, May 10, 2019 5:06 PM
To: Dept - City Council<CityCouncil@newportbeachca.gov>
Subject: Topics for discussion at next meeting
Hi my name is Gary Belt and my wife and I live in Newport Shores. I have two questions that I'm not sure who to
address them to but maybe someone could answer; 1. Does the City Emergency Council plan to use radio ham
operators for communications during a disaster? Other communities do i.e. Laguna Niquel... 2. Are parking permits
being considered for the Newport Shores area even if for the summer months only?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Received After Agenda Printed
May 14, 2019
Item No. SS3
Subject: FW: SS3: Emergency Council
From: G Edmund Siebel Jr <edsiebel@me.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2019 12:03 PM
To: Dept - City Council<CityCouncil@newportbeachca.gov>
Cc: Missirlian, Suzy<SMissirlian@newportbeachca.gov>
Subject: SS3: Emergency Council
Madame Mayor —
There are two issues I'd like to raise pertaining to the Council's study session this afternoon.
First, membership on the Emergency Council.
Section 2.20.030 C. of the Muni Code enumerates membership on the Emergency Council to include
representatives from the community "as may be designated ... by the emergency operations plan."
The Emergency Operations Plan, as approved in 2011, provides nearly the same language: "as may be
designated as members by the emergency operations plan director." Page 9, Management Section
Annex, Newport Beach Emergency Plan 2011.
I am unable to find any designation for the "emergency operations plan director" in either the Muni Code
or the Emergency Operations Plan. The closest I've found is the designation of the City Manager as the
Director of Emergency Services. (NB Muni Code §2.20.060).
It seems probable that the emergency operations plan director was intended to be the Director of
Emergency Services/City Manager, but it probably ought to be clarified if the City Council intends re-
establish the Emergency Council.
Second, amateur radio communications and the Emergency Plan.
The only direct reference in the Emergency Plan to amateur radio communications during an emergency
is made to the Police Department's RACES volunteers. There are numerous indications that the CERT
program had amateur radios, but no more than an ad hoc role.
(see Plan Functional Annexes: Law Enforcement Branch, p.17; Care & Shelter Branch, p.9, 11; Human
Resources Branch, p.8)
In fact, there are in excess of 100 FCC licensed ham operators in the City, most of whom are currently
certified CERT members and, therefore, are registered Certified Disaster Service Workers.
When the Emergency Plan was adopted in 2011, those ham operators were a part of the Fire Deparment's
CERT program, known as "CERT Comms". Their purpose was twofold: provide local communication
within neighborhoods to aid the CERT members' work, and to act as an extension of the City's situational
awareness, reporting major incidents. There was not a need to have the role of CERT Comms defined
separately; they operated within the integrated CERT plan of the Fire Department.
When Fire Department management discontinued the CERT Comm program, the individuals who were
CERT Comms elected to continue as a volunteer operation, continuing to utilize their equipment and
training as the Newport Beach Emergency Communicators. Today there are about 50 active NB
EmComm members who responded to a weekly roll call, and an additional approximately 80 members
who are inactive but who maintain their radios and licenses and who would be available in an emergency.
Unfortunately, the role of EmComms in an emergency has not yet been defined in the Emergency Plan or
by either the Fire Department or Police Department. This oversight should be remedied by the City
Council working through the Emergency Council.
This is a resource within the City that not only is free, but could significantly extend the effectiveness of
the first responders.
Thank you for your consideration.
Ed Siebel
G. Edmund Siebel, Jr., Lawyer
post office box mm
newport beach, california 92662-0619
ph: 949.675.8736