Emergency MANAGER SUMMER 2002 Is Everything Beachy in Georgia this Hurricane Season? Turn to Dr. Gray's Forecast and Find Out! GEMA Hosts Airline Crash Forum Grim Search at Tri-State Crematory Ends Emergency Manager is the official magazine of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency Lisa Janak, Editor Honorable Roy E. Barnes Governor Gary W. McConnell Director Lisa Ray Public Affairs Director Ken Davis Public Affairs Officer Buzz Weiss Public Affairs Coordinator Lisa Janak Multi-Media Coordinator Jennifer Collins Constituent Services Coordinator Katherine Huggins Public Information Specialist Published by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency Post Office Box 18055 Atlanta, Georgia 30316 PHONE 1-800-TRY-GEMA (404) 635-7000 FAX (404) 635-7205 Web site www.gema.state.ga.us Cover photo of Jekyll Island beach is by Ed Jackson, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia. From the Director Expecting the Unexpected It seems that every day brings the potential for an unexpected and unprecedented challenge. Last September, the sadistic attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon drastically redefined our priorities and shifted resources, attention and legislative agendas to terrorism and the new domain of homeland security. Clearly the war on terrorism remains our most pressing responsibility, but we were bluntly reminded in mid February that, despite priorities and plans, there are still other tasks that must be done unanticipated tasks that require extraordinary effort and resourcefulness. In its own way, the discovery of 339 discarded bodies at the Tri-State Crematory in Walker County was as shocking as the events of September 11. There is no comparison, of course, in terms of the loss of life or the economic impact, but the Walker County incident, like the nightmares of last September, stunned the community and confronted us with a scene that we could never have envisioned. There was no precedent for what faced us in Walker County, but the lessons learned in more than a dozen disasters over the past decade gave us a foundation from which to work. The collaborative and cooperative mindset of nearly 70 organizations, representing the public, private and volunteer sectors, helped bring order to chaos and stimulated the healing process for a badly wounded community. The leadership and support of Governor Roy E. Barnes and the General Assembly, which appropriated $8.5 million for the clean-up and recovery efforts, not only facilitated our response, but lifted a potentially devastating economic burden from Walker County taxpayers. Although terrorism may be our most menacing threat, we are well aware that there are still a lot of other hazards and potential emergencies that we must be prepared to cope with. Mother Nature reminded us of this in May, when a tornado struck Gordon County, causing millions of dollars of damage. To prepare for future emergencies, we recently conducted a comprehensive Airline Crash Forum in Savannah, we have helped more communities become StormReady, we have initiated new hazard mitigation projects ... and we continue to expect the unexpected and imagine the unimaginable. 1 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER Exceptional EMA When David Ashburn came to Walker County a decade ago, it was clear he had his work cut out for him. The area had limited emergency services to meet the increasing demands of a county that spanned 450 miles and whose rural character was slowly losing ground to a more suburban atmosphere. But the progress made and the accomplishments realized under Ashburn's leadership have dramatically improved the quality of public safety and prepared the county to confront the horrors and challenges of the incident at the Tri-State Crematory. As emergency services director, Ashburn heads the emergency management agency, fire department, 9-1-1 service, and the county police department, which has responsibility for code enforcement. Ashburn also served as interim sheriff in 1995 following the death of incumbent Sheriff Al Millard. In addition to presiding over emergency services, Ashburn also serves as county coordinator, which gives him the broad supervisory authority that was so vital during the Tri-State response. There is no doubt that Ashburn is well-suited to his job. Among other qualifications, he is a certified firefighter and peace officer, paramedic, pediatric life support specialist, and national training coordinator for the Cave Rescue Commission. He is also a Georgia Emergency Management Agency field instructor. Ashburn's first task in Walker County was to establish 9-1-1 service. When that assignment was completed, Ashburn quickly took on additional responsibilities with an eye toward a major expansion and upgrading of local emergency response capabilities. By 1994, he had unified the various volunteer fire companies into a Walker County Fire Department, which now has 235 volunteer firefighters and a dozen fulltime career firefighters operating out of 18 stations. The department has the only hazmat unit in northwest Georgia. Walker County's distinctive government structure makes it possible to provide a wide range of services efficiently and effectively. The county is The Tri-State Crematory incident was Walker County's most challenging disaster. After six weeks, recovery operations on the 16-acre crematory property were complete. A total of 339 remains, dating back to 1997, were recovered, with 177 remains identified to date. one of only 11 in the state with a sole commissioner form of government, led by Bebe Heiskell. "She steers the ship and I keep it running," Ashburn explained. "She told me, `this is your cup of tea, take care of it.'" Since Ashburn's arrival, Walker County has seen at least a half dozen Presidentially declared disasters. He says the most damaging was the winter storm of March 1993 that dumped 24 inches of snow on northwest Georgia. The events at Tri-State Crematory, however, clearly overshadowed anything that county officials had tackled in the past. The incident was physically and emotionally stressful on Ashburn and his colleagues. However, says Ashburn, it gave the community an opportunity to be stronger. "It allowed people in Walker County to refocus, in much the same way as September 11 sparked a sense of patriotism. It seemed to renew civic pride and involvement," he says. While the media hype has diminished in recent months, Ashburn says Walker County officials and residents are concerned about the anticipated trial of crematorium owner Ray Brent Marsh, and a possible change of venue, which could strain the county's modest annual budget of $16 million. Despite the budget strains resulting from the Tri- State Crem- atory inci- dent, Ashburn believes the county's most significant long-term challenge is "stepping up to meet the needs" resulting David Ashburn from steady growth, reflected by the county's current population of 62,000. The threat of terrorism also adds a new dimension to his job, particularly with the proximity of the Sequoia Nuclear Power Plant in Hamilton County, Tennessee, just north of Chattanooga. Contemplating his role as emergency services director, Ashburn says, "I can have a direct and positive impact on the citizens of Walker County. It's about taking care of the folks, and a lot of people in government lose sight of that." Buzz Weiss ? Please Note: A new and expanded Transitions section can be found on GEMA's Web site at www.gema.state.ga.us. EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 2 In Brief Outdoor Watering Restrictions Remain Unchanged Spring rain has brought some relief to drought-stricken areas of Georgia, but the rainfall has not reduced the need for outdoor watering restrictions, according to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). "While we are seeing signs of a slight recovery from four years of drought, stream flows and groundwater levels still are well below normal," says EPD Director Harold Reheis. "Therefore, we must ask that Georgians continue to follow the current requirements for outdoor watering." The EPD outdoor watering restrictions are as follows: In the 15-county metropolitan Atlanta area, outdoor watering is not allowed from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on an odd-even basis. For example, an even-numbered address may water on an even-numbered calendar day before 10:00 a.m. and after 10:00 p.m. They must stop watering at midnight. (The 15-county metro area comprises Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties.) Outside the metro area, watering is allowed on an odd-even basis. For example, an even-numbered address could water at any time on an even- numbered calendar day. (Note: Some local governments may have more stringent restrictions. Contact your water authority for the restrictions in place at your address.) In southwest Georgia, groundwater in the Upper Floridan Aquifer is three to 15 feet below its spring 2001 levels in some locations and well below historical norms. Stream flows throughout the state show signs of improvement compared to the last three years, but remain below normal. EPD will continue to evaluate data on lake levels, stream flows, groundwater levels and long-range weather forecasts to determine if changes in water use restrictions are warranted. For more information on the drought and the outdoor watering restrictions, visit the EPD Web site at www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr/environ/ or go to www.georgiadrought.org. ? More Georgia Communities are StormReady Jackson, Hall and Haralson counties have become the three latest additions to the growing list of communities recognized by GEMA and the National Weather Service as StormReady. Although specific StormReady guidelines vary depending on the size of the community, to be designated in the program requires the following: ? Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center; ? Develop more than one way to receive and disseminate severe weather warnings and forecasts to alert the public; ? Create a system that monitors local weather conditions; ? Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars; and ? Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises. There are now 21 StormReady communities in Georgia. The 18 other approved counties are Appling, Bartow, Bibb, Chatham, Cherokee, Clayton, Columbia, Douglas, Effingham, Fayette, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Jackson, Richmond, Union, Upson and Ware. ? 3 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER Dr. John Hope, Hurricane Forecaster for The Weather Channel, Dies Dr. John Raymond Hope, 83, one of the country's leading hurricane forecasters at The Weather Channel, died of complications related to heart surgery June 13. Dr. Hope was a long-time friend to the emergency management community, and he was a featured speaker at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's hurricane conference in 1995. He began his career at the United States Weather Bureau in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1949 as a district forecaster. In 1962 he joined the Miami Spaceflight Meteorology Group for the John Glenn launch and in 1968, he moved to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, where he became a senior hurricane specialist. Dr. Hope earned international recognition for co-writing a program that enabled Third World countries without mass media infrastructure to alert coastal populations in advance of the possibility of a typhoon or hurricane making landfall. Dr. Hope joined The Weather Channel in 1982 as the tropical coordinator and on-camera meteorologist, becoming a key source of information for U.S. coastal residents during hurricane seasons. Weather experts often acknowledged Dr. Hope as "the man America watches" when hurricanes approached the United States. Among Dr. Hope's many honors are the U.S. Department of Commerce Silver Medal, the National Hurricane Conference Dr. John Hope Media Award and The Neil Frank Award from the National Hurricane Conference. In addition, Dr. Hope was a fellow of the American Meteorological Society. He also wrote about weather for a variety of publications and journals and lectured around the world. A college scholarship was established in his name by The Weather Channel in 2000. In a 1997 interview published by his hometown paper, The Rocket Courier of Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, Dr. Hope said, "If my legacy can be that I have made a contribution to this nation being better prepared to cope with the devastation wrought by hurricanes, and to have helped in the success of my company, I am content." ? Chatham County Hosts Local Hurricane Conference The second annual Chatham County Hurricane Conference was held May 14-15, 2002, at the Savannah Conference Center. The conference was designed to bring critical work force personnel together in Chatham County and help reduce future revenue losses from a devastating storm. More than 200 people attended this year's conference, an increase of 20 percent from 2001, from organizations such as state and local government agencies, public utilities, hospitals, and fire and police departments. The conference covered a wide range of topics, including damage assessment, evacuation and re-entry, and animals. There also was an exercise on coordinating emergency support functions. "We encourage other coastal counties in Georgia to hold similar type events or exercises in their communities. It's a good tool in coordinating a working relationship among the critical work force in the county," says Chatham County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Deputy Director Dan Stowers. Plans are already under way for next year's conference. ? NENA Provides 9-1-1 Training The Georgia chapter of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) recently sponsored a series of one-day training forums for 9-1-1 personnel. Each of the four programs, which were held in Rome, Forsyth, Athens and Savannah, focused on one particular issue, such as terrorism, emergency public information and supervisory tips. In addition, the Savannah forum featured a "dispatcher olympics," which tested the skills of 9-1-1 personnel. The statewide classes made valuable training available for the 9-1-1 employees who would otherwise not have been able to travel to a central location because of budget constraints or staffing limitations. A total of 110 personnel took part in the classes. ? EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 Safe Dams The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) hosted the Southeast Regional Conference of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials in early June. Conference topics included dam construction, homeland security, and a review of dam failures, including the Toccoa Falls disaster that left 39 people dead and prompted passage of the Georgia Safe Dams Act. This year marks the 25th anniversary of this tragedy. ? 4 FAQ's About the Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement What is the purpose of signing this agreement? A) To put in place an agreement providing for mutual aid throughout the state; B) To improve the effectiveness of responses to emergencies; C) To eliminate some potential legal questions; and D) To facilitate communication with the federal government regarding reimbursement and related issues, or to comply with Federal Emergency Management Agency policy, which was disseminated in August 1999. When will the agreement be implemented? The Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement becomes effective upon signing. However, it is implemented only when a state of emergency has been declared by the Governor. The agreement does not affect the normal daily assistance a local government may request from another local government in the absence of a state of emergency. Once we get the agreement signed, where do we send it? After the agreement is signed, please contact your field coordinator. He or she will forward the agreement to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) for review. GEMA will retain the signed original and mail a copy to your county or municipality. If your county needs a signed original, please provide GEMA with the number of originals needed. ? Cartoon by Ed Westbrook, Jasper County EMA Director A bad day at the office ... 5 Child Care Centers Learn to `Play It Safe' While we usually think of child care centers as secure environments, these facilities are not immune to violence and adversity. To help prepare for disaster, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) created Play It Safe, a program designed to enhance the safety and preparedness of child care centers throughout the state. As part of the program, GEMA developed the Play It Safe tool kit, which contains a training video and planning guide for administrators and teachers, and distributed it to more than 2,900 child care centers in Georgia. "Although child care centers are not required by law to develop a comprehensive safety plan, we hope that these tools will encourage them to take this extra step," says GEMA Director Gary W. McConnell. Explaining disaster safety information to children without frightening them is the goal of the Play It Safe program. In response to this challenge, GEMA teamed up with the Atlanta Center for Puppetry Arts to create the training video. In addition, children from area day care centers appear in the video. Georgia First Lady Marie Barnes also is featured in the training video. As the mother of three, Barnes is an avid supporter of programs for children. "Our children deserve a caring and safe learning environment," says Georgia's First Lady. The tool kit's 68-page guidebook complements the training video and is packed with checklists, advice on how to create a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), and strategies for handling man-made and natural disasters. The guide encourages child care centers to work closely with first responders when developing their EOPs. This summer, GEMA's school safety coordinators began training child care administrators throughout the state. The guidebook can be found on GEMA's Web site at www.gema.state.ga.us. ? Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER Columbia County Cares for Special Needs Population By Lisa Janak Editor Evacuations and power outages are stressful enough for healthy, ablebodied people. Imagine how difficult they are for the elderly, disabled, and others with special needs who live at home. A "special need" is any condition that drastically limits or prevents someone from fully performing a major life function, such as walking, hearing or seeing. Often, people with special needs depend on electricity to run medical equipment. Some have mobility issues and may use a wheelchair or walker. Others may suffer from sensory loss and dementia. Most require medication regularly. The Columbia County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has created a program to identify all residents with special needs in order to better care for them in a crisis. "They are the one group that can fall through the cracks during emergencies. This program enables us to know who they are and where they are so we can take care of them first," says Columbia County EMA Director Pam Tucker. To generate awareness for the program, Tucker created an imaginative public relations campaign. A flyer detailing the program was mailed to Columbia County residents in their water bills. Tucker also disseminated news releases, mass e-mails and faxes, and she mentions the program at her speaking engagements. In addition, an online application was posted on Columbia County's EMA Web site at www.co.columbia.ga.us/emergencyserv/ ema/ema1.html. "We receive most of our requests from the Web site," says Tucker. "This enables citizens with special needs or one of their family members to complete the application at their convenience. The online application form also works great for those who have a hard time talking." EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 The campaign has yielded big results for little expense. The cost of printing the mailer was only about $400, and the Columbia County EMA received more than 400 responses. There are 156 people now participating in the program, 83 of whom use medical equipment that requires electricity. The program also has generated considerable community goodwill. "The `peace of mind' factor means a lot. People know someday they may need a program like ours," says Tucker. Once an application is received, the information is entered into the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's special needs database as well as a database developed by Columbia County. "This allows us to pull up any subdivision where a power outage has occurred to see if any of our special needs citizens live there," says Tucker. Because people with special needs often fear increased vulnerability to crime and social discrimination, the information submitted remains confidential and is only shared with other emergency agencies with the applicant's permission. "We work closely with these groups during emergencies to keep an eye out for our special needs citizens," explains Tucker. Medical personnel categorize the applicants on a scale from one to five so emergency workers can respond to the most critical cases first in a major disaster. Georgia Power is also notified so they can work to restore power quickly to people who rely on electricity to run medical equipment. Most people with special needs that rely on electricity have back-up batteries, and the Columbia County EMA knows how long their batteries will last. If electricity cannot be restored by the time the battery runs out, the fire department will bring generators or people will be relocated to a facility that has electricity. Columbia County's special needs population is grateful for the extra attention. "The people in the program write us cards and notes of thanks," says Tucker. The program also has garnered attention in other states. Emergency management agencies in Florida have used Columbia County's Web site as a guide to develop their own forms for special needs people. Tucker is glad other states are following their lead in identifying this population. "These people are the most vulnerable in our society, and we need to look out for them," says Tucker. For more information, call Pam Tucker at (706) 868-3303 or e-mail her at ptucker@co.columbia.ga.us. ? 6 GEMA Hosts Airline Crash Forum By Tyra Gore All Hazards Planner When most people think of airline disasters, what comes to mind may be the November 2001 crash of American Airlines Flight 587 in Queens, New York; the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 in New York; or the Value Jet 592 crash in the Florida Everglades in 1996. Comparatively, it seems that Georgia has been lucky when it comes to airline accidents. However, Georgia's luck could soon run out. Although there have been no major airplane crashes recently, accidents involving military or general aviation aircraft occur frequently. And many Georgians remember the afternoon of April 4, 1977, when Southern Airlines Flight 242 lost power in a thunderstorm and crashed near New Hope in Paulding County. Sixty-two lives were lost on the plane and eight were killed on the ground. "Although we have experienced our fair share of aircraft accidents, it has been awhile since we have experienced an overwhelming incident," says Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) Director Gary W. McConnell, "Yet this could change at any time. Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport is one of the busiest in the country, and the airspace over Georgia is becoming more and more crowded." Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) statistics indicate that most aircraft accidents occur during the take-off or landing phase, in or near an airport facility. The potential for disaster increases as businesses, industries and population centers continue to locate around airports. While approach routes to Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport bring hundreds of aircraft over parts of downtown Atlanta within sight of the Capitol each day, Georgia's smaller communities are at risk as well. To enhance preparedness for future airline and aircraft disasters, GEMA recently hosted a comprehensive Airline Crash Forum in Savannah. Participants examined preparedness and response issues and reviewed "lessons learned" from previous disasters. The forum drew 300 attendees and experts from agencies such as FAA, the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB), the American Red Cross, the New York City and State Emergency Management Agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Delta Air Lines, Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport and the Savannah Airport Commission. Ironically, the forum was initially scheduled for September 13, 2001, but was postponed in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The events of September 11 also gave impetus to a greater emphasis on terrorism, causing the primary focus of the forum to shift from responding to an airplane crash caused by mechanical failure or severe weather to responding to one caused by a terrorist act. The likelihood that another plane crash could be caused by an act of terrorism has increased dramatically, and responding to such an event would be challenging. For example, the plane crash site also would be a crime scene, making conventional response and recovery efforts considerably more difficult. The scope and duration of the recovery process would be extremely time- intensive and would involve thousands of personnel. Other considerations include providing disaster support and family assistance to the families of the crash victims as well as emergency workers. Although the suspected cause of each disaster brings a different set of agencies into play, the community's first responders will almost always be the first on scene. Therefore, it is important that local, state and federal agencies plan together and develop a coordinated approach that supports all agencies and volunteers involved in response and recovery efforts. "The potential for a disaster can be found anywhere in the state," concludes McConnell. "It is critical that we continue to improve our ability to work to ensure that we are prepared to respond to these events effectively." ? 7 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER When Faced With Threat of Terrorism, Stay the Course By Ralph Reichert Terrorism Section Director The chaos resulting from the attacks of September 11 has reached well beyond the sites of devastation in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. Once we felt secure traveling, attending large events and celebrations or shopping at the mall, but now we are constantly on guard, even in our own homes. Everywhere I go, I am asked why there is so little information, so little money, so little action taken against terrorism. When will we finally stop the rhetoric and start doing "something"? I admit that sometimes I feel frustration and desperation, even cold fear, when I think of the terrible consequences of another terrorist attack. War has come to our soil, and it has placed us all in jeopardy. But before these feelings overwhelm me, I remember that it is our job as emergency managers to reduce the impact of a terrorist act through awareness, planning and preparedness. And Georgia has a proven track record in preparing for the worst. No crystal ball exists to warn of the location or time of the next emergency or attack. Instead, we must rely on the training, knowledge, experience, skills and the relationships we develop to see us through. That has been the charge to emergency management in the past, and will continue to be the charge to emergency management in the future. Local emergency operations and hazard mitigation plans as well as emergency planning councils help communities assess risks and formulate an effective response to all types of disaster, including terrorism. Mass fatality incident response, hazardous materials contingency planning, and disaster response and recovery operations training also help emergency managers prepare for every contingency. In addition, exercises that test training, plans and procedures on every level have long been used to evaluate readiness. GEMA is continuing to help Georgia prepare for the consequences of terrorism. A few days after September 11, Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) Director Gary W. McConnell summoned a handful of people to a weekend meeting to discuss the state's needs in response to the attacks. The overriding message was clear: We need to stay the course in preparing for any emergency or disaster that threatens. To ensure an adequate antiterrorism response, McConnell announced at a homeland security seminar May 23, 2002, that eight regional "all-hazards" planning councils would be organized to conduct vulnerability analysis, develop resource lists, assess mutual aid coverage, address coordination and control issues, and determine other needs. As the response to the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington is evaluated, one lesson in particular stands out: It is imperative to continue to employ the fundamentals of emergency management planning, training and exercise and develop the partnerships that create a community emergency response team. Rededication and commitment to these fundamental principles will ensure Georgia's best efforts in facing future threats. In other words, stay the course. ? EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 8 NOAA's Hurricane Hunter Airplane Lands in Atlanta By Lisa Janak Editor "Hurricane hunter" airplanes routinely fly over oceans and directly into storms to gather data. However, with hurricane season fast approaching, the National Weather Service brought a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) P-3 Hurricane Hunter airplane to landlocked Atlanta for the first time in May to raise awareness for the threat of flooding due to inland- moving tropical storms. Inland flooding can occur when heavy rains from hurricanes or tropical storms move away from the coast and drift slowly or stall over an area. Remnants of these storms can dump more than 20 inches of rain in a 24-hour period, causing extensive damage. For example, Georgia's most expensive disaster occurred in 1994, when remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto inflicted more than $1 billion in damage after dumping 20 inches of rain in central Georgia. And last June a state of emergency was declared for 16 counties in Georgia after Tropical Storm Allison brought more than 12 inches of rain in a two-day period. Since 1970, more Americans have been killed by hurricanes inland than along shorelines. While hurricanes are still nature's most potentially deadly storms, deaths from the direct impact of a hurricane are rare because storms are tracked for days before they make landfall, enabling emergency managers to make evacuation decisions sooner so people have time to get out of harm's way. NOAA's hurricane hunters play an important part in this process. The P-3 "Orion" aircraft fly into the eyewall of a hurricane at low altitudes to deploy global positioning system (GPS) dropwindsondes that measure pressure, humidity, temperature and wind direction and speed. This real-time information is relayed to the National Hurricane Center, enabling them to better predict intensity and landfall. The P-3 aircraft complement NOAA's G-IV jet and a fleet of 10 Lockheed-Martin WC-130 aircraft, which also fly into developing hurricanes, but at higher altitudes to take readings of the upper atmosphere. ? P-3s penetrate the eyewall of a hurricane at altitudes as high as 20,000 feet and as low as 1,500 feet. Flying at low altitudes is more dangerous, as there is not that much time for the aircraft to take corrective measures if it gets caught in the fierce winds of the eyewall. 9 Tips to Protect Yourself From Inland Flooding ? Learn your vulnerability to flooding by determining the elevation of your property. Increase your insurance coverage; as development expands, floodplains change. If you are in a flood-prone area, consider what mitigation measures you can take in advance. ? In highly flood-prone areas, keep materials on hand like sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting, plastic garbage bags, lumber, shovels, work boots and gloves. Call your county emergency management agency to learn how to construct proper protective measures around your home. ? Be aware of streams, drainage channels and areas known to flood, so you or your evacuation routes are not cut off. ? Monitor National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio. ? Avoid driving into water of unknown depth. Moving water can quickly sweep your vehicle away. During Hurricane Floyd, 32 of the 56 fatalities drowned in their cars or while attempting to abandon them. ? Restrict children from playing in flooded areas. ? Test drinking water for potability; wells should be pumped out and the water tested before drinking. Do not use fresh food that has come in contact with floodwaters. Wash canned goods that come in contact with floodwaters with soap and hot water. ? Stay away from downed power lines. Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER Georgia's Hurricane History: Deadly and Destructive Before 1900 By Al Sandrik, Senior Forecaster National Weather Service Amyth has grown that Georgia's curved coastline protects it from direct hurricane landfalls. A 19th century resident of coastal Georgia would likely be amazed by this fable. Hurricanes were a fairly frequent occurrence in the 1800s, when Georgia was struck by at least four major storms and several weaker storms. The following are some notable 19th century hurricanes. ? On September 7, 1804, a hurricane made landfall on St. Simons Island. It was described by Cumberland Island resident Catherine Littlefield Greene as "the most violent [hurricane] ever experienced since the settling of Georgia." Large portions of Cumberland Island were inundated. ? The great hurricane of September 16 - 17, 1813, blasted across Georgia during the War of 1812, sinking a Spanish fleet that was supposed to protect the St. Marys River from British forces. Tidal information suggests this may have been a Category 4 storm. ? In 1824, a hurricane made landfall between St. Marys and Brunswick before proceeding north to Savannah. The St. Simons and Sapelo islands were swept by a six foot storm surge that destroyed the crops of many plantations. ? A Category 3 storm made landfall between St. Simons Island and Savannah in 1854. ? A possible Category 4 hurricane made landfall just south of Tybee Island the night of August 27, 1893, producing one of the greatest weather-related disasters in Georgia's history. As many as 2,500 people perished as the ocean swept over the Sea Islands. ? On September 29, 1896, a severe hurricane moving inland from Cedar Key, Florida, moved north through EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 Georgia and South Carolina and inflicted great destruction. A total of 24 people may have died in Savannah. ? Perhaps the cruelest blow of all came from the final hurricane of the 19th century. On October 2, 1898, what was most likely a Category 4 storm comparable to Hurricane Hugo in 1989 struck the Georgia coast. The eye of the storm moved directly over Cumberland Island and caused a 16-foot storm surge in downtown Brunswick. Approximately 174 people died in coastal Georgia and extreme northeast Florida from this storm. ? Al Sandrik speaks on Georgia's hurricane history in the coastal communities of Camden, Glynn, Charlton, Brantley, Wayne, or any other Georgia county served by the Jacksonville office of the National Weather Service. For more information, e-mail Al Sandrik at Al.Sandrik@noaa.gov. Source: The Kings Bay Periscope. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency's (GEMA) State Operations Center (SOC) is activated when a disaster or emergency threatens. It is staffed by GEMA and representatives of the numerous other state and federal agencies, volunteer relief organizations and businesses that participate in disaster response efforts. There are three activation levels. Level 3 (RED) FULL SCALE ACTIVATION All primary and alternate emergency coordinators, GEMA staff and local emergency management agency directors will be notified of a full-scale activation. The necessary state agency coordinators also will report to the SOC. All GEMA and SOC positions will be staffed. Level 2 (YELLOW) PARTIAL ACTIVATION All primary and alternate emergency coordinators, GEMA staff and local emergency management agency directors will be notified of a partial activation. The necessary state agency coordinators and GEMA staff will be notified to report to the SOC. Level 1 (GREEN) NORMAL ACTIVITIES GEMA is operating under normal day-to-day operations. GEMA's communication center is monitoring all events and will be reporting them to the appropriate personnel. 10 Ten-year Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew a Painful Reminder By Greg Padgett Hurricane Planner Ten years ago, on the early morning of August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew, a strong Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, slammed into south Florida and became the most destructive hurricane on record to strike the United States. This catastrophe reshaped the nation's response to hurricane planning and recovery. NOAA storm summary The most damaging hurricane in U.S. history started modestly as a tropical wave that emerged from the west coast of Africa on August 14. The wave spawned a tropical depression on August 16, which became Tropical Storm Andrew the next day. Further development was slow, as the west-northwestward moving Andrew encountered an unfavorable upper-level trough. Indeed, the storm almost dissipated on August 20 due to vertical wind shear. However, by August 21, Andrew was located midway between Bermuda and Puerto Rico and was turning west into a more favorable environment. Quickly regaining strength, Andrew became a hurricane on August 22, achieving Category 4 status on August 23. After briefly weakening over the Bahamas, Andrew reintensified, reaching its peak on August 24 as it blasted its way across south Florida. The hurricane weakened after landfall, but continued west into the Gulf of Mexico, where it gradually turned northward. This motion brought Andrew to the central Louisiana coast on August 26 as a Category 3 hurricane. Andrew then turned northeastward, eventually merging with a frontal system over the mid-Atlantic states August 28. Andrew produced a 17-foot storm surge near the landfall point in Florida, while storm tides of at least 8 feet inundated portions of the Louisiana coast. Andrew also produced a killer tornado in southeastern Louisiana. Storm facts ? Hurricane Andrew caused an estimated $26 billion damage in the United States, making it the most expensive natural disaster in United States history. ? At landfall in southern Dade County, Florida, the central pressure was 922 millibars, which is the third lowest this century (after the 1935 Florida Keys Labor Day storm and Hurricane Camille in 1969) for a landfalling hurricane in the U.S. ? The vast majority of the damage in Florida was due to the winds. ? Florida agricultural industry loss totaled $1.04 billion. ? Ninety percent of all homes in Dade County had roof damage. The number of homes destroyed was 25,524, and 101,241 were damaged. ? The small community of Homestead, Florida, was nearly blown away by the storm's 140 mph winds. The Homestead Air Force base suffered extensive damage and was never reopened. ? In total, Andrew directly caused 23 deaths in the U.S. and indirectly caused 38 more. Changes since Andrew Hurricane Andrew prompted major preparedness initiatives, including new building codes, insurance coverage, emergency management response, evacuation and sheltering. Perhaps the most noteworthy change has been the response to hurricane threats. With images of Hurricane Andrew flashing in their memories, a record number of coastal residents evacuated their homes in Florida and Georgia during Hurricane Floyd in 1999. ? 2002 Hurricane Names Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gustav Hanna Isidore Josephine Kyle Lili Marco Nana Omar Paloma Rene Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred Photo of eye of Hurricane Floyd courtesy of The Weather Channel 11 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER Colorado State's Dr. Gray Announces Hurricane Forecast By Greg Padgett Hurricane Planner The name Dr. William Gray is synonymous with tropical meteorology and hurricane forecasting. For 19 years, Dr. Gray has been forecasting Atlantic tropical activity for Colorado State University. Many attribute his predictions in generating increased awareness in hurricane preparedness initiatives in the Gulf and East coast communities. "Every day during hurricane season, people in the community will come up to me and ask what his prediction is this year," says Chatham County Emergency Management Agency Director Phillip Webber. Although Dr. Gray may best be known for hurricane forecasting, he also has made other significant meteorological contributions. His research includes studies of tropical cyclones genesis and structure intensity change. "Even without his seasonal forecast, he's made a tremendous contribution to tropical meteorology around the globe," says National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield. "He is credited for establishing the link between El Nino and a decline in hurricane activity in the Atlantic." The 2002 forecast Dr. Gray issues a preseason prediction in December, an official forecast in April, and season updates in June and August. Last December, Dr. Gray predicted an "above average" hurricane season for 2002, with 13 named EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 storms. He decreased his hurricane activity forecast numbers in April to 12 named storms due to the growing strength of El Nino. He lowered it again on May 31 to 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes (classified as Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale). "We lowered our forecast primarily because Atlantic surface temperatures have become cooler than expected over the past few months," explains Dr. Gray. However, the 2002 hurricane season is still being considered above average. According to Dr. Gray, there is a 75 percent probability of one or more major hurricanes hitting the United States coastline. It just takes one! Although Dr. Gray has made a name for himself developing hurricane forecast strategies, he and other hurricane experts know it is dangerous to focus on the numbers. "It just takes one storm in your community to make for a bad year," says Mayfield. For example, with only seven named storms, 1992 was considered a belowaverage year. Nevertheless, it became the costliest year in U.S. hurricane history after Hurricane Andrew hit south Florida, causing an estimated $26 billion in damage. Other noteworthy storms have occurred during so-called "inactive" seasons: ? The Galveston Hurricane of 1900, which killed an estimated 8,000 people, has been recorded as the deadliest U.S. hurricane in history. ? The Great Keys Hurricane of 1935 is the strongest hurricane ever to strike the U.S., with a minimum central pressure of 892 millibars. The storm killed 408 people. Is our luck running out? The numbers are down but the threat remains. Despite the downsized 2002 predictions, the last several years indicate long-term increased activity in the Atlantic. According to Dr. Gray and his team, nine major hurricanes should have made landfall along the U.S. coastline since 1995. Also, while there have been 19 consecutive hurricanes in the Atlantic within the last 2.5 years, not one has made landfall. "This has never happened before," says Dr Gray. "We were very lucky. The storms were out there, but they did not come ashore." Dr. Gray predicts a large increase in landfalling hurricanes in coming years. "We believe we have entered a new era for increased storm activity, particularly an increase in the number of major hurricanes, which will likely last another two or three decades," he warns. "With exploding growth in coastal populations and property values, we must be prepared for levels of hurricane damage many, many times greater than has occurred in the past three decades." ? 12 13 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER How to Use This Chart When a hurricane threatens, newspapers, radio and television stations will give its latest position in latitude (the vertical numbers on the right) and longitude (the scale across the bottom). When a storm is announced, plot its position with a marker. Plotting the storm's position as a series of points lets you follow its track. EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 14 Grisly Discovery Sparks Massive Response By Buzz Weiss Public Affairs Coordinator An anonymous phone call to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in mid-February led to the discovery of a shocking and macabre scene of death that stunned even the most seasoned public safety veterans, triggering an unprecedented recovery and investigative effort and casting the tiny northwest Georgia hamlet of Noble in Walker County into the glare of an unwelcome global spotlight. The hundreds of motorists who daily travel U.S. 27, a typical four-lane highway dotted by diners, car lots and convenience stores probably do not notice the turnoff onto Center Point Road. Even if they do, it is doubtful they take note of the Tri-State Crematory property, which sits on 16 wooded acres a stone's throw off the highway just beyond a country church's graveyard. There are only a handful of neighbors. A tree-lined driveway leads into the compound and ends near a lake. Clustered on the property are a barn, storage building, small crematorium and several modest homes, which for years held a ghastly secret. A February 15 search by Walker County sheriff's deputies confirmed the tipster's information that human remains were scattered on the rustic acreage. A more thorough search of the property that afternoon revealed at least 50 sets of discarded remains, a chilling hint of what was yet to come. The buildings and property were immediately secured by Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson and Coroner Dewayne Wilson (no relation), and the first of what would be hundreds of local, state, federal and volunteer responders began to arrive as the magnitude of the find became clear. By late that evening, Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) had arrived in Walker County, and by midnight GEMA's mobile communications vehicle (MCV) had established incident command in cooperation with Walker County Emergency Management Agency Director David Ashburn. A multitude of jobs Shortly after dawn the following morning, state troopers and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 15 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER enforcement officers joined county deputies to secure the area as emergency managers, rescue workers, medical examiners, investigators, volunteers and other professionals gathered at the site to plan strategy for this unprecedented undertaking. This was clearly not a conventional disaster or emergency, and the task facing them would be difficult and complex, with multiple simultaneous missions. First, this was a recovery operation. Officials were faced with locating and removing an unknown number of corpses. Eighty-seven sets of remains were found that first day, and additional bodies would be discovered daily for the next two weeks. It also was a nontraditional crime scene that would require a methodical and painstaking investigation. GBI agents, medical examiners and evidence technicians meticulously processed and documented what they found to identify the remains and to prepare a case against the crematorium owner. Counseling also would be a major component of this operation, not only for the family members who were forced to revisit their grief but for the responders who, regardless of their experience, could never have been fully prepared to see what they did. This massive logistics enterprise involved the acquisition and management of millions of dollars worth of supplies such as rubber gloves, protective suits, lights and generators, cremation boxes, office furniture, refrigerated trucks and temporary morgue tents, and the deployment of hundreds of personnel. Ultimately, more than 500 personnel from nearly 70 federal, state and local agencies, the private sector, and volunteer organizations were sent to Walker County. Environmental and public health issues would have to be considered. Did the decomposing bodies pose a health hazard? Would the murky lake on the property have to be drained? If so, what would the impact be downstream? Finally, it was a media event. Hundreds of inquiries and requests for interviews poured in around the clock from dozens of news organizations not only from Georgia and neighboring states, but also from around the nation and the world. Atlanta and Chattanooga reporters were joined by correspondents EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 The tiny community of Noble was inundated by local, national and international media. Officials kept the public informed through regular press briefings (above). Meanwhile, searchers continued to recover more bodies (below). from CNN, People magazine, the British Broadcasting Corporation, London's Guardian newspaper, Canadian Broadcasting, and France's AFP news service. TV satellite trucks and vans packed the parking lots of the Civic Center complex, which had become an impromptu staging area. The gag order In order to provide accurate and timely information on the incident, daily news briefings were conducted by Walker County's emergency management director, sheriff, coroner, District Attorney Herbert (Buzz) Franklin, former GBI Director Buddy Nix, Acting GBI Director Vernon Keenan, Chief State Medical Examiner Dr. Kris Sperry and GEMA Director Gary W. McConnell. The press conferences continued even after a gag order was issued by the Superior Court prohibiting public comment on the case. The gag order prohibits the dissemination of information to the media that relates to the criminal investigation and issues of guilt or innocence, but it does not cover the recovery and identification of remains. "After the gag order was imposed, those responsible for responding to the media had to walk a fine line between opinion, fact and emotion," says Don J. Daniel, media consultant for GEMA who has worked with the media during several disasters. "Officials were open and cooperative, to the extent that the gag order allowed. For the most part, the media accepted when their questions could not be answered." No book to go by The Walker County incident confronted officials with a situation that had no precedent. Multiple casualties are 16 The 339 bodies that were found dumped in pits, left in sheds and stacked in vaults around the Tri-State Crematory are being identified through full body and dental X-rays, pathology examinations, DNA samples and descriptions from family members. Anthropologists also are examining bones. Unbelievably, many were identified through hospital ID tags, which were still attached to the deceaseds' remains. a common part of exercise scenarios, and most of the responders were certainly no strangers to the spectacle of death. But no amount of training could have prepared them for the sight of stacks of bodies that had been accumulating for years. And unlike a plane crash, where a passenger manifest can be easily located, the number of bodies sent to Tri-State was unknown. In those early hours at Tri-State, authorities were frustrated. They had no idea of what they would find in the coming days, what resources they would need to do their job, nor what it would cost. Even so, officials wasted no time in bringing order to the chaos they found. The plan they put into place reflected the "all hazards" capabilities that have been refined and perfected through years of exercise, training and actual disaster response. "I don't have a theory, because none of it makes any sense . . . there's no rhyme nor reason to it." Chief State Medical Examiner Dr. Kris Sperry A grim search For nearly two weeks, searchers found a total of 339 bodies throughout the Tri-State compound, in the small frame crematorium building, in storage buildings, in an abandoned hearse, and strewn about the property in shallow graves or atop the ground. They were in caskets, transport boxes and body bags. Dozens were squeezed into burial vaults. Some were dressed for viewing, while others were wrapped in sheets, or still in hospital gowns with ID tags on their wrists. Some were embalmed. Others were not. Preserved, intact bodies lay just yards from skeletonized remains. To ensure a thorough search, approximately seven acres of the property was cleared, making it easier to locate areas where the ground may have been disturbed. The U.S. Forestry Service, meanwhile, provided sophisticated ground-penetrating radar to further examine the property. Plans to use trained cadaver dogs were considered, but scrapped when it became clear that the pervasive death scent would have overwhelmed the dogs and made them ineffective. Even as searchers continued their task, efforts were under way to identify the bodies and return them to the custody of their families. State medical examiners and crime lab technicians were joined by 17 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER the U.S. Public Health Service Disaster Mortuary Operations Response Team (DMORT), an elite 26-member squad of forensic pathologists, forensic anthropologists and support staff from Rockville, Maryland, who had most recently worked the September 11 terrorist attacks as well as the American Airlines crash in Queens. Two small temporary morgue tents that were initially set up at the Walker County Public Works facility were ultimately replaced by two 8,000 square foot portable morgue operation tents for the DMORT team. No bodies were found after February 27, and the exhausting and grisly search finally ended in March. Information that more bodies may have been stashed in more than a dozen septic tanks reportedly bought by Marsh was found to be baseless. In addition, search warrants executed on other Marsh property revealed no additional remains. As of mid-July, medical examiners had identified 177 of the remains. Although DNA analysis is under way, Dr. Sperry has acknowledged that some of the remains may never be identified. DNA deoxyribonucleic acid is the molecule that encodes every person's genetic information. Samples from the bodies can be matched to DNA samples taken from family members to establish identity. Beneath the lake? As the number of bodies recovered on the Tri-State compound began to taper off, searchers and investigators shifted their sights to the lake on the property, fearing that yet more remains could be concealed under the surface after an underwater camera took a photo of what appeared to be body parts. The three-acre lake was 10 feet deep and contained an estimated 6 million gallons of water. Sending divers into the lake was deemed too risky, and the decision was made to drain the impoundment. This daunting task fell to DNR's Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and its Safe Dams Program. In the face of rising public concern, the foremost task was to ensure that the water in the lake was safe. Extensive testing by DNR and Department of Human Resource's (DHR) Public Health "This case has touched a nerve, and exposed the raw emotions of countless citizens who thought they had achieved some measure of closure with respect to the death of their loved ones." State Attorney General Thurbert Baker environmental experts determined that this self-cleansing spring-fed body of water with a natural discharge of 10 gallons per minute posed no health threat. Health officials noted that even if embalmed bodies were found in the lake, the formaldehyde would have dissipated harmlessly. EPD officials then evaluated the downstream impact of draining the lake, taking into account the rate of flow of the water to ensure that there would be no flooding and that any potential evidence in adjacent areas would not be lost. They determined that draining the lake would have no greater impact than a heavy thunderstorm, so the project began on the afternoon March 4 and concluded two days later. Although rain delayed the drying process, when investigators were finally able to search the lakebed they found no additional remains. What had appeared to be body parts submerged beneath the lake turned out to be a tree stump. The political response The aftershocks of the incident also echoed under the Gold Dome, prompting legislation to close loopholes in the law and tighten the regulation of crematoriums in the state. To the surprise of many, there was no law on the books to address this. At least three separate bills were introduced in the days following the grim discovery by lawmakers representing the northwest Georgia area, including Representative Mike Snow and Senators Jeff Mullis and Richard Marable. The language in the three measures was ultimately merged into House Bill 1481, which won final legislative approval only seconds before the General Assembly adjourned on April 12. The bill was signed into law by Governor Barnes on May 9, making it a felony to desecrate a dead body. It also strengthens licensing and inspections for all crematoriums and requires funeral directors to provide an affidavit that the ashes they return are those of the cremated family member. Georgia's political leaders watched the developments in Walker County closely as they crafted the legislation and approved the appropriations. Governor Seasoned recovery workers were haunted by the sight of bodies strewn over the ground. During the weeks of searching for remains, each day began with a prayer. EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 18 Barnes and Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor, as well as state Senate and House leaders, personally visited the site. A state of emergency was declared February 16, 2002, to ensure that whatever state resources were needed would be made available without delay. U.S. Senators Max Cleland and Zell Miller and Congressman J. Nathan Deal also toured the site and fought for approval of a federal disaster declaration. While a request for a Presidential disaster declaration was rejected, the General Assembly did appropriate $8.5 million in the amended budget to cover the cost of the massive operation. Help for families and responders Disasters take a heavy toll both on their victims and on the people called to respond. In Walker County, this toll was extraordinary. A wide-ranging plan had to be put in place to meet the many needs of the thousands of people who would come to Walker County to learn the fate of their loved ones and the hundreds of responders. Walker County's sprawling civic center complex, about eight miles north of the Tri-State location, hosted the offsite base of operations as GEMA made plans to maintain a presence in the area for up to eight months. The agricultural center became an impromptu joint operations center, providing office space for the agencies working the incident. One of the most pressing considerations was the emotional wellbeing of the affected family members. With that in mind, DHR's Mental Health Division initiated counseling through its Lookout Mountain and Three Rivers Community Service Boards (CSB), which serve northwest Georgia. A family assistance center was quickly established, and professional counselors met one-onone with anxious family members daily to provide information and support. However, the many uncertainties associated with the crematory crisis created some unique demands on mental health professionals. "Over several weeks, some families began to express more grief and less anger," says Dr. Thomas W. Ford, executive director of the Lookout Mountain CSB. "However, some families began blaming each other, especially if there had been any questions regarding the use of cremation. Some family 19 members wanted `justice,' while others in the same family wanted to move on and let it go." Fortunately, the gag order did not foreclose the legitimate right for families to receive information concerning the recovery and identification of their loved ones' remains, and officials were very open and available. The medical examiner, coroner, sheriff and district attorney conducted regular briefings for families that concluded with a questionand-answer period. According to Ford, these briefings seemed to help the healing process the most. Mental health professionals observed these sessions and provided brief, supportive interventions. Often mental health workers would simply sit beside people who were upset "That [the 1994 floods that forced over 400 caskets from their graves in south Georgia] was an act of nature. This is an act of man's inhumanity to man, and it makes it that much more tragic." U.S. Senator Zell Miller and ask if they would like to talk more, or they would touch them lightly to let them know support was available. "No one had to ask for help," Ford says. Over time, the need for interventions decreased. Families began to develop support groups and even created a Web site to share information with those who are unable to attend family briefings. A toll-free family information hotline was operated from the 9-1-1 center to accommodate people unable to travel to Walker County. Staffed by DHR, the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs and the State of Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, call takers logged descriptions of loved ones in an effort to begin the identification process without delay. The Secretary of State's Office fielded calls from funeral homes and other business inquiries. GEMA created a crematory operations link on its Web site, which was updated daily in the immediate aftermath of the crisis and continues to be revised as necessary. It lists the total bodies recovered, the number of bodies conclusively identified, frequently asked questions, updates on DNA information and important phone numbers. In addition, GBI agents were on hand to process description forms and accept urns and containers of materials to determine if they were cremains. In some cases, urns brought to the center contained wood chips and concrete powder. Responders to the Walker County incident also were emotionally devastated. The traditional assumption that firefighters, paramedics and other public safety workers are unaffected by the horrors they face is a myth. On the contrary, the impact can be devastating, not only at the time of the incident, but years later. As a result, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) programs have been developed to provide responders with the help they need. These initiatives were put into place in Walker County through the efforts of local counselors as well as personnel from the Maryland-based International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. Volunteers rally As with all disasters and emergencies, the successful response to the Walker County incident depended heavily on the volunteer community. Countless volunteers from agencies such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Disaster Services streamed into the area to provide a wide range of support services. American Red Cross volunteers, for example, helped to staff the Family Assistance Center, while Southern Baptist Disaster Services offered child care for the families who came to meet with GBI agents or to seek counseling. Walker County volunteers, meanwhile, provided food for the families. Workers from the Salvation Army joined Red Cross and Southern Baptist volunteers in providing food for the responders. The Marsh family Now that all of the bodies have been recovered and substantial progress has been made in the identification process, the question being asked is "why." The incident is particularly puzzling not only to investigators and prosecutors, but to Walker County residents, as well. At the center of the mystery is 28-year old Ray Brent Marsh, the crematorium operator, who has Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER maintained silence since his arrest. Five years ago, he dropped out of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to take over the family business when his father's health began to fail. Medical examiners have determined that mishandling of bodies at Tri-State dates back to 1997. The Marshes Ray Brent and his parents, Tommy Ray and Clara are a distinguished and prominent family with strong and long-time political and community ties. Mr. Marsh, who established the crematorium in the early 1970s, had served on the board of the local Department of Family and Children's Service. A veteran teacher, Mrs. Marsh is a former Walker County Citizen of the Year. Ray Brent Marsh is facing more than 316 felony counts of theft by deception, which are based on his alleged failure to perform a service for which he had been paid, and 64 counts of abuse of a body. He had initially told authorities that the retort used to cremate bodies was broken, but tests revealed only a minor malfunction that could have been easily corrected. Marsh's parents and sister, a Tennessee funeral director, have been charged with felony counts of illegally signing death certificates. Because none of the three are licensed as funeral directors or embalmers in Georgia, they are not authorized to sign the documents. All four of Walker County's Superior Court judges have recused themselves from handling the case because of possible conflicts of interest. Cobb County Superior Court Judge James Bodiford was appointed in their place, but a motion by Marsh's attorney, McCracken (Ken) Posten, is pending to force his recusal also. As of late July, Marsh remained behind bars awaiting a bond hearing while a decision is made on who will preside over the case. Back to normal? No matter what the disaster, one of the challenges of response and recovery efforts is to return a community to normalcy. Few communities, though, can ever achieve this goal. They are forever changed. Walker County will certainly never be the same. The impact of the incident was felt far beyond the northwest Georgia area. DNA testing kits have been mailed to EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 GEMA's mobile command vehicles were on-site in Walker County within six hours of receiving the request for assistance (above). At the peak of the recovery operations, more than 50 government, private and volunteer agencies operated out of the joint operations center (JOC), which was established by GEMA (below). The JOC closed June 14 after recovery operations were complete. families in more than 40 states and in Switzerland. Calls and e-mails from concerned families have come from across the country, as far away as Alaska. To date, nearly 4,900 family members have been aided through the family assistance center, and more than 4,700 calls have been received by the family information center. The quotes and observations uttered over the past four months would fill volumes, but it is the lyrics from an early 1970s song by Three Dog Night that seems to best describe the horrors of the little hamlet of Noble. "I've seen so many things I ain't never seen before . . . don't know what it is . . . I don't wanna see no more." ? 20 State Medical Examiner Faces Toughest Challenge By Buzz Weiss Public Affairs Coordinator Doctors typically caution their patients to lose weight, get more exercise, and stop smoking. However, those warnings are already too little, too late for Dr. Kris Sperry's patients, who he administers to on the stainless steel table in the basement morgue of the GBI headquarters in Decatur. As Georgia's chief medical examiner, Dr. Sperry is the state's de facto doctor to the dead. Most Georgians had not heard of Dr. Sperry until February 15, when he found himself in the glare of the spotlight that was focused on the Walker County community of Noble. By late that night, searchers and investigators had already begun to gather the 339 bodies that had been discarded at the Tri-State Crematory. Dr. Sperry's job would be to identify them. "It is the largest, most complex investigation I've ever been involved in," says Dr. Sperry, who has been the state's top medical sleuth the past five years following eight years with the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office. Regardless, Dr. Sperry says the Walker County occurrence is essentially a mass casualty incident and involves the same kinds of protocols that would be used in any other, more conventional, mass casualty situation. He likens it to a plane crash in terms of numbers, and in terms of the objective to find, recover and identify remains. "In a sense it was more difficult than a plane crash, where there would be a passenger manifest to work from," says Dr. Sperry. "When we arrived we had no idea how many bodies we would find and what resources we would need." On the other hand, he says the Walker County scene was somewhat less troublesome because "we didn't have to deal with the immediacy and suddenness of a plane crash and the type of grief and shock associated with it." In addition, medical examiners would not have to determine the cause of death of the bodies they found. They would only have to identify them a task easier said than done. As of mid-July, 167 bodies had been identified. By then, the process had become considerably more arduous as medical examiners turned to DNA testing to determine identities. The lack of close relatives to provide viable DNA samples and the destruction of DNA by embalming means that the identity of as many as one- third of the remaining bodies will never be known. The identification process in place at Tri-State mirrors the process used in other incidents. It involves medical records, X-rays, DNA and other methods of testing and comparison. Dr. Kris Sperry prepares to conduct an autopsy at the GBI crime lab in Decatur, Georgia. He has become an unlikely celebrity after the grim discovery at the Tri-State Crematory in Walker County. Dr. Sperry scoffs at the TV "There is an overreliance on medical examiners and coroners who technology, and the certainty of a seem to be able to identify a body from a diagnosis in a living person is never 100 fingernail clipping, pinpoint the split percent," says Dr. Sperry, noting cases second of death, and provide harried where seemingly healthy people homicide cops with meticulous details collapsed dead as they left their doctor's about the victim's whereabouts before office after a physical. death. Presiding over the autopsy table, a "To identify a body, you need forensic pathologist can remove and something to compare it to, that's the examine every organ until the cause of key," explains Sperry. "That's what we're death is known. Dr. Sperry and his six doing in Walker County." deputies at the main crime lab perform an Sperry also noted that the longer a average of 2,000 of the procedures every person is dead, the more difficult it is to year. determine the time of death. Although scientific breakthroughs Forensic pathologists like Dr. Sperry such as DNA are redefining forensic seem to have an edge over their pathology almost daily, Sperry says the counterparts in the other medical specialty has a long history. There are specialties whose patients are able to accounts of crude post-mortem come to their offices, rattle off their examinations being performed in pre- symptoms, and leave under their own Christian China, and in Moslem countries power. in the 1500s. ? 21 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER Weak Tornadoes Wreak Havoc in Gordon County By Jennifer Collins Constituent Services Coordinator Gordon County residents were awakened at around 4:00 a.m. on May 1, 2002, by the sounds of heavy rain and strong winds as severe storms whipped across the area. The National Weather Service (NWS) later determined that the county had experienced strong straight-line winds and two small tornadoes, which damaged hundreds of homes and businesses and left thousands in the dark. Although the tornadoes were on the low end of the Fujita Scale, because they touched down in many parts of the county they caused widespread damage. In addition, the strong straight-line winds that swept the area may have reached 100 MPH. "I was shocked by the extensive damage," says Gordon County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and E-9-1-1 Director Tim Reeve. Near misses Many Gordon County residents experienced close calls. Trees had toppled across roads and onto homes and power lines. Calhoun Elementary's gymnasium was destroyed, along with the Chamber of Commerce building. Littered with debris, most roads were impassable. Approximately 25,000 residents were without power and phone service. Within 24 hours, Gordon County 9-1-1 operators received more than 1,000 phone calls, ten times the usual number. "We were so fortunate not to have any serious injuries or fatalities," says Reeve. "It is just a miracle." Reeve, along with city and county personnel, immediately began to assist residents and survey the damage, which was heaviest in the City of Calhoun and Sugar Valley area. The widespread destruction, downed power lines and massive amounts of debris made it difficult to get to the victims. The Georgia Emergency EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 Management Agency (GEMA) immediately activated its state operations center (SOC) and sent personnel to Gordon County. GEMA coordinated resources and assistance, provided public information support and helped assess damages. Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor addresses a press conference after touring the destruction in Gordon County. Rescuer becomes the rescued Emergency management personnel are accustomed to helping others in the aftermath of a disaster. However, the tables were turned on EMA/E-9-1-1 Deputy Director Woodrow Davis, when he, his wife and three small children, ages 5, 4 and 2, became trapped after their home was damaged by a tornado. After being awakened with the news that there was a severe thunderstorm warning for west Gordon County, Davis monitored the weather from his home until his power went out. As the noise grew louder, Davis knew this was no ordinary storm. He yelled to his wife, "I think a tornado is coming!" and scrambled to get the children under cover in the bathtub. "The whole house shook, and my children were screaming and crying in fear," Davis recalls. Then the tornado passed and the storm suddenly ceased. Only the cries of small children were heard in the eerie quiet. Davis and his family were trapped in their home until help arrived. "We thanked God to be alive," he says. Cleaning up the mess Governor Roy E. Barnes declared a state of emergency in Gordon County in order for state resources to be used to assist the local government in recovery efforts, and Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor toured the destruction along with GEMA Director Gary W. McConnell. "It is important that we are able to provide the necessary response and assistance without delay," says McConnell. The American Red Cross, Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief and the Salvation Army began serving meals. The American Red Cross established a shelter for displaced families, a service center to financially assist residents, and a hotline to handle assistance requests. The organizations also worked together to assess damage and provide assistance to the residents of Gordon County by removing debris and providing clean-up supplies. Although Gordon County suffered millions of dollars in damages, it did not meet criteria for a Presidential disaster declaration. The state will provide funding for debris clean up and removal throughout the recovery process, minimizing the costs for local governments. "Unfortunately, events like these serve as grim reminders of how vulnerable our state can be to severe weather," McConnell said. "Taking action now by developing a disaster plan can save lives in the future." ? 22 Don't Let Kids Crash on the `Information Superhighway' By Steve Harris School Safety Project Manager Whether to research a book report, send an e-mail or look up their favorite singer, the number of children who are accessing the Internet is growing. According to a 2000 study by Grunwald Associates, 25 million American children between the ages of 2 to 17 or 40 percent use the Internet, and nearly 44 million are expected to be online by 2005. Now found in two thirds of all households, the number of computers in the home has proliferated, and they also have become standard educational tools in almost every school. The flow of material speeding back and forth from cyberspace to computers is often called the "information superhighway." However, it may seem that this technical highway has been rapidly constructed, and, consequently, it lacks the safeguards that our traditional highways have in place to promote a safe and well-guided journey. The Internet is an important tool for learning and development, but trusting children can become targets of crime and exploitation. According to a recent national study conducted by the Crimes Against Children Research Center, one in five children between the ages of 10 and 17 received a sexual solicitation over the Internet in the past year, one in four was exposed to pornography, and one in 17 was threatened or harassed. Yet, only one third of households with Internet access have filtering or blocking software on their computers to prevent unsolicited materials being accessed. We owe it to our children to ensure they do not become victims of Internet predators. The following tips for parents and teachers provide some common-sense advice on how to make sure that children have a positive Internet experience. ? Discuss Internet crime, proper 23 Internet use and computer safety issues with children periodically. ? Limit the time your child spends on a computer, and consider moving personal computers out of bedrooms and into a family room where computer use can be monitored. Make using the computer a family event. ? Use an Internet provider that will customize what can be received. ? Do not give out personal or family information online. ? Tell children never to meet Internet buddies without the supervision of an adult, and then only in a public area. ? If your child or a student in your care receives an e-mail that is offensive, contact your Internet provider and complain. AOL subscribers: If your child receives a threatening e-mail or instant message, you should: 1. Record the date, time, and screen name of the sender. 2. If the message is received on your Instant Messenger, click the "Notify AOL" button immediately. 3. If the message is in an e-mail form, send a copy of the e-mail to tosreports@aol.com 4. To learn more about AOL's security features, type in keyword "Notify AOL". Note: If you do not subscribe to AOL, contact your internet service provider to request security and safety procedures. ? Install filters that prevent certain material or text from being installed or viewed on the computer. ? Consider using software that creates a log of the sites that were visited and records every keystroke. Teachers should always check with their network administrator or information technology department before adding software to school computers. ? Update your anti-virus software regularly. If you are on a network, check with your network administrator to ensure this occurs frequently. ? Back up your files regularly. ? Exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Make sure you know that the site is reliable and trustworthy. ? Do not open any attachments from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy person. Even if you recognize the sender, do not open an attachment if you are not expecting it. Also, do not open any attachments if the subject line is questionable or unexpected. ? Stay informed as technology changes and learn how not to become a victim of hacking, viruses or other computer intrusions. ? Always lock your workstation (PC users should press ctrl + alt + del) when you will be away from your computer for any length of time. This will keep someone from using your computer to inflict damage, search secure networks or conduct illegal transactions while using your ID. ? Report all electronic crimes to your local law enforcement agency. ? Visit Georgia's "In the Zone" anonymous threat and tip reporting site at www.ganet.org/inthezone for Georgia school safety information and teen resources. ? Sources: Georgia Emergency Management Agency's Information Technology Section Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Financial Crimes Investigative Unit Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER Safe Playgrounds Are Not Created by Accident By Sheri Russo Area School Safety Coordinator Playgrounds are places where children can exercise their imaginations as well as their bodies. In their eyes, a jungle gym may become a space rocket that can take them to the stars, while a swing can lift them beyond the clouds. Unfortunately, all too often a funfilled day at the playground ends with a trip to the hospital. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a child is injured on a playground every 2.5 minutes. In fact, accidental injuries not disease or violence are the Number One cause of death across the nation for children 14 years of age or younger. Most injuries occur when children fall from playground equipment. In fact, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control states that the impact from falls cause more than 60 percent of all playground-related injuries. However, these injuries can be reduced with proper playground surfacing. EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 The more cushioning a surface has, the less likely a severe injury will occur. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends placing at least 12 inches of wood chips, mulch, sand and pea gravel or mats made of safety-tested rubber beneath playground equipment. In addition, parents, teachers, and parks and recreation personnel should take a few simple steps to ensure the playground stays safe for every child. The CDC, the National Recreation and Park Association and Consumer Product Safety Commission recommend the following actions: ? Supervise children on the playground at all times. ? Remove or cut the hood and neck drawstrings from all children's outerwear to prevent entanglement or strangulation. ? Check equipment and surfacing regularly to make sure they are in good condition. ? Check for sharp points or edges in equipment. ? Avoid playgrounds with asphalt, concrete or grass. ? Check for exposed moving parts that may present a pinching or crushing hazard. ? Be certain that elevated equipment has guardrails to prevent falling. ? Make sure children play on age- appropriate equipment. ? Check metal surfaces before children begin to play on them. Metal equipment can get very hot in direct sunlight and cause burns. ? Check for obvious hazards (broken glass, drug paraphernalia). Having fun at the playground is a part of growing up for children, a place for recreation, socializing and furthering development. Taking a few minutes to check the equipment and surrounding areas can make the difference between a day of fun and a day spent in the hospital. ? 24 Governor's Public Safety Awards Program Now Accepting Nominations By Jonna Wheeler Special Assistant to the Director Nominations are now being accepted for the fifth annual Governor's Public Safety Awards (GPSA) program. The awards honor professionals in Georgia's public safety community for their acts of heroism or outstanding contributions to their professions. "This program is unique to Georgia," said Governor Barnes. "The awards give us the opportunity to recognize welldeserving men and women in public safety while they are actively serving on the front line to protect the citizens of our state." The annual award, which recognizes individuals from each discipline of public safety as well as state employees with public safety responsibility, is divided into two categories: ? "Act of Heroism," recognizes those who performed an exceptional deed that resulted in saving lives and/or protecting property. ? "Outstanding Contribution to Profession," recognizes job performance that had an overwhelming positive affect on the overall profession. GPSA Committee Chairman and Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) Director Gary W. McConnell says there has been increased interest in the program since September 11. "The dedicated service and many heroic acts performed by the first responders as a result of terrorist acts have made it even more important for us to honor the individuals who place the safety of others ahead of their own." Personnel from emergency management agencies, emergency medical services, 9-1-1 operators, fire departments, police departments, sheriff's offices, local correctional facilities and state agencies with public safety responsibilities are eligible for the awards. The completed nomination forms should be submitted through the appropriate professional organization or state agency no later than Monday, August 12, 2002 and received by the nomination committee by Friday, August 30. Nominations received after August 30 will not be considered. The 2002 awards ceremony is scheduled for October 11 at 9:00 a.m. at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. Nomination criteria and forms are available on GEMA's Web site at www.gema.state.ga.us or by calling GEMA toll free at 1-800-TRY-GEMA. ? THE STORM Here are some question to help you get ready for hurricane season. 1) Only two Category 5 hurricanes hit the United States coast during the 20th century. Which ones were they? a) Camille and Hugo b) Andrew and Carla c) Camille and an unnamed 1935 hurricane d) Donna and Iniki 2) A weather surveillance mission that is flown to provide meteorological information to supplement other data is a: a) Synoptic track b) Vortex fix c) Radiosonde d) Jet stream 3) Historically, the most active period of the hurricane season is: a) November b) June July c) Mid-August through mid-October d) Hurricane activity is evenly distributed throughout the season 4) Two separate agencies fly "hurricane hunters" to track the development and path of storms, and conduct research on data collected. They are: a) U.S. Coast Guard and NOAA b) U.S. Air Force Reserve and NOAA c) World Meteorological Organization and U.S. Air Force Reserve d) FAA and NOAA 25 Summer 2002 EMERGENCY MANAGER Expanded Emergency Management Conference Focuses on Terrorism By Jonna Wheeler Special Assistant to the Director In the beginning, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's (GEMA) annual conference focused on hurricanes. Over the years, it grew to cover all forms of severe weather that impact Georgia. Then, in the wake of the events of September 11, the scope of the conference expanded yet again. While preparing for severe weather remains a top priority for emergency managers, the theme of this year's conference, "The Changing Faces of Disasters," reflected the many other forms disaster may take. Fifteen different workshops covering terrorism and domestic preparedness, severe weather, training, communications, and public information were offered during the three-day conference, which was held April 29 - May 1, 2002. Also new this year was a severe weather exercise from the National Weather Service, where approximately 30 "players" and 60 "observers" learned new and better ways to protect the public from severe weather. In addition to attracting a recordbreaking crowd of 725, the conference boasted more exhibitors and sponsors than it has had in previous years. There were 58 exhibitors, including 19 new vendors, and 12 sponsors. Ellen Gordon, administrator of the Iowa Division of Emergency Management and Iowa's homeland security advisor, kicked off the opening general session. Other speakers included Dr. Robert Friedmann, chair and professor of criminal justice at Georgia State University; Dr. Henry Siegelson with Disaster Planning International; and Dr. Kenneth Breeden, Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education. One of the conference highlights was a stirring and emotional presentation by Charles Dowd, deputy inspector of communications for the New York City Police Department, who relived the events of September 11 for the audience and explained how they impacted police Governor Roy E. Barnes poses with Charles Dowd, deputy inspector and commanding officer for the communications division of the New York Police Department, who detailed the September 11 events. communications. He also showed a tribute video that moved many in the audience to tears. Day two of the conference featured a keynote address from Governor Roy E. Barnes, who underscored the importance of homeland security as the United States faces an increased threat of terrorism, and an awards presentation at the luncheon. Certificates were presented to the select six people who completed the Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) training program and the four emergency managers who received the Neil J. Holton Training Award for participating in and hosting the most training courses in their community. In addition, Jasper County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Ed Westbrook was recognized for providing his original drawings for publication in Emergency Manager and Toombs County EMA Director Ron Widener was honored as the longestserving emergency manager in the state. To commend him for his five decades of service, Widener was presented with resolutions from the Georgia State Senate and House of Representatives that cited him for having "earned the respect, esteem and admiration of the emergency management and public safety communities." The conference came to a close on Wednesday following a discussion by Walker County officials on the response and recovery efforts at the Tri-State Crematory and a panel discussion by the state Homeland Security Task Force. Mark your calendars! The 2003 Governor's Emergency Management Conference has been scheduled for April 29 - 30, 2003, on Jekyll Island. We hope to see you there. If you have any suggestions for next year's conference or feedback about this year's, please e-mail Jonna Wheeler, conference coordinator, at jwheeler@gema.state.ga.us. Our goal is to make next year's conference even better. ? Master Certified Emergency Managers Frank Daniell Deputy Director, Gwinnett County EMA James H. Killcreas Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services Natalie L. Laney Deputy Director/Clerk, Evans County EMA Chuck Ray Field Coordinator, GEMA Ed Westbrook Director, Jasper County EMA Daniel F. Yeargin Area One Field Coordinator, GEMA Neil J. Holton Training Award Recipients Thomas N. Burriss Director, Liberty-Hinesville EMA Russell L. Riner Director, Washington County EMA Wesley A. Willis Director, Eatonton-Putnam County EMA David A. Dlugolenski Director, Augusta-Richmond County EMA EMERGENCY MANAGER Summer 2002 26