Robert A. Ficano

County Executive

WAYNE COUNTY

Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management

10250 Middlebelt Road - 2nd Floor

Detroit, Michigan  48242

(734)-942-5289:  Voice     -     (734)-942-5244:  Fax

eMail@WayneCountyEMD.Com

Newsletters

First, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We are paving a new path in the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management starting with the appointment of James Buford as the Director and the promotion of Mark Hammond to Deputy Director.

We appreciate all those people who have welcomed Director Buford as he and his staff work diligently to make a smooth transition. Needless to say, he has been busy.

Director Buford is continuing Wayne County’s commitment to its constituents which means that we have an open dialogue with our community leaders and everyone who looks to us for information, guidance, support and necessary tools to do their jobs.

I assure you that we will do our best to always keep our residents and elected officials informed of what is going on in Wayne County as it relates to securing our communities.

I am confident that Director Buford with the assistance of Assistant County Executive Eric V. Smith will lead the Wayne County Homeland Security Department/Emergency Management Department in the right direction.

I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and letters of congratulations on my appointment to the Wayne County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.  We are focusing on running a smooth operation and keeping everyone abreast of what we are doing. We will be producing a quarterly e-newsletter to keep everyone informed on issues related to Homeland Security. If there are developments that occur, we will inform everyone via email. However, if you have questions at anytime, please feel free to call. I encourage an open dialogue with this department. We can be reached at 734-942-5289.

It is my goal to communicate as often as possible with the public safety community in Wayne County in order to provide good government to the citizens of our community. Many of you have already posed questions to this office, so below are the four major issues that we know many of you want addressed.

EQUIPMENT

The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management provides an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which can serve local jurisdictions as well as county activities to support emergency / disaster response. Within EOC is access to the Geographic Information System (GIS). Using county and SEMCOG data, this tools assists us in assessing the local damage area and recording mitigation efforts during disaster recovery.

The EOC is also equipped with state of the art communication equipment and provides a critical link from local agencies to state and federal agencies. A Special Information Response Vehicle (SIRV) capable of “on the fly”, county wide, disaster assessment operations is available 24 hours 7 days a week. The SIRV is capable of satellite internet, WiFi, Video recording in low light as well as IR, with a 48 ‘ foot elevating camera platform, as well as mobile GIS for disaster site mapping during mitigation activities, general communications equipment is also available onboard for most public safety communications frequencies.

The SIRV complements an existing fleet of Field Operations / Command Post vehicles. The existing “rolling stock” consists of a 42’ foot commercial Winabago with a large meeting room and restroom. It is fully self supporting, and has a full line of communication support equipment. For smaller events a converted ambulance provides limits space but a basic video equipment and high level of communication support. All these vehicles are available, with some degree of training, for use by any agency within Wayne County.

In response to the concern of personal contamination from hazards materials like ones used in terrorist attacks, two basic decontamination trailers have been supplied for use by hazardous materials first responders in Wayne County. The units provide technicians, trained in hazardous materials, the ability to provide continuous decontamination shower for potentially contaminated individuals. The trailers also have inflatable air shelters and heaters for use during events to provide comfort to victims after decontamination. These units have been pre-deployed in confidential areas within Wayne County for rapid response during emergency / disaster conditions.

In regards to disaster site response activations, several specialized vehicles are available for use within Wayne County. A small six-wheel all terrain vehicle with cart can be quickly deployed to assist in emergency / disaster site rescue and transportation activities.

An Army vehicle closes out our mobile fleet, a large six-wheel drive 2 1/2 ton truck with communication box is available for use during hazardous weather conditions, such as flooding and blizzard events.

Wayne County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management can also supply small portable power generators for use during emergencies, such as power failures to agencies within Wayne County. Priority will be given to “life safety” concerns like nursing homes and hospital that can not provide emergency power. These units are portable and can provide limited amount of power for emergency lighting and power for heating equipment but are too small for full facility operation.

Our Department maintains equipment for response to a nuclear event at the Fermi II Power Plant in Newport, Michigan. The State of Michigan provides pharmaceuticals that block the radiation uptake into the body and basic radiation detection equipment for residents of emergency protection zone within our county; this equipment complements the existing advanced equipment provided by our department for radiological protection shelters and advanced radiation detection. This equipment is stored for rapid deployment in southeastern Wayne County for support of radiological emergency response teams.

Our department continues to support emergency responders for all types of disasters, man-made as well as natural. Most recently, stock-piled equipment has been able to be released to local first responders for advanced protection from chemical, biological, radiological response. A respiratory protective hood, intended for use by Law Enforcement, Dragar Defend AIR escape hoods, have been provided for assignment in individual patrol vehicles over the past several months in specific areas of Wayne County. After a successful evaluation a county wide distribution of escape hoods is being planned; this will provide basic respiration protection to every patrol officer protecting Wayne County.

Wayne County Sheriff’s Special Response Unit as well as the Western Wayne SWAT units have been provided with an even higher level of protection. After specialized training, with equipment provided by the county, both units will be able to respond to a hazardous environment, similar to what would be found during a terrorist attack to provide specialized Law Enforcement protection to other first responders. This level of Law Enforcement protection has not been achievable in the past and represents a continued unified effort to disaster response and counter-terrorism preparedness efforts.

GRANT STATUS

In Wayne County, there are 10 communities that have been approved under Public Act 390 of 1976 to have their own emergency management departments and receive funding directly from the State.  These independent communities are Canton Township, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Detroit, Lincoln Park, Livonia, Plymouth Township, Romulus, Trenton and Wayne.

Those Wayne County communities not listed should contact us to determine what further coordination needs to be done, so that we may serve you better.  We also continue to work with the 10 independent communities listed above to assist them in any way that we can.

We have been informed by the State of Michigan that the 2003 UASI Fund of 4. 6 million dollars will be available for expenditure in February. The state was waiting for information from the City of Detroit before it could submit the final application to the Office of Domestic Preparedness for expenditure authorization.

The 2004 UASI fund of 6.4 million dollars was approved and is being expended currently.

The 2005 UASI grant of 17 million dollars awarded to this region will be divided based on negotiations with Wayne County and the City of Detroit.

RADIO PLAN & INTEROPERABILITY

I consider the issue of communications interoperability to be a priority for public safety in Wayne County.  The Federal Department of Homeland Security wants local government to think in a regional concept when it considers homeland security strategies.

The current plan that was initialized in 2004 is still under review and will probably be implemented with some minor changes.  We will upgrade a specific number of mobile and portable radios for Michigan Public Safety Communications System compatibility.  We will purchase 12 radios for those communities that do not have 800 MHz capabilities.  We will pay the $25 activation fee for each radio.

Be advised that Tom Coppa from Motorola will be in contact in the near future to confirm survey information of radios that can be upgraded and radios that need to be purchased. 

The Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management will continue to make our community safe.

TRAINING & TRAINING SCHEDULE

The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is currently scheduled to participate in two (2) exercises this year, Operation Perfect Game — the 2005 Major League Baseball All Star Game and Vigilant State, an EMD exercise.  We continue to work with local, state and federal agencies to provide the services and resources that we have available to them.

The State of Michigan granted our request for the extension of the SHSGP Part I Exercise and Part II training grants.  The date that all training and exercises must be completed by is July 31, 2005.  This gives us an additional five (5) months to complete the activities.  If you have any questions, please contact Terri Lokuta at 734-942-5289.

Click  Here  To Visit Our Training Page.