PRELIMINARY DRAFT



Emergency Communication Plan

[pic]

Emergency Communication Plan

[enter Corridor Name here]

[enter Project Name here]

[enter Project Limits here]

Prepared for:

[pic]

5900 West Plano Parkway

Plano, Texas 75093



Final Document in effect

[enter document approval date here]

enter preparing firm name here

Table of Contents

Emergency Communication Plan / Team 4

Emergency Action Plan 5

Non-Emergency Contact Information 6

Emergency Communication Plan 7

A. Purpose of Project Manual and Emergency Communication Plan 7

B. Need and Benefits of the Project 7

C. Location of Work and Impacted Roadways 7

D. Impacts to Local Area Traffic during Construction 7

E. Scope and Schedule of Tri-State Tollway Work 7

F. Definition of Emergency 8

G. Definition of Emergency Communication Team 9

H. Distribution of Project Manual and Emergency Plan 9

I. Tollway Systems Incident Management (SIM) and other existing Systems 9

J. Media Considerations 10

K. Incident Communication Flow Charts by Project 12

Appendix - Agency Name and Non-Emergency Contact Information for all that apply

Transportation Departments

Utility Companies

Township / County Government

Municipalities

Public Transportation Services

Law Enforcement Agencies

Fire Departments

Ambulance

Local Schools

Disclaimer:

While providing accurate information was of the utmost priority during the preparation and review of this document, none of the contributors, listed agencies, regulatory agencies, emergency contacts, groups, individuals, administrators, or anyone else connected with the North Texas Tollway Authority in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate information.

Emergency Communication Plan / Team

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Emergency Action Plan

Before Start of Project [include date activities completed]

( Prepare Preliminary Emergency Plan

( Prepare Preliminary Emergency Contact List

( Establish Preliminary Emergency Team including SIM, Traffic Operations Engineer, Assistant Director of Maintenance

( Establish Preliminary Emergency Action Plan

( Distribute Preliminary Emergency Communication Plan

( Meet with Communities and Emergency Responders

( Gather Fire Protection & Rescue Jurisdictional Maps

( Prepare Final Emergency Communication Plan

During an Emergency (take notes and photos when possible)

( Convene Emergency Team

( Utilize the NNTA Command Center

( Gather Facts concerning the emergency

o Location / Type / Time of Incident

o Severity of Injuries

o Number of Persons / Vehicles Involved

o Emergency Response (Police, Fire, Ambulatory Care, Airlift)

o Hospital Standby Notification

o Determine Need for Area Evacuation (Hazardous Waste Spills)

o Estimate of Property Damage

o Determine Need for Utility Shut-Off or Repair

o Establish Detour Route in event of Lane Blockage (Traffic Management Team)

o Determine Need for Construction Repair Service

o Provide estimate for time to restore scene

o Secure, Tow and Clean Site (Roadway Customer Servise, Towing Provider, Debriefing of Participants)

( Prepare a statement and provide information

( Meet with Local Officials/Media if necessary

✓ complete

Non-Emergency Contact Information

Getting Information from the NTTA

The NTTA offers a variety of ways for the public to get the latest information on construction and traffic on our roads. Motorists are encouraged to visit or call the sites listed bellow so informed decisions can be made.

– North Texas Tollway Authority construction info and lane closures

travel/road_conditions2.htm – TxDOT construction and traffic reports

1-800-452-9292 – Texas Department of Transportation Travel Information Center – highway conditions in the state

Communicating with Tollway

Motorists requiring non-emergency assistance can call the NTTA’s Systems & Incident Management Command Center at 214-224-2203 (this number can be found on your TollTag) to request assistance.

Sam Lopez, Project Communications

North Texas Tollway Authority

5900 West Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75026

Phone: 214-241-3062

Email: slopez@

Tollway Office Hours 8am – 5:00pm M-F

Emergency Communication Plan

A. Purpose of Project Manual and Emergency Communication Plan

The Emergency Communication Plan has been prepared to inform local officials and emergency responders about the [insert name of Project here] project and outline a response strategy in the event of an emergency during [insert name of Project here]. The Emergency Plan includes a definition of the term “Emergency” and outlines an emergency communication action plan. This document will serve to identify and inform those that may be impacted while using the Tollway and surrounding roadways during the reconstruction project. Local community leaders are asked to share the information contained in this document with the public. It is also the aim of this report to encourage the public to identify and use alternative routes of travel for every day commutes or during an emergency.

B. Need and Benefits of the Project

[describe the project as proposed, its benefits to the Tollway system, specific improvements as part of the project (i.e. increased lanes from xx to xx if applicable), specific scope items such as new signing, lighting, pavement markings, guardrail, median barriers, noise abatement walls, pavement, bridges, etc, and items of safety as coordinated with local fire departments and safety.]

C. Location of Work and Impacted Roadways

The proposed project generally involves improving roadway safety and capacity by [include a description of the project limits including station numbers and other such identifying geographical points.]

The following area crossroads or facilities may be impacted during the project’s duration: [include impacted crossroads or facilities here. Also insert schematics, plans, maps or other drawings that describe the scope, location and schedule of completion for the project improvements.]

D. Impacts to Local Area Traffic during Construction

[Describe the impact of traffic and travel times on the Tollway and Local Roadway network here. Include potential utilization of medians and shoulders, list the number of Tollway lanes that will be maintained, median crossovers, anticipated lane closures and breakdown lanes and pullouts. Include information regarding the management of truck traffic on and entering/exiting the Tollway.]

[Describe the impact to roadways crossing over and/or under the Tollway including the schedule of such. Include a table if necessary. Describe the type of impact such as reduction of lanes, temporary lane closures, detour routes, reduced lane widths, etc.]

E. Scope and Schedule of Construction Work

The proposed scope of construction work will be completed in xx phases over a xx year period beginning in xx as outlined below. The roadway improvements and corridor enhancements include the following:

• [Include a breakout of the phasing of the work and the associated timeframes for the work to be accomplished.]

The schedule of work dates are current as of xx but may be revised by the North Texas Tollway Authority at their discretion.

F. Definition of Emergency

For the purpose of the Emergency Communication Plan, an emergency is defined as a sudden unforeseen situation that poses an immediate threat to human life (or injury) or serious property damage. The emergency may or may not affect the Tollway or travel on the Tollway. The emergency may involve transportation crossing under or over the Tollway at a crossroad. The emergency may involve gaining access to the Tollway right-of-way to procure an adjacent advantage point. An emergency response is warranted for the following situations:

Traffic Incident Management is a planned and coordinated process to detect, respond to, and remove stalled or disabled vehicles or traffic incidents and restore traffic capacity as safety and quickly as possible. For a non-emergency, the NTTA Command Center can be reached by calling 214-224-2203. For an emergency, dial 911 from any phone. Location information is not transmitted from some cell phones, so be prepared to give the location and your cell phone number so they will know where to send help and be able to call you back, if you get disconnected.

Enforcement of Laws and pursuit of criminal acts as performed by Texas Highway Patrol, County Police and County Sheriffs, Township and Municipal Police. Duties of these officials include: securing and restoring law and order, contacting other response agencies, i.e. Texas Highway Patrol and North Texas Tollway Authority Owner’s Representative, securing the incident scene, providing emergency medical aid until help arrives, conducting accident investigations, assisting disabled motorists and directing traffic in the event of an accident, power outage or utility disruption.

Fire and Rescue services are provided by county and municipal fire departments, and by surrounding fire departments through mutual aid agreements. Typical roles and responsibilities at traffic and/or construction incidents assumed by fire and departments include: Suppressing fires, providing emergency medical care, providing initial HAZMAT response and containment, rescuing victims of emergencies, arranging transportation for the injured and providing traffic control until law enforcement or Roadway Customer Service/Maintenance arrival.

Emergency Medical Service (EMS) responsibilities include the triage, treatment, and transport of emergency victims. Typical roles and responsibilities assumed by EMS include: Providing advanced emergency medical care, determining of destination requirements for the injured, coordinating evacuation or airlift, serving as incident commander for medical emergencies and determining approximate cause of injuries for the trauma center.

Transportation Agencies are secondary responders and include the NTTA, Roadway Customer Service and Maintenance, Towing Provider, Texas Department of Transportation, [County Highway Department and Local Municipalities. Typical responsibilities assumed by transportation agencies include: Provide traffic control, assist motorist with disabled vehicles, provide motorist information, provide sand for absorbing small fuel and anti-freeze spills, provide special equipment clearing incident scenes, establish and operate alternate routes and determine incident clearance and roadway repair needs.

Utility Agencies are secondary responders and are typically responsible for emergency facility shut-off in the event of an incident. Typically, utility agencies have facilities within public transpiration right-of-ways either visible or buried. Typical operational responsibilities assumed by utility agencies include: assist in incident detection and verification, initiate utility shut-off strategies, provide information to fire and rescue crews, determine incident clearance and repair needs and perform repair functions.

Hazardous Materials Contractors are hired by emergency or transportation authorities to clean up and dispose of toxic or hazardous materials. Most common (and small quantity) engine fluid spills (oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, anti-freeze, etc.) can be contained and cleaned up without calling hazardous materials contractors.

Emergency Management by State and local governments whose duties are to plan for and coordinate multi-agency response to large-scale emergencies such as natural and man-made disasters. Even very large highway incidents rarely activate emergency response plans unless they necessitate evacuation due to a spill or presence of hazardous materials.

[Insert Fire Department Jurisdictional maps, before and after construction here.]

G. Definition of Emergency Communication Team

The Emergency Communication Team is defined as follows: [include Project specific changes/additions]

• 911 Emergency Dispatch Center, NTTA Command Center, Traffic Emergency Management Coordinator, Traffic Operations Engineer

• Emergency Responders (Police, Fire and Rescue)

• Texas State Police (NTTA Police)

• Emergency Dispatch Center – NTTA 24/7 Dispatch Center

(Roadway Customer Service)

• Corridor Construction Manager – Corridor Resident (On-Sight) Engineer

• Project Communication Liaison – Engineering Representative

• Construction Manager – Resident (On-Sight) Engineer

• Construction Contractor – Construction Contractor of Record

• NTTA Project Manager – Owner’s Representative

• NTTA Communications – Tollway Spokesperson

H. Distribution of Project Manual and Emergency Plan

After this document is approved by the NTTA, it will be distributed to communities, public entities, governing bodies, emergency responders, construction managers and construction contractors for review and comment. Meetings have been held with all municipalities and emergency responders during the months of xx – xx, 200x. The meetings were held to gather input, answer questions and provide details of the construction plans, specifications and project schedule. This document is a result of the meetings. [If no meetings were conducted, describe the process by which the information necessary to complete this manual was obtained.]

The plan shall also serve to encourage municipalities and counties to inform the community (through community cable TV, community newsletter, library bulletin boards and website postings) to seek alternative travel routes and/or alternative methods of transportation during construction. School Districts, hospitals and local governments will be provided with copies of this document and asked to inform their patrons about the potential for traffic delay. It is also the intent of the plan to ensure that those impacted become familiar with the long-term benefits of the completed project.

I. Tollway Systems Incident Management (SIM) and other existing Systems

The Tollway System Incident Management Department (SIM) located in the Command Center of the NTTA’s Office in Plano will continue to function as the management center for all elements regarding traffic incidents and related responses. This service will complement that provided by Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol, emergency responders and Construction Managers nearer to the construction site. Emergency incidents will be coordinated 24/7 by the NTTA Emergency Dispatch Center at 214-224-2203.

Portable Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) may be installed during construction. These cameras allow SIM and Traffic Operations Engineer to continuously monitor traffic in the work zone, better respond to and report upon accidents.

Construction personnel will provide updates to SIM and Traffic Operations Engineer regarding temporary and permanent lane and shoulder closures. Construction Managers will submit all lane and shoulder closures with the Project Communication Liaison (PCL). The PCL will sign all lane and shoulder closure requests and act as the sole coordinator between NTTA, TxDOT, County and Local Highway Divisions, and Municipality projects.

Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) and Portable Changeable Message Signs (PCMS) are used by the NTTA, TxDOT and other public transportation departments/divisions to communicate with the motoring public during construction. The DMS signs are connected to communications and are controlled from the designated agency’s central traffic management facility. The PCMS signs are manually operated at the device. The NTTA controls it’s DMS through SIM at its headquarters facility located in the City of Plano. TxDOT controls its signs through the Traffic Systems Center (TSC) located in the City of Dallas or Fort Worth, Monday through Friday between the hours of 5:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

J. Media Considerations

The media plays an important role in disseminating information to the motoring public and to the public in general. Since it is important to provide true and accurate information to the media, all media inquiries will be referred to a designated Tollway spokesperson for address and comment. If the media contacts you, please politely refer them to the Tollway spokespersons noted below in the order listed. Always be courteous and do not speculate regarding a crisis on this or any other project.

Related Contacts

Corridor Managers for Entire Corridor

[Describe the Corridor limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

Construction Manager(s) (CM)

[Describe the CM #1 Contract limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

[Describe the CM #2 Contract limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

[Describe the CM #3 Contract limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

[Describe the CM #XX Contract limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

Construction Contractors

[Describe the Contractor #1 Contract limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

[Describe the Contractor #2 Contract limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

[Describe the Contractor #3 Contract limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

[Describe the Contractor #XX Contract limits here]

[Firm Name and Address]

[Contact Name, Title, Contact Phone Numbers & Email]

K. Incident Communication Flow Charts by Project

Appendix

Emergency Communication Plan

Transportation Departments [Confirm all contact information prior to publishing manual]

North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA)

Assistant Executive Director, Project Delivery

5900 West Plano Parkway, Plano Texas, 75093

Phone: 214.461.2090

Director of Maintenance

214-461-2069 (office)

Charles Wallace, Roadway Maintenance Manager

214-224-2275 (office) 214-325-5468 (mobile) email: cwallace@

Johnny Harris, Roadway Maintenance Supervisor – Crew 1

214-224-2276 (office) 972-897-7815 (mobile) email: jharris@

Scott Walker, Roadway Maintenance Supervisor – Crew 2

214-224-2274 (office) 469-576-2537 (mobile) email: swalker@

Dennis Boston, Roadway Maintenance Supervisor – Crew 3

214-224-2273 (office) 214-325-0684 (mobile) email: dboston@

Bryan Whatley, Electrical Supervisor

214-224-2293 (office) 214-507-8429 (mobile) email: bwhatley@

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)

Communication Center

Dallas District covers Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro and Rockwall counties. Phone Dallas: 972-789-1905

Ft. Worth district covers Tarrant, Erath, Hood, Jack, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell and Wise counties.

Phone Fort Worth: 817-370-6656.

Utility Agencies – add 24/7 contact info for all utilities identified within the project

Electric Companies

Natural Gas

Energy / Gas

Phone Companies

Water Transmission

Waterways, Water Districts, Tunnel Authorities

Municipal Councils and Local Municipalities [ Include coverage map]

[Municipality/Council #1 Name]

[Municipality Address]

[Municipality/Council Contact Name, Title, Phone Number]

[Municipality/Council #2 Name]

[Municipality Address]

[Municipality/Council Contact Name, Title, Phone Number]

[Municipality/Council #3 Name]

[Municipality Address]

[Municipality/Council Contact Name, Title, Phone Number]

[Municipality/Council #XX Name]

[Municipality Address]

[Municipality/Council Contact Name, Title, Phone Number]

Police Emergency Service Responders

[Include a list of all Municipal Police/Enforcement Contacts with jurisdiction covering the project limits, with their address and phone numbers here]

Fire Emergency Service Responders

Fire Departments with Mainline Tollway Responsibility [reference fire department jurisdiction map inserted above.]

[List the contact information and location of coverage limit for each Fire Emergency Service Provider providing coverage to the project area.]

Fire Departments bordering Tollway property (in addition to those mentioned above)

[List the contact information and location of coverage limit for each Fire Emergency Service Provider adjacent to the project area.]

Ambulatory Emergency Service Responders

Ambulatory, Emergency Room & Hospital Services will be coordinated by the Fire Departments. The list below is provided for reference only.

[Provide a list of relevant Ambulatory Emergency Service Responders.]

Local School Districts and Colleges

[Provide a list of local School Districts and Colleges here.]

Local Government

[Provide a list of key Local Government Officials here.]

Regional Public Transportation Services

[Provide a list of Regional Public Transportation Services here.]

Metro Railroad

DART Bus and Rail

-----------------------

Texas One-Call

Utility Location Info for Excavators (800) 545-6606



1-800-DIGTESS

Utility Location Info for Excavators (1-800-344-8377)



Comcast

Emergency Spokesperson Statement

Only an officially appointed spokesperson of the North Texas Tollway Authority, Texas Department of Transportation or the Texas Department of Public Safety will have the authority to communicate with local officials and/or media outlets concerning an emergency on or adjacent to NTTA roadways. Please refer all media questions to NTTA Communications:

Sherita Coffelt, Public Information Officer

NTTA

Office 214-224-2309 Mobile 214-477-6999

Email: scoffelt@

Kim Jackson, Director of Communications

NTTA

Office 214-224-2103 Mobile 214-986-9544

Email: kjackson@

Sam Lopez, Project Communications Manager

NTTA

Office 214-224-3062 Mobile 214-264-6630

Email: slopez@

Emergency Spokesperson Statement

Only an officially appointed spokesperson of the North Texas Tollway Authority, Texas Department of Transportation or the Texas Department of Public Safety will have the authority to communicate with local officials and/or media outlets concerning an emergency on or adjacent to NTTA operated roadways.

Please refer all media questions to NTTA Communications:

Sherita Coffelt 214-224-2398 (office) 214-477-6999 (mobile) scoffelt@

Kim Jackson 214-224-2103 (office) 214-986-9544 (mobile) kjackson@, or

Sam Lopez 214-224-3062 (office) 214-264-6630 (mobile) slopez@.

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