National Preparedness Month Week Three: Prepare for Disasters

The theme for the third week of National Preparedness Month is “Prepare for Disasters.” In links provided on the Prepare for Disasters webpage, FEMA provides information and resources for a multitude of hazards, including hurricanes, wildfires, and pandemics.

For week three, EPA reminds utilities of several of its resources to help increase preparedness. The first of these is the Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) Storm Surge Inundation Map. The Map has been updated to provide the most current information on past and present storms. The “real-time” map shows storm surge projections as advisories are released, complementing the “worst-case” surge projections and enhancing disaster preparedness. The EPA also has a mobile app, Water Utility Response On-The-Go (Response OTG), that provides information and tools water utilities can use to prepare for an emergency. The user can track severe weather and contact response partners. Once the disaster has passed, the tool can be used to assess damage and complete incident action checklists. Finally, utilities can assess their capability to respond to a water contamination incident with the Water Quality Surveillance and Response System Capabilities Assessment Tool (SRS-CAT). This tool is intended to help utilities to improve their SRS capabilities, including water quality and physical security monitoring.

EPA also encourages utilities to register for its upcoming NPM “Live Events,” which include a Water Utility Response On-The-Go Live Demonstration on September 17 and a Power Resilience and California’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events “Utility Talk” on September 24.