OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE

CRITERIA FOR REQUESTING ASSISTANCE

If The Company is in an industry in which there is cooperation amongst other companies, then there may be a Mutual Assistance Program. Member companies can call upon each other for emergency assistance in the form of personnel or equipment to aid in maintaining or restoring service. Requests for mutual assistance from a member company are typically reserved for large emergencies and are based upon certain parameters, such as the shortage of available resources and expected duration of the emergency situation.

This portion of the Emergency Response Plan qualifies those parameters which determine when and under what circumstances The Company deems it necessary to request outside assistance in order to accomplish emergency remedial actions. When it becomes apparent that The Company resources alone will not accomplish the initial objectives, appropriate groups or agencies will be contacted for assistance. The Team Leader of the Emergency Response Management Team or his designate or the leader of the appropriate Response Team will:

1. Define Emergency Status

Portions of an emergency situation may involve critical response areas for The Company. In this case, The Company may request additional resources of a specialized nature in order to deal with a specific emergency event. An example of this type of situation would be the containment, cleanup, and removal of hazardous materials. The Emergency Response Management Team, will activate the proper communication response in order to launch a joint remedial action, if so requested by the appropriate Response Team.

2. Coordinate Responsibilities

The The Company Emergency Response Management Team will assume primary responsibility for emergency remedial actions initiated by the Emergency Response Plan, including joint or combined efforts from specialized groups and/or organizations to alleviate an emergency situation.

3. Report

The Emergency Response Management Team will ensure that all groups and/or agencies assisting The Company during an emergency event follow the guidelines stated herein for Emergency Response Plan reporting, tracking, media relations, and review processes.

4. Represent

A designated Emergency Response Plan staff representative will remain at the incident scene to assure that, in alleviating an emergency situation utilizing non-The Company organizations, all remedial operations be completed within the guidelines of the Emergency Response Plan. This individual will also be able to communicate accurate status information to the Emergency Command Center for dissemination as appropriate.

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Response Management Team will have the primary authority for evaluating the required internal and external resources. The Response Management Team will initiate contact with member companies for additional resources and maintain control over the use of these resources throughout the emergency. During extensive restoration situations, some of the other teams may assist Response Teams in the administration of these activities.

RECEIVING OUTSIDE CREWS

This portion of the Emergency Response Plan is based upon the possibility of an emergency situation occurring on a regional scale, requiring The Company to seek assistance from crews outside of its service territory. The Emergency Command Center Support Team will assist the Response Teams to ensure that adequate arrangements have been made for a smooth transition and blend of this non-ROC work force with regard to the following:

Initial Contact

The Response Team will be responsible for initiating the contact with outside utilities and confirming all arrangements. Provisions for travel, directions, sign-in and staging locations should be addressed during the initial contact. When the Emergency Command Center has been activated, the Response Teams may request coordination assistance for extensive restoration from the Command Coordinator. The Response Teams will then assume on-going responsibility for the use of these outside resources.

Expected Arrival

An accurate list of the crew sizes, approximate arrival time at designated location, names of supervisors, names of all crew personnel, total number and type of vehicles will be secured.

Checklist

An accurate list of personal items, equipment, and work materials expected to accompany all incoming crews will be requested.

Orientation

The Response Team will designate personnel to conduct an orientation meeting with incoming utility crews. Safety practices, assignments, the extent of the emergency situation, facilities and housing arrangements will be explained.

Food and Lodging

Requirements for the personnel of incoming crews will be the responsibility of the Services Support Team, if requested.

Progress

Response Teams will monitor the emergency remedial effort by The Company and assist outside crews in order to assure a smooth working environment. Any report of unusual events or problems that arise during this process will be immediately referred to the Emergency Command Center for action or clarification.

RELEASE OF OUTSIDE CREWS

The Response Team managers coordinating emergency task assignments will be responsible for determining the completion status of all restoration work done by outside crews. Crews will be released on approval by the Response Management Team. Prior to releasing crews, ensure that The Company equipment and materials are accounted for.

Crews released will be accountable to their parent company with regard to departure time, expected arrival time, general condition of personnel and equipment, and any additional logistical information the parent company or The Company may require. An outside work crew in this instance includes any shared personnel within the Mutual Assistance Program.

POLICE/FIRE ASSISTANCE

The basic responsibility for providing police and/or fire assistance during an emergency situation rests upon municipal, county, and state organizational levels. Established emergency communications exist which link resources to demand. The purpose of the Emergency Response Plan is to enhance and refine this link in emergency conditions which involve both utility and/or police or fire organizations. This reciprocation of resources may occur in that:

• The Company resources may provide assistance to police and/or fire organizations within the service territory (i.e., to assure public safety during a intensive system damage). Control Center personnel will coordinate the furnishing of the The Company resources.
• Police and Fire resources may provide special security and fire protection for critical facilities and utility resources within their jurisdiction (i.e., traffic control, public safety during emergency situations or to secure a staging area for utility response).
• The Company may request police/fire assistance during the following possible circumstances:
  • Incident site police assistance for public safety and crowd control.
  • Police assistance for security.
  • Traffic access assistance.
  • Fire coordination.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

An emergency response plan designed to include a utility-related event exists at each local government level. Each plan will be implemented in situations where there is an emergency that is broad enough to create significant impact on the public such that response by governments (local or state) may be required. Appropriate actions to be accomplished by the Company and local governments in such an event are:

Cooperation

Any operating, management, or working relationship created between The Company and a local government resulting from an emergency situation will be one of coordination and cooperation. The success of a mutual remedial effort is dependent upon close cooperation between The Company and the local governments.

Direction and Control

The appropriate local government officials will direct and control government employees working with The Company during an emergency remedial event. Respectively, The Company management will direct and control its employees working with a local government during an emergency remedial event.

Emergency Assignments

Remedial actions can be more effective through coordinated efforts by The Company and local governments. Emergency task assignments of a technical nature will be given by The Company management and closely supported by strategic assistance with government personnel within their field of expertise.

The primary responsibility of identifying additional assistance required of local government remains with the Response Teams. Requests such as these below will be identified to the Response Management Team.

• Request of staging area coordination to store emergency materials in an area adjacent to an emergency (i.e., parking lots, fields).
• Traffic problems.
• Street debris cleanup.

FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

In the United States, the Homeland Security Department through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) becomes involved with recovery operations after the President declares a disaster in the area affected.

In other countries, there is often an Office of Disaster Management that becomes involved with recovery operations after the Head of State (e.g. President, Prime Minister, etc.) declares a disaster in the area affected.

Any federal assistance required by The Company is coordinated with the appropriate emergency center. Requests for the following could be submitted:

• National Guard assistance for security or traffic control.
• Equipment, specialized labor, or transportation of materials.
• The Department of Energy is available to expedite emergency resources.

In other countries, coordinate your emergency activities in these areas with your Federal and local authorities.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENT REFERENCES

There are supporting documents from elsewhere in the company that should be referred to. Some examples in this area are:

• Contractor Emergency Restoration Manual for Non-Company Crews