Lt. Governor Kleefisch accepts 2015 WI Emergency Response Plan

August 6, 2015

For more information: Tod Pritchard 608-242-3324 or 608-219-4008

 

 

 Lt. Governor  Kleefisch accepts 2015 WI Emergency Response Plan

 

 

 

Lt. Governor Kleefisch today accepted the 2015 Wisconsin Emergency Response Plan (WERP) during a presentation at the 115^th Fighter Wing at Truax Field in Madison. The plan provides direction to state agencies in response to disasters and emergencies including new annexes for cyber and catastrophic events.

 

“This plan brings the best of Wisconsin together while we prepare for the worst things that could happen,” said Lt. Governor Kleefisch. “Wisconsin’s first responders work every minute of the day to protect us. This plan gives them the guidance and training they need to prepare for what may come our way. Along with our other community partners, we can save lives and minimize the damage caused by a disaster and bring a coordinated approach to the recovery.”

 

The WERP was presented to Governor Walker in 2011. The new plan reflects changes and new threats facing the state and our nation. “We face many challenges barely dreamed about just a few years ago,” said Major General Donald Dunbar, Adjutant General and Wisconsin Homeland Security Advisor. “We have to make sure our plans are in place and responders are equipped and trained to meet these new threats.”

 

The WERP was developed with input from stakeholders including state, tribal and local agencies, volunteer organizations, and the private sector. It was drafted in accordance with the Wisconsin Homeland Security Strategy 2015-2018, and informed by the latest guidance including the National Response Framework, the National Incident Management System and the Wisconsin Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. It includes 15 emergency support functions that include transportation, public health, energy and long-term recovery.

 

“The Wisconsin Emergency Response Plan involves the whole community,” said Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Brian Satula. “It not only involves state, tribal, and local governments but also with private businesses, non-profit organizations, faith-based community, individuals and families. It is no longer a government-centric planning and response effort; it takes a unified effort to meet the consequences of a disaster and help our communities recover.”

 

Highlights of the 2015 WERP include:

• Cyber Incident Annex – provides a standardized, flexible and scalable foundation for state agencies to mitigate, prevent protect and respond to actual or potential cyber-related threats and attacks. It also provides guidance to counties, tribes and local government regarding state assets and resources during a cyber event.
• Mass Evacuation Incident Annex – While Wisconsin is not a coastal state that needs to worry about mass evacuations from events such as a hurricane, there could be a mass evacuation that would be more localized. That could include an EF5 tornado or a chemical spill that impacts all or part of a city or town. These incidents could require large-scale evacuation as well as shelter operations.
• Radiological Incident Annex – Provides a coordinated and timely response by the state of Wisconsin to incidents involving nuclear or radioactive materials. This includes potential incidents at nuclear power plants, transportation accidents and terrorist incidents involving radiological dispersal devices or improvised nuclear devices.
• Donations and Volunteer Management Plan – Working with Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), the plan provides a framework and process to support local governments to effective coordination and distribution of donated goods and/or monetary donations during a major disaster. The plan also provides guidance for local agencies on preparing, deploying and tracking volunteers.
• Updated Wisconsin Hazardous Material Response System: After 20 years, The system was recently restructured and expanded from the original eight teams to 25 state hazardous materials response teams strategically located to augment the local incident response and provide higher levels of technical and operational capability.  The goals of the restructuring are to improve response time, provide more uniform statewide coverage and align with the national system to ensure capability for all types of hazardous materials incidents.

 

The Wisconsin Emergency Response plan is available upon request.

 

 

 

 

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