Debris Management Operations ASTSWMO Mid Year Meeting Montgomery, AL April 25-26, 2012

FEMA PA Eligible Applicants State government agencies Local governments Local Public Authorities Other essential governmental services Federally recognized Indian Tribes Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations (Limited to Educational, Emergency Medical, Utility, Custodial care, Irrigation) Essential government services or facilities include such things as community centers, rehabilitation facilities, homeless shelters, libraries, museums, senior citizen centers, shelter workshops, zoos, performing arts facilities, community arts centers, and health and safety services of a governmental nature.

Basic FEMA PA Eligibility Located within designated disaster area Generated by the major disaster event Improved property or right-of-way Legal responsibility of the applicant Eligible applicant

Debris on Private Property Eligibility generally limited to debris in living, recreational, and working areas or ingress/egress to those areas Excludes debris from unimproved property, agricultural lands, and unused areas Excludes construction debris All these have numerous qualifiers, limitations and restrictions.

Debris Clearance vs. Debris Removal Initial debris clearance activities necessary to eliminate life and safety threats (primarily vegetative debris – “cut and push”) Debris removal activities as a means to recovery Typically, the debris removal recovery phase begins after the emergency access routes are cleared and police, firefighters, and other first responders have the necessary access. 

Responsibilities Debris Removal Public information Debris Project Manager Vegetative debris removal Hazardous material removal Solid waste removal Demolition debris Contract services Public information Development of debris management plan Coordinate State and Federal assistance for debris management activities Compliance with Federal and State environmental regulations Coordinating efforts with FEMA and the State DURING a Presidentially declared disaster Specific entities need to be designated for these responsibilities. Some of these areas require specific training.

Considerations Amount and type of debris Specialized debris issues Debris disposal Available labor/equipment resources Contract resources Urgency of the debris operations Damage to priority infrastructure

Disaster Debris

Different Disasters Different Debris

Categories of Debris (Eligibility varies) Vegetative Debris Construction and Demolition Debris Hazardous Waste White Goods Soil, Mud, and Sand Vehicles and Vessels Putrescent Debris Infectious Waste Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear-Contaminated Debris Garbage Eligibility of these vary and some require specially trained personnel.

On-Site Chipping Labor intensive, slow, can only handle small stuff

Debris Removal Massive amounts of debris require massive amounts of equipment. A distant disposal site means a long turn-around on trucks. Solutions: more trucks or a shorter trip.

Debris Management Site Advantages: Flexibility of operations Facilitation of recycling and reduction of debris  Expedition of debris collection  Disadvantages: Additional cost to handle the debris twice If applicant-owned land is not available, leasing land is expensive Additional costs for proper planning, engineering, and permitting Environmental and historic preservation compliance Environmental review and potentially extensive site cleanup may be necessary to properly close the site Requires dedicated site management and staff for efficient operations, safety, and documentation considerations Having a pre-designated and pre-approved site virtually eliminates disadvantages at the time of need

Debris Management Site

DEBRIS SEPARATION White goods and metals can separated and sold by the local jurisdiction as scrap.

VEGETATIVE DEBRIS Vegetative debris can burned, chipped and used as mulch or sold by the local jurisdiction as mulch.

Can handle trees/stumps up to 4’ diameter. Grinder

Air Curtain Burner Trench-type: 10’x12’ trench 40’ long; burns 3.5 gal fuel/hr; 8-12 ton/hr flow-thru. Low emission levels - meet EPA standards “right out of the box”. Trench type has about 4 times capacity of box-type.

SAFETY & TRAFFIC CONTROL PPE should include: (as a minimum) safety vests hearing, head and eye protection. Steel-toed boots, chaps and heavy-duty clothing also help. Must always use traffic control.

Debris Task Force Logistics Fuel is at the top of the list for logistics, but you can’t forget such things as communications; spare chains, blades, oil cans, gas cans, tools and files for chainsaws; port-a-potties, spare tires - lots of them - and you have to feed the troops.

Summary Develop a Debris Management Plan Pre-designate and train personnel for all functions assigned in the plan Make sure of eligibility – claimant, property and debris Work with PIOs to publicize pick-up schedules, drop-off locations, etc. Meticulously track ALL labor, equipment use and other expenditures Stress SAFETY from beginning to end

Questions? Derial W. Bivens Tennessee Department of Transportation Maintenance Division Office of Emergency Management 3041 Sidco Dr. Nashville, TN 37204 derial.bivens@tn.gov Office: 615-253-2023 Cell: 615-202-8895 ARS: WT4X