FLOOD MITIGATION OBSERVATIONS AND LESSONS FROM A FLOOD IN THE SMITH FIELDHOUSE BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY AUGUST 2006

I want to talk to you about what I think are five key elements of flood mitigation. Notification Notification Response/Mobilization Response/Mobilization Clean up Clean up Restoration/Reconstruction Restoration/Reconstruction Evaluation Evaluation

1. Notification Who and how fast - Electronic Alarm notification to University Police - Electronic Alarm notification to University Police -University Police assessment -University Police assessment -Police notify appropriate on call person and Risk Management -Police notify appropriate on call person and Risk Management -On call specialists can handle their areas well but you need a good mechanism to alert upper level management in major events -On call specialists can handle their areas well but you need a good mechanism to alert upper level management in major events

Notification Strengths -Risk management informed early -Risk management informed early -Risk management informed upper level management early -Risk management informed upper level management early -Good cell phone communication -Good cell phone communication

Notification Weaknesses -College notification -College notification -Cell phone batteries -Cell phone batteries -Notification process took too long -Notification process took too long

2.Response/ Mobilization Incident command -Select an incident command person who can delegate responsibilities and stay put. -Select an incident command person who can delegate responsibilities and stay put. Don’t assign a “hands on” person this responsibility. Glen Johns our Risk Management and safety director was on call and served as incident commander. Don’t assign a “hands on” person this responsibility. Glen Johns our Risk Management and safety director was on call and served as incident commander. Have the incident command decision made now before the incident occurs. Have the incident command decision made now before the incident occurs.

2. Response/Mobilization Initial safety assessment -Glen Johns and safety office staff -Glen Johns and safety office staff -Electrocution hazard assessed and mitigated -Electrocution hazard assessed and mitigated

2. Response/Mobilization Reporting Make sure you have a good mechanism for your own line reporting. “Keep your boss informed.” Make sure you have a good mechanism for your own line reporting. “Keep your boss informed.” Incident command only reports through their line Incident command only reports through their line

Response/Mobilization strengths -Handled quickly -Handled quickly -Had good incident commander available -Had good incident commander available

Response/Mobilization weaknesses -Some cleanup was occurring before safety assessment was complete -Some cleanup was occurring before safety assessment was complete Some of my own line reporting was slow. Some of my own line reporting was slow.

3. Cleanup Delegate assignments -In our case Glen Johns our Risk Management director delegated -In our case Glen Johns our Risk Management director delegated -Buildings/Water clean up -Buildings/Water clean up -Electrical/ Utilities service -Electrical/ Utilities service -Food -Food -Media relations -Media relations -Campus academic communication -Campus academic communication

3. Cleanup Pumping problems/ Capacity, Lift, Reach -Electric and mechanical service could not be addressed until water was cleared out. -Electric and mechanical service could not be addressed until water was cleared out. -With water flooding basement areas and filling mechanical rooms water pumping became a major issue. -With water flooding basement areas and filling mechanical rooms water pumping became a major issue.

3. Cleanup Pumping problems/ Capacity, Lift, Reach Gas powered pumps with limited lift presented two problems. Gas powered pumps with limited lift presented two problems. Pumps had good volume capacity but limited lift and limited hose reach Pumps had good volume capacity but limited lift and limited hose reach If pumps were placed in buildings near water sources carbon monoxide became a problem. If pumps were placed in buildings near water sources carbon monoxide became a problem. -We had four large 2 and 3 inch discharge pumps in place and made no headway. -We had four large 2 and 3 inch discharge pumps in place and made no headway.

3. Cleanup Pumping problems/ Capacity, Lift, Reach -We called in Provo City and they supplied a 6 inch diesel powered pump. With our grounds division diesel powered sewer truck and Provo City’s pump we began to make headway -We called in Provo City and they supplied a 6 inch diesel powered pump. With our grounds division diesel powered sewer truck and Provo City’s pump we began to make headway

3. Cleanup Water shutoff problems -Water break was in a loop fed from 2 directions identifying and turning off water was a process that took too long. -Water break was in a loop fed from 2 directions identifying and turning off water was a process that took too long. -One of the shut off valves was allowed to be placed in the flooded basement mechanical room. -One of the shut off valves was allowed to be placed in the flooded basement mechanical room. -Other remote field water line valves were hard to locate -Other remote field water line valves were hard to locate -Break was in a water loop so it had to be shut off from two directions -Break was in a water loop so it had to be shut off from two directions

3. Cleanup Utilities -The major mechanical rooms and electrical rooms were under 10 feet of water -The major mechanical rooms and electrical rooms were under 10 feet of water

3. Cleanup Utilities -Switchgear and transformers were damaged beyond repair and had to be replaced. -Switchgear and transformers were damaged beyond repair and had to be replaced. -Parts were 3 to 5 days out -Parts were 3 to 5 days out

3. Cleanup Utilities -Emergency power switchgear was inoperable -Emergency power switchgear was inoperable

3. Cleanup Drying out -A large wood playing floor had some water underneath it and needed heavy air flow to save it -A large wood playing floor had some water underneath it and needed heavy air flow to save it -Power availability to run drying fans became a problem -Power availability to run drying fans became a problem -We had to evaluate our resource for drying out after the water was stopped and pumped out. -We had to evaluate our resource for drying out after the water was stopped and pumped out. We did not have de-humidifiers We did not have de-humidifiers

3. Cleanup Contract help

-Don’t be a hero call in available help. We used “Utah Disaster Cleanup”. Their resource for fans and the power to run them was great. -Don’t be a hero call in available help. We used “Utah Disaster Cleanup”. Their resource for fans and the power to run them was great. -We have a lot of equipment here on campus. All totaled we have around 100 floor fans for use around campus. That sounds good but a big clean up contractor will have the following; -We have a lot of equipment here on campus. All totaled we have around 100 floor fans for use around campus. That sounds good but a big clean up contractor will have the following; 1000 floor fans 1000 floor fans Generators and extension cords to run all of them Generators and extension cords to run all of them 25 Air dryers 25 Air dryers Additional manpower with the ability to work around the clock. Additional manpower with the ability to work around the clock. Make sure you have a single contract source for work performed Make sure you have a single contract source for work performed Specialized equipment for computer repair and file retrieval. Specialized equipment for computer repair and file retrieval. Well worth the expenditure Well worth the expenditure

3. Cleanup Strengths Good delegation Good delegation Teamwork Teamwork Incident command handled other problems that allowed non distracted cleanup Incident command handled other problems that allowed non distracted cleanup

Cleanup Weaknesses Failure to establish good contact point with contract help Failure to establish good contact point with contract help Contract help not communicating contact information at shift change Contract help not communicating contact information at shift change

4. Restoration/Reconstruction Mold -Keep air moving until crawl spaces are completely dry. -Keep air moving until crawl spaces are completely dry. -Remove water traps where air can’t circulate. -Remove water traps where air can’t circulate. -Remove soaked gypsum board. -Remove soaked gypsum board.

4. Restoration/Reconstruction Mold -Wall covering will shrink and cannot be re- glued -Wall covering will shrink and cannot be re- glued -Carpet extract or remove. -Carpet extract or remove. -Measure moisture content do not assume -Measure moisture content do not assume

4. Restoration/Reconstruction Odor -Eliminate don’t mask -Eliminate don’t mask -We are still circulating air in some dirt floor crawl space areas. -We are still circulating air in some dirt floor crawl space areas.

4. Restoration/Reconstruction Furniture and electronic equipment -Replace soaked upholstered furniture -Replace soaked upholstered furniture -Computers were sent to contract water damage company and saved about 75% -Computers were sent to contract water damage company and saved about 75%

4. Restoration/Reconstruction New Construction -Complete demolition, haul off and dry out to protect from mold spores -Complete demolition, haul off and dry out to protect from mold spores

4. Restoration/Reconstruction Strengths Had in house labor available for immediate response Had in house labor available for immediate response Did not have a long delay for plans and specifications Did not have a long delay for plans and specifications

4. Restoration/Reconstruction Weaknesses Still some odor in dirt floor crawl spaces Still some odor in dirt floor crawl spaces Some carpet has gone bad long after flood. We should have replaced Some carpet has gone bad long after flood. We should have replaced

5. Evaluation Post incident meeting Large or small discuss your process with all involved Large or small discuss your process with all involved Include occupants, managers, risk management, front line workers in your assessment Include occupants, managers, risk management, front line workers in your assessment Do it with in 60 days of incident Do it with in 60 days of incident

5. Evaluation Post incident meeting Evaluate the cause Evaluate the cause

5. Evaluation Post incident meeting Evaluate future problems Evaluate future problems

I hope your waterfall experiences in the future look like this Not this