Disaster Preparedness AGA Disaster Planning Workshop June 25, 2013

Transcription

1 Disaster Preparedness AGA Disaster Planning Workshop June 25, 2013 Timothy Greenhouse Managing Director, Safety, Environment, Theft Prevention and Community Relations Scott Shepard Operations Manager, Field Customer Service - TN DISCLAIMER: The views expressed herein and the contents of this presentation and its constituent slides should not be relied upon by any third parties in designing, implementing or actualizing any type of contingency or emergency management plan or policy. This presentation and its constituent slides are being given for informational purposes only.

2 PART I Disaster Preparedness AGENDA Safety Minute Introduction and Overview Importance of Preparation Proactive thinking to Natural Disasters PART II Disaster Planning Piedmont s Emergency Action Plans Emergency Manual Disaster Recovery Plan Prioritization Assistance for employees and the community Communication Plan Financial Assistance Repair and Replacement Criteria Codes Department and Manufacturer Support Technology Lessons Learned

3 Safety Minute Adverse Working Environments

4 About Piedmont Natural Gas

5 Piedmont Natural Gas Company Highlights We are a regional natural gas utility formed in 1951 and headquartered in Charlotte, NC We serve over one million natural gas utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee and one-half million in Georgia through a gas marketing joint venture We are one of the fastest growing natural gas utilities in the country and delivered 324 million dekatherms in 2012 We have complementary joint venture energyrelated investments in the Southeast (natural gas pipelines, storage and retail marketing) 5

6 Piedmont Natural Gas - Service Area 6

7 PART I: Natural Disasters Why Prepare?

8 Hurricanes and Storms Since 1980, North Carolina has been hit with over 110 tropical storms and hurricanes NC ranks 5 th in the nation for Hurricane direct hits on the mainland U.S. coastline and for individual states by Saffir/Simpson category 46 Over 14 have been Major Hurricanes Category 3 or worse SC = Ranks 8 th with 31 total Hurricanes Over 6 have been Major Hurricanes Cat 3 or worse TN is not ranked as it is not a coastal state but has been impacted by Hurricanes but is most susceptible to Tornadoes

9 The Ten Countries with the Most Natural Disasters by Type of Disaster in 2011 Climatological Geophysical Hydrological Meteorological TOTAL 1 Philippines US China India Indonesia Mexico Brazil Nepal Japan Guatemala

10 Number of natural disasters on the continents in 2011 by nature of the disaster Climatological Geophysical Hydrological Meteorological TOTAL 1ASIA AMERICA AFRICA EUROPE OCEANA

11 Five Deadliest Hurricanes in U.S. History and Five with the Highest Wind Speed (MPH) Hurricane Year Category Deaths Great Galveston Hurricane Okeechobee Hurricane Hurricane Katrina Louisiana Hurricane S. Carolina / Georgia Data from NOAA. Hurricane Year Category Wind Speed (mph) Hurricane Camille Hurricane Andrew "Labor Day" Hurricane Indianola Hurricane Hurricane Charley Data from NOAA.

12 Top 10 Costliest Hurricanes in U.S. History Rank: Name: Year: Category: Damage (U.S.)*: Katrina $105.5 B (LA/MS/AL/SE FL) 2. Andrew (SE FL/SE $45.6 B LA) 3. Ike (TX/LA/MS) $27.8 B 4. Wilma (FL) $20.6 B 5. Ivan (FL/AL) $19.8 B 6. Charley (FL) $15.8 B Irene 7. (NC/VA/MD/DE/N 2011 J/NY/CT/VT/NH/M 1 $15.8 B E) 8. Hugo (SC) $9.8 B 9. Rita (LA/TX) $11.8 B 10. Agnes (NE U.S.) $11.8 B 15. Floyd (NC) $9.2 B Heavy Rain in Tennessee 2010 $2.3 BILLION 32. Bob (NC and NE U.S.) $2 B National Hurricane Center Publication: The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, Present

13 Hurricane Irene

14 Hurricane Floyd (Sept, 15,1999)

15 Princeville, NC and Surrounding Areas During Flooding

16 Princeville, NC and Surrounding Areas During Flooding

17 Proactive Thinking About Natural Disaster Planning: Just An Every Day Rain (May 1, 2010) In Nashville, TN and Surrounding Areas?

18 Nashville, TN and Surrounding Areas Pre-Flooding

19 Nashville and Surrounding Areas During Flooding 19

20 Nashville and Surrounding Areas During Flooding

21 Nashville and Surrounding Areas During Flooding

22 Nashville and Surrounding Areas During Flooding

23 Nashville and Surrounding Areas During Flooding

24 Nashville and Surrounding Areas During Flooding

25 Nashville and Surrounding Areas During Flooding

26 Although nothing can be done to prevent natural disasters, there are actions you can take to protect your health and safety Never Compromise Safety So What Happens Now?

27 Disaster Planning: Flooding of Nashville AGA Disaster Planning Workshop June 25, 2013 DISCLAIMER: The views expressed herein and the contents of this presentation and its constituent slides should not be relied upon by any third parties in designing, implementing or actualizing any type of contingency or emergency management plan or policy. This presentation and its constituent slides are being given for informational purposes only.

28 First you have to know what to plan for:

29 and what the working conditions will be like.

30 We thought we had a plan and were prepared. We implemented the Disaster Recovery Plan and quickly realized there were many more things we could have planned for ahead of time.

31 We had existing Emergency Action Plans Emergency Manual Emergency contact numbers Proper notifications Facility security measures Response Procedures Investigation and reporting Key facility, valve, and station maps Disaster Recovery Plan How to continue to operate How to get vehicles, supplies, gasoline Where to report to work

32 Nashville Pre-Flood

33 Nashville May 2010 Inundation Useful Plan Elements Home-based Vehicles Emergency Contact Lists Cell Phones Mobile Dispatch Alternate Suppliers Mobile Crisis Center OEM

34 Priorities Change Safety Community Customers Employees Assists those in need (People will remember how they were treated more than when you got their gas back on.) Integrity of the system Reconstruction is slow

35 So we quickly discovered we had holes in the plan Aid for employees and the community Communications Financial Assistance Equipment Repair or Replacement Criteria GIS Improvements Miscellaneous

36 Aid for Employees and the Community Define an assistance policy NOW for: For impacted employees Paid time off Other monetary assistance Accommodations Other items specifically defined by the needs of the employees Employee assistance program Define programs for the community Cooking for the community Water distribution Identify available staff

37 Assisting in the Community

38 Aid and Assistance Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation Announces $200K in Assistance for Nashville Flood Relief Efforts $100K for low-income families for the replacement of natural gas appliances damaged by flooding. Funds distributed by the Metro Action Commission. $100K to the following organizations: $25,000 Red Cross $25,000 Community Foundation $25,000 Hands on Nashville $25,000 Various organizations involved in flood relief

39 Communications Define a communications strategy NOW for: Mayor s office Other city and local officials Emergency response personnel The general public Our customers (website) Our teammates

40 Financial Assistance Set criteria NOW for financial assistance to customers: No Disconnects for Non Payment No Late Payment Charges No Charges for Insufficient Funds on automatic bank drafts Equal Payment Plan (EPP) will not be removed for insufficient funds Expanded Payment Arrangements Reconnection Charges For customers displaced by the flood and moving to temporary housing where natural gas service exists, Piedmont will connect the meter at no charge to the customer When customers displaced by the flooding return to their homes or businesses For customers who have not been displaced, but whose natural gas service was disrupted due to flooding

41 Repair or Replacement Criteria Define replacement and/or repair criteria NOW for: Meters Regulators Appliances Work with local codes agencies NOW

42 Meter and Regulator Replacement Determine if meters and regulators have been within a flood plain (Often easier said than done.) If so: Replace all meters and regulators Do not assume that they have not been submerged Minimal cost of meter and service regulator Removes the chance of freezing water Mitigates future possible corrosion issues Our general policy is to leave pressure on the gas lines. The pressure should keep water, contaminants, and silt out of the lines as long as the system pressure exceeds the water pressure.

43 Department of Codes Flood Recovery Information: May 2010 Whether a water heater uses gas, or electricity, if it was exposed to flood water, the unit must be replaced. June 2010 Whether a water heater uses gas, or electricity, if it was exposed to flood water, the unit should be replaced.

44 Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Floods and HVACR Equipment After a flood homeowners are advised to take important safety precautions with regard to their home s heating and cooling systems. Replace, Don t Repair Flood-damaged heating and cooling equipment and systems should be replaced and not repaired, according to AHRI. All inspection and replacement work on flooded equipment should be performed by qualified heating and cooling contractors, not by homeowners. Gas Furnaces and Boilers If there is any question whether flood water has reached a gas appliance, have the unit checked by a qualified heating contractor. Natural gas furnaces, space heaters and boilers all have gas valves and controls that are especially vulnerable to water damage from floods and that damage may not be easy to detect. Corrosion begins inside the valves and controls, and damage may not be readily visible, even if the outside of the device is clean and dry. At a minimum, this damage can result in reliability problems. Water Heating Systems Whether your water heater is gas-fired, oil-fired or electric, if it was exposed to flood water, the unit should be replaced. A new water heater is a relatively small investment, and replacing it is fairly easy to do. In a gas unit, valves and controls will likely corrode. In an electric unit, the thermostat and controls will likely corrode. In both types, the insulation surrounding the unit will be contaminated and will be nearly impossible to disinfect. Additionally, the insulation would take a long time to dry, leading to corrosion of the tank from the outside. Even if water heater components have been cleaned and the unit seems to operate properly, parts may corrode in the future. Both gas and electric water heaters have a pressure relief valve that can corrode and stick after being exposed to flood water. Be sure, therefore, to replace this valve as well. (from AHRI website)

45 GIS Improvements Add the 100, 500, and 1000 year flood plain boundary to your mapping system NOW. Identify flood prone areas Locate key facilities at risk Generate lists of flooded addresses

46 Miscellaneous Loss of customers People unable to pay bills Set up accounts to track expenses Create order types to tell flood related orders/ accounts from others No outside resources needed Make volunteer shirts for all employees Power inverters Personal Experience (no power, trapped 3 days, leak calls, cooking, grocery stores, cell chargers, no gas)

47 Main Lessons Learned You can never be too prepared Disaster Plan consisted of continuing operations, not really dealing with the conditions, customers, employees, and effects to system Never compromise safety Best thing you can do, is to do all you can for your customers and employees as in the end that will be remembered the most

48 Questions?