Computer programs aid EOC effort

In preparation for this year’s hurricane season, the Onslow County Emergency Management team had a test run with “Hurricane Alpha” — a fictitious Category 5 storm used to test the current emergency planning.

Equipped with a variety of programs, the Onslow County Emergency Operations Center is ready to keep Onslow County residents as safe as possible when a hurricane comes.

The programs include Hazus, a “predictability program” the EOC uses in preparation for a storm, according to Mark Goodman, director of Onslow County Emergency Services and Homeland Security.

The program is provided free by FEMA to state, local and regional governments. It is able to give users information about county building codes, the structural age of building and area vegetation, among other things. Hazus, which Goodman said has a 90 percent accuracy rate, predicts how much structural and vegetation damage there will be as well as the shelter status and their anticipated arrivals. It also serves in making transportation plans.

“Prior to Hazus, we had no estimates. Hazus allowed us to look at it more realistically,” Goodman said. “(It) can also show us how many houses will be destroyed. ... As a result of these types of analyses we recognized that we would need outside help.”

The analyses only take five minutes.

As a result, the EOC has contracted with Beck Disaster in case of a severe emergency. Beck Disaster will then subcontract for trucks and other equipment needed to take care of Onslow County in its time of need.

Mecklenburg County also uses Hazus to predict damage. When the county simulated a flood, they realized their emergency plan would not be successful, and they revamped it. Community officials estimate the losses avoided and the economic benefits of implementing a revised plan will save $54 million in structure and property losses, according to FEMA.

Onslow County’s Global Information System personnel attended a Hazus training seminar at the emergency management institute in Pennsylvania.

“They’re all really good at using the system,” Goodman said.

Another program the EOC relies on is Hurrevac, a computer program that shows the current and projected path of a storm in relation to North Carolina and its individual counties, said Norman Bryson, assistant director of Onslow County Emergency Services.

“We would have the ability to see that we were in hurricane force winds and the strength of the winds,” Bryson said.

Storms are tracked on Hurrevac and appear approximately six days in advance. The program then updates every six hours, showing where the storm is located and how the projected path has changed, Bryson said.

Along with computer programs, the EOC also uses flood maps to track storm surge, which is when the ocean comes inland into Onslow County.

“Areas that people used to think wouldn’t flood, we can pretty much guarantee it’ll flood,” Goodman said. “There’s stuff out there worse than Hazel. You just haven’t seen it yet.”

When Goodman first saw Web EOC, he was still an active duty Marine at Camp Lejeune. Then-EOC director Doug Bass came to his office with the Web EOC director and showed him an earthquake operation in Los Angeles. Goodman was hooked.

Web EOC is a form of communication for the Onslow County Emergency Operations Center that links it with other emergency operations centers. Road closings, storm watches, storm warnings and much more can be accessed via Web EOC.

“You have situational awareness across the board,” Goodman said. “Web EOC allows everyone to be on the same page.”

Each county has SpartaNet, the N.C. Emergency Management version of Web EOC. Photos and video can also be uploaded to the site.

When Bryson took a photo at Albert Ellis Airport and sent it from the airport courtesy of a wireless card, it was received at the state site within eight minutes, Bryson said.

Web EOC is also available to teachers as a learning tool. The program includes classes, programs, activities and textbooks.

“Onslow County and DoD teachers can access this if they want to,” Goodman said. Those interested can call 347-4270 for more information.

Another part of preparing for the hurricane season is planning to help the elderly and those with special needs.

Those in need of help can call or go on the Internet and preregister with their needs.

“That way we have some idea of what the requirements will be,” Goodman said. “That was a lesson learned from Katrina … They had some difficulty handling the special needs of their citizens. We’ll do the best we can with the resources our elected officials have for us to use.”

As for those taking care of the people of Onslow County, Goodman said there’s no reason to worry.

“They’re professionals in their own right, in their own areas,” he said. “They do a wonderful job every day, doing what they do best.”