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Item O1 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: Wed. November 17.2004 Division: HOCC Bulk Item: Yes No XX Department: Commissioner Rice. District 4 AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of Resolution of Appreciation for all Monroe County personnel and the various agency and municipal staff performing emergency duty during the 2004 hurricane season. ITEM BACKGROUND: The 2004 Hurricane Season was a historic, record-breaking year with four storms making landfall in the State of Florida. The four storms, arriving weekly from late August through most of the month of September, required almost continuous emergency duty by County, agency, and municipal staff performing required emergency roles and functions in the County Emergency Operations Center and elsewhere for the welfare and safety of the citizens of the Florida Keys. PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: A Resolution of Appreciation was approved at the October 20, 2004 meeting recognizing the efforts of the Monroe County Department of Health and the Miami-Dade County Department of Health staff for their efforts at the FlU shelter during Hurricane Ivan for their care of the Special Needs and Medical Management clients. CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: Yes No COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS: REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNTPERMONTH_ Year APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing _ Risk Management _ DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL: ~u/~~. (David P. Rice, Commissioner, District 4) DOCUMENTATION: Included To Follow_ Not Required_ AGENDA ITEM N(J - / DISPOSITION: Revised 1/03 RESOLUTION No. 2004 A RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION OF MONROE COUNTY IN RECOGNmON OF EXCEPTIONAL EFFORTS AND SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS BY MONROE COUNTY, AGENCY, AND MUNlCPAL STAFF PERFORMING EMERGENCY DUTY DURING THE 2004 HURRICANE SEASON WHEREAS, The hurricane season 2004 was predicted to have a higher number of hurricanes than normal; WHEREAS, September 2004 became a historic record-breaking month, with four hurricanes making landfall in the State of Florida; WHEREAS, Monroe County Emergency Management declared a State of Local Emergency for Hurricane Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne for their potential threat to the Keys, setting into motion an incredible coordination of persons providing emergency services; WHEREAS, This resolution seeks to recognize and thank all the people who work 24/1 during such hurricane threats until the danger has passed. and recognizing that they would continue providing emergency services in the event of landfall and the aftermath of a hurricane striking the Keys; WHEREAS, The Monroe County EOC and the Incident Management System is staffed by various County department and State and Federal agency personnel to fulfill the roles of Planning, Logistics, Operations, Finance and Emergency Support functions. Personnel fulfilling these functions at the EOC directly, or remotely, come from the Monroe County departments of Emergency Management, Communications, Fire Rescue, Office of Management and Budget, Social Services, Public Works, Technical Services, and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Also sending staff to the EOC are the Monroe County School Board; the Salvation Army and American Red Cross; area hospitals of the Lower Keys Medical Center, Fisherman's, and Mariners; and the Monroe County Department of Health. Local utility and regional water management agencies providing staff include Keys Energy Systems, Florida Keys Electric Cooperative, Florida Key Aqueduct Authority, and the South Florida Water Management District. State and Federal agencies providing staffand support to the EOC include the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Park Service; US Coast Guard; U.S. Naval Air Station; the staff at the NOAA National Weather Service station in Key West and the National Hurricane Center in Miami; and the Florida Army National Guard. Law enforcement agencies present include the Florida Division of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. Also represented at the EOC are the Monroe County Tourist Development Council; and representatives of the municipalities of the Cities of Key West, Key Colony Beach, Marathon, Layton, and the Village ofIslamorada; WHEREAS, Members of Fire Rescue, supporting County departments, and outside agencies, including the Monroe County Department of Health, Social Services Transportation staff and drivers, Monroe County School District bus drivers, and out-of-county ambulances services and drivers, who performed the coordinated movements and care of hospital patients, and Special Needs and medical-management needs clients during Hurricane Ivan and other hurricane threats of the season to various shelters and their return; WHEREAS, In-County shelters were opened and staffed by County and Department of Health staff in the Lower Keys for Hurricane Charley on August 11,2004; and evacuation from mobile homes ordered from Key West to the Seven Mile Bridge; WHEREAS, Fire Rescue Career and Volunteer firefighters performed extended duty shifts to assure optimum staffing in County Fire Station, and the staff of Fire Rescue coordinated pre-strike and post-strike response in the EOC; WHEREAS, The career and volunteer fire rescue personnel from Monroe County, the City of Key West, City of Marathon, and Village of Islamorada who deployed to Charlotte, Hardee, and St. Lucie counties to assist in search and rescue, and emergency service support during the month of September; WHEREAS, County Public Works staff worked tirelessly to shutter and secure all County buildings, facilities and equipment for each and every stonn, set up generators, serve at the EOC, perform post-storm damage inspections of County buildings, parks and beaches, roads and bridges, signage, perform any needed repairs, and debris removal from County roads and facilities: WHEREAS, Office of Management and Budget staff was on duty to issue emergency purchase orders to keep essential emergency supplies and services available; WHEREAS, The County Clerk's Finance Department staff were on duty and processed a regular payroll run on time despite the interruption of Hurricane Ivan; WHEREAS, Technical Services staffperformed emergency duty providing the EOC with computer systems and network support, public broadcasting ofEOC and storm-related public information bulletins, and wireless and land line communications; WHEREAS, The Monroe County Sheriffs Office provided traffic management support during the Hurricane Ivan evacuation, trauma air transport, and special area patrols after the Keys were evacuated to prevent any looting issues; WHEREAS, The volunteers who staffed the Monroe County Emergency Info Hot Line perform a very special role for County residents to call and speak with a person for the latest information, assistance, and reassurance; WHEREAS, Animal Shelter staff and volunteers worked hard to transport the dogs and cats housed at the three shelters out of harm's way during the hurricane threats; WHEREAS, All the local media groups, the radio stations and newspapers, did an outstanding job of broadcasting public information bulletins and evacuation info; WHEREAS, The total support, presence, and guidance of the BOCC, County Administrator Jim Roberts, Sheriff Rick Roth, Public Safety Division Director Reggie Paros, and Emergency Management Sr. Director Billy Wagner at the National Hurricane Center and Director Irene Toner and the Emergency Management staff make such operations possible; WHEREAS, All the aforementioned persons fulfilling emergency duty roles and functions as described performed their duties in an exceptional, professional, and heroic manner for the 2004 hurricane season, and particularly during the hectic month of September; WHEREAS, Monroe County owes these members of the County staff, and the various State, Federal, and local agencies, non-profit organizations, volunteers, and the Keys municipalities staff a tremendous debt of gratitude and appreciation for their selfless service to the citizens of Monroe County, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA: Section 1. Hereby extends the sincere appreciation and gratitude of the Board of Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida to all the people who performed emeIgency service during this hurricane season, referenced herein by role or function for their valiant and selfless service to the special needs and special medical needs citizens of Monroe County during the Hurricane Ivan evacuation. Section 2. Hereby adopts this resolution of appreciation as a permanent record of the high esteem and respect of the Board for all persons County-wide that step up in time of local emergency to assist the citizens of Monroe County during this and all hurricane seasons. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida at a meeting of said Board held on the day of , A.D., 2004. Mayor Murray E. Nelson Mayor Pro Tern David P. Rice Commissioner Dixie M. Spehar Commissioner George Neugent Commissioner Charles "Sonny"McCoy (SEAL) Attest: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, Clerk BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By By Mayor/Chairman Deputy Clerk