Board holds hearing on supervisors' roles in emergencies; public health officials outline swine flu response

The Board of Supervisors convened a hearing on its roles and responsibilities during a city emergency and received an update on the swine flu situation from public health officials.

Vicki Hennessy, executive director of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM), led a presentation describing how emergencies are scalable and how the city organizes its response under the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the state's Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS). Hennessy said DEM had been meeting individually with supervisors to review recommended actions for themselves and their staff during an emergency and emphasized personal preparedness, family plans, and responsibilities to constituents.

Dr. Susan Fourniak, director of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, briefed the Board on the novel influenza (swine flu) situation. Dr. Fourniak reported national and state case counts then available: 64 confirmed U.S. cases with about 11 in California and two recently reported Bay Area cases in Marin County. She said the cases the city had seen were similar to seasonal influenza and, at that time, appeared mild. The city was conducting enhanced testing and had opened its Department of Public Health incident operations center; antiviral treatment was available for severe disease, she said. She added that the city expected local cases and was not recommending extraordinary social-distancing measures at that time.

Hennessy told the Board that DEM had activated coordination mechanisms and a public health "DOC" (disease operations center) and was briefing the mayor and other agencies. Supervisors asked about the city's communications plans and how supervisors should be deployed during a large event. DEM recommended that supervisors, if possible, report first to City Hall so the Board could gather, receive briefings and, as needed, act as a group; supervisors would then be dispatched to their districts to provide information and calm constituents as required.

Supervisors discussed neighborhood preparedness and volunteer mobilization. Several members urged expanded outreach to vulnerable populations, including seniors and residents with limited resources, and asked for more neighborhood-based volunteer organization (NERT) work and outreach through libraries and other hubs. DEM and partner departments said efforts were underway, including a citywide exercise scheduled for October (the "Big Rumble" marking the twentieth anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake), social messaging, and partnerships with the volunteer center, Project SAFE and NERT to expand block-by-block preparedness and volunteer rosters.

Fire and police representatives attending the hearing described interagency training. Assistant Chief Bridal O'Leary of the Fire Department and Deputy Chief Kevin Cashman of the Police Department emphasized the need for supervisors to be prepared personally and to work as points of contact for their communities. Anne Cronenberg, deputy director of public health, and Nelka Julio of the Board's administration staff said departmental outreach and a short board response plan were being finalized.

The Board received the reports and asked DEM, the Department of Public Health, and board staff to continue preparing guidance for supervisors and their offices to clarify roles, communications and community outreach in the event of a major emergency or public health incident.