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Emergency manager outlines EOC planning, FEMA training and school reunification concerns
Summary
Emergency management staff described a draft Emergency Coordination Group, plans to require basic FEMA ICS training for city staff, outreach materials for earthquake/tsunami preparedness, volunteer credentialing needs, South Station occupancy targeted for April, and school reunification/evacuation problems that prompted a move of the assembly site to the municipal airport.
Mike Mandela, the city—s emergency management lead, gave a wide-ranging briefing to the Public Safety Committee on Jan. 20 covering emergency operations planning, training and school safety.
Mandela said he drafted an 'Ocean Shores Emergency Coordination Group' as an interim structure until a formal Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is established; the draft sets out who should be involved in decisions and how the mayor and senior staff would be briefed during a significant emergency.
He described local work following December storms, including twice-daily patrols of approaches to the beach, daily conference calls with Grays Harbor County Office of Emergency Management and meteorologists, and the city—s 'very, very, very lucky' outcome in avoiding major damage.
On training, Mandela said city staff will be required to complete basic FEMA courses, notably ICS 100, 200 and 700, and that he plans to offer co-instructed in-person sessions with Grays Harbor County to shorten course time compared with self-paced online options. He also recommended additional FEMA classes for elected and senior officials and building/damage-assessment courses to help officials determine whether structures are occupiable after an earthquake.
Mandela proposed public outreach items including an earthquake/tsunami safety checklist adapted from FEMA to post on city and department social media and websites. He said the city hopes to complete a significant portion of staff training in 2026.
On credentialing, Mandela noted legal and insurance requirements in state rules (RCWs and WACs) that affect volunteers and emergency workers, saying identification badges and clarified insurance are necessary for volunteers who perform traffic control and first-aid during responses. Staff are working with city personnel to implement an ID badge system.
The committee also heard updates on fire operations: South Station construction is progressing and staff aim to begin occupying the facility in April, though change orders to the communications system could affect the timeline. The city discussed ISO rating changes: previously split ratings (north 4, south 9) were combined into a single citywide rating of 5 this year, which staff said should reduce insurance premiums for many South End residents.
School safety surfaced as a major topic during public comment. A representative from Ocean Shores Elementary said the school is convening a safety team and expressed concern that existing evacuation/reunification plans (walking students to the high school or to Hogan's Corner) are not realistic for young children and could be blocked by downed trees. In response, the committee said it is moving the city's assembly/reunification center from Hogan's Corner to the Ocean Shores Municipal Airport for better equipment access, while acknowledging the airport remains lower ground in the event of a very large tsunami.
The committee did not take formal votes on these items; staff were asked to continue refining the EOC planning, schedule training, implement volunteer ID badges and follow up with school officials on reunification procedures.
