Downtown Dallas Emergency Response Team - International ...

Downtown Dallas Emergency Response Team
The Downtown Dallas Emergency Response Team (DERT) offers a good model for other cities.
DERT's Foundation.
The message that Dallas needed emergency response team arrived not in the wake of a terrorist attack, but on the wings of a tornado. In March 2000, a twister
hit downtown Fort Worth, Texas, just north of Dallas. Following the incident, Assistant Chief of Police Danny Garcia and expressed concern, “What if a tornado
hit downtown Dallas? Would we be ready?”. Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI), as the primary champion, advocate and steward for the area, rallied.
In partnership with the Dallas Police Department, Downtown Dallas, Inc. formed a pilot program, the Downtown Emergency Response Team. Four years later,
the model has been copied throughout the entire city, with teams and programs created according to the best practices established in downtown. Furthermore,
the Department of Homeland Security has asked the group to devise a template of its program that can be used by other cities throughout the nation. And, in a
recent report released by the Government Accountability Office, the DERT project was listed in an audit of best practices in disaster response planning. To meet
the special needs of the Downtown Central Business District, the DERT team draws on the expertise of security directors, property managers, general
contractors, and representatives of the City of Dallas.
Downtown Dallas Inc. is responsible for managing the DERT alliance. Initiatives under the DERT program include:
Downtown Emergency Response Resource Manual – DDI designed this manual as a general guideline and resource for private sector stakeholders.
Quarterly DERT Table Top exercises – Disaster simulations performed as quarterly training exercises.
Annual Emergency Preparedness meetings – Seminars and training sessions geared toward the private sector
Dallas Alert Messaging System – A direct electronic communication system used to spread critical information in the time of emergency
1680 AM - Information Radio Station - 1680 AM was established by DDI to broadcast general Downtown information, special event information and
emergency updates for the downtown community. During an emergency this frequency will be utilized by the public safety sector to broadcast
important street closures, detour information, evacuation instructions, shelter information and disaster recovery updates.
Downtown Videoboard Network – DDI worked with the City of Dallas to ensure emergency programming access to any video board permitted in the
Central Business District. DDI and DERT control this messaging as a part of the Dallas Alert Messaging System.
Command Posts and DERT ID Passes – Critical access issues during distaster.
DERT Web Site www.dallasalert.org – With content managed by DDI, the Dallas Alert website, www.dallasalert.org, is an additional means for
property managers, security directors, and chief engineers to communicate issues of emergency management with the public safety sector and with
each other.
Emergency Contact Database – DDI maintains the DERT Emergency Contact Database, with consists of contact information for all key personnel of
buildings within the Central Business District. The information is kept confidential for exclusive use by Dallas Fire-Rescue, the Dallas Police
Department and the City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management.
Perimeter Passes – DDI manages the DERT perimeter pass system, whereby Property managers, security directors, and chief engineers of Central
Business District buildings are pre-issued emergency perimeter passes.
DERT-CBD has developed a multi-faceted approach to preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergency situations. The primary goal of DERT is to
establish and maintain a strong public-private partnership and maximize the resources available for emergency planning and response.
Access.

One critical weakness in Downtown’s ability to respond to disaster was the ability for private security practitioners to gain access to their company's facilities in
the event of an emergency. To help address this issue, DDI challenged the DERT team to develop an access plan that includes a private sector command post
and pre-issued perimeter passes.
Command post. In an emergency, the Dallas Police Department--specifically the Central Business District Police Commander--sets up a mobile command post
to be shared with private sector representatives of the affected property. The command center is set up several blocks away from the epicenter of the disaster
and serves as the nexus of communications during the crisis.
Preissued passes. As part of the plan, certain private sector officials are issued perimeter passes by DERT in advance of any emergencies so that when an
incident occurs, they can use those passes to show that they are authorized to gain entrance. DDI’s Public Safety team issues these passes. Police officers
posted at entrances to affected buildings also call the command post to check the pass number to ensure that it is valid. Command personnel have a computer
database and a print-out of the list of pass numbers and individuals. Under the plan, no one will be allowed in a restricted area in an emergency without a pass.
Cooperation.
DERT is truly a public-private partnership, representing the private building ownership/management community as well as several local, state and federal
agencies. Everyone involved in DERT understands the major importance of developing contacts and relationships to enhance cooperation.
In addition to daily contact among members of the private sector, local law enforcement, and the FBI, these professionals also gather at formal monthly meetings
and share information via e-mail. For example, DDI ensures that the private security professionals in Dallas have representation in the EOC (Emergency
Operations Center) for Dallas if disaster should strike.
DERT is also updating the way information is provided to the fire department. Before the incident in Fort Worth, fire officials had only building specification sheets
to work from. Since then, DERT has provided a schematic sheet for each building by working with the private property owners and encouraging them to share
the information with Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Training.
The most common and effective training DERT administers involves tabletop exercises and disaster drills. On a quarterly basis, disasters are simulated by the
DERT team, involving every agency and private sector entity. For example, one recent exercise involved a tanker overturning on an icy highway. The fuel ignited
and was rolling toward a major commercial development, a hotel and an elementary school. The scenario occurred during rush hour. More than 100 participants
were involved in the simulation and had to face issues related to a moving hazard, children, flexible staging areas and traffic congestion.
All of DERT’s tools would be utilized during such a disaster. Alerts would be distributed through the AM radio station, video boards and direct electronic
notification system to notify the public about toxin hazards, access points and traffic issues. Access controls and command posts would be used for control and
situation assessment.
Continued Improvement.
As technology changes, so does the ability for us to better respond in the case of emergency and disaster. DERT’s future goals include expanding its
communications system to include a text and voice messaging system that would be able to send to mobile and office phones.
Another goal of the group is to reach out to small businesses in the downtown area. One challenge to the program has been turnover of restaurants, retailers
and other small business owners. However, with the help of merchant associations managed by DDI, outreach to these individuals will be a focus of DERT
growth.
Conclusions.
Downtown Dallas Stakeholders received 28 Emergency Alerts in 2009 regarding threats and incidents affecting Downtown Dallas. Each year DDI sponsors a
Public Safety Forum, Emergency Preparedness Seminar, Building Evacuation Drills, and table top exercises. Downtown Dallas Stakeholder situational
awareness and emergency preparedness is at an all time high. Downtown Property Owners and Building Managers have come to expect the DERT network to
provide real time intelligence and on-going training opportunities to ensure the safety and security of 135,000 Downtown tenants, residents, and employees.