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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-12-14 City Council Agendas (5) City of Palo Alto (ID # 11833) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Informational Report Meeting Date: 12/14/2020 City of Palo Alto Page 1 Summary Title: COVID-19 Emergency Operations After Action Review Title: COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center After-Action Review, March 16- June 30, 2020 From: City Manager Lead Department: City Manager This is an informational report and no Council action is required. Background On 16 March 2020 the City of Palo Alto activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in response to the mounting Novel Coronavirus pandemic. This activation was virtual, leveraging the City’s information technology to connect more than 60 EOC staff members working from home or City facilities. The EOC was active for 116 days. The City deactivated the EOC on 30 June 2020 which coincided with an initial reduction of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations across Santa Clara County, and at the point where most city services were utilizing day to day systems rather than emergency operations. Discussion Pursuant to the State of California Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), any jurisdiction that activates an EOC must submit an After-Action Review (AAR) to the State of California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). The After-Action Review and Corrective Action Plan is also an emergency management best practice, to identify and report to the City Manager areas for improvement in the City’s emergency response capabilities. To conduct this review, staff from the Palo Alto Office of Emergency Services surveyed the City’s management and professional staff to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement in the City’s EOC response to COVID-19 and future emergencies. We also identified and gathered information (i.e., performance measurements) from EOC staff to more objectively assess the outcomes of the EOC response, including whether EOC objectives and action plans were appropriate and effective to mitigate the COVID-19 emergency. The attached “After-Action Report/Improvement Plan” provides the results of this review. The completion of this review and report reflects the City’s commitment to continuous CITY OF PALO ALTO City of Palo Alto Page 2 improvement and a learning culture. The City Manager would like to acknowledge and thank the Office of Emergency Services for preparing the attached report, and for all City departments and community partners that have been vital to management of the City’s response to the pandemic emergency. Stakeholder Engagement Staff from the Palo Alto Office of Emergency Services surveyed the City’s management and professional staff to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, and gathered EOC performance information to support the assessment. Environmental Review This is not a project subject to environmental review. Attachments: • CV19 AAR_12-3-20_Final After-Action Report/Improvement Plan: City of Palo Alto’s Emergency Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: March 16, 2020 to June 30, 2020 December 3, 2020 After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 1 of 23 INTRODUCTION Background on Emergency: COVID-19 Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) began in an exotic market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. International response was not fast enough to prevent worldwide spread and a resulting pandemic. On March 4, 2020, California declared a state of emergency and by March 14, 2020, the state had recorded 335 cases of COVID-19 and 6 deaths. On March 16, 2020, Santa Clara County ordered all its residents to shelter in place except to engage in certain essential services and activities. In response to the public health emergency, Palo Alto’s City Manager, acting as the statutory director of emergency services, issued a proclamation of local emergency that was ratified by the City Council on March 16, 2020. Concurrently, the City activated its Emergency Operating Center (EOC). Between March 12-16, neighboring jurisdictions issued emergency proclamations and activated their EOCs including the Cities of Los Altos, Mountain View, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale. Exhibit 1 summarizes key events that influenced the City’s decision making during the relevant period, including events related to COVID-19 and other hazards: Exhibit 1: COVID-19 and Associated Milestones (January to June 2020) January 9 — WHO Announces Mysterious Coronavirus-Related Pneumonia in Wuhan, China. There are 59 cases so far. January 21 — CDC Confirms First US Coronavirus Case. A Washington state resident becomes the first person in the United States with a confirmed case of the 2019 novel coronavirus, having returned from Wuhan on January 15. January 31 — WHO Issues Global Health Emergency. With a worldwide death toll of more than 200 and an exponential jump to more than 9,800 cases, the WHO declares a public health emergency, for just the sixth time. Human-to-human transmission is quickly spreading and can now be found in the United States, Germany, Japan, Vietnam, and Taiwan. February 3 — US Declares Public Health Emergency. The Trump administration declares a public health emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak. February 27 – Santa Clara County Public Health identified first case of COVID-19 March 9 – Santa Clara County Public Health announced first death from COVID-19, and 43 confirmed cases in the county, 21 of those identified as community- After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 2 of 23 transmitted. County Public Health orders the cancellation of mass gatherings of 1000 people or more; Palo Alto cancels over 30 events through the end of March. March 11 — WHO Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic. March 13 — President Trump Declares COVID-19 a National Emergency. March 16 — The Public health officers of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties announced, with the City of Berkeley, a legal order directing their respective residents to shelter at home for three weeks beginning March 17. The order limits activity, travel and business functions to only the most essential needs. March 19 — California Issues Statewide Stay-at-Home Order. California becomes the first state to issue a stay-at-home order, mandating all residents to stay at home except to go to an essential job or shop for essential needs. March 23 – Palo Alto City Council adopts urgency ordinance prohibiting residential evictions due to Covid-19 April 18 — The County of Santa Clara's Public Health Department issued expanded guidance, strongly urging all individuals to wear face coverings when out of their homes to perform essential activities. May 13 — Palo Alto issues and emergency order requiring face coverings to be worn by the public when outside their home for any type of activity or business in Palo Alto. Exceptions to Palo Alto’s Order include those engaging in outdoor recreation such as walking, hiking running or biking - as long as each person engaged in such activity maintains at least six feet of separation from others. Other jurisdictions in the County and State were issuing similar orders. May 25 — In Minneapolis, Minnesota, George Perry Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man was killed by a police officer who was attempting to arrest him. Protests, some descending into riots and looting, started in Minneapolis and spread to the Bay Area by May 28 in response to alleged institutional racism against Black people. Cities nationwide imposed curfews and some states activated National Guard personnel in response to the unrest. Sustained protests continued in the Bay Area for weeks following the initial protests. May 27 – In response to a Bay Area heat advisory during the pandemic, Santa Clara County opens cooling centers in the cities of San Jose, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Saratoga, and Campbell. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 3 of 23 May 28 — US COVID-19 Deaths Pass the 100,000 Mark. The CDC says surpassing 100,000 deaths is a “sobering development and a heart-breaking reminder of the horrible toll of this unprecedented pandemic.” It asks that Americans continue following local and state guidance on prevention strategies, such as social distancing, good hand hygiene, and wearing a face mask while in public. June 2 — San Mateo County and Palo Alto join other Bay Area jurisdictions in imposing curfews amid continuing unrest and looting sparked by allegations of institutional racism against Black people and the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Palo Alto lifted its curfew on June 4. June 3 — Palo Alto’s Mitchell Park Community Center opens to serve as a community cooling center in response to the local heat advisory. June 5 – Santa Clara Public Health Office health order allows for outdoor restaurant dining, in-store- retail and shopping centers to open, summer camps and summer schools to operate, home cleaning and other in-home services, and other activities with the requirement to follow social distancing requirements. Outdoor recreational activities that do not involve physical contact are permitted. June 10 — US COVID-19 Cases Reach 2 Million. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 hits 2 million in the United States as new infections continue to rise in 20 states. Cases begin to spike as states ease social distancing restrictions. At the end of June, the global death toll of COVID-19 had reached 511,251, with 25% (127,251) from the United States alone. The number of global cases reached 10,475,817, and again, the United States accounted for 25% (2,627,584) of the total global number. Palo Alto’s Emergency Operating Center (EOC) Under California’s Standardized Emergency Management Guidelines (SEMS), Palo Alto’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) has developed policies and procedures to manage and coordinate any emergency response upon activation of the EOC. Preparing for Disaster In coordination with key community stakeholders, including Stanford University, OES has identified threats/hazards and the City’s capabilities to address OES’s five mission areas of prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. OES’s 2017 risk assessment included the following statement on the potential for a public health pandemic:1 1 See Palo Alto’s Threat and Hazards Identification and Risk Assessment publication at: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/43866 After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 4 of 23 “The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that, in the US alone, a "minor" influenza pandemic could infect up to 200 million people and cause between 100,000-200,000 deaths. The potential financial impact on the US of this type of pandemic is estimated at $166 billion. Pandemics could continue for up to 24 months and cause major disruptions in supply chains for essential goods and services.” EOC Roles and Responsibilities OES is responsible for managing the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and alternate facilities. OES ensures operational readiness and trains City staff in emergency response. OES has assigned the following roles and responsibilities, which may be expanded to include other individuals or agencies: • The City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and the Director of Emergency Services (OES Chief) are the heads of the City's Emergency Organization and can activate the EOC. • City Council plays a supporting role by making necessary emergency proclamations and staying aware of the emergency. The City Council Liaison Officer ensures that the City Council is apprised of the emergency. • Interdepartmental staff, including City department heads, are trained by OES and pre- assigned specific roles and responsibilities. EOC Objectives Palo Alto’s EOC is a location from which centralized emergency management can be performed during a major emergency or disaster, including setting objectives and priorities and resource planning. The foundation EOC objectives are to minimize injury and loss of life, minimize property damage and adverse economic impact to the community, minimize adverse environmental impact, provide for the immediate needs of disaster victims, provide timely and accurate information to the public regarding emergency actions, and maintain continuity of governance. During the City’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the EOC objectives were to: • Align the efforts of City departments and staff with the directives provided by the City Manager and other authorities. • Maintain continuity of government and essential functions and services in the City. • Develop situational awareness about the pandemic and anticipated and unanticipated consequences. • Support the transition of our entire workforce through remote work tools and other team efficacies. • Ensure the safety of our vulnerable communities. • Ensure effective opportunities for public participation in meetings. Critical Action Team (CAT) OES coordinated the City’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic through a critical planning process that started on March 2, 2020 and continued up through the City’s declaration of After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 5 of 23 emergency on March 16, 2020 that triggered the formal activation of the EOC. The Critical Action Team, consisting of the City Manager, certain department directors, and selected division managers, met to plan and document the City’s initial response to the pandemic, including: • Prevention of employee exposure (e.g., emphasizing that sick employees should not come to work, cancelling large in-person meetings, increasing cleaning and sanitization services at City facilities, procuring and issuing personal protective equipment). • Identifying communication strategies and capabilities during the pandemic. • Addressing public safety needs and staffing in case of evacuation or exposures of public safety staff and facilities, such as fire stations (e.g., using mutual aid resources to address City emergencies). • Identifying critical City functions at risk (e.g., wastewater treatment facilities, water quality testing and inspection, animal care at the City’s Junior Museum and Zoo) and mitigation strategies for potential disruptions (e.g., using volunteers and other qualified City staff to feed and care for zoo animals if assigned staff cannot report to work). • Remote work capabilities (e.g., training staff on Teams software) and mitigating risks to internet and network access failures at the City. • Use of satellite locations in case there is an exposure and evacuation of City facilities (e.g., operating the EOC remotely during the potential evacuation of key City facilities). • Updating or creating personnel policies and procedures (e.g., an exposure protocol to COVID- 19, including mandatory quarantine and management of extended sick leave). EOC Action Plans and Work Logs The EOC uses action plans to identify and prioritize emergency response objectives, tasks, and personnel assignments. EOC staff meet periodically to create and update action plans in response to the emergency. During the emergency, EOC staff recorded major decisions, activities, and products in a specialized form. Exhibit 1 summarizes the EOC section assignments and key objectives to address the COVID-19 emergency: Exhibit 1: EOC Sections and Objectives - March 16, 2020 through June 30, 2020 EOC Section Assignments Key Objectives (Selected and Abbreviated) Planning/Intelligence – Collects, evaluates, processes, and disseminates information for use in the emergency. • Align the efforts of City departments and staff with the directives provided by the City Manager and other authorities. • Support essential EOC functions and documentation and maintain situational awareness. Logistics – Oversees all of the resource and support functions (e.g., incident communications and facilities) • Supporting the transition of our entire workforce through remote work tools and other team efficacies. • Ensuring effective opportunities for public participation in meetings. • Managing personal protective equipment inventory, and other critical commodities, conducting emergency procurement. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 6 of 23 EOC Section Assignments Key Objectives (Selected and Abbreviated) Finance/Administration – Manages all financial, human resources, and administrative aspects of the emergency response. • Preparing Request for Public Assistance (RPA) from Cal OES/FEMA. • Supporting the reduction in force due to the COVID-19 impact and implementing a hiring freeze as guided by the hiring committee. • Updating and maintaining workflow and protocol for COVID-19 exposures for public safety officers and non-sworn essential workers. • Establishing an essential worker staffing plan for continuity of services to maintain public health, safety and infrastructure operations. Operations – Ensures that all field operations (e.g., restoration of facilities, law enforcement) are carried out within the jurisdiction. • Identify minimum response and staffing needs for the Fire, Police, Utilities, Community Services, and Public Works departments. • Monitor closed facilities and ensuring security and safety. Monitoring implementation and compliance with the new Shelter-in-Place order. • Monitor needs for protective equipment and work with Logistics to ensure adequate supply. • Ensure the safety of our vulnerable communities. Management – coordinates and administers the City’s emergency response operations. • Keep the City Council informed and engaged through this public health emergency through routine updates. • Communicate with the community, allied agencies, stakeholders, City staff and connect the community with resources during this time of transition. • Maintain continuity of government and essential functions and services in the City. EOC Actions and Outcomes The EOC Sections shown in Exhibit 1 made decisions, took actions, and/or policy changes to address the COVID-19 emergency. Exhibit 2 shows a chronology of significant actions by EOC section or branch: Exhibit 2: Summary of Selected EOC Significant Actions Date EOC Section/Branch Action 3/12/20 Management • Palo Alto statutory director of emergency services (City Manager Ed Shikada) proclaims local emergency due to spread of COVID-19. 3/14/20 Management • Closure of libraries, the Art Center, recreation facilities such as the Mitchell Park Community Center and Teen Center, Lucie Stern Community Center, the Junior Museum and Zoo, the Children’s Theatre and Rinconada Pool. 3/16/20 Management • Palo Alto City Council ratifies City Manager’s 3/12/20 proclamation of emergency. • EOC Activated virtually at Level 3 (full activation). After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 7 of 23 Date EOC Section/Branch Action • Employees sent home following 16 March Public Health Shelter in Place Order; Broad telework was instituted for employees 3/18/20 Management • Activation of a Community Support Call Center and daily email blast to widely disseminate updated and accurate information. This reflects numerous steps to address urgent needs, including staff redeployment, curtailing non-urgent work, directing a hiring freeze, and renegotiating labor agreements. 3/27/20 Management • Closure to vehicular parking at the Open Space Preserves (Baylands, Arastradero, and Foothills Park). 4/13/20 Finance • Initiated the process to request public assistance from Cal OES/FEMA. 4/14/20 Public Information Office (PIO) • Palo Alto Launched a partnership with Care.com to help essential workers meet their childcare needs. 4/17/20 Planning • The Planning Department launched a new web portal for permits. 4/17/20 Management • The City Manager implemented a policy to require employees to wear face coverings when the 6-foot social distancing protocol cannot be achieved. 5/11/20 Management • The City Council signed an ordinance requiring face coverings to be worn in public within Palo Alto. 5/22/20 Planning • The City implemented curbside pickup for select restaurants and retail stores. 6/3/20 Operations • CSD established a “cooling center” in response to high temperatures. 6/9/20 Management • Palo Alto COVID-19 test sites were scheduled at City Hall starting 6/15/20. 6/11/20 Recovery • The “Summer Streets Program” closed California Avenue to traffic in support of expanded outdoor retail and restaurant opportunities. 6/22/20 Recovery • Starting 6/26/20, University Avenue closed on weekends for the “Summer Streets Program” to support outdoor dining. EOC Deactivation On June 30, 2020, with about 130 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Palo Alto, the Office of Emergency Services (OES) deactivated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) based on the following conditions: • Routine City work practices were predominantly being used (City services were modified to comply with the Santa Clara County Health Department guidelines for social distancing and After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 8 of 23 mandatory telework for nonessential staff. Some City services, including summer camps and library services, resumed in a limited fashion). • EOC activities are primarily situational awareness and not operationally focused. • The City’s primary focus was increasingly turning to recovery (e.g., business, financial and return to work). Scope and Objectives of Review The purpose of this After Action Review (AAR)2 is for the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to identify and report to the City Manager areas for improvement in the City’s emergency response capabilities based on the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) response to the COVID-19 pandemic from March 16, 2020 to June 30, 2020. To conduct this review, we: • Surveyed the City’s “Management and Professional” staff to Identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement in the City’s EOC response to COVID-19 and future emergencies. • Identified and gathered information (i.e., performance measurements) from EOC staff to more objectively assess the outcomes of the EOC response, including whether EOC objectives and action plans were appropriate and effective to mitigate the COVID-19 emergency. 2 After a disaster, jurisdictions in California are required by statute (California Code of Regulations, section 2900[q]) to prepare an AAR to identify areas of improvement and corrective actions for each identified deficiency After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 9 of 23 ASSESSMENT Summary Our assessment identified 17 opportunities for improvement in Palo Alto’s emergency response. Exhibit 3 summarizes the opportunities that are discussed in more detail on the following pages. Exhibit 3: Summary of Opportunities for Improvement to Palo Alto’s Emergency Response EOC Section Opportunities for Improvement (summarized) OPR Suspense Date Planning and Intelligence 1. OES can identify and implement additional EOC training, such as writing EOC objectives and using action plans effectively. 2. OES can streamline and consolidate required EOC documentation (e.g., action plans and work log forms). 3. OES can identify and update relevant OES risk assessment documents, policies, procedures, and training materials to prepare for future pandemics or a resurgence of COVID-19. The updates should include an appropriate model for decision making and response to future pandemics. Provide appropriate notification and/or training to City staff and stakeholders as part of the update. OES OES OES Complete: OES includes this into EOC annual training March 2021 January 2021 Logistics 4. The IT Department and the HR Department can update and clarify procedures on the City’s remote-work technologies.3 5. The CMO can identify a centralized repository using a predetermined platform (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, City Intranet) for providing employees comprehensive information (e.g., lodging policies) during an emergency.4 6. The IT Department can explore providing laptops and/or other City supported technology to City Council members. IT / HR IT / CMO IT / Clerk Complete Complete December 2020 3 This task was completed pursuant to the development of this After Action Review and Corrective Action Plan. 4 This task was completed pursuant to the development of this After Action Review and Corrective Action Plan. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 10 of 23 EOC Section Opportunities for Improvement (summarized) OPR Suspense Date 7. OES and the IT Department can explore technological solutions to ensure essential staff have sufficient internet connectivity and network bandwidth at their remote locations during emergencies. 8. OES, Administrative Services Division, and the Public Works Department can review the City’s warehouse inventory to identify whether the City stocks and maintains appropriate levels of emergency supplies. IT / OES ASD March 2021 March 2021 Finance and Administration 9. OES can compare the City’s disaster service worker (DSW) policy and its implementation, from March through June 2020, with benchmark cities, including members of the Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) group. Based on the comparison, in coordination with the Human Resources Department and City Attorney’s office, OES can update the City’s policy and provide notification and training to City staff on any updates. 10. The Human Resources Department, with the input of every department, can develop an essential worker policy and procedure and coordinate with ELT to create a list of essential workers in advance of the next emergency. This list and information may be incorporated into a separate policy on essential workers or into the City’s existing DSW policy. 11. OES can work with ASD to clarify and implement streamlined procurement procedures for future emergencies. Identify the need for long-term, blanket contracts for emergency-related goods and services (e.g., protective equipment, cleaning services) and work with ASD to implement the contracts. 12. OES and ASD can review the current EOC resource management process and make necessary revisions. OES HR / OES ASD / OES ASD / OES June 2021 June 2021 March 2021 March 2021 Operations 13. The Human Resources Department can finalize and disseminate the City’s draft exposure protocol document.5 14. The Human Resources Department with support from other relevant workgroups can draft and implement a comprehensive return-to-work plan that considers HR HR Complete Complete 5 This task was completed pursuant to the development of this After Action Review and Corrective Action Plan. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 11 of 23 EOC Section Opportunities for Improvement (summarized) OPR Suspense Date potential changes to City facilities (e.g., the HVAC systems), staffing models (e.g., working in shifts), and compliance with changing county health orders (e.g., social distancing, quarantine). Management 15. Consider developing smaller ad-hoc functional teams to tackle the Areas of Improvement listed in this report. 16. OES and the City Manager can clarify and differentiate the role of ELT and EOC organizations during an emergency, including the appropriate transition point from one to the other. 17. Given the public visibility of actions such as a curfew order, the City Manager can formalize the steps of consultation with City councilmembers and approval by the City Attorney. 18. Re-invigorate continuity planning to inform departmental decision-making and operations of essential tasks. This effort should be closely aligned with the essential worker improvement item. CMO CMO / OES CMO / ATY / PD OES TBD June 2021 Complete. Revised protocol developed for inclusion in guidance documents January 2021 After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 12 of 23 Strengths and Improvement Opportunities by EOC Section A. Planning and Intelligence: The Office of Emergency Services (OES) led the Planning and Intelligence section, which was primarily responsible for: • Aligning the efforts of City departments and staff with the directives provided by the City Manager and other authorities. • Supporting essential EOC functions and documentation and maintaining situational awareness. Activity Highlights: • The OES hosted EOC meetings daily (including weekends) from March 16 to April 5; on weekdays only starting April 7; on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, starting April 27; and on Mondays and Thursdays starting June 15. Strengths: • In 2017, OES identified global pandemic, among other risks and threats, as part of a risk assessment that it published.6 Risk assessments are essential to emergency preparation. • In coordination with the IT Department, OES successfully transitioned the EOC and its staff to a remote operation model using tools such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. • OES gathered and disseminated comprehensive, up-to-date information to EOC participants that was essential in supporting decision making by the City’s executive leadership team (ELT) members (City department directors and selected division managers). • OES continually trained and supported key City staff for participation in an EOC activation, including the use of existing EOC tools and methods (e.g., action plans), to mitigate emergencies. Areas for Improvement: • Some EOC members were not sufficiently familiar with mandatory EOC tools and documentation, such as action plans and work logs. Some action plan elements written by EOC members, such as objectives, could be more effectively stated and consolidated. EOC training materials, consistent with project management standards, state that management objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound (i.e., SMART). Some EOC objectives could have been incorporated into work plan steps. OES staff provided more support than anticipated to EOC staff to complete action plans and other documentation during the emergency. 6 https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/43866 After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 13 of 23 • There was a significant amount of manual documentation associated with the EOC action planning process and work logs (a requirement for potential reimbursement of emergency costs from Cal OES/FEMA). A manual work log form (AP-214) was required from each EOC member in addition to time entry in the City’s SAP system that also captured staff time associated with the emergency. Some EOC documentation, including preliminary drafts, were stored and retained in multiple locations (i.e., Teams and SharePoint) and multiple versions (e.g., Word and Adobe Acrobat). • The EOC used a variety of communication tools, including email, text, Teams, and SharePoint. Some EOC staff felt a single, consolidated document or communication method would be more efficient. • Some EOC staff felt that it would be helpful to have cross-functional teams defined in advance of an emergency or on an ad-hoc basis during an incident, with specialized expertise in pre-defined areas, as a subset of EOC. Such teams may be more efficient in handling technical matters. Opportunities: 1. OES can review its training records and survey ELT staff to identify and implement additional training, such as writing EOC objectives and using action plans effectively. OES can ensure EOC training is continuous and that new staff are immediately trained and on- boarded. 2. OES can work with the IT Department to research and identify opportunities and technology to streamline and consolidate required EOC documentation (e.g., action plans and work log forms). OES can train required staff on any changes and updates to the EOC documentation process. 3. Based on lessons learned during the City’s emergency response to COVID-19 and pandemic planning and response guidance provided by Cal OES and FEMA,7 identify and update relevant OES risk assessment documents, policies, procedures, and training materials to plan and prepare for future pandemics or a resurgence of COVID-19. The updates should include an appropriate model for decision making and response to future pandemics. Provide appropriate notification and/or training to City staff and stakeholders as part of the update. This should include scenarios where a future pandemic is more lethal (mass fatality planning). 7 The following reference guides provide useful information on the topic: • https://www.caloes.ca.gov/PlanningPreparednessSite/Documents/Key%20Elements%20of%20Pandemic %20Plans.pdf • https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/mcea_pandemic_planning_considerations_guide.pdf After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 14 of 23 B. Logistics: The OES led the logistics section, with support from the IT, Public Works, and the Procurement division of the Administrative Services Departments. Logistics was primarily responsible for: • Supporting the transition of our entire workforce through remote work tools and other team efficacies. • Ensuring effective opportunities for public participation in meetings. • Managing personal protective equipment inventory, and other critical commodities, and conducting emergency procurement. Activity Highlights: • The IT Department supported the transition of the City to remote work technologies over the past several years. About 600 City staff (about 75 percent of employees) use City- supported laptops to do their work either on site or remotely. This preparedness helped the City smoothly transition to a remote work environment during the pandemic. • During the City’s response to the pandemic, the IT Department reported that an average of 500 staff accessed the City’s network remotely each day (i.e., using VPN technology) to do their work compared to 40 prior to March 2020. The City experienced no downtime of its critical network and SAP ERP systems. • The IT Department call center addressed about 444 calls per month and created about 944 work orders per month related to remote work issues during the pandemic response compared to 414 calls and 683 work orders prior to March 2020. This amounts to a 7 percent increase in monthly call volume and a 38 percent increase in monthly work orders. The IT Department resolved 72 percent of remote work support calls within 24 hours. • From March through June 2020, the City Clerk’s Office and City Manager’s Office supported 17 remotely held City Council meetings using Zoom technology. These meetings allowed for public participation. Strengths: • The City successfully transitioned to virtual City Council and Committee meetings using Zoom technology. These meetings successfully enabled community participation similar to traditional meetings. • The IT Department successfully and quickly rolled out and provided training for the use of remote work tools, including Teams, SharePoint, and Zoom. • The Human Resources Department implemented “telework” agreements with employees to clarify and formalize remote work roles and responsibilities. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 15 of 23 • The IT Department ensured that City staff were provided with laptops and other remote work tools, such as monitors, desktop computer systems for engineers, and secure, remote access to the City network (i.e., VPN). The City’s VPN supported up to 500 users at a time with no major incidents or slowness. Areas for Improvement: • City Council members do not have City-provided and supported laptops or other equipment. During the pandemic, the City Council had varying levels of success using Zoom to participate in meetings. The City manages its laptops and communication technology to ensure appropriate security, consistency, and availability of information. The City’s IT Help Desk is trained to provide support for the City’s selected technological tools and platforms. • There was no clear, single location to communicate instructions or emergency procedures to City staff. During the PSPS events last summer, the city established a webpage on Civica for employee information, but this wasn’t used during the COVID-19 incident. Periodically, the City Manager’s Office provided updates to all employees using email. Certain work instructions were posted to departmental pages on the city’s CityConnect internal website. • Much of the City’s remote work technology has been provided on an ad-hoc basis. Prior attempts to commit and complete the City’s transition to remote, cloud-based technologies were not completed. For example, the IT Department had planned but did not complete a phase-out of the City’s internally supported, traditional network environment in favor of SharePoint and other cloud-based tools. • There is overlap among the City’s remote-work technologies without clear guidelines as to which to use. This may lead to inefficiencies and duplication. For example, in a remote- work environment, staff can store information and work on the City’s network, SharePoint, One Drive or Teams. These technologies have different levels of security (e.g., restriction of access, encryption), back-up, and support from the City’s IT Department. • Some staff are not sufficiently trained and familiar with paperless technologies, such as the ability to download SAP data to Microsoft Excel instead of printing the information, or use of DocuSign to route and sign documents. • The IT Department Help Desk identified that the capability and bandwidth of remote home networks was a limiting factor during the emergency. In some employee homes or remote workstations, the use of the wireless technologies by others at the location limited the bandwidth availability for essential staff during the emergency. • The City did not have sufficient hand sanitizer, masks, and wipes on hand at its warehouses at the start of the pandemic. The procurement team quickly ordered supplies in bulk but these had long lead times, and limited selections. Given the nature of threats in our area, the warehouse is a central point where increased stockage of critical supplies can influence the ability of workers to safely perform essential services. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 16 of 23 Opportunities: 4. The IT Department can update and clarify its procedures on the City’s remote-work and paperless technologies and provide training to City staff on the City’s adopted tools, including differentiating between the tools and when they should be used. 5. OES and the IT Department can identify a centralized repository using a predetermined platform (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, City Intranet) for providing employees comprehensive information (e.g., lodging policies) during an emergency. 6. The IT Department, in coordination with the City Manager, the City Attorney’s Office can consider providing laptops and/or other City supported technology to City Council members. 7. OES and the IT Department can explore technological solutions to ensure EOC staff have sufficient internet connectivity and network bandwidth at their remote locations during emergencies. 8. OES, ASD, and the Public Works Department can review the City’s warehouse inventory to identify whether the City stocks and maintains appropriate levels of emergency supplies. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 17 of 23 C. Finance and Administration: The Administrative Services and Human Resources Departments led the Finance and Administration section, which was primarily responsible for: • Preparing Request for Public Assistance (RPA) from Cal OES/FEMA. • Supporting the reduction in force due to the COVID-19 impact and implementing a hiring freeze as guided by the hiring committee. • Updating and maintaining workflow and protocol for COVID-19 exposures for public safety officers and non-sworn essential workers. • Establishing an essential worker staffing plan for continuity of services to maintain public health, safety and infrastructure operations. Activity Highlights: • 628 staff recorded about 50,000 hours of work related to COVID-19 mitigation efforts through June 30,2020. The Administrative Services Department has identified about $200,000 in expenses related to the pandemic that it will submit to state and federal agencies (e.g., FEMA) for reimbursement. In addition, the City has already obtained about $1.15 million in federal and state grant funds to cover expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. • The City approved 375 telework agreements to allow employees to work remotely and redeployed 16 employees who could not do their normal work duties remotely.8 Overall, 990 (75 percent) of the City’s 1,261 employees were able to do their jobs during the emergency. The City’s personnel records show that 684 of 1,261 City employees were designated as “essential.” All but 13 of the 684 were able to work with 232 of the 684 essential employees continuing to work on site at a City facility. • The City processed 54 employee separations from March through June 2020. This includes voluntary and involuntary separations (e.g., lay-offs, termination due to poor performance, end of assignment). • The City addressed about 29 reports of City staff exposures or potential exposures to COVID-19 from March through June 2020. One of these individuals, an “essential employee,” tested positive. There were no employees or residents who reported that they were infected with COVID-19 at a City facility. Strengths: • The City quickly transitioned from a period of hiring to implementing significant budget cuts, implementing a hiring freeze, negotiating salary freezes, and laying off employees to meet the City’s budgeting requirements and Council directives. 8 This does not include redeployments to the Call Center that the City established to respond to community concerns about the pandemic. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 18 of 23 • The City rolled out new, emergency-related cost tracking codes, procedures, and training to capture the City’s labor and equipment costs to submit for reimbursement to Cal OES/FEMA. • The Human Resources Department staff worked with City departments to address employee exposures to COVID-19 based on the most current CDC and Santa Clara County Health Department guidelines. Areas for Improvement: • Although the City has a Disaster Service Worker (DSW) policy that allows the City to redeploy staff in case of an emergency event there was hesitation and concern during the emergency about the risks and liabilities of implementing the policy. The City did not redeploy all employees who could not perform their jobs remotely. • Although the Human Resources Department responded on an ad-hoc basis to City departments’ concerns and reports of staff exposures to COVID-19, it was slow to formalize an exposure protocol to ensure consistency of response and compliance with CDC and Santa Clara County Health Department guidelines. However, in the time following the EOC deactivation, HR has developed this protocol. • There was confusion about the City’s process to identify essential staff during the COVID- 19 emergency. Some City departments that had preidentified their essential staff (e.g., staff responsible for critical City utilities who could not work remotely) felt that it was inefficient to coordinate the process to identify essential staff with the Human Resources Department during the emergency. The City does not have a procedure to define and identify essential staff using predefined criteria. FEMA and the State of California provide guidance on planning for continuity of essential functions and essential staffing.9, 10 • Certain staff had to follow the City’s standard, competitive procurement process (i.e., obtaining bids) despite the City’s policies and procedures that allow streamlining of procurement during an emergency. There was also friction among the staff in how to execute resource requests for certain services during the incident as a result of the EOC logistics resource management process that conflicted with the City’s standard procurement policies and procedures. Opportunities: 9. Compare the City’s disaster service worker (DSW) policy and its implementation, from March through June 2020, with benchmark cities, including members of the Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) group. Based on the comparison, in coordination with the Human Resources Department and City Attorney’s office, update the City’s policy and provide notification and training to City staff on any updates. 9 See FEMA guides at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/continuity 10 See State of California guidance and definitions regarding essential workers: https://covid19.ca.gov/img/EssentialCriticalInfrastructureWorkers.pdf After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 19 of 23 10. The Human Resources Department can develop an essential worker policy and procedure and coordinate with ELT to create a list of essential workers in advance of the next emergency. This list and information may be incorporated into a separate policy on essential workers or into the City’s existing DSW policy. 11. OES can work with ASD to clarify and implement streamlined procurement procedures for future emergencies. Identify the need for long-term, blanket contracts for emergency- related goods and services (e.g., protective equipment, cleaning services) and work with ASD to implement the contracts. 12. OES and ASD can review the current EOC resource management process and make necessary revisions. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 20 of 23 D. Operations: The Public Safety, Utilities, and Public Works Departments led the Operations section, which was primarily responsible for: • Identifying minimum response and staffing needs for the Fire, Police, Utilities, Community Services, and Public Works departments. • Monitoring closed facilities and ensuring security and safety. Monitoring implementation and compliance with the new Shelter-in-Place order. • Monitoring needs for protective equipment and work with Logistics to ensure adequate supply. • Ensuring the safety and well-being of our community, inclusive of our vulnerable populations. Activity Highlights: • The City offered free COVID-19 testing at City Hall. From June 16 to June 19, 2020, the City performed 2,130 tests. • Through June 2020, the City collected over 1,500 donated and purchased cloth masks and issued 906 cloth masks to essential employees who were working on site. • The City’s Library and Community Services Departments established a community support call center to respond to resident questions and concerns during the pandemic. Over 30 call center agents responded to 274 emails and 3,783 calls through June 2020. Strengths: • Operations maintained essential services and functions throughout the shelter in place, with no confirmed COVID-19 infections. • The EOC successfully coordinated the receipt of surplus masks in the City’s warehouses for use during the COVID-19 emergency and creatively coordinated the use of surplus chemicals into hand sanitizer for use by City staff. • The City responded quickly to identify and close City-operated facilities and functions, including buildings, swimming pools, classes, camps, and parks, in compliance with Santa Clara County’s Shelter-in-Place order. • The Public Works and Utilities Departments established alternating shifts to reduce staffing levels at City facilities and comply with social distancing requirements for essential staff who could not work remotely. Each department established A and B shifts to manage staff workload and staffing levels. • The Public Safety, Utilities, and Public Works Departments coordinated receipt of protective equipment to essential City staff who could not work remotely. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 21 of 23 • The City established and publicized a community support call center to respond to resident questions and concerns about the emergency. Existing technology allowed call takers to respond remotely to calls (i.e., without reporting to work at a City facility). • The Community Services Department facilitated weekly meetings of community-based organizations to share information, provide resources, and coordinate assistance. Areas for Improvement: • The Human Resources Department responded on an ad-hoc basis to City departments’ concerns and reports of staff exposures to COVID-19. Since the deactivation of the EOC, HR formalized an exposure protocol to ensure consistency of response and compliance with CDC and Santa Clara County Health Department guidelines. • The City must have a return-to-work plan when the State and County deem it safe to resume on-site operations. However, the Human Resources department is meeting with departments one on one to review their return to work policies and procedures. Since the deactivation of the EOC, HR has developed a return-to-work protocol. Opportunities: 13. The Human Resources Department can finalize and disseminate its draft exposure protocol document, and continue to iterate it as policies change at higher levels of government. 14. The Human Resources Department with support from other relevant workgroups can draft and implement a comprehensive return-to-work plan that considers potential changes to City facilities (e.g., the HVAC systems), staffing models (e.g., working in shifts), and compliance with changing county health orders (e.g., social distancing, quarantine). After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 22 of 23 E. Management: The Office of Emergency Services (OES), City Manager, and certain City Department Directors led the Management section, which was primarily responsible for: • Keeping the City Council informed and engaged through this public health emergency through daily updates and sharing ways they can assist the City and community during this time. • Given the protracted nature and incremental impact of this emergency on other City operations, maintaining communications and coordination with departments not directly involved with emergency response. Activity Highlights: • The City’s Emergency Services Council, including the City Manager, OES Chief, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and other City Council Members, designated community members, and supporting City staff met on Mondays and Thursdays starting on March 23; on Mondays starting April 13; and on the second and fourth Mondays in July starting July 13.11 Strengths: • The City Manager provided periodic email updates and held regular remote team meetings to engage and update the City Council regarding the City’s emergency management. • The City supported and enabled remote, interactive City Council and Council Committee meetings using Zoom technology. • The City’s Public Information Office provided ongoing updates to City residents and staff using an array of public facing mediums on a daily basis. There were many facets of information the City shared throughout the community. • Public facing actions were generally implemented in a timely and effective manner. It was subsequently noted that given the impact of actions such as a curfew order, formalizing the consultation and approval steps involved in such actions may be beneficial. Areas for Improvement: • From March through June 2020, City management continued its standard ELT meetings in addition to the EOC meetings. Section Chiefs of the EOC also held meetings as a subset of EOC meetings.12 Most of the ELT and EOC participants were the same individuals and there was some overlap in meeting contents and discussions. There was some confusion among staff regarding the purpose and distinction between ELT and EOC meetings during 11 The Emergency Services Council is described at www.cityofpaloalto.org/ccc 12 EOC Section leader meetings occurred on weekdays from March 19 to April 4; on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting April 7; and on Tuesdays only starting June 15. After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) Emergency Response to COVID-19 Page 23 of 23 the emergency. There was also confusion regarding the cessation of EOC operations in June 2020 in favor of ELT meetings while the emergency proclamation continued. • For the past four years OES has led an interdepartmental team in the implementation of the City’s Continuity of Governance / Operations planning process. The team has utilized a third-party software, Bold Planning, to facilitate this planning. Most departments have developed continuity of operations plans, but these plans did not ‘survive first contact with the enemy’. In this case, the COOP did not adequately address a pandemic situation of this magnitude; and the level of detail of the plan did not aid decision making during this incident to the degree that it should or could have. Many of the persons involved in developing the COOP plans are no longer with the City, so new participants are needed to continue to maintain and improve current plans. Opportunities: 15. Consider developing smaller ad-hoc functional teams to tackle the Areas of Improvement listed in this report. 16. OES and the City Manager can clarify and differentiate the role of ELT and EOC organizations during an emergency, including the appropriate transition point from one to the other. 17. The City Manager can formalize the steps of consultation with City councilmembers and approval by the City Attorney regarding emergency orders. In order to ensure clarity in future emergencies, the following will be incorporated into all appropriate guiding documents: The City Manager shall consult with the Mayor, Vice Mayor and Chair of the Policy and Service Committee regarding the issuance of an emergency order or regulation affecting the civil or constitutional rights of persons in Palo Alto, including but not limited to citywide or large-scale evacuation orders, closure of certain businesses or places of public gathering, curfews, emergency entry into private property, banning the sale of certain items, prohibiting price gouging, rationing, and commandeering of aid. Consultation shall occur prior to issuing the emergency order unless infeasible due to extraordinary urgency or unavailability, in which case consultation shall occur as promptly thereafter as possible. Orders intended to be in effect for more than 48 hours will be brought to Council as soon as practicable. The City Attorney shall approve emergency orders as to form and legality. 18. Re-invigorate continuity planning to inform departmental decision-making and operations of essential tasks. This effort should be closely aligned with the essential worker improvement item.