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Incident Action Checklist - Tornado
The actions in this checklist are divided up into three "rip & run" sections and are examples of activities that water and
wastewater utilities can take to: prepare for, respond to and recover from a tornado. For on-the-go convenience, you can
also populate the "My Contacts" section with critical information that your utility may need during an incident.
Tornado Impacts on Water and Wastewater Utilities
Tornadoes can occur in any location with little to no notice. Tornadoes can have wind gusts from 65 to over 200
miles per hour (mph) and are often accompanied by floods, high straight-line winds up to 140 mph, hail and
lightning. About 1,200 tornadoes occur in the United States each year, and they can have devastating impacts
to water and wastewater utilities. Impacts may include, but are not limited to:
Damage to infrastructure (e.g., storage tanks, hydrants,
residential plumbing fixtures, distribution system) due to
hail, wind, debris and flash flooding, resulting in loss of
service and/or reduced pressure throughout the system
Restricted access to the facility due to debris and damaged
roads
Loss of power and communication lines
Potential contamination due to chemical leaks from
ruptured containers
Severe water and pressure loss due to ruptured service NOAA
lines in damaged buildings and broken fire hydrants from airborne debris
The following sections outline actions water and wastewater utilities can take to prepare for, respond to and
recover from a tornado.
Example of Water Sector Impacts and Response to a Tornado
Smithville, Mississippi 2011 Tornado
An EF-5 tornado with estimated winds of 205 mph and a half-mile wide base hit Smithville, Mississippi in April 2011,
destroying 150 homes and several businesses and city facilities, including the water system. The utility's elevated
storage tank was damaged and several pipes were bent due to a car striking the structure. The tornado also tore out
appliances and plumbing fixtures from homes and destroyed at least three fire hydrants.
Both the drinking water and waste water systems lost power immediately after the tornado hit, and half of the town
was without water due to damage to infrastructure and the power outage. Generators were coordinated through
the Mississippi Rural Water Association to provide temporary power. The drinking water and wastewater utilities
conducted damage assessments and teams were quickly deployed to fix leaks, turn off meters in destroyed homes
and restore service throughout the systems.
Source: NRWA's "Rural Water assists tornado-ravaged Mississippi"
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My Contacts and Resources
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CONTACT NAME
UTILITY/ORGANIZATION NAME
PHONE NUMBER
Local EMA
State EMA
State Primacy Agency
WARN Chair
Power Utility
Planning
Incident monitoring:
Storm Prediction Center (National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration [NOAA])
U.S. Tornado Climatology (NOAA)
Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage (NOAA)
Severe Weather 101: Tornado Basics (NOAA)
National Weather Service Weather Alerts (NOAA)
Planning for an Emergency Drinking Water Supply
(EPA)
All-Hazard Conseguence Management Planning
for the Water Sector (Water Sector Emergency
Response Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory
Council [CIPAC] Workgroup)
Vulnerability Self Assessment Tool (VSAT) (EPA)
Preparing for Extreme Weather Events: Workshop
Planner for the Water Sector (EPA)
Tabletop Exercise Tool for Water Systems:
Emergency Preparedness. Response, and Climate
Resiliency (EPA)
How to Develop a Multi-Year Training and Exercise
(T&E) Plan (EPA)
Make a Plan (FEMA)
Coordination
Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network
(WARN) (EPA)
Community Based Water Resiliency (EPA)
Facility and Service Area
Emergency Response and Preparedness Florida
WARN Best Management Practices for Water and
Wastewater Systems (University of Florida Center for
Training)
Water Agencies Respond to Tornadoes (Florida Rural
Water Association and Florida WARN)
Documentation and Reporting
Federal Funding for Utilities In National Disasters
(Fed FUNDS') (EPA)
Power, Energy and Fuel
EPA Region 1 Water/Wastewater System Generator
Preparedness Brochure (EPA)
Mitigation
Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool
(GREAT) (EPA)
Adaptation Strategies Guide (EPA)
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Actions to Prepare for a Tornado
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Planning
I I Review and update your utility's emergency
response plan (ERP), and ensure all emergency
contacts are current.
I I Conduct briefings, training and exercises to
ensure utility staff is aware of all preparedness,
response and recovery procedures.
I | Identify priority water customers (e.g., hospitals),
obtain their contact information, map their
locations and develop a plan to restore those
customers first.
I | Develop an emergency drinking water supply
plan and establish contacts (potentially through
your local emergency management agency
[EMA] or mutual aid network) to discuss
procedures, which may include bulk water
hauling, mobile treatment units or temporary
supply lines, as well as storage and distribution.
I | Conduct a hazard vulnerability analysis in which
you review historical records to understand the
past frequency and intensity of tornado events
and how your utility may have been impacted.
Consider taking actions to mitigate tornado
impacts to the utility, including those provided
in the "Actions to Recover from a Tornado:
Mitigation" section.
I | Complete pre-disaster activities to help apply
for federal disaster funding (e.g., contact state/
local officials with connections to funding, set
up a system to document damage and costs,
take photographs of the facility for comparison to
post-damage photographs).
Coordination
Join your state's Water/Wastewater Agency
Response Network (WARN) or other local
mutual aid network.
Coordinate with WARN members and other
neighboring utilities to discuss:
Outlining response activities, roles and
responsibilities and mutual aid procedures
(e.g., how to request and offer assistance)
Conducting joint tabletop or full-scale
exercises
Obtaining resources and assistance, such as
equipment, personnel, technical support or
water
Establishing interconnections between
systems and agreements with necessary
approvals to activate this alternate source.
Equipment, pumping rates and demand on
the water sources need to be considered and
addressed in the design and operations
Establishing communication protocols and
equipment to reduce misunderstandings
during the incident
Coordinate with other key response partners,
such as your local EMA, to discuss:
How restoring system operations may
have higher priority than establishing an
alternative water source
Potential points of distribution for the delivery
of emergency water supply (e.g., bottled
water) to the public, as well as who is
responsible for distributing the water
Understand how the local and utility emergency
operations center (EOC) will be activated and
what your utility may be called on to do, as
well as how local emergency responders and
the local EOC can support your utility during a
response. If your utility has assets outside of the
county EMA's jurisdiction, consider coordination
or preparedness efforts that should be done in
those areas.
Ensure credentials to allow access will be valid
during an incident by checking with local law
enforcement.
Sign up for mobile and/or email alerts from your
local EMA, if available.
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Actions to Prepare for a Tornado (continued)
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Communication with Customers
I I Develop outreach materials to provide your
customers with information they will need
after a tornado (e.g., clarification about water
advisories, instructions for private well and septic
system maintenance and information about
tornado mitigation).
I Review public information protocols with local
EMA and public health/primacy agencies.
These protocols should include developing
water advisory messages (e.g., boil water) and
distributing them to customers using appropriate
mechanisms, such as reverse 911.
Facility and Service Area
Inventory and order extra equipment and
supplies, as needed:
Motors
Fuses
Chemicals (ensure at least a two week supply)
Cellular phones or other wireless
communications device
Emergency Supplies
Tarps/tape/rope
Cots/blankets
First aid kits
Foul weather gear
Plywood
Flashlights/flares
Sandbags (often, sand must be ordered as
well)
Bottled water
Batteries
Non-perishable food
I Ensure communication equipment (e.g., radios,
satellite phones) works and is fully charged.
I Develop a GIS map of all system components
and prepare a list of coordinates for each facility.
I Document pumping requirements and storage
capabilities, as well as critical treatment
components and parameters.
Personnel
Identify essential personnel and ensure they are
trained to perform critical duties in an emergency
(and possibly without communication), including
the shut down and start up of the system.
Establish communication procedures with
essential and non-essential personnel. Ensure
all personnel are familiar with emergency
evacuation and shelter in place procedures.
Pre-identify emergency operations and clean-
up crews. Establish alternative transportation
strategies if roads are impassable.
Consider how evacuations or limited staffing
due to transportation issues (potentially all
utility personnel) will impact your response
procedures.
Identify possible staging areas for mutual
aid crews if needed in the response, and the
availability of local facilities to house the crews.
Encourage personnel, especially those that
may be on duty for extended periods of time, to
develop family emergency plans.
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Actions to Prepare for a Tornado (continued)
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Power, Energy and Fuel
Evaluate condition of electrical panels to accept
generators; inspect connections and switches.
Document power requirements of the facility;
options for doing this may include:
Placing a request with the US Army Corps
of Engineers 249th Engineer Battalion
(Prime Power): http://www.usace.army.
mil/249thEngineerBattalion.aspx
Using the US Army Corps of Engineers on-line
Emergency Power Facility Assessment Tool
(EPFAT): http://epfat.swf.usace.army.mil/
Confirm and document generator connection
type, capacity load and fuel consumption. Test
regularly, exercise under load and service
backup generators.
Fill fuel tanks to full capacity and ensure that
you have the ability to manually pump gas in the
event of a power outage. Ensure this equipment
and other hazardous materials are located in a
safe zone.
Contact fuel vendors and inform them of
estimated fuel volumes needed if utility is
impacted. Determine your ability to establish
emergency contract provisions with vendors
and your ability to transport fuel if re-fueling
contractors are not available. Develop a backup
fueling plan and a prioritization list of which
generators to fuel in case of a fuel shortage.
Collaborate with your local power provider and
EOC to ensure that your water utility is on the
critical facilities list for priority electrical power
restoration, generators and emergency fuel.
FEMA
r Notes:
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Actions to Respond to a Tornado
Coordination
I I Notify your local EMA and state regulatory/
primacy agency of system status.
I I If needed, request or offer assistance (e.g.,
water buffalos, water sampling teams,
generators) through mutual aid networks, such
as WARN.
I I Assign a representative of the utility to the
incident command post or the community's EOC.
Communication with Customers
Notify customers of any water advisories
and consider collaborating with local media
(television, radio, newspaper, etc.) to distribute
the message. If emergency water is being
supplied, provide information on the distribution
locations.
Facility and Service Area
Overall
\ I Conduct damage assessments of the utility to
prioritize repairs and other actions.
I I Check that back-up equipment and facility
systems, such as controls and pumps, are
in working order, and ensure that chemical
containers and feeders are intact.
Drinking Water Utilities
\ I Inspect the utility and service area for damage.
Identify facility components (e.g., valve boxes)
and fire hydrants that have been buried, are
inaccessible or have been destroyed.
Ensure pressure is maintained throughout the
system and isolate those sections where it is not.
Isolate and control leaks in water transmission
and distribution piping.
Turn off water meters at destroyed homes and
buildings.
Monitor water quality, develop a sampling plan
and adjust treatment as necessary.
Notify regulatory/primacy agency if operations
and/or water quality or quantity are affected.
Utilize pre-established emergency connections
or setup temporary connections to nearby
communities, as needed. Alternatively, implement
plans to draw emergency water from pre-
determined tanks or hydrants. Notify employees
of the activated sites.
Wastewater Utilities
Inspect the utility and service area, including
lift stations, for damage, downed trees and
power availability. Inspect the sewer system for
debris and assess the operational status of the
mechanical bar screen. If necessary, run system
in manual operation.
Notify regulatory/primacy agency of any changes
to the operations or required testing parameters.
r Notes:
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Actions to Respond to a Tornado (continued)
Documentation and Reporting
Document all damage assessments, mutual aid
requests, emergency repair work, equipment
used, purchases made, staff hours worked and
contractors used during the response to assist
in requesting reimbursement and applying for
federal disaster funds. When possible, take
photographs of damage at each work site (with
time and date stamp). Proper documentation is
critical to requesting reimbursement.
Work with your local EMA on the required
paperwork for public assistance requests.
Personnel
Account for all personnel and provide emergency
care, if needed. Caution personnel about known
hazards resulting from tornadoes.
Deploy emergency operations and clean-up
crews (e.g., securing heavy equipment). Identify
key access points and roads for employees
to enter the utility and critical infrastructure;
coordinate the need for debris clearance with
local emergency management or prioritize it for
employee operations.
Ensure personnel are aware of potential hazards
and delays while traveling within the affected
service area (i.e., flat tires caused by debris,
navigation issues caused by uprooted/missing
street signs).
Power, Energy and Fuel
Use backup generators, as needed, to supply
power to system components.
Monitor and plan for additional fuel needs
in advance; coordinate fuel deliveries to the
generators.
Maintain contact with electric provider for power
outage duration estimates.
r Notes:
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Actions to Recover from a Tornado
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Coordination
Documentation and Reporting
I I Continue work with response partners to obtain
funding, equipment, etc.
Communication with Customers
Assign a utility representative to continue
to communicate with customers concerning
a timeline for recovery and other pertinent
information.
Facility and Service Area
I I Complete damage assessments.
I I Complete permanent repairs, replace depleted
supplies and return to normal service.
FEMA
Compile damage assessment forms and cost
documentation into a single report to facilitate
the sharing of information and the completion
of state and federal funding applications.
Visit EPA's web-based tool, Federal Funding
for UtilitiesWater/Wastewaterin National
Disasters (Fed FUNDS), for tailored information
and application forms for various federal
disaster funding programs: http://water.epa.gov/
infrastructure/watersecurity/funding/fedfunds/
Develop a lessons learned document and/or
an after action report to keep a record of your
response activities. Update your vulnerability
assessment, ERP and contingency plans.
Revise budget and asset management plans to
address increased costs from response-related
activities.
Mitigation
Identify mitigation and long-term adaptation
measures that can prevent damage and
increase utility resilience. Consider impacts
related to the increased frequency and intensity
of tornadoes when planning for system upgrades
(e.g., ensure adequate backup power supply
for key assets, pursue interconnections with
neighboring utilities).
Notes:
Office of Water (4608-T)
EPA 817-F-15-007 January 2015
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