Emergency Action Plans
The free Emergency Management EAP Orientation Seminar, Dam Breaks in Kansas: Before, During, and After, was held 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Monday, July 11; Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 SW 10th Ave, Topeka, KS.
Since 2000, more than 45 U.S. dam failures have resulted in loss of life and millions of dollars in damages. To protect its residents, Kansas requires owners of significant (class b) and high (class c) hazard dams to prepare Emergency Action Plans, which are to be done in coordination with local emergency management departments.
Forty emergency managers and organization representatives learned about their role in Emergency Action Plans in this Emergency Management EAP Orientation Seminar provided by the Dam Safety Program in the Division of Water Resources, Kansas Department of Agriculture.
After DWR specialists provided short presentations relating to dam safety in Kansas, the group had lunch while discussing a dam breach scenario and multi-agency response in an activity led by John E. Roberts, a NIMS/ICS, lead instructor.
Emergency Action Plans can help save lives and reduce property damage during a dam safety emergency. Plans increase preparedness by organizing emergency contact information and evacuation procedures into an official document and by providing enhanced communications between dam owners and local emergency management officials. These plans are filed with the Division of Water Resources emergency management departments, and others that may be involved in a dam emergency.
These plans include:
- Guidance for evaluating emergency situations occurring at a dam
- Notification charts and emergency contact information
- List of residents, businesses and entities within the downstream inundation zone.
- List of resources available for responding to a dam emergency.
- Inundation zone map (estimated boundary of the maximum water surface elevation resulting from a dam breach
- Basic physical and geographical data for the regulated dam
We also offer a free, non-technical seminar that provides an overview of the EAP requirements for high hazard dams, as well as reviews the regulations that require a simple emergency action plan for significant hazard dams. Topics include dam safety practices, failure modes, and plan implementation. For more information, contact (785) 296-0573 or cindy.higgins@kda.ks.gov.
Forms
Signficant Hazard Emergency Action Plan
High Hazard EAP Fillable Form- Developed by Natural Resources Conservation Service, this sample form also can be used to fulfull the EAP requirement for high hazard dams.
