* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Cole
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Informational Hearing - Response to the February 2010 Winter Storms
FOR the purpose of requesting representatives from the City agencies involved in the response to the historic February 2010 snow storms to appear before the City Council to review the lessons learned from this crisis and to explore best practices from other jurisdictions to better prepare the City's response to future storms.
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Recitals
In the first half of February the City of Baltimore was hit by two historic snow storms in the span of a mere 5 days. Each of these storms alone delivered more snow in a single outing than Baltimore typically receives in an entire winter season. Together, they created an unprecedented natural emergency that effectively shut down the City and surrounding jurisdictions for days.
City government responded quickly and forcefully to this challenge. Phases I to III of the City's Snow Emergency Plan were instituted. Baltimore City truck drivers, police officers, and firefighters worked literally 24-7 during the crisis, allowing the City to keep basic necessities flowing and to respond to every call for emergency services from its citizens. Millions of City dollars were spent, thousands of pounds of salt were spread, and hundreds of pieces of equipment kept in constant operation to alleviate the effects of this disaster. City plows and salt trucks drove more than 120,000 miles in their efforts to keep the streets as free of snow as possible.
Despite these impressive efforts and successes, many citizens felt that there were elements of the City's response that could have been improved upon. Procedures and equipment that have served Baltimore well in the past were tested in ways that they have not been in decades. Inevitably, some came up short of expectations.
As part of its general oversight role, the City Council is responsible for reviewing the City's response to a crisis of this scale to determine what did and did not work, to review the effective use of the City's resources, and to determine how the City can better meet this sort of challenge in the future. Best practices in the following areas in particular should be explored:
* Snow emergency routes;
* Plow deployments and routes;
* Plans for pedestrians and vehicles;
* Access for oil and heating companies to deliver fuel; and
* Responses to health and public safety emergencies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That representatives from the many City agencies involved in the response to the historic February 2010 snow storms are requested to appear before the City Council to review the lessons learned from this crisis and to explore what best practices should guide the City's response to future storms of this magnitude.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Director of Public Works, the Director of Transportation, the Health Commissioner, the Fire Chief, the Police Commissioner, the Director and Chair of the Commission on Aging and Retirement Education, the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, the Director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods, the Executive Director of the Parking Authority of Baltimore City, the Director of Emergency Management, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
dlr 10-1002(2)~intro/17Feb10
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dlr 10-1002(2)~intro/17Feb10
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ccres/FebStormHearing/tw:wc