TWCA Annual Convention

1. Texas State Guard
“Assistance Available to Utilities, Local Authorities; and State
Agencies After Hurricanes and Other Disasters”
Presented By:
The Honorable Bill Callegari, PE/AA, Maj, TXSG
Michael F. Thuss, PE, Col, TXSG
Texas Water Conservation Association – 3 Mar’16
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“Texans Serving Texas”
www.txsg.state.tx.us
Texas Military Forces: TAG; Army, Air, & State Guard

2. Texas State Guard
CONDITIONS/THREATS/RISKS
• HURRICANE SEASON: 1 June – 30 November
• OTHER HUMAN MADE AND NATURAL DISASTERS
• SPECIAL EVENTS
RESPONSIVENESS
• PREPARDNESS
• RESTORATION SERVICES
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“Texans Serving Texas”
www.txsg.state.tx.us
Texas Military Forces: TAG; Army, Air, & State Guard

3. Public Agency Response to
Emergencies
• Federal Home Land
Security
• Federal Emergency
Management Agency
• Texas Department of
Public Safety
• Texas Department of
Emergency
Management (TDEM)
• Federal Agencies
• Federal Military
Departments
• Active Duty Federal
Military & USACE
• National Guard – Air
Guard and Army Guard
• State Assets
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4. – Participate in the National Incident Management
System. Practice.
– Know your County and or City Emergency Management
Person
– Know your TDEM Regional Person
– Know when and how to get help – practice.
– Understand how the TEXAS STATE OPERATIONS CENTER
(TXSOC) Works.
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HOW DO I GET HELP?

5. – HQ’s Texas Adjutant General (TXSOC)
– Army National Guard – State and Federal Asset
– Air National Guard – State and Federal Asset
– State Guard ( HQ’s, 8 Army Regiments, Maritime Regiment, Air
Wing, Medical Brigade, Engineer Group – Approx. total 2500)
– All Volunteer
– Credentialed First Responders
– Serve only at the pleasure of the Governor in the State of Texas
– Mostly people (Some communications capability)
– Limited State Funding
– Limited State Equipment
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Texas Military Forces

6. – General Missions of the Texas State Guard
– General support to the State of Texas and the Military Forces of Texas
– Special Event or Incident Support
– Emergency Operations Planning and Operational Support to Local Incident
Commanders (County Judges, Mayors)
– Evacuee Tracking
– Shelter Operations
– Point of Distribution Operations
– Preliminary Wide Area Damage Assessments (For Disaster Declarations)
– Land and water Search and Rescue
– Medical and Dental Augmentation
– Civil Engineering/Public Works Augmentation
– ICS/IMT Augmentation
– Chaplain and Counseling Augmentation
– Communications and WEB EOC Augmentation
– Liaison with Texas Nation Guard Units, State and Federal Agencies
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Texas Military Forces

7. Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
“The Mission of the Engineer Group – Texas State Guard (EN
GP) is to coordinate and provide civil engineering, public
works, and general engineering operational support to the State
of Texas, when and as directed by the Commanding General,
Texas State Guard.”
(NOTE: This is usually during and after a significant event – such as a
category 3 – 5 hurricane and or multi-county > 100 yr flooding or
similar event which surpasses local emergency response capacity.)
MISSION:
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8. Texas State Guard
Engineer Group
• General Civil Engineering
• Environmental
• Public Works (Water & Wastewater, Roads, Bridges, Drainage)
• Disaster Declaration Orientated Preliminary Facility Damage Assessments
• ICS/IMT Augmentation
• Liaison
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“Texans Serving Texas”
www.txsg.state.tx.us
Texas Military Forces: TAG; Army, Air, & State Guard
State Disaster Relief Operations

9. Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
NORMAL OPERATIONS – as requested thru Texas Military
Forces channels and as authorized by the Commanding General -
the Engineer Group provides:
• National Incident Management System (ICS/EMT) Staff
Augmentation to State Agencies, and Local Authorities.
• Credentialed personnel for participation in State Agency
and Local Authority emergency planning, exercises and
training.
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10. Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS – Working for the Local Authorities and with
TCEQ and TDEM - thru Texas Military Forces channels and as approved by the
Commanding General.
• General Civil Engineering
• Environmental
• Public Works (Water & Wastewater, Roads, Bridges, Drainage)
• Disaster Declaration Orientated Preliminary Public Facility Damage Assessments
• ICS/IMT Augmentation
• Liaison
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11. – Licensed Professional
Engineers (Civil, Structural,
Process, MEP)
– State Certified (C – AA) Water
and Wastewater system &
plant Operators
– NIMS/ICS/IMT Certified
Personnel
– Environmental Scientists
– Facility Asset Managers
– Equipment and Materials
Managers
– Certified Program & Project
Managers
– Budget, Finance and
Accounting Specialists
– Public Relations Professionals
– Human Resources Specialists
– Communications Specialists
– Information Technology
Specialists
– Heavy Construction Managers
& Inspectors
– Security Specialists
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Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
What Skills Do We have?
Engineer Group personnel usually deploy as Teams for 2 or more weeks.
Teams are self sufficient for 7 days - except for fuel

12. – Unit Equipment:
– RV & Campers
– Tentage (800 sf)
– Tables
– Field Desks
– Chairs
– Generators/Fuel
– Printer/Scanner
– Projectors
– Network Routers
– Maps
– Ham Radios
– Personal Equipment:
– TXSG Uniforms for all weather
operations..
– Credentials (TXSG ID Card, Licenses)
– Safety Gear
– Privately Owned Vehicle
– Laptop Computer
– Cell Phone, digital camera, GPS
– Camp Gear: Sleeping bag, chair,
propane stove, light, fan, tent.
– Food and Water – 7 days
– Personnel have background check,
medical assessment, and have proof
of current medical coverage & shot
record prior to deployment
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TXSG Engineer Group
What Do We Bring to the Fight?
Engineer Response Teams are self sufficient for 7 days
• 40
Members

13. Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
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14. What Can We do Together?
Consulting Support Functional Areas:
• Mobilize People and Deploy Quickly
• Public Works – City and County Infrastructure including roads, drainage,
marinas, bridges.
• Water and Wastewater Systems
• Prior to the incident reviewing and testing hazard mitigation plans, and
become familiar with your environment, operations, and personnel.
• Come early - Assist with immediate infrastructure damage assessments
for disaster declarations.
• Augment your ICS/IMT with qualified personnel for continuous
operations
• Provide advice and assistance in getting the right restoration support.
Monitor progress and costs; and report on specific elements.
• Provide knowledgeable liaison to regional, state, and federal agencies
such as TXSG Units, TCEQ, TDEM, other local governments, FEMA support,
and Federal Installations and Agencies.
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15. Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
• Damage Assessments for Disaster Declarations
• Membrane Technology – Special considerations.
• Other
Discussion Topics:
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16. Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
• Damage Assessments for Disaster Declaration
– 1 page damage assessment and recovery estimate
– For local critical infrastructure including but not limited to:
• Roads,
• Bridges,
• Drainage Structures,
• Marinas
• Water and Wastewater Systems
• Public Buildings
– Will test and adjust this concept in Corpus Christi 9 – 12 June
2016.
Discussion Topics:
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17. Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
• Membrane Technology – Preparing for a Hurricane
• Best advice we’ve found so far:
– Follow the manufacturer’s instructions! Incorporate their guidance into your
“Mitigation Plans” for your specific system. You may have to specifically ask
them for this.
– Control and Data Acquisition hardware and software – these control systems
are critical to the efficient operations of membrane plants are the first to fail –
they need to be especially protected and readily replaceable.
– Operators need to be trained on emergency procedures and they need to
practice.
Discussion Topics:
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18. State of Texas Assistance
Request (STAR – ICS 213)
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How do you get us? STAR – 213. Ask
early.

19. Engineer Group – Texas State Guard
• Professional Liability
• Insurance - all kinds
• Chain of Command
• Relationship with National Guard and Home Land Security
• Competition with private professionals
• Cost Reimbursement
Other Discussion Topics:
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20. Summary
• Assemble and get there on short notice
• Take care of ourselves & operate correctly in a NIMS environment
• Establish liaison and communications
• Augment staff and advise decision makers on engineering matters
• Provide damage assessment technical support - provide qualified support to evaluate
critical water & wastewater utility systems and public works infrastructure
• Assist local emergency managers prepare, process, and track 213s
• Coordinate and track personnel, equipment, and materials provided for relief
operations
• Provide documentation for Federal Reimbursement
• Augment local ICS/IMT Staffs with qualified personnel
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS : How can we assist State Agencies and or a
Local Incident Commander? What can we actually do?
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Generally –operate at the local level as part of a larger team under the direction of the Texas State Guard
and the Texas State Emergency Management Organizations (TDEM, TXWARN, TCEQ,; TEEX -PW,
TXSG-HQs, TXSOC) when requested through the Military Forces of Texas

21. Interested in Joining?
• Reasonable Availability
• Medically Cleared
• Background Check
• Training:
– Drills: One (1) Saturday a month at Response Team Locations (Houston,
Dallas, Austin, San Antonio)
– TXSG Annual Training Exercises –with Regiments, Agencies, and Local
Governments
– Other Exercises and Operations as permitted by HQs
• Maintain Civilian Licenses and Certifications
• Do not need to be former military.
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22. Questions?
Contact Mike Thuss 830-265-8946
Michael.thuss@txsg.state.tx.us
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23. 2/15/16 23Texas State Guard

24. KeyPersonnel&Experience
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Name Lic/Cert Rank Experience
Mike Thuss PE COL
27 yrs USA Corps of Engineers, CEO of SAWS, City
Manager, Utility Heavy Construction, MSCE
Fred Waterman PE COL 40 yrs Exp. VP, Engineering Design Consulting Firm
Conrad Derdyen PE COL
USA Ret - 30 Yrs Engineering Experience.
President of his own Consulting Firm
Pat Fink PE Col
30 Years Air Force Civil Engineering. VP
Consulting firm
Dan Jackson PE Col USA - Ret Engineer; Public Works Director
Bob Hudnel PE Col USA - Retired. Facilities & public works expert.
Bill Callagari PE/AA MAJ
Principal, Engineering Design Firm, Former State
Representative
Franz Schmidt MSES Maj Environmental Scientist
Jim Hicks PE Cpt Concrete Expert - CEO of his own company
Kevin Schmitt ES SSG Environmental Specialist
Malcolm
Cowdin
B SSG 25 years Water Production Exp.
Craig Sissel PE Cpt 25 yrs experience - Construction Specialist
Bill Hasbrook MS Maj Design Build and P3 Expert
Rick Shubet BS Lt 30 Yrs - High Voltage Electrical & HR
John Hagler MBA Maj Logisitcs & IT & Communications
• 40
Members