comprehensive risk mitigation and disaster recovery plan · disaster recovery in chapter 8 of this...

Comprehensive Risk Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Plan

For Maine Businesses

Photo Courtesy of: Allison Voisine and SJV Communications

May Day Flood of 2008 Main Street, Fort Kent


Table of Contents

Executive Summary...................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 5 Planning Process ........................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1 – Data Gathering ....................................................................................... 8 1.1 Demographic and Resource Profiles ................................ 8 1.2 Climate.......................................................................................... 9 1.3 Geography ................................................................................... 10 1.4 Sea-Level Rise ............................................................................. 11 1.5 Study Area ................................................................................... 13 1.6 Economic Highlights ................................................................ 14 1.6.1 Aroostook County .................................................. 15 1.6.2 Knox County ............................................................. 19 1.6.3 Lincoln County ........................................................ 21 1.6.4 Penobscot County .................................................. 24 1.6.5 Piscataquis County ................................................. 27 1.6.6 Somerset County .................................................... 31 1.6.7 Waldo County .......................................................... 34 1.7 Businesses in the Study Area ............................................... 36 1.8 Natural Hazard Events in the Study Area ....................... 37 Chapter 2 - Ranking and Prioritizing ................................................................ 40 2.1 Identifying Hazards ................................................................. 40 2.1.1 Floods.......................................................................... 41 2.1.1(a) Profiling Flooding & Related Hazard Events 42 2.1.1(b) Understanding Flood Areas ......................... 43 2.1.1(c) Determining the Risk ...................................... 43 2.1.2 Aroostook County .................................................. 43 2.1.3 Penobscot County .................................................. 44 2.1.4 Somerset County .................................................... 45 2.1.5 Knox and Waldo County ...................................... 45 2.1.6 Androscoggin County ........................................... 46 2.2 Past Historical Flooding Events .......................................... 47 2.3 Flooding Due to Dam Failures ............................................. 49 2.4 Earthquakes ............................................................................... 53 2.5 Severe Winter Storms ............................................................ 55 2.6 Severe Summer Storms.......................................................... 56 2.7 Hurricanes .................................................................................. 57 2.8 Wildfire & Urban Fire ............................................................. 59 2.9 Tornadoes ................................................................................... 60 2.10 Erosion/Coastal Erosion ..................................................... 61 2.11 Landslide ................................................................................... 61


2.12 Assigning Risk ......................................................................... 62 2.13 Rank & Prioritize ................................................................... 63 Chapter 3 - Economic Impact .............................................................................. 64 3.1 Impact on Communities and Businesses ........................ 65 Chapter 4 – Risk Management ............................................................................. 69 Chapter 5 - Risk Mitigation....................................................................................... 71 5.1 Prepare Your Business for Disaster ............................ 71 5.2 Protect Your Business from Natural Disaster ......... 72 5.3 Protect Business Records and Inventory .................. 72 Chapter 6 – Business Impact Analysis .................................................................. 74 6.1 Business Impact Analysis ................................................ 74 6.2 Risk Assessment ................................................................. 75 6.3 Disaster Mitigation ............................................................ 75 6.4 Identifying Mission Critical Function ......................... 75 6.5 Outage Impact Analysis ................................................... 76 6.6 Establishing Priorities ...................................................... 76 6.7 Testing your IT System .................................................... 76 6.8 Vital Records and Records Disaster Mitigation and Recovery Steps .................................................................... 76 Chapter 7 – Business Continuity ............................................................................. 77 Chapter 8 – Disaster Recovery ................................................................................. 79 8.1 Backup Level ........................................................................ 79 8.2 Restoration Level ............................................................... 80 8.3 Recovery Level .................................................................... 80 Chapter 9 – Disaster Aid ............................................................................................. 82 Appendices: Appendix A – Business Continuity Plan ................................... 83 Appendix B – Risk Assessment Guidelines ............................. 88 Appendix C – Disaster Recovery Plan ....................................... 89 Appendix D – Self Assessment ..................................................... 104 Appendix E – Listing of Dams in Study Area .......................... 107 Appendix F – Business Assessment Questionnaire- Survey Results .......................................................... 109


Executive Summary The Comprehensive Risk Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Plan for Maine businesses is a useful tool to help prepare against natural hazard events experienced throughout the state. As the report will show, natural hazard events occur each year costing millions of dollars and taking its toll on all large and small businesses. The May Day Flood of 2008 affected seven of the state’s sixteen counties and resulted in tremendous property damage. A 16-unit elderly housing facility located at the confluence of the St. John and Fish Rivers in Fort Kent was completely destroyed. The impact on elderly individuals residing at the facility was profound; not only had they lost all of their belongings, but they were virtually homeless. While it may not be possible to prevent property damage due to major flooding events in the future, this plan can help businesses minimize damage and prevent loss of life. Hazard mitigation planning is critical. Recognizing warning signals can dramatically reduce damage and destruction by certain natural hazard events. Additionally, protecting vital records by backing up important data and locating the data off-site will help to prevent the loss of essential business records. This strategy will help in returning to normal business operations more quickly. For example, business owners/managers, responding to a survey, listed power failure as the most critical impact that could disrupt their business. This risk could be minimized with the purchase of a generator. You will find business continuity planning strategies in Chapter 7 and steps that can help in disaster recovery in Chapter 8 of this plan. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan templates are located in Appendix A and Appendix C in the back of this plan. Business owners and managers are urged to fill in the template in accordance with their business needs and have it available in a location that is readily available. The plans should be reviewed and updated annually. It is also important that each employee is aware of its location in case of emergencies.


Introduction

The May Day Flood of 2008 affected many residential and commercial properties throughout seven counties in Maine. In September, 2009, the Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC), as the lead organization for a consortium of Economic Development Districts (EDD) received funding to implement a risk mitigation and disaster recovery plan. NMDC, located in Caribou in Central Aroostook County, partnered with Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments (AVCOG) in Auburn for assessment of Lincoln County; Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC) in Bangor for Penobscot, Piscataquis, Knox and Waldo Counties; and Kennebec Valley Council of Governments (KVCOG) in Fairfield for Somerset County. Though the project focuses on the seven counties listed in FEMA Disaster Declaration Number 1755, the intent is to create a coherent preparedness and business continuity model that could be replicated in all regions of Maine. The Comprehensive Risk Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Plan for Maine Businesses proposal covered eight elements as follows:

1. Data Gathering 2. Rank and Prioritize Economic and Business Impacts associated with risks 3. Prepare Risk Management Model 4. Plan for Infrastructure Investments, Business/Employer Training, and Business

Continuity 5. Develop a Disaster Response Plan 6. Develop Printed and on-line disaster response and recovery training and

informational materials 7. Form Steering Committee with EDDs and 8. Prepare a Comprehensive Risk Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Plan

To begin to understand the type and severity of natural or man-made hazards that could impact Maine businesses, a review and analysis of past events is essential. Information gathered through a variety of sources, such as the State of Maine Hazard Mitigation Plan, individual county plans, FEMA Disaster Declarations, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data on climates, and State Planning Office were utilized to study patterns of natural hazards and to offer probabilities of occurrences in the future. A study of monitoring and emergency warning plan and procedures for dam failures in individual communities were also reviewed carefully to determine the conditions and affects of dams and their potential impacts on communities and businesses.


Planning Process

Planning Team Members included the following individuals Andrew George Eastern Maine Development Corporation Heather Carey Kennebec Valley Council of Governments Gail Chase Kennebec Valley Council of Governments Barbara Fortier Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments Terry Stevens DECD – Office of Community Development Joella R. Theriault Northern Maine Development Commission Alain Ouellette Northern Maine Development Commission Michael Eisensmith Northern Maine Development Commission Denis Berube Northern Maine Development Commission Connie Bondeson Northern Maine Development Commission Jay Kamm Northern Maine Development Commission Kenneth Murchison Northern Maine Development Commission Rodney Thompson Northern Maine Development Commission Brian Longstaff Northern Maine Development Commission NMDC developed a work plan and time schedule in order to obtain information from the various regions throughout the State of Maine. The first task included data gathering. Each region obtained pertinent information from their respective areas regarding natural hazards, and more particularly data of past flooding events. A survey questionnaire containing relevant queries on individual business size, longevity, and location to potential hazards provided results that helped the planning members determine the extent of risk associated with each business. The survey also provided results that clearly indicated that a majority of businesses are not prepared for risk associated with natural hazards. Complete results of the survey can be found in Appendix F. The Maine State Hazard Mitigation Plan provided a great deal of information throughout this planning process. Each of the 16 counties in Maine has an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan, as well as many of the individual communities within the counties; 435 of the 490 communities to be exact. Most plans approved during the 2005-2007 year will require revisions in 2010 and 2011. In addition to the local and state hazard mitigation plans, all 7 campuses of the University of Maine System have mitigation plans. Each regional representative researched the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Division’s website to develop a table of frequency and impact of all natural hazards in the State of Maine since January, 1950. From this information, the team developed a prioritization of natural hazards that could affect the various regions. For example, coastal flooding in Knox County would not have a high priority in Aroostook County. The intent of prioritizing each natural hazard is to make businesses aware of their surroundings and the potential for the hazards that could affect them.


The one-year planning process provided this planning group with the necessary data to better prepare businesses against the loss of property and life. The increase of public awareness towards natural hazards will hopefully bring about knowledge and understanding of the risks involved and methods on how to reduce these risks. The following chapters contain crucial information for businesses in assessing certain risks, mitigating the risk, and in severe cases resources to recover from natural hazards. The Comprehensive Risk Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Plan is divided into sections that will provide the reader with past historical events, potential impact to businesses, and ways in which a business can implement protection safeguards. Sample Business Continuity Plans and Disaster Recovery Plans are included in fillable forms that can be tailored to individual business.


Chapter 1 – Data Gathering

1.1 Demographic and Resource Profiles According to 2000 U.S. Census information, Maine has the third largest population of the six New England States. While two thirds of the population is clustered in the southern counties of the State, the remaining one third is scattered throughout the northern and western counties. A study of the 2000 population figures versus a 2006-2008 estimate shows that overall Maine population has increased by approximately 3.15%. Table 1 shows the distribution of the population among the 16 counties of the state.

Table 1. Population 2000-2008 County 2000

U.S. Census Population 2006-2008

U.S. Census Estimates % Change in Population

Androscoggin 103,793 106,831 2.93%

Aroostook 73,938 71,884 -2.78%

Cumberland 265,612 275,010 3.54%

Franklin 29,467 29,882 1.4%

Hancock 51,791 53,183 2.69%

Kennebec 117,114 120,711 3.07%

Knox 39,618 40,738 2.83%

Lincoln 33,616 34,730 3.31%

Oxford 54,755 56,608 3.38%

Penobscot 144,919 148,339 2.36%

Piscataquis 17,235 17,100 -.78%

Sagadahoc 35,214 36,366 3.27%

Somerset 50,888 51,460 1.12%

Waldo 36,280 38,425 5.91%

Washington 33,941 32,644 -3.82%

York 186,742 201,158 7.72%

Total 1,274,923 1,315,069 3.15% Source: 2000 U.S. Census

Statistics also show that Maine’s population is older than the national average, a trend that is likely to continue into the next decade. Penobscot and Androscoggin Counties have the lowest median age in the state at 37.2 and Piscataquis County has the highest median age at 42.1. It is reasonable that Penobscot and Androscoggin Counties would have the lowest median age since Androscoggin County hosts two of Maine’s largest cities, Lewiston and Auburn. In Penobscot County, the City of Bangor is home to many businesses and cultural centers and the Town of Orono is home to the main campus of the University of Maine. Piscataquis County has the lowest population of all counties in Maine. Mount Katahdin, in Baxter State Park, is located in this county.


1.2 Climate As identified by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Maine has three climate division boundaries. They are described as 1 – Northern; 2- Southern Interior; and 3 – Coastal. In the northern section, climates can reach a maximum of 96° to 99°F and a minimum temperature of -32° to -41°F. The southern interior section averages a maximum temperature of 102°F and a minimum of -23°F. In the coastal section, maximum temperatures of 104°F can be reached with minimum temperatures averaging approximately -19°F. The map outlines the boundaries for each section. Aroostook County is located entirely in the northernmost of Maine’s three climatic divisions. Average annual temperature is about 41°F. Temperatures average about 64°F in July and August and about 18°F in January and February. Most of Piscataquis and Somerset Counties are primarily located in the northernmost division as well, with the southern part of the Counties located in the middle climatic division. The average annual temperature for the southern interior district is 49°F. Temperatures average approximately 74°F in July and August and approximately 23°F in January and February. Lincoln and Knox Counties are located entirely in the coastal section of the climatic division. Knox County climate has a definite influence on occurrences and severity of natural hazards. Winter temperatures range on average from 10° to 29°F. The warmest month is July with an average of 76.2°F. Waldo County is also divided with the northern part of the county located in the southern interior and the lower part in the coastal section. Climate division data provides benchmarks used to monitor and assess long-term changes. Statewide, the warmest month is July and the coldest is January. But viewed seasonally, monthly average high and low temperatures from south to north vary considerably. In the summer, the southern interior division is warmer than both the northern and coastal divisions. If global temperatures continue to rise, increases in the number and severity of storms, floods, droughts, and other weather extremes, will have serious impacts on the environment and on society. Societies that are unable to deal with these extreme events will experience more disasters. Climate also encompasses prevailing winds and precipitation. In Aroostook County, the average amount of precipitation, based on long-term records dating back to 1895, is 42.6 inches. This includes the conversion of all snowfall to a water equivalent. Average monthly precipitation is between three and four inches, with November being the wettest month, and February being the driest month. Most of Aroostook County is under northwest to


west-northwest winds throughout much of the year and particularly during the winter. During the summer, southwest to southerly winds are more frequent. In Somerset County, the average precipitation is 38.9 inches per year, which is a combination of all snowfall and rainfall. The prevailing wind across most of New England has a westerly component, while southeast winds are least common region-wide. However, winds can, and do, come from all directions on the compass. The highest monthly precipitation in Knox County is 5.37” in November and the lowest is 2.91” in August. In the summer, southwest to southerly winds become quite prevalent. Southerly winds prevail along the Mid-Coast during the summer months due to the frequent formation of sea breezes. In Lincoln County, precipitation, including both snowfall and rainfall is 42”-46” annually. Prevailing winds are generally from the Southwest in the summer months and usually not more than 15-20 knots. In the winter months winds will generally come from the north. While rainfall in Maine is generally distributed evenly throughout the year, about 3”-4” a month on average, a review of Maine’s most damaging floods show that most major floods occur in late winter and early spring. The three climate divisions also have local weather observation stations that measure precipitation on an hourly, daily, and monthly basis. There are 80 stations in the northern climate division; 81 stations in the southern interior; and 48 stations in the coastal region. In February, 2009, the University of Maine, and the Climate Change Institute, published Maine’s Climate Future: An Initial Assessment. The study of climatic changes in Maine analyzed the effects of climate change. It takes into account past climate changes, recent evidence of accelerated rates of change, and the implications of continued climate changes in Maine as a result of greenhouse gas emissions. The study predicts that there will be a strong trend in Maine toward warmer and wetter conditions. The greatest increases in both temperature and precipitation will occur in the north, and the least increase along the coast. Warming trends imply a shift in the regional hydrology from a snowmelt-dominated region (in the Northern and Southern Interior climate divisions) to one that shows significant runoff during winter months. 1.3 Geography Overall, the terrain across much of the State of Maine is hilly. Elevations range from sea level at the coast of the Gulf of Maine to over 5,000 feet in the central mountains. Mt. Katahdin, located within Baxter State Park, is the highest point in Maine. Its peak is at an elevation of 5,268 feet, or about 4,500 feet above its base. Elevations in the southeastern part of the State are generally below 500 feet. Maine’s landscape is a direct result of glacial erosion and deposition from the large ice sheets that completely covered the State. Glacial deposits provide a rich variety in the overall landscape and abundant sand and gravel for construction material. Many of these deposits are good sources of ground water, or aquifer, for water supplies to households and businesses. These glacial deposits are also responsible for the many lakes found in the State.


The 4,000 or more miles of coastline in Maine encompasses a wide range of ecosystem types, from salt marshes and sandy beaches to steep cliffs and mountains, to numerous bays, inlets, harbors and estuaries. The coastal zone is also home to the majority of Maine’s population and attracts the majority of tourists. Aroostook County’s area is 6,672 square miles, which is 21.6% of the State’s overall area. The County is 89% forested, 1% lakes, ponds, and rivers, and 10% farmland. It is also the home of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Lincoln County is located in the midcoast region of coastal Maine. This area is made up of a series of narrow, rocky peninsulas jutting out into the Gulf of Maine. Lincoln County’s land area covers 456 square miles, with 244 square miles of water, for a total area of 700 square miles. It also contains over 450 miles of rugged coastline and six rivers. Elevations in the region vary from sea level to over 400 feet above sea level at some of the summits. The northern and western portions of Somerset County are heavily populated with mountains such as Mount Bigelow and Squaw. The region is heavily forested. It also is the starting point for three major rivers: the Kennebec, Penobscot, and St. John Rivers. Other major rivers that flow through this county are the Dead, Carrabassett, and Sandy Rivers. Winding through the low typing communities and road systems of Western Somerset, these rivers pose a significant concern for flooding with spring runoff and ice jams. Waldo County’s area is 730 square miles of which 85.6% is land and 14.4% is water. The County’s scenic beauty combined with the rugged Maine coastline with its lush forests and farmlands yield harvest both cultivated and wild. There are three major rivers located along the border of Waldo County – the Penobscot, Sebasticook, and Passagasswakeg Rivers. There are approximately 5,180 miles of rivers and streams in Penobscot County, the 4th largest county in Maine. The Penobscot River is the largest river in Maine with a drainage area of more than 7,500 miles. Maine’s highest mountain, Mount Katahdin and largest lake, Moosehead Lake are located is Piscataquis County. The County is the largest county east of Mississippi at 3,966 square miles. The scenic mountain ranges and vast forested wilderness offers a variety of accommodation and activities for vacationers. Baxter State Park is the largest state park in New England. 1.4 Sea-Level Rise The current rate of sea-level rise is accelerating from half a foot in the last century to a predicted two-foot rise or more by 2100. Rising sea levels will make all storms more damaging, and some climatologist predict that severe storms will occur more frequently. Accelerated sea-level rise poses threats to coastal wetlands, which provide flood protection and habitat for birds and fish. Almost all of Maine’s developed beaches are at risk of


damage from a large storm that comes at the same time as an astronomically high tide, as was the case during the 2007 Patriot’s Day Storm. Over the next decade, a 100-year flood could occur every two to three years in the Northeast. Warming ocean temperatures could increase the frequency and intensity of hurricanes. Nineteen hurricanes have made landfall in the Northeast since 1850; six occurred during the period between 1935 and 1960. If the region were to experience a similar period of activity today, it would result in about $55 billion damage. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in southern Maine, a 1” rise in sea-level will make all storms more damaging with serious economic and ecosystem consequences to the region. In York County alone, over 260 businesses representing $41.6 million in wages are at risk from coastal flooding and the resulting property destruction and higher insurance costs. This presents challenges to cod and lobster fisheries. Fishermen have already noticed significant changes in the lobster fishery, such as altered growth and migration behavior. Changes in the lobster fishery have serious implications for Maine’s coastal communities where thousands of licensed lobstermen and women support numerous related industries such as boatbuilding, lobster trap production, and bait distribution and transportation. Table 2 below provides the number of people employed in the fishing and boating industry in the counties of Knox and Lincoln that could potentially be affected by climate changes.

Table 2. Number of Fishing & Boating Industry Businesses

Employees

1-4 5-9 10-19 20-49 50-99 100+

Knox County

Boat Builders 5 6 1 1 0 1

Boat Dealers 1 0 1 0 1 0

Boat Rentals 2 0 0 0 0 0

Boat Repairs & Storage 5 3 0 0 1 0

Fish Dealers 4 2 0 0 2 0

Fish Gear-Distributors 2 0 0 0 0 0

Fish & Seafood-Retail 2 0 0 0 0 0

Fish & Seafood-Wholesale 1 2 0 2 0 0

Subtotal 22-88 65-117 20-38 60-147 200-396 100+

Lincoln County

Boat Builders 7 4 0 1 2 0

Boat Dealers 5 1 0 0 0 0

Boat Marinas & Yachts 1 0 0 0 0 0

Boat Rental 0 2 0 0 0 0

Boat Repairs & Storage 4 1 2 1 0 0

Fish Dealers 9 0 0 0 0 0

Fish Gear-Distributors 2 0 0 0 0 0

Fish Hatcheries 1 0 0 0 0 0

Fish & Seafood-Retail 0 1 0 0 0 0

Fish & Seafood-Wholesale 6 0 1 0 0 0

Fish Products-Manufacturer 0 0 1 0 0 0

Subtotal 35-140 45-81 40-76 40-98 100-198 0

Total 57-228 110-198 60-114 100-245 300-594 100+

Source: Tower Publishing

Currently the fishing industry employs between 203 and 487 people directly involved in fish products, dealers, gear, hatcheries, etc. with an additional 524-892 people employed in boat building, repairs and storage, rentals, and boat dealers.


1.5 Study Area A brief description of the seven counties involved in the study area follows:

1. Aroostook County: Aroostook is Maine’s northernmost county, known as “The

County” and is the State’s largest. It was established in 1839, in the midst of the dispute known as the Aroostook War. Famed for its potato growing, the County’s premiere crop has declined steadily as has its population. Aroostook County has 67 cities, towns, and townships. It has a land area of 6,672 square miles and a population of 73,938.

2. Knox County: Knox County was the last county to be incorporated. It was incorporated in 1860. It is located in mid-coast Maine and is a popular summer destination. Shipbuilding, lime processing, granite quarrying, commercial fishing, and lobstering are the County’s main industries. There are 18 cities, towns, and townships in Knox County.

3. Lincoln County: Incorporated in 1760, Lincoln County is a coastal county with 451

miles of coastline. Commercial fishing, lobstering, boat building, and other coastal activities account for a part of Lincoln’s economic base. It has 19 cities, towns, and townships and has a population of 33,616.

4. Penobscot County: The Penobscot River, Maine’s longest river, runs through this

County. Penobscot is one of Maine’s largest counties covering over 3,250 square miles. Bangor is home to many businesses and cultural centers, including the Maine Shakespeare Festival. Also, Orono is home to the main campus of the University of Maine. It has a population of 144,919 and 60 cities, towns, and townships.

5. Piscataquis County was incorporated in 1838 and encompasses 3,780 square miles.

This county is land-locked and geographically located in the center of Maine. Major features of the county are the 204,733 acre Baxter State Park, home of Mount Katahdin, and Moosehead Lake, Maine’s largest lake. Mt. Katahdin, at 5,268, is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Slate mining and crafting is and continues to be a strong industry in Piscataquis County.

6. Somerset County is centrally located in Maine and was incorporated in 1809. It is

approximately 90 minutes from the Canadian city of Quebec. Somerset County is one of the top maple syrup producing counties in the United States. The confluence of the Dead River and the Kennebec River in a town called, The Forks, is a popular spot for whitewater rafting. There are 33 cities, towns, plantations and townships in Somerset County.

7. Waldo County sits in what is commonly called mid-coast Maine along Penobscot

Bay. The County is known for both its coastal views as well as its mountain vistas. Waldo County was incorporated in 1827 and currently has 26 cities, towns, and townships.


1.6 Economic Highlights


1.6.1 Aroostook County

The following is a summary of Aroostook County’s economy taken from the 2003 Aroostook County Economic Cluster Report prepared for the Northern Maine Development Commission. Forest Products: The forest products industry employs 3,500 workers in Aroostook County in timber harvesting, lumbering, paper mills, biomass energy production, trucking, railroad transport, equipment supplies and chemical supplies. These workers are part of a larger New England/Canadian forest industry cluster, the largest in the region. For a variety of reasons, the industry is at a down point in its economic cycle. The longer the down cycle lasts, the more business shrink and in some cases close. The causes of the paper industry’s troubles are weak overall demand and international competition. Agriculture: Agricultural businesses employ 3,000 Aroostook residents on farms, in equipment and chemical supplies, in wholesaling and transportation, in food processing and the like. About three quarters of the production is potatoes. The rest is vegetables and grains such as broccoli and oats, and livestock such as beef and poultry. Tourism: Tourism includes thousands of people who: 1) create or enhance attractions (such as snowmobile clubs and festival organizers); 2) provide lodging; 3) provide food (restaurants); and 4) provide stores and services supporting tourists. There are about a half million pleasure trips taken to Aroostook County each year. Over half come for outdoor activities, including snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in the winter, and bicycling, fishing and hunting in the summer and fall. Information technology: Information technology (IT) consists of businesses that are involved with computer software and web design, database management, internet services, and related services. These businesses typically pay twice the average salary in the region, and have the potential to be the county’s number one growth industry in the next decade. Precision manufacturing: Precision manufacturing of metal products is a small but important activity in Aroostook County. Acme-Monaco in Presque Isle, First Technology in Caribou, and Smith & Wesson in Houlton are key companies, as are other local metal fabricators serving the agriculture and wood products industries. There are also a number of large metals firms just across the border in New Brunswick, Canada that increase the market for developing needed industry supports.


New Brunswick is a resource for Aroostook County’s growth. They are a source of investment in forestry (Irving, Fraser); investment in agriculture (McCains); potential tourists; and of infrastructure for metals and IT. The average civilian labor force in Aroostook County for 2010 was 28,716. The largest major industry sector was Health Care and Social Assistance with 22% of the employment, followed by Retail Trade (44 & 45) with 15%, and Manufacturing with 10%. The following table provides the major industries, number of establishments, and number of employees for the County.

Table 3. Major Industries in Aroostook County

# Establishments

# Employees

Health Care and Social Assistance 273 6,178

Retail Trade (44 & 45) 349 4,200

Manufacturing (31-33) 101 2,887

Education Services 59 2,587

Accommodation and Food Services 143 2,013

Public Administration 143 1,945

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting 211 1,544

Construction 233 1,154

Transportation and Warehousing (48 & 49) 216 1,190 Admin., Support, Waste Mgmt., Remediation 86 667

Other Services (except Public Admin.) 162 842

Finance and Insurance 82 718

Information 46 649

Wholesale Trade 81 530

Professional, Scientific & Technical Service 123 455

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 77 372

Management of Companies and Enterprises 12 284

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 39 286

Utilities 25 215 Totals 2,461 28,716

Source: Maine Department of Labor


According to Tower Publishing, there are 2,189 businesses in Aroostook County. The majority of businesses, approximately 61%, employ between 1-4 employees. This is followed by 18% of businesses employing between 5-9 employees and approximately 7% do not list the number of employees or may be self-employed. Figure 1 provides a more detailed look at the number of businesses in Aroostook County by employee number.

The majority of service center communities such as Presque Isle, Fort Kent, Fort Fairfield, and Van Buren are located along the banks of the St. John and Aroostook Rivers and are frequently subject to flooding. These flooding occurrences affect the surrounding smaller, rural communities dependent upon service centers for services and products. Major highways within the flooded regions are regularly unable to make necessary deliveries during these periods of inundation.


1.6.2 Knox County


The total number of employees located in Knox County in 2010 was 17,400. The largest major industry sector was Retail Trade (44 & 45) with 16% of the employment, followed by Health Care and Social Assistance with 16% of the employment, followed by Accommodations and Food Services with 14%.

Table 4. Major Industries in Knox County

Industry Group # Establishments # Employees


Retail Trade (44 & 45) 246 2,812







Admin., Support, Waste Mgmt., Remediation 87 717



Information 38 385

Transportation and Warehousing (48 & 49) 79 486


Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting 104 357



Utilities 12 108

Management of Companies and Enterprises 6 68 Total 1850 17,400

Source: Maine Department of Labor – Labor Market Statistics

The retail trade and the health care industry sectors have the most establishments with the highest number of employees. These two sectors alone account for over $640 million in sales and revenues in Knox County. The health care industry generates approximately $88,844,000 in annual payroll. There is one river located in Knox County, the St. George River, which flows through the towns of Appleton, Union, Warren, Thomaston, South Thomaston, Cushing and St. George. Knox County consists of 18 municipalities including 5 island communities. The County is located in mid-coast Maine. The 2008 population is 40,686, up 2.7% since 2000.

Tower Publishing Company provided the number of businesses in Knox County by employee size as: 0 1-4 5-9 10-19 20-49 50-99 100-249 250-499 500-1000 1000+ Total 95 740 246 123 53 21 11 0 1 0 = 1,290

Figure 2. Number of Businesses by Employee Size


1.6.3 Lincoln County The total number of employees located in Lincoln County in 2010 was 12, 045. The largest major industry sector was Accommodation and Food Services with 18% of the employment, followed by Retail Trade (44 & 45) with 16% and Health Care and Social Assistance with 15%. Lincoln County is home to distinctive and successful businesses across many sectors and two renowned marine research institutions. Special strengths include boatbuilding, shellfish, aquaculture, and marine research. Some of the largest employers in Lincoln County include; Hannaford retail grocers, Camp Kieve, summer camp, healthcare services through Miles Health Care Center, Miles Memorial Hospital and St. Andrews Hospital, and the tourism industries including shops, restaurants and accommodations which serve the tourists who come to this area to enjoy the Maine coast.

Lincoln County has a wide variety of industries as seen in the table below.

Table 5. Major Industries in Lincoln County

Industry Group # Establishments

# Employees

Retail Trade (44 & 45) 213 1,955




Manufacturing (31-33) 77 768

Construction 269 682

Public Administration 33 446








Information 19 163




Utilities 6 33

Mining Confidential Confidential

Totals 1565 12,045 Source: Maine Department of Labor, Labor Market Information


Approximately 65% of businesses in Lincoln County employ between 1-4 employees; 16% employ between 5-9 employees; and there are no major employers employing 250 or more employees. The communities in Lincoln County employing the highest number of employees are all located near waterbodies. Boothbay Harbor has one of the finest natural harbors on the Maine coast. It is a famous summer resort offering day cruises and deep-sea fishing trips. The community of Boothbay has four villages as well as three islands connected by bridges to the mainland. Boothbay offers tourist accommodations overlooking the Atlantic Ocean as well as lakes and ponds. The village’s unique location lying between Linekin Bay and the Damariscotta River provides an ideal location of ship building and pleasure crafts. Damariscotta is a beautiful coastal village located along side the Damariscotta River. It has approximately 180 businesses. Wiscasset, another major employment center in Lincoln County, borders the Sheepscot River, which has one of the deepest harbors in Maine. Local industry in Wiscasset includes the Maine Yankee Atomic Plant and water-related activities such as lobstering. There are attractive tourist accommodations, excellent restaurants, a shopping center, two pleasant campgrounds, a yacht club and public boat launching areas. Waldoboro is situated in the beautiful valley of the Medomak River which flows into the head waters of Muscongus Bay. Waldoboro has 133 establishments, with most establishments employing between 1 to 4 employees.


1.6.4 Penobscot County The total number of employees located in Penobscot County in 2010 was 67,483. The largest major industry sector was Health Care and Social Assistance, with 21% of the employment followed by Retail Trade with 16%, and Education Services with 11%. In Penobscot County, there are a total of 60 cities and towns along with seven territories and the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation. Major employers include the Bangor Mall, Eastern Maine Medical Center, St. Joseph Internal Medicine, Bangor Savings Bank, Hollywood Slots Hotel and Raceway, Cianbro, the City of Bangor, Lincoln Paper, Old Town Fuel & Fiber and Lafayette Hotels. Penobscot County benefits from having Interstate 95 coming straight through the county, as businesses can ship out and receive items with great ease. I-95 also aids in the influx of people coming to visit and shop. Bangor International Airport is also located in the County. BIA has the longest landing strip on the east coast and this is a beacon for international shipments and for tourists. The paper industry has been hit hard over the past years and several long-time paper plants in Penobscot have closed down. These manufacturing jobs dislocated hardworking, skilled laborers with very few alternatives for work. This led to increased use of SBDC (Small Business Development Center) counselors as several of these unemployed peoples starting their own businesses. The following table provides information on the number of businesses and the number of people employed at each. There are approximately 4,269 businesses in Penobscot County.

Table 6. Number of Businesses by Employee Size 0 1-4 5-9 10-19 20-49 50-99 100-

249 250-499

500-1000

1000+

550 2144 824 405 227 76 27 12 3 1 Source: Tower Publishing

Bangor is the center for commercial activity in the northeastern and central regions of Maine. As such, the metropolitan area features a diversified economy. Unemployment rates are normally below state and federal levels. Major industries include services, wholesale/retail trade, and government, which together represent about 55 percent of the labor market. Other strong economic sectors include manufacturing, construction, finance, insurance and real estate. Bangor is a center for retail trade and in recent years has generated close to a billion dollars annually in sales. Much of the sales activity was attributable to non-residents making use of the shopping facilities in the Bangor Mall and elsewhere in the city.


Healthcare is also an important segment of Bangor’s economy. Providers include two major medical facilities, Eastern Maine Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital. Two mental health facilities are also located in the area, one state-operated and one is private.

Downtown Bangor is the site of the regional headquarters for six commercial banking companies. Two of them are among the state’s growing community banks—those banks whose ownership remains in the communities in which they operate. According to the Bureau of Banking, in the late 1990s, the local banking and finance sector generated in excess of $1.1 billion in loan activity in the Bangor region.

Tourism is another important segment of the economy, as Bangor is a focal point for the more than four million people who annually visit Acadia National park, the second most visited national park in the country. The area is well-known for its natural beauty, and as such thousands of tourists visit the area. Bangor’s numerous restaurants, accommodations, and cultural attractions benefit from the influx of visitors.

The following table provides a listing of all major industries in Penobscot County for 2009 in accordance with number of establishments and employees.

Table 7. Major Industries in Penobscot County

Industry Group # Establishments #Employees

Retail Trade (44 & 45) 701 10,983







Admin., Support, Waste Mgmt., Remediation 247 2,997

Other Services (except Public Admin.) 355 1,860

Professional, Scientific & Technical Service 391 2,185

Finance and Insurance 210 1,666

Transportation and Warehousing (48 & 49) 249 3,060

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 81 1,237

Wholesale Trade 211 2,278

Information 60 1,181




Utilities 34 413




1.6.5 Piscataquis County Piscataquis County is home base for many large manufacturers, which employ approximately 30% of the County’s workforce. Some of these manufacturers include;

Maine Montreal & Atlantic Railway, Ltd – An international railroad corporation

Creative Apparel – Producer of chemical resistant military outerwear Interface Fabrics Group – Supplier of upholstery and panel fabrics for offices,

hotels, restaurants, and other commercial businesses Hardwood Products – Manufacturer of disposable products used in the

health care, manufacturing, and food service industries JSI Store Fixtures, Inc. – JSI designs and manufactures displays meant to

merchandize their client’s products Moosehead Cedar Log Homes – A major producer of log homes throughout

the country Moosehead Manufacturing – Maker of fine hardwood furnishings Numberall – A designer and manufacturer of quality marking equipment Lumbra Hardwoods – A primary sawmill in Milo that has just completed a

complete modernized renovation PQ Controls – One of the largest manufacturers of controls for equipment

manufacturers American Pride – One of the few remaining wood turning operations in

Maine.

There are a total of 19 cities and towns, and 4 unorganized territories in Piscataquis County. Major employers are in the health care, retail and manufacturing industries. Piscataquis County has seen a decrease in mills and forestry over the past couple years due to the declining paper industry. Piscataquis has also had slower economic development for several years even before the recession started in 2008.

The Piscataquis River crosses through several municipalities before joining the Penobscot River at Howland. Approximately 11,500 people in the municipalities of Howland, Milo, Dover-Foxcroft, Guilford, and Sangerville reside in the Piscataquis River watershed. Additionally, nearly 50% of Piscataquis County’s businesses are located in Dover-Foxcroft and Guilford. The total number of employees located in Piscataquis County in 2010 was 5,588. The largest major industry sector was Health Care and Social Assistance, with 25% of the employment. Health Care is followed by Manufacturing with 19% and Retail Trade with 15%. The average weekly wage, assuming a 40-hour work week is $547.


Table 8. Major Industries in Piscataquis County


Retail Trade (44 & 45) 81 864


Education Services 10 435

Accommodation and Food Services 52 411


Construction 71 173









Information 12 46




Utilities 8 69



In Piscataquis County, unlike most counties in Maine, there are a higher percentage of businesses employing between 1-4 employees, 71.6% to be exact. There are no businesses with 500 or more employees in the county. Two of the major health care employers are: Mayo Regional Hospital – A 46-bed acute care facility with 20 physicians and 260 staff members providing quality health care; and C.A. Dean Memorial Hospital – A 14-bed, acute care hospital with a 24-bed skilled and intermediate care nursing home. The wood manufacturing and textile manufacturing businesses in Guilford employ between 250-499 employees each.

Tower Publishing reports the following number of businesses by employees for the year 2009:


0

100

200

300

400

500

29 410 80 23 20 5 2 3 0 0

1-4 5-9 10-19 20-49 50-99 100- 250- 500- 1,000+

Figure 3. Number of Businesses by Employee Size


1.6.6 Somerset County The total civilian labor force in Somerset County for September, 2009 was 25,041 of which 22,366 were employed and 2,675 were unemployed. The unemployment rate was 10.7 percent. The average weekly wage for Somerset County in 2009 was $633. This would be equivalent to $15.83 per hour or $32,916 per year, assuming a 40-hour week worked the year round. Somerset County has a wide variety of industries, such as forestry which includes companies such as Plum Creek and Sappi Fine Paper; manufacturing including companies such as New Balance Shoe and Moosehead Cedar Log Homes; agriculture which includes such businesses as Backyard Farms and Smith’s Maple Products; and of course all the tourism industries: whitewater rafting, camping, snowmobiling, skiing, etc. and all the shops, restaurants and accommodations which serve the tourists who come to this area for these activities. There are numerous major employers as well as small businesses and self-employed residents providing economic stimulus and growth to the local economy. The Maine Department of Labor’s Labor Market Information Services lists the top large employers in Somerset County as follows:

Table 9. 20 Employers in Somerset County

EMPLOYER CATEGORY EMPLOYEE RANGE

SAPPI Paper Manufacturing 801-900 CIANBRO Corporation Engineering and Construction 801-900 New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. Shoe Manufacturing 601-700 MSAD #54 Education 601-700 Redington Fairview General Hospital Health Care Provider 501-600 Wal Mart Associates Clothing and Food Retail Sales 451-500 Edward Systems Technology Electronic Manufacturer 351-400 MSAD #49 Education 301-350 North Country Associates Health Care Provider 251-300 Irving Tanning Company Leather Manufacturing 251-300 MSAD #59 Education 201-250 Madison Paper Industries Paper Manufacturing 201-250 Sebasticook Valley Hospital Association Health Care Provider 201-250 Maine Community College System Education 201-250 MSAD #74 Education 201-250 SAS Pittsfield, Inc. Shoe Manufacturer 201-250 Maine Department of Transportation Highway Maintenance 201-250 Hannaford Brothers Company Food Retail 151-200 Medical Care Development Health Care Provider 151-200 Source: Maine Department of Labor – Labor Market Information Services

The total number of employees located in Somerset County in 2010 was 17,241. The largest major industry sector was Manufacturing (31-33), with 18 percent of


the employment, followed by Health Care and Social Assistance with 17 percent, and Retail Trade (44 & 45) with 13 percent.

Table 10. Major Industries in Somerset County




Retail Trade (44 & 45) 205 2,220














Information 19 154

Utilities 20 133



Totals 1378 17,241 Source: Maine Department of Labor, Center for Workforce Research and Information

Figure 4 below details the number of businesses in Somerset County by size of employees.

050

100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900

76 852 213 120 33 19 12 5 1 1

1-4 5-9 10-19 20-49 50-99 100-249 250-499 500-999 1,000+

Figure 4: Source: Tower Publishing

You may note that the number of establishments listed in the Maine Department of Labor table (1,360) differs from the number listed in Tower Publishing (1,332). This may account for new business start-ups in Somerset County that are not yet reported in Tower Publishing’s annual report.


1.6.7 Waldo County The total number of employees located in Waldo County in 2009 was 10,621. The largest major industry sector was Health Care and Social Assistance, with 16% of the employment, followed by Education Services with 14% and Retail Trade with 14%. Waldo County’s top seven largest employers are Bank of America, Waldo County General Hospital, Creative Apparel, Penobscot-McCrum Frozen Foods, Duck Trap River Fish Farm, Robbins Lumber, and Matthews Brothers. Waldo County has a total of 26 cities and towns with most jobs located within the health care field, retail shops, seafood harvest and processing, insurance, and tourism industry. With over 40% of the population in Waldo County falling into the 45-over age category, a large portion of the jobs are comprised of younger workers with varying backgrounds. Waldo depends heavily on tourists, as they have gorgeous scenic views, direct access to the Atlantic Ocean, and a type of Downeast charm that cannot be duplicated. The majority (65%) of the 771 businesses in Waldo County hire between 1 and 4 employees. In addition to the health care industry, the next industry employing the majority of these employees is in the hospitality industry.

Table 11. Major Industries in Waldo County


Retail Trade (44 & 45) 154 1,452





Construction 162 506





Finance and Insurance Confidential Confidential




Information 19 119


Management of Companies and Enterprises Confidential Confidential


Utilities 6 43


Totals 1076 10,960 Source: Maine Department of Labor, Center for Workforce Research and Information


Commercial growth in Waldo County over the past 10 years has been mostly limited to the City of Belfast, with the arrival of the credit card giant, MBNA-New England in the 1990s. MBNA employs over 2,100 people and the next largest private employer is Creative Apparel Associates with 276 employees. Except for MBNA, there has been only sporadic and small scale commercial or industrial development in Waldo County. This trend is expected to continue.


1.7 Businesses in the Study Area According to Tower Publishing, there are 42,157 businesses in the State of Maine. Approximately 28% of these businesses are located in the study area. Most businesses employ between 1 and 4 employees (54% of all businesses). There are 26 businesses employing 1,000 or more employees, representing 0.06% of all businesses. When studying the number of businesses in the study area and the number of potential employees, the minimum number of employees is 248,365 and the maximum number is 584,709. At any given time, the affect on the workforce should a natural event occur could have a long and lasting impact on the economy of the region and/or county. Figure 5 identifies the industry and number of employees in each industry. The industry distribution for each county in the study area clearly shows that the Health Care & Social Assistance industry provides the largest employment, followed by retail trade and education.

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

# Employees

Retail Trade

Health Care & Social Assist.

Education

Addommodation/Food Services

Manufacturing

Construction

Public Admin.

Admin, Waste Mgt, Remediation

Other Services

Professional, Scientific & Technical

Finance and Insurance

Transportation/Warehousing

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation

Wholesale Trade

Information

Ag, Forestry, Fishing/Hunting

Mgt. of Companies

Real Estate & Rental/Leasing

Utilities

Figure 5 - Industry Distribution Although employers in the health care and social assistance industry are among the highest, most employers such as hospitals and nursing home facilities have emergency preparedness plans in place. Most schools also have emergency planning and preparation plans to protect their employees and students against natural disasters. The Retail Trade Sector are those businesses that employ between 1 and 4 employees and those employing between 5 and 9 employees that are among those businesses not prepared to deal with the after-effects of a natural disaster, or any other disaster for that matter. This guide will


better prepare those businesses for dealing with disaster preparedness, business continuity and disaster recovery. In early 2009, a direct mailing was sent to each 42,157 businesses listed in the Tower Publishing directory for each of the seven counties asking them to respond to an on-line survey. The survey results did show that a majority of businesses are not prepared to handle either a man-made or natural disaster. Only 23% of businesses have risk management plans in place and approximately one-quarter of those businesses rarely update the plan. Survey results clearly demonstrate the need for disaster planning. For instance, many businesses have never worked with their community to promote disaster preparedness nor would they be able to remain open for business in cases of disasters. These responses are similar to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s findings that roughly 40%-60% of small businesses never reopen following a disaster. 1.8 Natural Hazard Events in the Study Area The following is a list of natural hazard events in the State of Maine, which includes many counties in the study area. Most of these have been declared disasters by Presidential declaration, emergency declarations, or SBA declarations.

Table 12. Natural Hazard Events in the Study Area Declaration Date Declaration

# Location Incident Type Property Damage

July 30, 2009 FEMA 1852

9 of 16 Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

Unknown

January 9, 2009 FEMA 1815

7 of 16 Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

Unknown

December 15, 2008

3298 6 of 16 Severe Winter Storms

September 9, 2008

FEMA 1788

Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

Unknown

May 9, 2008 FEMA 1755

7 of 16 Severe Storms and Flooding Unknown

August 8, 2007 FEMA 1716

Oxford Severe Storms and Flooding Unknown

April 25, 2007 FEMA 1693

13 of 16 Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

Unknown

April 20, 2007 FEMA 1691

4 of 16 Flooding Unknown

February 24, 2006

3265 Aroostook Record Snow

May 25, 2006 FEMA 1644

York Severe Storms and Flooding $7,400,000

September 19, 2005

3256 Statewide Hurricane Katrina

June 29, 2005 FEMA 1591

13 of 16 Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melts and Ice Jams

Unknown


April 21, 2005 3210 3 of 16 Record Snow

April 1, 2005 3209 8 of 16 Record Snow

March 14, 2005 3206 Kennebec and Washington

Record Snow

February 5, 2004 FEMA 1508

7 of 16 Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$1,500,000

January 26, 2004 3194 7 of 16 Record Snow

January 15, 2004 3190 9 of 16 Record Snow

May 14, 2003 FEMA 1468

11 of 16 Severe Winter cold and Frost Unknown

March 11, 2003 3174 Aroostook Record Snow

May 16, 2001 FEMA 1371

6 of 16 Severe Storms and Flooding $1,761,573

March 20, 2000 3164 13 of 16 Severe Winter Storm

April 28, 2000 FEMA 1326


November 18, 1999

FEMA 1308

5 of 16 Hurricane Floyd Unknown


Cumberland and York

Severe Storms, Heavy Rains, High Winds and Coastal Flooding

$1,997,555

July 2, 1998 FEMA 1232



Statewide Ice Storms $47,748,466

October 28, 1996 FEMA 1143

Severe Storms and Flooding $8,998,501

October 24, 1996 3121 Severe Storms and Flooding

May 20, 1996 FEMA 1114

Flooding and Mudslides $2,671,119

March 13, 1996 FEMA 1106

Severe Storms and Flooding $2,181,170

May 13, 1994 FEMA 1029

Aroostook (Fort Fairfield)

Flooding and Ice Jams (Damage to 71 homes and businesses)

$5,700,000

May 11, 1993 FEMA 988 Heavy Rain, Flooding, Ice Jams and Snow Melts

$3,476,507

March 15, 1993 3099 Blizzards, Severe Winds, and Snowfall, and Coastal Storms

May 19, 1992 Denied Aroostook (Allagash)

1,150 acre Fire Unknown

March 27, 1992 FEMA 940 Flooding, Heavy Rain, and Ice Jams

$3,462,787

November 7, 1991

FEMA 921 Severe Coastal Storm N/A

August 28, 1991 FEMA 915 Flooding, Hurricane Bob

N/A

April 19, 1991 FEMA 901 Aroostook Flooding, Severe Storms, and Ice Jams

N/A

June 7, 1989 FEMA 830 Severe Storms and Flooding

$1,396,120


April 9, 1987 FEMA 788 Severe Storms and Flooding

$100,000,000

April 30, 1979 SBA Multi-County Flood $648,500

February 17, 1978

FEMA 550 Statewide High Winds, Tidal Surge, and Coastal Flooding

$20,693,181

August 10, 1977 SBA Aroostook Hurricane

$4,000,000

August 19, 1976 SBA Aroostook Flooding, Hurricane Belle

Unknown

April 2, 1976 Denied Flooding

$200,000

May 26, 1974 Denied Aroostook Flood

$3,000,000

January 18, 1974 FEMA 410 Severe Storms and Flooding

N/A

December, 1973 Denied Multi-County Flood $3,000,000

May 23, 1973 FEMA 384 Heavy Rains and Flooding

N/A

April 24, 1973

Denied Statewide Flood $908,404

September 28, 1972

FEMA 356 Toxic Algae in Coastal Waters N/A

March 7, 1972 FEMA 326 Severe Storms and Flooding

N/A

February 27, 1970

FEMA 284 Severe Storms, Ice Jams and Flooding

$3,000,000

September 13, 1954

FEMA 24 Statewide Hurricane Edna (8 deaths, power outages)

$7,000,000

Information on numbers and types of businesses for each county in the study area as well as the types and frequencies of natural hazard events obtained provided businesses with a realistic picture of the potential effect on their business. The following chapters will provide you with the tools needed to prepare for emergencies that may affect your business.


Chapter 2 – Ranking and Prioritizing

2.1 Identifying Hazards According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center, there have been 3,852 natural hazard events statewide from 1/1/1950 to 4/30/2010. A total of 3,153 (or 81.8%) were experienced in the seven counties listed in the study area. Maine Hazards include Flood (Flash, Riverine, Urban); Severe Winter Storms; Severe Summer Storms; hurricanes, wildfire, drought, dam failure, earthquake, tornado, and landslides. The following table represents the number of events that have been recorded by NOAA, but not necessarily been declared disasters by MEMA or FEMA. Recorded events include tornadoes (F1-F3), thunderstorms and high winds, hail, heavy snow, flooding, freezing rain, extreme cold temperatures, and ice storms. In total, the events have resulted in 37 deaths and 125 injuries. Total damage is estimated to be $2,060,077,000 in property damage and $630,000 in crop damage. The number of events recorded is as follows:

Table 13. Recorded Natural Hazard Events, 1950 to 2010

Ev

en

t

Aro

ost

oo

k

Kn

ox

Lin

coln

Pe

no

bsc

ot

Pis

cata

qu

is

So

me

rse

t

Wa

ldo

Drought Dust Storm Flood Fog Funnel Cloud Hail (.75” to 3.00”) High Winds Hurricane/Tropical Storm Lightning Ocean and Lake Surf Precipitation Snow & Ice Strong Winds Temperature Extremes Thunderstorm Winds Tornado (F1-F3) Waterspout Wild & Forest Fire

0 0 78 0 3 105 33 0 1 0 2 179 3 38 204 24 0 0 685

9 0 33 0 1 5 19 0 8 8 10 62 38 22 21 1 0 0 242

9 0 27 0 0 15 23 1 19 10 9 66 36 21 40 2 0 0 282

2 0 51 1 2 64 58 0 4 0 4 194 6 31 143 12 0 0 579

1 0 57 0 0 43 36 0 5 0 1 175 8 38 86 3 0 0 460

9 0 76 0 2 37 28 0 10 0 8 220 24 50 115 10 0 0 600

9 0 47 0 0 14 19 0 4 9 10 89 36 25 37 3 0 0 305

Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center


As you can see, snow and ice storms, which include heavy snow, ice storms, winter storms, freezing rain, and moderate to light snowfall, occur most often. This is followed by thunderstorm winds, hail storms, floods, and strong winds. While the first three events occur most frequently, the most costly event by far is that of flooding. In terms of deaths and injuries, snow & ice storms caused the most deaths (24) followed by strong winds (10); lightning storms and fog caused the most injuries at 24 each, followed by strong winds (23)and high winds (19). In terms of property damage, snow and ice has caused in excess of $1.5 billion dollars in damages, followed by floods at nearly $157 million dollars. Ocean and lake surf events, which occurred in Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo Counties are estimated to have cost $47,522,000 in property damage. Strong and high winds occurring in each of the counties have also contributed to millions of dollars of property damage; $28,767,000 in the estimated cost. For the purposes of this plan however, the major event that we will focus our concentration on is that of flooding. Emergency preparedness, risk assessments, and disaster recovery procedures for flooding can be applied to any other natural or man-made events. 2.1.1 Floods Floods are described as temporary overflows of water onto lands not normally covered by water and that are used or usable by man, producing measurable property damage/ destruction or forcing the evacuation of people and vital resources. There are several types of floods, such as flash floods, which is the quick rising of small streams after heavy rains, ice jams, or rapid snow melt. Most common are the riverine floods, which is the periodic overbank flow of rivers and streams. Urban flooding occurs when there is an overflow of storm sewer systems, usually due to poor drainage following heavy rain or rapid snow melt. Dam and levee failures can cause rapid downstream flooding, loss of life, damage to property, and the forced evacuation of people. There are eight major rivers, more than 5,000 streams and brooks, 6,000 ponds and lakes, and 3,500 miles of coastline which are vulnerable to the effects of flooding. While minor to moderate flooding can occur at any time, major flooding occurs when heavy rains and rapidly melting snow and ice, usually in the spring of the year. Of the 369 flooding events that have occurred over the past six decades, 16 have been declared disasters. The Flood Hazard Mitigation Plans for each of the seven counties were used to profile natural and man-made hazards, particularly flooding events. Flooding, and related hazards, have been identified as the number one hazard in each of the counties. As mentioned earlier, flooding can result in loss of life, property damage or destruction, damage or disruption of communication, transportation, electrical service and community services; crop and livestock damage and loss; and interruption of business.


2.1.1(a) Profiling Flooding and Related Hazard Events Types of flooding include:

Tropical Storms and Hurricanes: Hurricanes pack a triple punch; i.e. high winds, soaking rain, and flying debris. They can cause storm surges to coastal areas as well as create heavy rainfall which in turn causes flooding hundreds of miles inland. When hurricanes weaken into tropical storms, they generate rainfall and flooding that can be especially damaging since the rain collects in one place.

Spring thaw: During the spring, frozen land prevents melting snow or rainfall from seeping into the ground. Each cubic foot of compacted snow contains gallons of water and once the snow melts, it can result in the overflow of streams, rivers, and lakes. Add spring storms to that and the result is often serious spring flooding. Riverine/ice jam flooding is a significant disaster risk. Damages from ice jam flood usually exceed those of clear water flooding because of higher than predicted flood elevations, rapid increase in water levels upstream and downstream; and the physical damage caused by ice chunks.

Heavy Rains: Several areas of the county are heightened risk for flooding due to heavy rains. The region is at high risk due to heavy rains produced from Nor’easters. This excessive amount of rainfall can happen throughout the year, putting your business at risk.

Levees & Dams: Levees are designed to protect against a certain level of flooding. However, levees can and do decay over time, making maintenance a serious challenge. Levees can also be overtopped, or even fail during large floods, creating more damage than if the levee wasn’t even there. Dam failure can cause rapid downstream flooding, loss of life, damage to property, and the forced evacuation of people.

Flash Floods: Flash floods are the #1 weather-related killer in the U.S. since they can roll boulders, tear out trees, and destroy buildings and bridges. A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas in less than six hours, which is caused by intense rainfall from a thunderstorm or several thunderstorms. Flash floods can also occur from the collapse of a man-made structure or ice dam.

Lacustrine (Lake Flooding): occurs when the outlet for the lake cannot discharge the flood waters fast enough to maintain the normal pool elevation of the lake. During a base flood event, normal increases in water surface elevations on most Maine lakes and ponds range from 1 to 5 feet. However, in Maine there are some examples where the base flood event will reverse the flow of the outlet stream. In such instances, river and base flood elevations can rise more than 15 feet above the normal pool.


2.1.1(b) Understanding Flood Areas

Flooding can happen anywhere, but certain areas are especially prone to serious flooding. Major sources of flooding are the Androscoggin, Kennebec, Saco, St. John, and Penobscot Rivers among many others. To help communities understand their risk, flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps, FIRMs) have been created to show the locations of high-risk, moderate-to-low risk, and undetermined-risk areas. Here are the definitions for each:

High-risk areas (Special Flood Hazard Area or SFHA) have at least a 1% annual chance of flooding, which equates to a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. All homeowners and businesses in these areas with mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders are required to buy flood insurance. They are shown on the flood maps as zones labeled with the letters A or V.

Moderate-to-low risk areas (Non-Special Flood Hazard Area or NSFHA) mean that the risk of being flooded is reduced, but not completely removed. These areas are outside the 1% annual flood-risk floodplain areas, so flood insurance isn’t required, but it is recommended for all property owners. They are shown on flood maps as zones labeled with the letters B, C or X (or a shaded X).

Undetermined-risk areas are areas where no flood-hazard analysis has been conducted, but a flood risk still exists. Flood insurance rates reflect the uncertainty of the flood risk. These areas are labeled with the letter D on the flood maps.

2.1.1(c) Determining the Risk

To identify a community’s flood risk, FEMA conducts a Flood Insurance Study. The study includes statistical data for river flow, storm tides, hydrologic/hydraulic analyses, and rainfall and topographic surveys. FEMA uses this data to create the flood hazard maps that outline your community’s different flood risk areas. Businesses and organizations are urged to contact their local town/city offices to determine if their facilities are located in an area of high flood risk.

Floodplains and areas subject to coastal storm surge are shown as high-risk areas or SFHAs. Some parts of floodplains may experience frequent flooding while others are only affected by severe storms. However, areas directly outside of these high-risk areas may also find themselves at considerable risk.

2.1.2 Aroostook County Flooding in Aroostook County takes place at many different intervals. Spring thaw, severe storms and saturated farm fields are the most frequent causes of floods in the County. In the springtime, the Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency (AKEMA) monitors the following rivers at the following points:

i. Aroostook River at Washburn ii. Aroostook River at Masardis

iii. St. John River at Dickey iv. St. John River at Fort Kent v. St. John River at Allagash


The St. John River Basin occupies approximately 21,400 square miles in Aroostook, Somerset, Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties, Maine and extends into the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, Canada. The St. John River forms the U.S./Canada border between St. Francis, Maine and Grand Falls, New Brunswick where the river crosses exclusively into Canadian territory. The river is approximately 420 miles long. The topography within the drainage basin is generally flat with rolling hills. The drainage basin is largely undeveloped and much of the land is used as a forestry resource. The following table presents the major Maine tributaries to the St. John River along with their respective drainage areas within Maine.

Table 14. St. John River Basin

Tributary Drainage Area (Square Miles)

Allagash River 1,240 Fish River 890 Aroostook River 2,460 Big Presque Isle and Meduxnekeag River 750 Total 11,580

The St. John River Basin contains all or portions of two cities (e.g. Presque Isle and Caribou), 44 towns, 163 unincorporated territories, and falls within four counties. The Allagash River at the Town of Allagash has flooded three times within the past 74 years with flooding stage ranging from 2.55’ to 4.78’ above flood level. The Fish River at Fort Kent has flooded 10 times within the past 74 years ranging from .11’ to 2.93’. The Aroostook River at Masardis and Washburn has flooded 10 times at each location ranging from .70 to 6.91’ above flood stage. The St. John River has flooded 10 times in the past 47 years at various locations along the river.

2.1.3 Penobscot County

Penobscot County has approximately 5,180 miles of rivers and streams. Penobscot River is the largest river in Maine. The Penobscot River Basin occupies 8,570 square miles in northeastern Maine. It flows for 105 miles from the confluence of its East and West Branches in Medway, south to its mouth in Penobscot Bay. The River Basin is largely undeveloped and is approximately 95% forested. Flooding within the Penobscot River Basin is most often caused by a combination of precipitation and snowmelt. Ice jams can exacerbate high flow conditions and cause acute localized flooding. There have been 18 major flooding events in the Penobscot River Basin from 1973 to 2006.

Major communities in this basin include Millinocket, Howland, Lincoln, Old Town, Orono, Veazie, Bangor and Brewer. The following table presents the major tributaries to the Penobscot and their respective drainage areas.

Table 15. Penobscot River Basin

Tributary Drainage Area (Square Miles)

West Branch Penobscot River East Branch Penobscot River Mattawamkeag River Piscataquis River Penobscot River

2,140 1,150 1,520 1,470 2,400

Total 8,670


2.1.4 Somerset County The Kennebec River Basin occupies approximately 5,900 square miles of southwestern Maine and extends through Somerset County and into Kennebec County. The headwaters of the river basin originate in the Appalachian Mountains on the international border with Canada. The upper 2/3 of the basin above Waterville is hilly and mountainous and the lower 1/3 has the gentle topography of a coastal drainage area. Major communities in this basin include Bingham, Anson, Madison, Norridgewock, Skowhegan, Waterville, Winslow, Augusta, Hallowell and Gardiner. The Kennebec River originates at Moosehead Lake and flows south approximately 145 miles to Merrymeeting Bay. There are 22 major tributaries to the Kennebec River. The Carrabassett and Sandy Rivers are major contributors to flooding, contributing approximately 40% of the peak discharge during flood events. Sixteen major flood events occurred between the period February, 1970 and February, 2006. Flooding continues to be the primary cause of shutting down transportation in some areas, since it is primarily the roads that are affected. Flooded roads can impact businesses, industry, commerce and schools, and can also delay many social and emergency services. A total of 25 municipalities and five plantations in Somerset County have joined the Federal Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and, as a condition of participation in the program, have enacted floodplain management ordinances that limit new development in floodplain areas. According to information obtained from the Maine State Planning Office, there are only three communities that are not in the NFIP: Athens, Moose River, and Brighton Plantation. There are some homes and seasonal dwellings in Somerset County that are in the 100-year floodplain. As these properties are sold and mortgaged, owners may be required to upgrade these homes in order to meet the requirements of local floodplain management ordinances as well as the demands of lenders. 2.1.5 Knox and Waldo Counties Knox and Waldo Counties are located in the St. Croix River Basin, also known as the Eastern Maine Coastal region. The Eastern Coastal Drainage Basin includes many small rivers draining directly into the Atlantic Ocean. The St. Croix River Basin is the largest river basin located within the Eastern Coastal Drainage Basin. The St. Croix River forms the border between Maine and Canada with a major border crossing at the Route 1 Bridge at Calais – St. Stephen. This river basin occupies approximately 1,650 square miles of northeastern Maine. Several lakes and streams contribute to the St. Croix River Basin. The St. Croix River flooded seven times between 1970 and 2005. The flood of record occurred in May, 1961.


Riverine/ice jam flooding is the significant contributor to flooding in each of these river basins. Damages from ice jam flooding usually exceed those of clear water flooding because of higher than predicted flood elevations, rapid increase in water levels upstream and downstream, and the physical damage caused by ice chunks. There is one river located in Knox County, the St. George River, which flows through the towns of Appleton, Union, Warren, Thomaston, South Thomaston, Cushing and St. George. The most susceptible communities to coastal flooding are Camden, Cushing, Friendship, Isle Au Haut, North Haven, Owl’s Head, Rockland, Rockport, St. George, South Thomaston, and Vinalhaven. There is a State of Maine ferry service at Rockland that services the islands of North Haven, Vinalhaven, and Matinicus Island and this service could be impacted by coastal flooding. The majority of the flood damage in Knox County is caused by winter runoff in the springtime, which undercuts or overtops local roads. Typically, the road damage is not major, although it can have an impact on municipal road budgets. Waldo County is subject to riverine, storm surge, and wetland area flooding. There are three major rivers located along the border of Waldo County. The Penobscot River and Bay is bordered on the towns of Belfast, Frankfort, Isleboro, Lincolnville, Northport, Prospect, Searsport, Stockton Springs and Winterport. The Sebasticook River is bordered by the Town of Burnham. A smaller river, the Passagassawakeg River flows through the City of Belfast. The most susceptible communities to coastal flooding are Islesboro and Lincolnville. The island community of Islesboro is split into two halves during a storm surge and public safety is unable to reach or protect the other half of the community during a flooded state. 2.1.6 Androscoggin County/Androscoggin River Basin The Androscoggin River Basin occupies 3,500 square miles in western Maine and northeastern New Hampshire. The Androscoggin River flows 169 miles from the headwaters in Unbagog Lake in Errol, New Hampshire to its mouth at Merrymeeting Bay. Large communities in this river basin include Bethel, Rumford, Mexico, Canton, Jay, Livermore, Lewiston, Auburn, Brunswick and Topham. The following paragraphs highlight some of the more recent and worst flooding events recorded in Maine.


2.2 Past Historical Flooding Events May Day Flood of 2008: The most recent flood that occurred on April 28, 2008, and is now known as the May Day Flood of 2008, destroyed one elderly housing facility, damaged 58 businesses, and hundreds of residential dwellings. Although the heaviest damage was in Aroostook County, there was damage elsewhere in the state. Record flows of rivers were fueled in part by melting snow from a record snowfall. Nearly 200 inches of snow fell, surpassing a more than 50-year-old record set during the winter of 1954-1955. This compounded with 3 ½ inches of rain resulted in the St. John River cresting at 30.14’, about 5’ above flood stage. The previous record crest of 27.3’ was set in 1979. This flood was greater than the 100-year event. A FEMA publication, released on January 2, 2010, entitled Living Behind the Levee: Fort Kent, Maine provides various scenarios should flood water overtop the levee, which is predicted to occur in the future. The entire downtown in Fort Kent is at risk of a catastrophic flood. The choices that Fort Kent officials make today will make a difference in the future. Disaster experience shows that the faster a community recovers, the more likely its economy and way of life will be restored to vitality. The same is true for businesses. Recovery efforts that are well planned in advance make it easier and faster to return to normalcy. The Flood of 1987 is another disaster that demonstrates the impact on businesses and the community. In the spring of 1987, the State of Maine suffered one of the worst natural disasters in its history – what will be remembered in history as the “Flood of 1987”. Maine had a normal snowpack and normal flood potential in late March 1987. However, a warm rainstorm brought 4 to 6 inches of rain to the mountains of Maine and New Hampshire, which combined with 6 or more inches of melted snow. The water ran over frozen ground, and streams and rivers began to rise. These torrential rains and melting snow and ice caused a catastrophic flood that inundated homes and businesses along Maine’s major waterways and swept away roads and bridges, including at least two historic structures. On April 1, 1987, flooding became disastrous on Maine’s major rivers. The result:

2,100 homes flooded; 215 destroyed; 240 with major damage 400 small businesses impacted Countless roads and bridges destroyed or damaged Fort Halifax historic site in Winslow washed away Losses estimated at over $100 million (almost $200 million in today’s dollars)


Some communities had 8 feet of water in their downtown areas, in others houses were half underwater. The destruction in the low-lying areas of Androscoggin, Kennebec, Oxford, Franklin, Somerset, Penobscot, and Piscataquis counties prompted former Governor McKernan to declare a state of emergency. That allowed mobilization of the Maine National Guard, which, among other tasks, evacuated 100 nursing home patients in Canton. While the Kennebec and Piscataquis rivers created the most havoc, other areas of the state also encountered problems. Sebasticook Stream and the Aroostook, Saco, Narraguargus, Penobscot, and Androscoggin rivers were among the major waterways that flooded their banks and damaged buildings and roads. In Guilford, Town Manager Robert Littlefield reported that the raging water from the Piscataquis River destroyed a senior citizens complex, moved houses from their foundations, severely damaged local businesses and industries, flooded roads, and ripped a covered bridge to shreds. Sections of small towns along waterways up and down the state were without power and were isolated for days after roads flooded or washed away. More than 100 roads and bridges were closed during the flood. The Piscataquis River dislodged three 4,000-gallon gasoline tanks containing 9,100 gallons of fuel and a couple of 250-gallon tanks of chemicals that traveled downriver to Howland.

Oil from Guilford Industries left a thick black layer on nearby houses. Floodwaters wiped out or damaged at least nine homes in Guilford; destroyed several businesses including a grocery store, hardware store and gasoline station; and damaged a construction company and the town’s major industries: Guilford Industries, Hardwood Products and the former Pride Manufacturing Company. It took businesses and others who experienced losses more than a year to recover

and to receive the state and federal aid they needed. Pride Manufacturing Company pulled up roots in 2005 and consolidated its holdings in Burnham.

Goings Electric Supply in Farmington Falls reported losing $100,000 worth of inventory and three vehicles. The inventory was not insured for flood, so the business took out a low interest loan with the Small Business Administration to repurchase inventory.

To summarize the estimate of flood damage in millions of 1987 dollars, the following provides a breakdown of impact on the community and business as well as the impact on

the region.

Androscoggin River Basin $14.9 Kennebec River Basin $44.6 Penobscot River Basin $10.6 Presumpscot River Basin $ .2 Saco River Basin $ 1.6 Other Rivers $ .4 General $ 2.2 Total $74.5

Families/Individuals $19.4 Businesses $44.7 Farms $ .4 Local Government $ 8.2 County Government $ .9 State Government $ .9 Total $74.5


The storm of record, the Flood of 1987, caused over $100 million in damages affecting 14 of the 16 counties and a wide range of enterprises. Many businesses had waterways instead of streets. The Small Business Administration thought that 400 businesses had sustained losses totaling approximately $44,000,000. The Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service reported $300,000 worth of equipment and $100,000 in livestock losses. Pollutants in flood waters contaminated clam beds at the mouth of rivers, putting clam diggers out of business. That alone necessitated Disaster Unemployment Assistance funding of over $300,000. Major damage occurred to homes, businesses, public buildings (town halls, fire stations, libraries) parks and recreation areas, agricultural equipment and livestock; the pollution severely damaged water and sanitation district facilities; and caused erosion to river banks. Were a flood of this magnitude to occur today the costs would most likely be significantly higher than in 1987, primarily because of real estate and infrastructure values. In theory, a flood of this magnitude should occur only once in a hundred years or more. In reality, it can happen at any time when the wrong weather factors come together. Though we cannot stop such a flood from occurring, we can all try to reduce its effects. 2.3 Flooding Due to Dam Failures Dam failure is not a frequent occurrence, but it can and does occur. According to the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), a dam is defined as any means of an artificial barrier, including appurtenant works, the site on which it is located and appurtenant rights of flowage and access that impounds or diverts water. In the event of a dam failure, the energy of water stored behind the dam is capable of causing rapid downstream flooding, loss of life, damage to property and the forced evacuation of people. Dam failures can also disrupt local and state economies by damage to buildings and roads, the severance of communications, disruption of supply and delivery mechanisms, additional welfare, and emergency aid to the recovering economy. There are an estimated 8,300 dams in the U.S. and only 40% of these dam owners have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). Fortunately, local communities where dams are located recognize the need for comprehensive emergency management planning as the most effective approach to emergency management. Many communities have emergency action plans that are essential. They identify properties located downstream from the dam that would be flooded in case of a failure, establish the communication between dam owners and emergency response personnel, and provides notification and evacuation procedures. Maine has 8 major rivers and 21 smaller coastal rivers supporting over 1,000 dams grouped by regulating authority and hazard. There are 841 dams in Maine under state regulation. Of these, 26 are high hazard and 87 are significant hazard dams requiring regular inspections every two and four years. Dams are identified as high, significant or


low hazard based on urban development and economic loss. A high hazard dam would result in excessive economic loss whereas a low hazard dam would have minimal losses. Most Maine dams are over fifty years old and nearing the end of their life cycle. These dams all show signs of weathering and movement to various degrees. The state does not have the revenue to sustain repairs and maintenance on a regular basis and the continued deterioration of dams should be a cause for concern. Two of the most vulnerable of Maine’s rivers are the Kennebec and Androscoggin. Storage dams such as Wyman dam control the upper part of the Kennebec River Basin, which drains about one-fifth of the State. The basin below the dam is largely uncontrolled. The Androscoggin River Basin drains less area than the Kennebec, but has a more rapid fall – 1,245 feet from its source, an average slope of almost eight feet per mile. Like the Kennebec, the upper part of the basin is controlled by dams, but floods have been severe at downstream locations where sharp drops attracted industries and town development. Based on the history of occurrences in Somerset County, it can be expected that a major flood event will cause mostly road damage every one to five years. The majority of damages from flooding are to roads, not structures. Most municipalities have floodplain ordinances that provide some control over development in flood prone areas, and these ordinances would also regulate the location of future critical facilities. The flood of April, 1987 was one of the most significant flooding events in Maine’s history. According to a U.S. Geological Survey paper #2424 (“The Flood of April, 1987 in Maine”), flood damage in the Penobscot and Kennebec River basins in 1987 was the greatest for any flood (including March of 1936) for which data are available. This flood caused over $100,000,000 in damages statewide. Public disaster assistance grants in Somerset County amounted to over $6,000,000. The Penobscot River Basin drains almost as large an area as the Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers combined. The system of upstream dams, the relatively gradual fall of the river, averaging only three feet per mile, and the presence of extensive wetlands in the eastern part of the basin has in the past prevented massive floods. The Penobscot River Basin contains approximately 119 dams; 16 are used for generating hydroelectric power, 12 for flood control and stormwater management, 12 for water supply, 26 for recreational purposes, and 39 for other uses. The St. John River Basin drains a vast area in Canada and northern Maine and has a considerable drop in elevation in the upper section. Because of the wide channel and steep banks, the main stem of the St. John River has relatively moderate flooding. Coastal rivers, however, like the Presumpscot, do not drain extensive areas. Some tributaries of the St. John, such as the Aroostook River, are prone to flooding. The St. John River Basin contains over 50 dams used for recreation, flood control, reservoir storage, and hydroelectric power generation. The storage capacity of impoundments within the Maine portion of the St. John River Basin is approximately 71,800 acre-feet.


The Saco has approximately a quarter of the drainage area of the Kennebec River but no upstream storage dams. The St. Croix has as much drainage area but is controlled by upstream storage dams. The Saco, St. Croix, and St. John Rivers do not have the extensive flood plain development of the Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers. The Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency (AKEMA) conducts a survey of all dams in Aroostook County by visiting each dam and creating a site map of each. Information on each dam is placed in a resource guide, which includes the name of the town, dam owners, and ID numbers as well as emergency contact information. Many dams throughout the county are nearly 100 years old and beyond their normal design life. Dam failure is not a frequent occurrence, but it can and does occur. A 1954 hurricane resulted in a deluge that washed out the Mars Hill and Easton dams. Maine law classifies the hazard potential of dams as High, Significant or Low. If they failed, High hazard dams could cause loss of life; Significant hazard dams could cause significant property damage; and Low hazard dams would generally cause damage only. There are no dams on the Penboscot River in Waldo County, although there are a large number of dams on the river, north in Penobscot County. The majority of the Waldo County dams is small and located at the outlets of lakes and ponds and would not have a major flooding impact. One small dam is located on the Sebasticook River however the banks of the river are high in Burnham and outside the flood zone. Although flooding has been ranked and prioritized as the major hazard that would have the greatest threats to public health and safety, property damage and economic loss, businesses responding to a risk assessment questionnaire ranks flooding as 7th most critical hazard in terms of impact on business. The number one concern is the loss of electricity, followed by pandemic flu, and winter storms/snow & ice. Loss of electricity is not a natural or man-made hazard, but the result of any hazard. Survey respondents are more concerned with pandemic flu and winter storms probably because of their frequency rather than severity. Also, of the businesses that responded to the survey, 61.3% of the businesses were located neither near a water body nor in a floodplain and had not experienced flooding events.


2.4 Earthquakes in Maine Although earthquakes have a low probability of occurring in Maine, they do happen often. There is a history of continual, low-level activity in the state, with larger ones occurring every once in a while. The tremor that shook parts of Hancock and Penobscot counties in April, 2010 is the latest in a long history of earthquakes in Maine. Since 1975, Maine has had about one magnitude 3.0-3.9 earthquake every year and a magnitude 4.0 earthquake every 10 to 15 years. The strongest Maine earthquake on record occurred in 1904 in Eastport and registered a magnitude of more than 5.0. What is the earthquake hazard in Maine? The chances of having a small earthquake in Maine in any given year are quite good, but the probability of larger events is much less. In Aroostook, Piscataquis, and Somerset counties, the affects of an earthquake may be caused by larger earthquakes occurring outside the region, such as the magnitude 5.2 earthquake centered in Quebec City in 1997.

Earthquakes are measured in magnitude; that is the amount of energy released at the center of an earthquake. Magnitude is represented by whole numbers. A whole number increase represents ten times the ground motion and about 30 times the energy. For example, a magnitude 5 event is 30 times more powerful than a magnitude 4, and a magnitude 6 is nearly a thousand times more

powerful than a 4. Earthquakes below about 2.5 are usually not felt; minor damage to buildings starts to occur about magnitude 5. Another way to measure earthquakes is by intensity, which describes the effect of earthquake motion. The intensity scale is assigned Roman numerals. At low intensities (I and II), the gentle rolling or swaying motions are ignored by most people. Intensities III and IV are widely felt, though loud noises are as noticeable as the shaking. Intensity V may cause plaster or windows to crack; intensity VI may move heavy furniture and cause chimney damage; intensity VII damages poor structures and may damage some ordinary structures. The scale continues up to XII (total destruction), but nothing above VIII has been reported from New England since the 1500s. The largest recorded earthquake in Maine from 1747 to the present was estimated to be a 5.9 magnitude that occurred near Eastport in 1904. Between 1747 and 1992, there were 507 earthquakes, some of which were too small to be felt. Instrumental monitoring of Maine seismicity began in 1975. The most seismically active regions of Maine are the area along the eastern side of Passamaquoddy Bay, the Dover-Foxcroft/Milo areas, southwestern Maine, especially the Portland/Lewiston region. There is also strong seismic activity that occurs in New Hampshire that can affect people living in western Maine. The same is true of seismic activity that occurs in Quebec along the St. Lawrence which can affect northwestern Maine.


The following table provides the year, magnitude, and location of notable earthquake events in Maine as well as the Northeast region.

Table 16. Notable Events in Maine Year Size Location 1904 VII Eastport Area

1918 VI Sabbatus 1928 VI Milo

1943 425 Dover-Foxcroft 1957 4.2 Portland

1958 4.0 Cape Elizabeth

1973 4.8 Bowmantown Township 1979 4.0 Bath

1988 4.0 Albion Notable Events in the Northeast

June 11, 1638 6.5 Central New Hampshire February 5, 1663 7.0 Charlevoix, Quebec

December 18, 7173 5.2 New York City August 10, 1884 5.2 New York City

November 18, 1755 6.0 Cape Ann, Massachusetts

March 21, 1904 5.9 Easternmost Maine 1997 5.2 Quebec City, Quebec

September 25, 1998 5.2 Pymatuning Reservoir, Pennsylvania

Since 1997, there have been 68 earthquakes felt in Maine, some with epicenters located outside of the state. These earthquakes ranged in magnitude from 1.7 to 5.4. The three magnitudes 5.1, 5.3 and 5.4 occurred in Plattsburgh, New York and Quebec City, Canada (2) respectively. All other earthquakes were located in Maine with the highest magnitude recorded at 3.8 on July 14, 2006 and located approximately 15 miles northwest of Portage in Aroostook County. A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck at the Ontario-Quebec border region on June 23, 2010 sending tremors from Canada’s capital in Ottawa to several states in the U.S. In Portland, Maine, a medical office building was evacuated for a short time after workers felt the building shaking.


2.5 Severe Winter Storms Winter storms are ranked as the second highest hazard in Maine. These include heavy snow, ice storms, blizzards, freezing rain, and winter storms. During the winter months, Maine often has heavy snowfall, or snow combined with high winds, freezing rain or ice storms. Nor’easters, the most severe form, occur during the winter, spring and fall. They rarely develop during the summer. Precipitation amounts can exceed several inches of water equivalent (20-30 inches of snow or more), while wind speeds can be equal to or greater than those for hurricanes that reach Maine. Blizzards, which are sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 miles per hour winds; falling or blowing snow with visibility less than ¼ mile for greater than 3 hours; rain which freezes upon impact leaving an ice coating of at least ½ inch in thickness and is heavy enough to damage trees, overhead wires, and produce widespread power outage; ½ inch or more of frozen rain drops; snow storms of 7” or more within twelve hours or 10” or more within twenty-four hours; signify severe winter storms. This hazardous event causes dangerous driving conditions on highways and bridges, loss of power and telephone service when utility lines yield under the weight of snow and ice, emergency services unable to respond due to road conditions are several effects of severe winter storms. Damages from winter storms primarily affect roads and utilities. Again, the results of these storms can impact business, industry, commerce and schools and delay many social and emergency services. The entire State is vulnerable to severe winter storms. Mitigation activities would include effective weather advisories through radio and television. Accurate public information, including recommended actions to prepare for adverse weather conditions continue to be

most effective in preventing loss of life and minimizing property damages. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center reports that over the past six decades, there have been 7 deaths as a result of severe winter storms and property damage has been reported to exceed $327,669,000.


Past Historical Ice Storm Event The Ice Storm of 1998 – Several inches of ice downed power lines and trees. Statewide the storm knocked out power to about 365,000 customers totaling an estimated 840,000 people (or about 70% of the State’s population). About 1/3 of those that lost power were without electricity for more than a week. For some, it was off for up to three weeks. The estimated damage as a result of this storm was $300,000,000 mostly to timber, more specifically to the maple trees that produce syrup, and radio and communication towers. Approximately 3,200 utility poles were replaced as well as 2,100 transformers. Numerous roofs and buildings collapsed under the weight of the ice. Over 300 people were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. In total five deaths resulted from this storm – 2 from carbon monoxide poisoning, 1 was struck by a tree, 1 due to a roof collapse, and 1 due to other circumstances. Severe winter storms are costly and can have a major impact on loss of life and property damage. Information gathered from the National Data Climate Center provided the following data: 2.6 Severe Summer Storms Severe summer storms are described as violent weather phenomenon producing winds, heavy rains, lightning, and hail that causes injuries, damages/destroys property, crops, and/or livestock. Power and communication outages due to damage to lines caused by falling trees and branches, flash flooding, erosion, personal injury, and fires caused by lightning are some of the effects of a severe summer storm. Hail damages crops and other property. The entire state is vulnerable to one or more severe storms each year. Again, mitigation includes forecasting and warnings issued by the National Weather Service.

Photos Courtesy of Fern Jandreau

Knox County is very susceptible to severe coastal summer storms, usually in the form of thunderstorms. In June, 2009, severe storms accompanied with flooding and landslides prompted a Presidential Disaster Declaration. Financial assistance to this county was estimated at $132,174.


Strong winds and lightning has caused 12 deaths and 27 injuries from 1950 to date. In addition, lightning storms alone have caused nearly $2,000,000 in property damage, and high winds have caused $33,580,000 in damage. Approximately $630,000 worth of crop damage has been caused by hail storms. On April 6, 2010, the Bangor Daily News reported: Study: Northeast seeing more, fiercer rainstorms. The study predicts that climate change will bring warmer temperatures and more rain to the region. 2.7 Hurricane A hurricane is a tropical cyclone in which winds reach speeds of 74 miles per hour or more and blow in a large spiral around a relatively calm center. It produces measurable damage and destruction from heavy rainfall, winds, and flooding. Injury and loss of life; structural damage to homes and buildings may require the provision of shelter facilities; flooding and high winds may require evacuation of high risk areas; i.e. campgrounds, trailer parks, floodplains, heavy winds may damage trees causing interruptions in electric and telephone service; flooding and debris may impede traffic; brides, culverts and roads may wash out; agricultural crops may be destroyed, mobile homes may be blown off their bases; and tide surges may flood coastal areas and heavily damage property. Hurricanes can be accompanied by tornadoes. Some established and many marginal businesses will never recover resulting in job losses and some state wide economic consequences. The entire state is vulnerable to the primary and secondary effects of a hurricane with coastal and southern areas of the state most frequently receiving the highest impact. The experience of Hurricane Gloria in September, 1985 and Hurricane Bob in 1991 has raised awareness of the state’s vulnerability; however, event memories and lessons learned often fade within a period of only 2 to 3 years. The lack of any strong hurricanes for the last four decades and the fact that many people have never experienced a major hurricane leads people to be complacent. They do not prepare for this type of storm which could result in the loss of lives and injuries. In 1954, Maine suffered a total of 11 deaths and damages of $17 million as a result of Hurricane Carol and Edna, which occurred within a two-week period. Hurricane Donna in 1960 also caused damage in Maine.


The National Weather Service (NWS) estimates the following return periods for the eye of a hurricane passing within 75 miles of the Maine Coast: Category Southwestern Maine Mid and Downeast Maine

1 30 years 30 years 2 150 years 100 years 3 400 years 200 years

It is hard to accurately predict return times especially for Category 3 hurricanes, but the National Weather Service estimates that a Category 1 hurricane impacts Maine about every 20 years and severe tropical storms about every 5 years. Current levels of weather forecasting and warning gives sufficient time for preparations for hurricanes, but many tourists and residents wait far too long to seek emergency items and materials causing long lines at grocery stores, ATMs, lumber yards, and hardware stores. Heavy traffic on roads is already stressed by normal summer and fall tourist traffic. Information on the levels of hurricanes and their potential for damage follows.

Table 17. Categories of Hurricanes Category Wind Speed Damage Description

1 74-95 mph Minimal Damage primarily to shrubbery, trees, and unanchored mobile homes. 4’-5’ storm surges are expected.

2 96-110 mph Moderate Damage to shrubbery and trees, damage to signs, damage to roofing, doors and windows. Considerable damage to piers, small aircraft, and marinas could be flooded. Expect 6’-8’ storm surges and evacuation along the shoreline.

3 111-130 mph Extensive Same as above, but with storm surges of between 9’ and 12’.

4 131-155 mph Extreme Complete destruction of mobile homes, roofs, etc. Major erosion of beaches, massive evacuation within 2 miles of shore and storm surges of 13’-18’.

5 155+ mph Catastrophic Expect 18+’ storm surges and complete destruction.

While all coastal areas of Maine are subject to hurricanes or tropical storms, inland areas are also at risk. The risk is higher for southern Maine than it is for the northern portion of the state. The reason for this is that hurricane winds have usually been reduced substantially by the time the storm reaches northern Maine. However, the risk is still high for all inland areas for flooding. Heavy rain, strong winds, storm surges, and tornadoes are frequently associated with hurricanes. Heavy rains can cause flooding in a relatively short period of time, and is considered the major threat to inland areas. It is not uncommon to find rainfall totals in


excess of 6” within a span of 6 to 8 hours. People caught unaware of this may become victims of the flood waters. In coastal areas, storm surges are the most destructive forces of hurricanes and are responsible for 90% of the flooding deaths. The destructive power of a hurricane in one day is equivalent to the detonation of approximately 800 atomic bombs. Or the power produced by a hurricane in one day could supply the entire United States with electrical power for 6 months. Fishing, commercial and pleasure boating losses would probably be significant due to loss of boats and gear. There are approximately 104 businesses in the boat building, marinas, boat rental storage, cruises and marine equipment and supplies that have the potential to be affected by hurricanes. The loss of employment could average between 104 employees for smaller businesses up to 2,080 for larger organizations. 2.8 Wildfire and Urban Fire A forest fire is considered a wildfire if it involves two or more acres. The forests of the state represent an enormous natural and economic resource, a major forest fire would have a long-term economic impact affecting industry, causing unemployment, serious erosion, loss of wildlife, and agricultural land, and significantly impacting the tourism industry.

The State has 17.5 million acres of woodlands, much of which is used for the production of paper products and lumber. Historically, forest fires have been considered one of the most significant hazards in the state. Improved detection and early response has helped reduce their effects. Uncontrolled burning in residential, commercial,

industrial, or other properties in developed areas are known as urban fires. Economic effects to real estate and businesses, loss of tax base for the municipality, loss of housing, business and professional services and shopping facilities. Widespread unemployment may result from loss of office buildings, factories, businesses, and banks. Communication, transportation, electric, and gas services interrupted, as well as disruption of municipal water system and wastewater system. The release of toxic materials from manufacturing processes may complicate responses. Many buildings in urban areas are very vulnerable to fire, which can easily spread to other nearby wooden buildings, creating a conflagration which is extremely difficult to control. Because of the speed at which fire may spread, adequate warning to people in nearby or adjoining buildings may not be possible. If industries are involved that use potentially harmful chemicals, the threat of air, soil, and water contamination and the potential for loss of life must be addressed. Major structure/urban fire continue to be the most consistent significant municipal incident in the state.


2.9 Tornadoes Tornadoes experienced in recent history have been generated by severe summer storms with the southwestern and central sections of the state most often affected. The following table depicts the number of tornadoes and the damages incurred from 1950 to 1995.

Table 18. Tornadoes County Tornadoes Deaths Injuries Property

Damage Androscoggin 4 0 1 $3,003,000 Aroostook 24 1 5 $1,008,000 Cumberland 7 0 2 $11,000 Franklin 4 0 0 $300,000 Hancock 1 0 0 $25,000 Kennebec 11 0 0 $375,000 Knox 1 0 0 $25,000 Lincoln 2 0 0 $25,000 Oxford 12 0 0 $63,000 Penobscot 12 0 2 $308,000 Piscataquis 3 0 0 $25,000 Sagadahoc 1 0 0 $250,000 Somerset 10 0 0 $580,000 Waldo 3 0 3 $53,000 Washington 4 0 4 $300,000 York 10 0 2 $3,230,000 Total 109 1 19 $9,581,000 Source: National Climatic Data Center

From January 1, 1950 to March 31, 2010, approximately 50% of all tornadoes have occurred in the seven counties included in this study area. A total of 12 tornadoes have been classified as F2, with 28 classified as F1 and 15 as F0. The following table provides the scale for tornadoes.

Figure 6.

Fujita Tornado Scale F0 40-72 mph 35-62 kt

F1 73-112 mph 63-97 kt F2 113-157 mph 98-136 kt F3 158-206 mph 137-179 kt F4 207-260 mph 180-226 kt F5 261-318 mph 227-276 kt


2.10 Erosion/Coastal Erosion The gradual wearing away of arable lands will eventually result in marked decreases in production of crops generally occurring on a progressive basis. Removal of topsoil by water results in siltification of streams and rivers adversely affecting aquatic plants and wildlife. Coastal erosion in sparsely populated areas poses little or no threat; however, in densely populated areas with extensive shore development, substantial property losses may occur. Seacoast communities are experiencing flooding damage from tidal surge, erosion, and landslides more frequently. The problems will cause property values to plummet and eventually affect the tax base in the communities. The coastal damage will have negative economic effects as well as the obvious hazardous consequences.

The ground water, poor packing sandy soil, and constant tide have caused some areas to slump or landslide due to the lack of ledge to hold the shore line. These areas have considerable peat deposits and top soil that is sandy in its makeup. The sand builds up on the peat and is mistaken for solid land mass. Development in these areas is unstable and potentially hazardous.

All areas are susceptible to erosion in Maine. Farming and crop cultivation expose large areas to the effects of wind and water on a seasonal basis for planting and harvesting. Forest areas become vulnerable when all vegetation is removed from vast tracts by the lumbering industry or as a result of fire.

2.11 Landslide

Landslides, a mass of sliding earth, mud or rock, can damage homes, roads and property. Possible damage to utilities such as water and sewer mains in urban areas is possible. Most documented landslides have occurred in glacial-marine clay deposits in the valleys and lowlands of southern Maine. Evidence of small slides is common along steep valley sides and shorelines in these clay deposits. Gradual erosion of marine bluffs is a continuing natural process affecting much of the coast, for example Popham Beach State Park has been severely affected.

Landslides are uncommon in Knox County, although one occurred in Rockland in 1996 along a portion of Waldo Avenue when a steep bluff along the north shore of Rockland Harbor slumped toward the ocean and one in Thomaston in 2010 along a portion of rail line that abuts the riverbank of the St. George River. The Thomaston landslide resulted in the temporary closure of a state owned rail line that supports local industry dependent on freight rail and seasonal passenger tourist service. Unstable coastal bluffs in excess of 20 feet in height will likely be subject to landslides on a more frequent basis as a result of severe storms, flooding and sea level rise.


The most recent event which occurred in April, 2010 had emergency officials blaming heavy rains for a landslide which happened on Winslow's riverfront. The landslide carved away more than 100 feet of a steep slope and dumped it into the Sebasticook River. No one was injured. The area is located near where six homes were demolished two years ago because the ground they were built on was unstable. Officials don't believe the location and the landslide are connected. They believe several inches of rain caused the embankment to give way.

2.12 Assigning Risk

In an effort to assign risk to each of the hazard events listed, probability and impact has been assigned in accordance with the following table.

Probability – How likely is this risk to occur

H High Exhibits the high risk cue(s), has happened frequently, has a very significant chance at happening in the future, or for a single event has already happened.

M Medium Has happened occasionally or has a reasonable but not completely expected chance of happening in the future.

L Low Has happened very infrequently or is expected not to happen except infrequently.

N/A Not Applicable

This risk is irrelevant to this project or operation.

NI Need Information

Impossible to determine probability with the current available information. Information must come from an outside source. Consider high probability until otherwise identified.

TBD To Be Determined

Additional study will be required. Consider High probability until additional is known.

Impact – What will happen if the risk becomes an issue

H High The issue will have a major impact on the business and is likely to cause significant disruption in service; a very visible event.

M Medium The issue will have some impact on the business.

L Low No service disruption or negative effects are expected. N/A Not

Applicable This risk is irrelevant to this project or operation.

NI Need Information

Impossible to determine impact with the current available information. Consider High Impact until otherwise identified.

TBD To Be Determined

Additional study will be required. Consider High Impact until otherwise identified.


2.13 Rank and Prioritize Using the probability and impact table provided on the previous page and assigning risks for each natural event, we were able to prioritize the events in order of highest probability, impact and severity. Of the 3,153 natural hazard events throughout the seven counties that occurred between 1950 and 2010, the probability of the event occurring in the near future was based on the number of past occurrences. For example, 27.4% of natural hazard events have been thunderstorms & high winds; 31.2% have been snow and ice events; and 11.7% have been floods.

Risk Consequence Probability Impact Severity

Risk 1 Flood H H H Risk 2 Winter Storms/Ice Storms H H H

Risk 3 Thunderstorm & High Winds H M M Risk 4 Pandemic Flu M M M

Risk 5 Wildfires M H M

Risk 6 Wind Damage H M M Risk 7 Tornado M M M

Risk 8 Earthquake L M M Risk 9 Hail M M L

Risk 10 Tornado L M M The probability, impact and severity of each risk will be helpful in developing mitigation strategies to reduce the probability that a risk will materialize.


Chapter 3 – Economic Impact

Images from the Floods of 2008 vividly portray the extent of physical damage to homes, commercial property, and public infrastructure. Less clear are the long-term economic impacts this event has had on our communities. Evaluating the impact of a natural disaster on a local or state economy requires identifying where losses are likely to accumulate. Local businesses may experience loss inventory, lost sales, and lost productivity and profits. Even firms not directly affected by flooding might lose sales if they were suppliers of goods and services to affected businesses. In addition to the loss of revenue through sales, other income losses may include rental income and other investment income losses by local property owners. Ultimately, local businesses experiencing net operating losses either as a direct or indirect result of a natural disaster is a measure of economic impact. Operating losses may be caused by a variety of factors such as reduced revenues, inventory losses, production days due to damaged plant and equipment, transportation, lower employee productivity due to absence or stress, or other disruptions to normal business operation. Operating losses reduce regional income. Economies are measured by the annual productivity of business and the distribution of business proceeds. Flooding disasters such as the one that occurred in 2008 have impacted local economies throughout the state. Furthermore, employees may be unable to work, either because they must attend to their household recovery efforts or because their business has shut down. In this case, lost wages represent a major direct impact on local household income. Disaster payments in the form of grants and/or low-interest loans from the federal and state governments can offset some of the productivity losses to the region. These payments will result in an economic impact to the extent that they are spent locally or that they sustain local workers and productivity. These types of federal disaster assistance can vary in length of time it will take to impact the local economy from within a few weeks to small business loans that may take longer. Spending related to reconstruction efforts may actually stimulate some sectors of the local economy, but these gains will be short-term. Types of businesses that might experience a boost might include cleaning services, demolition and waste services, construction sector, skilled trades, building materials suppliers, and general merchandise and appliance stores. FEMA Disaster Declaration #1755, Report from SBA, This report includes the number of loan applications submitted for both residential and commercial. According to SBA, 101

Photo Courtesy of SJV Communications


business applications were issued, but only 12 businesses submitted their completed applications for a loan. Four businesses were declined and 3 withdrew their applications. Only 5 of the 101 applications were approved for a total of $367,400. A total of 45 communities, with 169 public works projects, submitted requests for funding to reimburse the communities for damages to public works. Of that total only 124 projects were funded for an amount of $1,517,005.47. Maine’s businesses form the backbone of the state’s economy; small businesses alone account for a majority of the economy. If businesses are prepared to survive and recover, the state and our economy are more secure. 3.1 Impact on Communities and Businesses The Maine State Hazard Mitigation Plan and several of the target County Mitigation Plans have identified natural disasters in Maine. The following is a compilation of that data. The number one hazard in Maine is the risk of flooding as shown in the following chart. Every county in Maine is susceptible to flooding. Major sources of flooding are the Androscoggin, Kennebec, Saco, St. John, and Penobscot Rivers among many others. Flooding occurs most often in the spring from snow melt, heavy rains or a combination of both, but can also occur from winter storms or hurricanes.

Flooding will have an impact on all land use areas and zones within the affected area. This hazard has the primary impact of shutting down transportation, since it is primarily the roads that are the object of flooding. However, there are several communities in the State


where flooding affects businesses and other buildings, including areas where entire city/town blocks are severely affected. This impact on transportation and roads could affect business, industry, commerce and schools and could delay many social and emergency services. Public sector infrastructure costs are among the most expensive flood recovery activities. While the majority of costs for public infrastructure recovery will most likely come from state and federal government assistance, they will also likely require cash input from local government to cover portions of the costs. The following table represents the estimated losses from floods to critical facilities, roads, bridges, utilities, and homes by county. The estimates were taken from the submitted local hazard mitigation plans to provide an estimated total State loss for each infrastructure item. Each county determined potential losses using the procedures explained in the FEMA document, Understanding Your Risks: Identifying Hazards and Estimating Losses.

Potential Losses Identified in Local Risk Assessments: Flood Losses County Estimated

Losses to Critical Facilities

Estimated Losses to Roads

Estimated Losses to Bridges

Estimated Losses to Utilities

Estimated Losses to Homes

Cumberland $0 $9,039,678 $0 $0 $0 Hancock $14,764,283 $73,097,822 $13,000,000 $3,628,750 $48,487,125 Kennebec $7,584,700 $16,788,644 $0 $1,400,000 $87,018,300 Knox $5,286,000 $2,893,000 $0 $0 $0 Lincoln $208,818,800 $2,346,600 $45,665,000 $605,000 $63,316,300 Oxford $9,202,000 $1,406,000 Inc. in Roads Inc. in Roads Inc. in Facilities Penobscot $0 $21,206,395 $0 $0 $0 Piscataquis $19,000 $3,747,585 $0 $0 $0 Sagadahoc $0 $7,284,000 $0 $0 $0 Somerset $0 $14,174,858 $29,815,000 $0 $20,116,800 Waldo $114,095,080 $6,945,000 $3,000,000 $150,000 $55,531,000 Washington $23,675 $12,423,825 $0 $0 $0 York $45,255,000 $6,826,300 $0 $0 $189,600,000 ** Highlighted Counties are those targeted in this Plan

Due to a lack of standardization in earlier plans, data in the form needed for this table is not available for Androscoggin, Aroostook, and Franklin counties. Revisions to county plans will include newly developed, standardized forms. Estimating losses to critical facilities, roads, utilities, and homes are available through Disaster Reports (DR) to FEMA by each community. Business and homeowner losses are calculated using the FEMA payment claims and U.S. Small Business Administration figures. Between January 1, 1978 and March 31, 2010, FEMA recorded 4,338 losses totaling $39,298,456.79 in loss payments. Disaster business loans approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2007 and 2008 totaled in excess of $4.1 million dollars.


Damages from severe summer storm events typically involve the washout of roads, downed utility lines and debris clearance. If severe enough, this could result in the loss of income to businesses and individuals due to business closures. Damages from severe winter storm events can impact road closures, the loss of power for extended periods of time, high costs for snow removal efforts. It can also result in roof collapses. In Waldo County, the Hazard Mitigation Planning Team provided a report on damage losses during a flood event. While most damages are to local and state roadways, several businesses are located in the 100-year flood zone and would be affected by a flood.

Belfast, Penobscot McCrum Food has the potential to sustain $750,000 in damage cost;

Burnham, two commercial businesses would sustain $119,000 in damage; Islesboro one commercial business would be impacted in the amount of $250,000

and three industrial businesses (?) would have $4,367,980 in damage; Monroe 10 commercial businesses and 1 agricultural business would have

damages totaling $2,000,000; County Estimated

Losses to Critical Facilities

Estimated Losses to Roads

Estimated Losses to Bridges

Estimated Losses to Utilities

Estimated Losses to Homes

Cumberland* $0 $1,213,016 $0 $74,928,120 $0 Hancock $0 $666,225 $0 $118,168,780 $0 Kennebec* $749,210 $1,885,980 Knox $0 $363,920 $0 $25,058,040 $0 Lincoln $0 $04,245 $0 $26,891,780 $0 Oxford $0 $676,150 $0 $2,900,000 $0 Penobscot* $0 $863,939 $0 $544,322,635 $0 Piscataquis* $0 $00,650 $0 $50,481,520 $0 Sagadahoc* $0 $424,195 $0 $28,845,260 $0 Somerset* $0 $312,378,770 $0 $1,073,417,960 $0 Waldo $0 $562,155 $0 $137,534,660 $0 Washington $0 $770,386 $0 $20,428,407 $0 York $172,513,000 $3,181,000 $0 $0 Inc. in Critical

Facilities *Includes severe storm losses, winter and summer

** Highlighted Counties are those targeted by this plan.

Due to a lack of standardization in earlier plans, data in the form needed for this table is not available for Androscoggin, Aroostook and Franklin counties. Revisions to county plans will include newly developed, standardized forms.


Losses from winter storms were determined by identifying the road and utility mileages and assuming that the damages will be total. Damage costs for roads were presumed to be road debris (trees and vegetation) and snow and ice that would need to be cleared. Damage costs for utilities were presumed to be the replacement costs for downed poles and lines. The storm of record, the Ice Storm of 1998, caused incredible amounts of damage to Maine, the other Northeast States and Canada. On January 13, 1998, fifteen of Maine’s sixteen counties were declared federal disaster areas. At its peak, more than half of Maine’s population was without power, caused by ice that coated lines and branches an inch-thick. Maine state and secondary roads were closed because of downed trees on power lines. Central Maine Power estimated their cost to restore power to the more than 600,000 residents affected at $60,000,000. Clean-up and repair costs of local and state government agencies increased the estimate to more than $87,000,000. Long-term impacts of the widespread devastation continue to be identified. More than 17,000,000 acres of urban and rural forest in the four-state area sustained some degree of damage, creating an immediate safety hazard and potentially threatening the long-term regional economy. The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross estimated their recovery costs at $600,000 on March 4, 1998, and the Maine State Bureau of Insurance issued a report indicating over $28,000,000 in claims had been paid. The Maine Forest Service reported as much as $28,000,000 in forest damage, along with devastating losses to the blueberry farmers, maple syrup producers, and beekeepers. An agribusiness survey taken by the Farm Bureau in each county summarized a total damage estimate to $24,970,890. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations’ National Climate Data Center collects information on all natural hazard events. In the following table the impact on loss of life, personal injury, property damage and crop damage from 1950 to 2010 provides details on the impact to the community – its residents and businesses.

Table 19. Natural Hazard Events Impact, 1950-2010

County Deaths Injuries Property Damage Crop Damage Total

Aroostook 4 15 $69,360,000 $500,000 $69,860,000

Knox 6 14 $335,998,000 $130,000 $336,128,000

Lincoln 5 15 $338,309,000 $0 $338,309,000

Penobscot 5 36 $324,025,000 $0 $324,025,000

Piscataquis 6 16 $319,515,000 $0 $319,515,000

Somerset 6 15 $336,639,000 $0 $336,639,000

Waldo 5 14 $336,231,000 $0 $336,231,000

Totals 37 125 $2,060,077,000 $630,000 $2,060,707,000


Chapter 4 – Risk Management

Understanding how risk management works is important. Risk management is the process of identifying risk, assessing risk, and taking steps to reduce risk. Risk is the effect of a natural hazard event. In Chapter 2, we learned that risk is computed from the probability of the event becoming an issue and the impact it would have on the business. Therefore, (Risk = Probability x Impact). Various factors should be identified in order to analyze risk, including:

o Event: What could happen? o Probability: How likely is it to happen? o Impact: How bad will it be if it happens? o Mitigation: How can you reduce the Probability (and by how much)? o Contingency: How can you reduce the Impact (and by how much)? o Reduction: Mitigation x Contingency o Exposure = Risk – Reduction o Assumed Risk

From data collected throughout the seven counties involved in the study area, flooding is recognized as a high probability of recurring and high impact on communities and businesses. In order to mitigate and reduce the risk of natural hazard events, businesses must realize the importance of implementing a risk management system. The first step in a risk management process to determine quantitative and qualitative value that will result from a natural hazard event is to perform a risk assessment. The assessments will help determine what information resources exist that require protection as well as understand the potential risks that may arise from failures, such as loss of information and availability of information. Examples of quantitative value would be the financial decisions, insurance, and loss in terms of dollar amounts and qualitative value would be based on public health and environmental decisions. The following is a simple step-by-step process to establish risk assessment:

1. Establish the risk assessment team. In small businesses, the team could consist of one or two people.

2. Identify assets to be assessed such as personnel, hardware, software, data, and facilities.

3. Identify the losses that could result from damage to any asset. 4. Identify threats and vulnerabilities such as power failures. 5. Determine cost-effective safeguards that could be implemented to mitigate risk.

For instance, a recent survey asked businesses if affected by a hazard “Can your building withstand the impact of a natural disaster, and are your contents and inventory sufficiently protected, so they will not be damaged?” Over 51% of the respondents answered with


“Unsure” whereas only 25.8% answered in the affirmative. This clearly indicates the need for businesses to conduct risk assessments. Businesses ranked the interruption of the following services as the most critical to them (in order of priority):

1. Electricity 2. Phone/Internet 3. Transportation 4. Water 5. Sewer and wastewater treatment

All of the above can be affected by any type of hazard. Flooding would potentially cause the most damage in the areas of water and sewer/wastewater treatment. Another survey question asked businesses “How long can you afford for your business to be shut down and still survive after a disaster (earthquake, wind storm, etc.) without suffering major financial losses?”

25.6% of the respondents believed that their business could be shut down for up to one week.

19.2% responded that they would immediately suffer major losses. Another 19.2% responded that their businesses would be fine for up to one month.

Only 53.2% of businesses responding to the survey have identified the parts of their business that need to be operational as soon as possible following a disaster and have plans in place to resume these operations. The remaining 46.8% are not prepared to recover business operations following a disaster and should take proper steps to prepare emergency plans. This mitigation and disaster recovery plan serves as a guide to help businesses accomplish this task.


Chapter 5 – Risk Mitigation

The impact of any of the natural hazard events experienced in each of the counties can be minimized through proper planning and preparedness. The damaging effects of floods can be minimized by restricting development in flood ways and flood proofing existing buildings. Recognizing warning signals can dramatically reduce damage and destruction by certain natural hazard events. For example, adequate warning of flooding can enable residents and businesses to evacuate and/or institute whatever procedures are necessary to protect themselves and their property. Adequate emergency plans for communities, businesses, and individuals located in vulnerable areas can also minimize impact. Only 69.1% of survey respondents have emergency evacuation plans in place. Hazard mitigation planning includes such elements as organizing resources (establishing a planning team, engaging the community in the planning process, securing political support); assessing risks (identifying and evaluating the natural hazards, preparing damage loss estimates, knowing where hazards can affect the built environment and the likely outcome of damages and losses resulting from a hazard event); developing mitigation strategies (goals and objectives, focus on identified risks and potential losses, identify mitigation measures to help achieve goals and objectives and reduce future disaster-related losses, write a plan); and implementation (adopt plan, implement plan, monitor plan, and review plan). Mitigation planning enables business leaders to make good decisions based on sound hazard identification and risk assessment data in order to reduce risks from future hazards. 5.1 Prepare your Business for Disaster. This section will help prepare for a disaster and put your business in a position to survive a disruption. Though each situation is unique, any business can be better prepared if it plans, puts emergency procedures in place, and practices for emergencies of all kinds. It is critical for you to protect your business by identifying potential risks from natural and man-made disasters. Flood damage data can be used as a measure of the effectiveness of attempts to mitigate flood hazards.

FLOOD WARNING Significant flooding is expected within the next 48 hours. Loss of life or property is possible with this type of event.

FLOOD WATCH The potential exists for flooding within the next 12 to 72 hours.

FLOOD ADVISORY Flooding which is generally only an inconvenience (not life-threatening) to those living in the affected area. Advisories are issued when heavy rain will cause flooding of streets and low-lying places in urban areas. Also used if small rural or urban streams are expected to reach or exceed their banks.


Most standard insurance policies do not cover flood damage and the resulting loss of income. Check with your insurance agent on how to ensure adequate protection.

Check with local authorities to find out the 100-year flood level of your structure. Consider working with a licensed contractor to raise electrical and HVAC system

above the 100-year flood level mark. Keep computers, electronics, and important files raised off the floor. Consider working with a licensed plumber to install a backflow valve to prevent

sewage backup. Be prepared to move critical items above flood level during a flood watch.

5.2 Protect your Business from Natural Hazards. Power outages are commonplace during disasters, and they may last for several days. This was the number one interruption most critical to businesses according to the survey. As a result, even businesses that are not severely damaged can suffer losses because of the interruption of normal operations or the loss of perishable stock. You can reduce these losses and speed the recovery process by installing an emergency generator. First, determine which systems and equipment are essential to the continued operation of your business. They may include one or more of the following:

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Condition (HVAC) Industrial equipment and major appliances Lights, computers, and other office equipment Pumps, including sump pumps, sprinkler system pumps, and well water pumps. Alarm systems

Once you have identified the essential systems and equipment, determine how much power they require and check with a generator sales representative regarding the appropriate size and type of generator. Benefits of using generators: 1) helps to prevent the interruption of normal business operations, 2) helps to prevent the loss of perishable stock, and 3) helps to speed the recovery process. 5.3 Protect Business Records and Inventory. Most businesses keep on-site records and files that are essential to everyday operations. Some businesses also store raw materials and product inventory. The loss of essential records, files, and other materials during a disaster can result in costs and delay to return to normal operations. The longer your business is not operating, the more likely you are to lose customers permanently to your competitors. To reduce your vulnerability, determine which records, files and materials are most important; consider their vulnerability to damage during different types of disasters (such as floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes) and take steps to protect them, including some of the following basics:

Raising computers above the flood level and moving them away from large windows,

Moving heavy and fragile objects to low shelves, Storing vital documents (plans, legal papers, etc.) in a secure off-site location;


Two out of five businesses that

experience a disaster will go out of

business within five years.

Regularly backing up vital electronic files (such as billing and payroll records and customer lists) and storing backup copies in a secure off-site location, and

Securing equipment that could move or fall during an earthquake. Benefits of utilizing this mitigation strategy will help to prevent the loss of essential business records and files, and protects raw materials and product inventory; helps a quick return to normal business operations; helps to prevent the loss of customers to competitors. Business preparedness will determine how quickly your company can get back to business after a natural hazard event. As a business owner, you must ask yourself if you are prepared to relocate temporarily; what would happen if my suppliers shut down; and do my employees know what to do in case of an emergency.

A commitment to preparing today will help support employees, customers, the community, the local economy and even the country. It also protects your business investment and gives your company a better chance for survival. The following are steps you can take to get started with emergency planning for your business:

Learn what kinds of emergencies might affect your company both internally and externally. Find out which natural disasters are most common in the areas where you operate. You may be aware of some of your community’s risks; others may surprise you. This step has already been completed for you with the ranking and prioritizing of the various natural hazard events in Maine. This can be found in Chapter 2.

Think about how a disaster would affect your suppliers and customers. A disaster somewhere else can affect your business if you can’t get supplies, or can’t ship your products.

Meet with your insurance agent. Do you need flood insurance at your location? Normal business insurance does not cover flooding. Should business interruption insurance be a consideration?

Develop internal safety plans; evacuation, fire prevention, etc. Protect and back up your vital records, both the paper ones and electronic data. Make emergency preparedness a priority with you and your employees and your

families. If you and your employees know that your families are safe, you can focus on getting the business back on its feet. Materials available from the www.maine.gov/mema site can help you get started.

Make a communications plan. How will you communicate with your employees, customers, and suppliers, especially if you are closed down for a while?

Make a plan for recovery, for getting back in business. Depending on your type of business, this could be an alternate location, emergency power, or other solutions.

Invest in improvements that will make your buildings and equipment less likely to be damaged.

http://www.maine.gov/mema


Chapter 6 – Business Impact Analysis

6.1 Business Impact Analysis A business impact analysis (BIA) should involve risk assessment, disaster mitigation, and business continuity. The result of a business impact analysis is a report, which describes the potential risks specific to the organization. One of the basic assumptions of a BIA is that every component of the organization is reliant upon the continued functioning of every other component, but that some are more crucial than others and require a greater allocation of funds in the wake of a disaster. As part of a disaster recovery plan, BIA is likely to identify costs linked to failures, such as loss of cash flow, replacement of equipment, salaries paid to catch up with a backlog of work, loss of profits, and so on. A BIA quantifies the importance of business components and suggests appropriate fund allocation for measures to protect them. The possibilities of failures are likely to be assessed in terms of their impacts on safety, finances, marketing, legal compliance, and quality assurance. Where possible, impact is expressed monetarily for purposes of comparison. For example, a business may spend three times as much on marketing in the wake of a disaster to rebuild customer confidence. To develop a comprehensive business impact analysis, all business units and departments should be involved. Management should be responsible for coordinating the process and ensuring its effectiveness within the organization. In the event of a natural hazard event, lost revenue can be estimated in the following manner: Lost Revenue: Potential Financial Loss due to missed collections/interest or

additional fees Penalties: Loss of business process that would result in fines, penalties, or legal fees

due to regulatory requirements. One Time Expense: Loss of business process would result in a one-time expense,

such as equipment, a service provider, or materials. Maintaining Service: Is there a cost associated with maintaining service to your

internal and external customers without this business function. Recovery of Lost Transactions: Is there a cost associated with recreation of

transactions not available on the back-up media? This could be over time or a contracted third party.

Backlog Business Functioning: Would overtime or additional staff be required for the business process to address the backlog once the business process is restored?

Business Process: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Week 2 Week 3 Lost Revenue Penalties One-Time Expense Maintaining Service Recovery of Lost Transactions Backlog Processing


6.2 Risk Assessment: Using the ranking and prioritization system developed for natural hazard events found on Page 63, rank each risk in accordance with likelihood and impact. As an example, businesses surveyed ranked power failure as the most critical impact on their business. Other items rated that would have an impact on businesses included damage to buildings, computers, equipment, loss of inventory, etc. The following table could be used to assess risk:

Risk Consequence Probability Impact Severity

Risk 1 Power Failure H H H

Risk 2 Damage to Computers/Equipment H H H Risk 3 Loss of Inventory H M M

Risk 4 Loss of Supplier/Vendor M M M Risk 5 Loss of Documents/Records M H M

Risk 6 Loss of Staff and/or Customers L H H Risk 7 Transportation H M M

Once you have identified the risk for each, begin to address each in accordance with highest priority. Focus on the most serious risks and most critical functions. It may also be helpful to consider other non-natural risks that could impact your business, such as Incident/Risk Likelihood Preventative Measure Impact on Business

There is a fire and you are not able to use your site for weeks

Low Fire resistant equipment, alternative site

Forced to run at 20% of normal activities for a week.

You are burgled and some damage to your property has taken place.

Medium to High

Insurance? Good Security? Separate off-site computer back-up files

Forced to run at 80% of normal activity for a week.

There is a power failure that lasts for days

Low Backup generator

6.3 Disaster Mitigation: Because a goal of business continuity planning is to ensure the safety of personnel, customers, and assets during and after a disaster, a critical part of the planning process is to identify the preparedness and preventative measures in place at any point in time. Disaster mitigation techniques include both procedural prevention and physical prevention. Procedural prevention relates to the security and recovery activities performed on a daily basis. Physical prevention and preparedness for disaster include special requirements for building construction, as well as the safety and protection of assets, records, and personnel. 6.4 Identifying Mission Critical Function: The mission critical functions should be identified within all business units and departments. Critical functions include all information, processes, activities, equipment and personnel needed to continue operations should a business unit or department e destroyed or become inaccessible. To determine the mission critical functions of the organization, each department should document all


important functions performed within the department. An analysis over a period of two weeks to one month can indicate the principle functions performed inside and outside the department, and assist in identifying the necessary data requirements for the department to conduct its daily operations satisfactorily. 6.5 Outage Impact Analysis: It is important to determine the impact of an outage to the critical systems and business functions. The impact depends on the type of outage that occurs, and the time that lapses before normal operations can be resumed. Other considerations may include the timing of the disaster and the potential impact on the organization (e.g. end-of-month). 6.6 Establishing Priorities: Based on the outage impact analysis, management can establish priorities within business units and departments for the overall recovery of the organization. The business functions can be assigned priorities in the following manner:

a. Essential business functions - a disruption in service exceeding one day would seriously jeopardize the operation of the organization.

b. Important business functions - a disruption of service exceeding one week would seriously jeopardize the operation of the organization.

c. Nonessential business functions - this information would be convenient to have, but

would not detract seriously from the operating capabilities if it were missing. 6.7 Testing your IT System: Testing of a business’ data backup is a vital process that will determine the correct course of action, as well as point out any flaws in your backup theory. 6.8 Vital Records and Records Disaster Mitigation and Recovery Steps: The management of vital records must be made a part of a business’ emergency preparedness responsibility. The identification and protection of records containing information needed to conduct business under emergency operating conditions or protection the legal and financial obligations of a business must be considered. Include in your business contingency plan a determination of the most critical activities that your business must perform if it must operate under other than normal business conditions and in a facility other than the normal place of business; identify which records support those critical activities and the resumption of normal operations; identify which records series or electronic information systems contain information needed to protect the legal and financial rights of the business and persons directly affected by the business’ actions and preserving copies of such records; and establish and implement a plan to recover records that are damaged in an emergency or disaster.


Chapter 7 – Business Continuity

In the aftermath of recent natural disasters, businesses have recognized more than ever the need to be prepared. Companies are striving to meet the demand for continuous service. An organization faces expectations from all sides; customers expect supplies and services to continue in all situations; shareholders expect management control to remain operational through any crisis; employees expect both their lives and livelihoods to be protected; suppliers expect their revenue streams to continue; regulatory agencies expect their requirements to be met; and insurance companies expect due care to be exercised. Business survival necessitates planning for every type of business disruption including, but not limited to, natural disasters, hardware and communication failures, and failure of supply chain and sales organizations. Business continuity planning is used to create and validate a practiced plan for how a business or organization will recover and restore partially or completely interrupted critical function(s) within a predetermined time after a disaster or extended disruption. The well-planned business survives with minimal impact when disaster strikes. Disasters can strike at any time and may take one of several forms individually or collectively – power outages, floods, storms, equipment failure, sabotage, terrorism, and many other factors can contribute to a disruption of normal business operation. Most of us recognize these as possibilities but are you prepared to ride it out with minimal or no loss of data and loss of business revenue and customer goodwill? Planning makes the critical difference between successfully managing an incident within acceptable parameters and having a situation on hand that may take days, weeks, or months to recover. Risk assessment is the very building block of any contingency plan. Recovery planning and downtime mitigation are largely dependent upon a business facility and its exposures to certain risks. These risks can then be qualified, quantified, and a matrix built upon to begin or enhance a contingency plan. Some facility risks may include, HVAC, electrical, topography of facility, external risks, employees and exposure risks, security, fire risks, facility structure and layout, gas/water lines. Once you have established what is important to the survival of your business and what the risks are, you can begin to write the plan. A plan should include;

1. A description of what the plan is trying to achieve and how to make it work 2. Essential check lists 3. A description of your premises 4. The structure of the crisis team 5. Emergency provision for staff


1. A description of what the plan is trying to achieve-The plan should focus on the most vital aspects of your business and address the weakest links in your organization.

Things to consider when developing your strategy Answer

What are the three most vital things to your business? What is the weakest link in your business? What are the three worst-case scenarios for your business?

How likely are they to happen?

What effect will they have on your business? What measures can you take to prevent them from happening?

What measures can you take to minimize the effect they will have on your business?

E.G. prepare an off-site location to work from.

2. Essential Check Lists:

a. What to do immediately following an incident b. What to do after the first hour after the incident c. Essential and useful contact details d. Essential and useful items e. Examples of hardware and software inventory lists that you should have on

and off-site

3. Description of your premises: a. Location of the emergency exits b. Primary meeting point in case of evacuation c. Fall-back option if you have to evacuate in a different direction d. Details of what the premises contain e. Information that is important and specific to your premises i.e. storage

facilities

4. The Structure of the Crisis Team: Even though your company is fairly small, you will still find it useful to include information such as when to implement the plan and who has the authority to implement it. Include both senior and junior members of staff in the plan and their respective responsibilities; make sure that there are reserves for each role to cover holidays and sickness.

5. Emergency Provisions for Staff: Think about how your staff will react if quickly evacuated from your building.

Businesses should review their plan and make amendments as needed when key personnel change, who you move to a different location, or when your clients or suppliers change. And make sure you train your staff.


Chapter 8 – Disaster Recovery

The most proactive step a business can take is to have a disaster recovery and business continuity plan in place. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates over 40% of businesses never reopen following a disaster. Of the remaining businesses, at least 25% will close within 2 years. Small businesses who have taken the time to establish a business continuity or disaster recovery plan will be better prepared to rebuild than a business that was ill-prepared. The key disaster-recovery components that must be in place before the disaster are:

backup of data and off-site or online data storage before disasters occur, workable strategies to follow when disaster occur, outline for recovery following the disaster, maintenance of sufficient insurance coverage, and creation of an off-site disaster toolkit that contains all pertinent company

information and can be accessed easily upon disaster.

Foremost, following an immediate evacuation or rescue of staff, ambulance transport, family notifications, if necessary, and all staff are accounted for, a previously designated disaster team coordinator will provide a business recovery work area. The disaster coordinator should have available a recovery area checklist and begin to set up emergency business operations. Crucial at this stage is to have planning meetings with all key department personnel and staff to discuss damage assessment, status updates, available resources and business functions, timelines, and assignment of staff. Another function of the disaster coordinator is to make sure that steps are taken as soon as possible to contact the company’s insurance providers, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A disaster recovery plan uses a three-tier approach to self-assessment: 1) recovery, 2) restoration and 3) backup. 8.1 In the backup level,

Data complete and inclusive – a process that ensures critical data files are identified, complete, inclusive and copied to some form of storage media that can be placed in a safe location. Recovery Point Objective (RPO) – the targeted limit to how old data can be when restored and made available to users. Recovery Time Objective (RTO) – defines how quickly the system or service must be restored to make available to users.


Off-Site Storage – A separate facility where backup media is stored. Resources Complete – Having the appropriate recovery environment, staff, software, hardware, supplies, etc. to ensure that a system or service can be recovered.

8.2 In the restoration level,

Media (tapes, disks, documents) – storage media, which has the data necessary to meet the owner’s recovery objectives

Single Point of Failure – A resource or item that due to its failure or lack of availability leads to an interruption in a business process or causes it to fail entirely.

Skills – the personnel with the appropriate knowledge of the production environment processes and procedures

Process – A detailed written explanation of how to perform a specific task related to recovery or operation of a system or service

Software – computer programs whether “package applications” or custom programs, used as part of a business function to process information stored electronically.

Hardware – computers and their related peripheral equipment that provide the physical processing, storage and transmissions controls as directed by software to meet the needs of the business function.

Restore includes all of the resources needed to provide functionality. Restoration requires that the broad array of resources needed to support a system or service be considered. Consideration must be given to not only the availability of data, software and hardware, but also the procedures and individuals with the requisite skills to accomplish a recovery. The keys to addressing and effectively maintaining the restore recovery capability are: Regular maintenance to documentation, testing of restore processes, and to the degree appropriate, testing of the end-to-end restore process. Some simple systems may not require a complex environment, but there is still a large quantity of issues.

8.2 In the recovery level, Alternate Equipment – technology equipment comparable/compatible with the

system production equipment and software that can be used to conduct recovery of a system or service.

Testing – to exercise a recovery plan and related procedures to verify that the plan and defined resources (equipment, network, data, etc) are adequate to recovery a system or service within targeted timeframes.

Alternate Location – a site with appropriate power, network, security and space to support the recovery environment for the system or service being recovered.

Recovery can refer to either testing process or the actual response to a disaster. Recovery means that backup data has been restored in a manner that closely simulates recovery


from an actual business interruption. It is where the viability of a recovery plan is clearly defined through the success or failure to meet the objectives set by the business owner.

Backup is the most essential component of a recovery capability. Making sure that data, programs, critical documentation are available in the event of a disruption is the most basic requirement. Recovery cannot happen in most cases without careful attention to backup. If Business process owners must re-input data into the system after recovering from a disaster, then written procedures to accomplish the task are a must. Why plan for disaster recovery and business continuity? Planning procedures can ensure the ability to recover after a disaster. It can also decrease the time to recover. If you had a disaster and it took too long to recover, what would you tell your?

i. Investors ii. Business partner(s) iii. Customers iv. Vendors

Having an understanding of what it means to plan for disaster recovery and business continuity will provide your business with a solid framework from which to create specific plans for your business.


Chapter 9 – Disaster Aid

Once a disaster declaration has been announced, individuals and business owners who have suffered losses may be eligible for assistance.

1. Disaster Housing: Help is available for renters and homeowners whose primary residences were damaged or destroyed or who face displacement from their homes. Aid can include grants for alternate rental housing, money for emergency repairs to make a home livable or mortgage or rental assistance.

2. Home/Personal Property Disaster Loans: SBA disaster loans of up to $200,000 are available to homeowners for real estate repairs. Renters and homeowners may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property losses.

3. Individual and Family Grant Program: Grants may be made to meet disaster-related serious needs or necessary expenses not covered by other assistance programs or insurance.

4. Business Disaster Loans: businesses of all sizes and non-profit organizations may borrow up to $1.5 million from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to fund repairs or replacement of real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other assets. For small businesses, SBA makes economic injury disaster loans available for working capital to pay necessary obligations. Eligible businesses can be in the declared as well as contiguous counties.

5. Disaster Unemployment Assistance: Weekly benefits are available for those out of work due to the disaster, including self-employed persons, farms/ranch owners and others not covered by regular unemployment.

6. Agricultural Assistance: Emergency loans may be available to farmers operating and managing farms or ranches, limited to compensation for actual losses to essential property and/or production capacity. Cost-sharing grants also are available for emergency conservation measures.

7. Social Security Benefits: Help is provided to speed the delivery of checks delayed by the disaster and to apply for Social Security disability and survivor benefits.

8. Tax Assistance: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows federal income tax deductions for underinsured or uninsured casualty losses on homes, personal property and household goods. Those eligible may file amended returns for the previous year to receive early tax refunds.

9. Insurance Information: Assistance is available from the Maine State Department of Insurance on matters such as expediting settlements, obtaining copies of lost policies, verifying losses and filing claims.

10. Veterans Benefits: Information is available about benefits, pensions, insurance and VA mortgage loans.

11. Volunteer Agency Services: Volunteer relief agencies, such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and religious groups, offer a wide range of services from supplying victims with home clean-up kits to financial assistance to meet emergency disaster-caused needs.


Appendix A

BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN

Business Name: Address: Phone # Cell # Emergency Contact Information: Dial 9-1-1 in an Emergency Non-Emergency: Police:

Fire:

Insurance Provider:

Emergency Planning Team:

I. CRITICAL OPERATIONS

The following is a prioritized list of our critical operations, staff and procedures we need to recover from a disaster. Operation Staff in Charge Action Plan


II. SUPPLIERS AND CONTRACTORS

Company Name

Address, City, State,

Zip

Phone/Fax/ E-Mail

Contact Information

Materials/Service Provided

If this company

experiences a disaster, we will obtain supplies/ materials from the

following:


III. EVACUATION PLAN

Evacuation Plan for: Name of Company: Address: Phone:

We have developed these plans in collaboration with neighboring businesses

and building owners to avoid confusion or gridlock. We have located, copied and posted building and site maps. Exits are clearly marked. We will practice evacuation procedures two times a year.

If we must leave the workplace quickly: 1. Warning System: 2. Assembly Site: 3. Assembly Site Manager and Alternate: 4. Shut Down Manager & Alternate: 5. Person responsible for issuing all clear is

Shelter-In-Place Plan for: Name of Company: Address: Phone:

We have talked to co-workers about which emergency supplies, if any, the

company will provide in the shelter location and which supplies individuals might consider keeping in a portable kit personalized for individual needs.

We have located, copied, and posted building and site maps. We will practice shelter procedures two times a year.

If we must take shelter quickly: 1. Warning System: 2. Storm Shelter Location: 3. Shelter Location and Alternate: 4. “Seal the Room” Shelter Location: 5. Shut Down Manager & Alternate: 6. Person responsible for issuing all clear is


Communications: We will communicate our emergency plans with co-workers in the following way:

In the event of a disaster we will communicate with employees in the following way:

Cyber Security: To protect our computer hardware, we will To protect our computer software, we will If our computers are destroyed, we will use back-up computers at the following

locations: Records Back-Up: Is responsible for backing up our critical records including payroll and accounting

systems. Back-up reports including a copy of this plan, site maps, insurance policies, bank

account records and computer back-ups are stored on-site .

Another set of back-up records is stored at the following off-site location: .

If our accounting and payroll records are destroyed, we will provide for continuity in the following ways:

Employee Emergency Contact Information: The following is a list of our co-workers and their individual emergency contact information: Annual Review: We will review and update this business continuity and disaster plan in .


Instructions:

1. Fill in your business name and contact information. 2. Remember: In case of an emergency, always dial 9-1-1. In non-emergency cases, have

available phone number and contact information for police, fire, and insurance provider. 3. Make a list of your emergency planning team. For small businesses employing 1-4

employees, or even 5 to 9 employees, this could be one or two people. However, it is important that all employees know who the emergency planning people area.

Section I.

1. List all of your business operations and who is in charge. Identify what procedures will be necessary to recover each operation in the case of a disaster.

Section II.

1. List all of your suppliers and contractors including contact information; the materials or services they provide and alternate suppliers/contractors.

Section III.

1. All businesses should have an evacuation plan with marked exits, maps of exit routes should be posted in the workplace, and a copy of the evacuation plan should be made available to each employee or co-worker. Collaborate with neighboring businesses to avoid confusion. Make sure that all employees or co-workers are aware of the location to assemble in case of disasters.

2. Shelter-in-Place: Emergencies can occur quickly and without warning. It may be necessary to shelter-in-place during disasters. Make sure your disaster supply kit is available and employees or co-workers are aware of the location of these supplies. You should also have a person responsible, or in charge, to issue an “all clear” statement following a disaster.

3. Communicating your emergency plan to all employees or co-workers is vital. You may want to include the plan in your personnel policy, post it in the workplace, or discuss the plan on a regular basis during staff meetings. Whatever means of communication you choose, make sure each employee is aware of the emergency plan. Also, list the manner in which you will communicate with employees during disasters, such as use of cell phones, internet/e-mail service, or other methods.

4. IT security and data recovery procedures – make sure you have critical records backed up and safeguarded. Your server should be located high enough off the floor so that it does not get damaged during a flood. Drivers can be recovered, but they are costly so it is important to have a backup system. Take backup tapes off-site and store in a safe location, such as a safety deposit box. Battery backup and/or surge protection is also important.

5. List each employee or co-worker and their individual emergency contact information. 6. Review and update your emergency plan annually, or more frequently, if you have had

changes in staff.


Appendix B

Risk Assessment Guidelines

Here are general guidelines for a Risk Assessment:

1. Establish the risk assessment team. The team will be responsible for the collection, analysis, and reporting of the assessment results to management. It is important that all aspects of the activity workflow be represented on the team, including human resources, administrative processes, automated systems, and physical security.

2. Set the scope of the project. The team should identify the objective of the assessment, the department of function to be assessed, the responsibilities of the member of the team, the standards to be used, and the operations to be observed.

3. Identify assets covered by the assessment. Assets may include personnel, hardware,

software, data, facilities, and current controls that safeguard those assets.

4. Categorize potential losses. Identify the losses that could result from any type of damage to an asset, such as physical damage, denial of service, modification, etc.

5. Identify threats and vulnerabilities. Threats could be natural threats, accidental

threats, or human accidental or malicious threats. This could include power failure, hazardous chemical spills, acts of nature, or hardware/software failure. Vulnerabilities are weaknesses which a threat will result in attacking your assets. This could include system security, policies and procedures, management, etc.

6. Identify existing controls. Controls are the safeguards that reduce the probability of

a threat damaging or destroying your business.

7. Analyze the data. Collected information can be used to determine the actual risks to your assets. A technique to analyze data includes preparing a list of assets and showing corresponding threats, type of loss, and vulnerability. Analysis of this data should include an assessment of the possible frequency of the potential loss.

8. Determine cost-effective safeguards. Include in this assessment the implementation

cost of the safeguard, the annual cost to operate the safeguard, and the life cycle of the safeguard.

9. Report. Prepare a simple report that is easy to read, and supported by detailed

analysis. This type of report is more easily understood by individuals who may not be familiar with your organization. The report should include findings, such as a list of assets, threats, and vulnerabilities; a risk determination, recommended safeguards, and a cost benefit analysis.


APPENDIX C

DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN

Section 1. Goals of a Disaster Recovery Plan The major goals of a disaster recovery plan are:

To minimize interruptions to normal operations. To limit the extent of disruption and damage. To minimize the economic impact of the interruption. To establish alternative means of operation in advance. To train network engineers and managers on emergency procedures. To provide for smooth and rapid restoration of service. Establishing high WAN/Internet connection reliability and fault tolerance. The following is a list of all IT personnel who are involved with information

technology aspects. This list should be updated frequently. Section 2. Personnel

Data Processing Personnel

Name Position Address Telephone


Section 3. Application Profile

This is a list of all application personnel who are involved with payroll, accounts payable/receivable, orders, etc.

Application Profile

Application Name

Critical? Yes or No

Fixed Asset? Yes or No

Manufacturer Comments

Comment Legend:

1. Runs Daily 2. Runs Weekly On 3. Runs Monthly On


Section 4. Inventory Profile This is a list of physical inventory that involves your LAN & WAN. This list should be updated frequently and should include all components to your network. This list should include the following:

Processing units Disk units Models Workstation Controllers Personal Computers Spare Workstations Telephones Air Conditioner or Heater System Printer

Tape and Diskette Units Controllers I/O Processors General Data Communication Spare Displays Racks Humidifier or Dehumidifier Power Generator?

Inventory Profile

Manufacturer Description Model Serial Number

Own or Leased

Cost

NOTE: This list should be audited every months.


Miscellaneous Inventory

Description Quantity Comments

Note: This list should include the following: Tapes PC software File cabinet contents or

documentation Tape vault contents

Diskettes Emulation Packages Language Software Printer Supplies


Section 5. Information Services Backup Procedures This procedure saves the journals and journal receivers.

On (day) at (time) a complete save of the system is done.

All saved media is stored off-site in a vault at (location) or in an on-line storage site: .

Personal Computer

It is recommended that all personal computers be backed up. Copies of the personal

computer files should be uploaded to the server on (date) at (time), just before a complete save of the system is done. It is then saved with the normal system save procedure. This provides for a more secure backup of personal computer-related systems where a local area disaster could wipe out important personal computer systems.

Section 6. Disaster Recovery Procedures For any disaster recovery plan, the following three elements should be addressed:

Emergency Response Procedures: To document the appropriate emergency response to a fire, natural disaster, or any other activity in order to protect lives and limit damage.

Backup Operations Procedures: To ensure that essential data processing operational tasks can be conducted after the disruption.

Recovery Actions Procedures: To facilitate the rapid restoration of a data

processing system following a disaster.


Section 7. Recovery Plan-Mobile Site

1. Notify of the nature of the disaster and the need to select the mobile site plan.

2. Confirm in writing the substance of the telephone notification to within 48 hours of the telephone notification.

3. Confirm all needed backup media are available to load the backup machine. 4. Prepare a purchase order to cover the use of backup equipment. 5. Notify of plans for a trailer and its placement (on

side of ). 6. Depending on communication needs, notify telephone company (

) of possible emergency line changes.

7. Begin setting up power and communications at .

a. Power and communications are prearranged to hook into when trailer arrives.

b. At the point where telephone lines come into the building ( ), break the current linkage to the administration controllers ( ). These lines are rerouted to lines going to the mobile site. They are linked to modems at the mobile site. The lines currently going from to would then be linked to the mobile unit via modems.

c. This could conceivably require to redirect lines at complex to a more secure area in case of disaster.

8. When the trailer arrives, plug into power and do necessary checks. 9. Plug into the communications lines and do necessary checks. 10. Begin loading system from backups. 11. Begin normal operations as soon as possible:

a. Daily Jobs b. Daily Saves c. Weekly Saves

12. Plan a schedule to backup the system in order to restore on a home-base computer when a site is available. (Use regular system backup procedures.)

13. Secure mobile site and distribute keys as required. 14. Keep a maintenance log on mobile equipment.


Mobile Site Setup Plan (Attach the mobile site setup plan here.)


Communication Disaster Plan (Attach the communication disaster plan, including the writing diagrams.)


Electrical Service (Attach the electrical service diagram here.)


Section 8. Recovery Plan-Hot Site The disaster recovery service provides an alternate hot site. The site has a backup system for temporary use while the home site is being reestablished.

1. Notify of the nature of the disaster and of its desire for a hot site.

2. Request air shipment of modems to for communications. 3. Confirm in writing the telephone notification to

within 48 hours of the telephone notification. 4. Begin making necessary travel arrangements to the site for the operations team. 5. Confirm that all needed tapes are available and packed for shipment to restore on

the backup system. 6. Prepare a purchase order to cover the use of the backup system. 7. Review the checklist for all necessary materials before departing to the hot site. 8. Make sure that the disaster recovery team at the disaster site has the necessary

information to begin restoring the site. 9. Provide for travel expenses (cash advance). 10. After arriving at the hot site, contact home base to establish communications

procedures. 11. Review materials brought to the hot site for completeness. 12. Begin loading the system from the saved tapes. 13. Begin normal operations as soon as possible. 14. Plan the schedule to backup the hot-site system in order to restore on the home-

base computer. Section 9. Restoring the Entire System To get your system back to the way it was before the disaster, use the procedures on recovering after a complete system loss in the Backup and Recovery sections. Before You Begin: Find the following tapes, equipment, and information from the on-site tape vault or the off-site storage location:

If you install from the alternate installation device, you need both your tape media and the CD-ROM media containing the Licensed Internal Code.

All tapes from the most recent complete save operation The most recent tapes from saving your configuration, if necessary All tapes from the most recent daily save operation Tape list from most recent complete, weekly, and daily save operations History log from the most recent complete, weekly, and daily save operations The Software Installation Book The Backup and Recovery Book Telephone directory Modem manual Tool Kit


Section 10. Rebuilding Process The management team must assess the damage and begin the reconstruction of a new data center. If the original site must be restored or replaced, the following are some of the factors to consider:

What is the projected availability of all needed computer equipment? Will it be more effective and efficient to upgrade the computer systems with newer

equipment? What is the estimated time needed for repairs or construction of the data site? Is there an alternative site that more readily could be upgraded for computer

purposes?

Section 11. Testing the Disaster Recovery Plan

In successful contingency planning, it is important to test and evaluate the plan regularly. Data processing operations are volatile in nature, resulting in frequent changes to equipment, programs, and documentation. These actions make it critical to consider the plan as a changing document. Use this checklist as you conduct your test and decide what areas should be tested:

Conducting a Recovery Test:

Item Yes No Applicable Not Applicable

Comments

Select the purpose of the test. What aspects of the plan are being evaluated?

Describe the objectives of the test. How will you measure successful achievement of the objectives?

Meet with management and explain the test and objectives.

Have management announce the test and the expected completion time.

Collect test results at the end of the test period.

Evaluate results. Was recovery successful? Why or Why Not?


Determine the implications of the tests results. Does successful recovery in a simple case imply successful recovery for all critical jobs in the tolerable outage period?

Make recommendations for changes. Call for responses by a given date.

Notify other areas of results. Include users and auditors.

Change the disaster recovery plan manual as necessary.

Areas to be Tested:

Item Yes No Applicable Not Applicable

Comments

Recovery of individual application systems by using files and documentation stored off-site.

Reloading of system tapes and performing an IPL by using files and documentation stored off-site.

Ability to process on a different computer.

Ability of management to determine priority of systems with limited processing.

Ability to recover and process successfully without key people.

Ability of the plan to clarify areas of responsibility and the chain of command.

Effectiveness of security measures and security bypass procedures during the recovery period.


Ability to accomplish emergency evacuation and basic first-aid responses.

Ability of users of real-time systems to cope with a temporary loss of on-line information.

Ability of users to continue day-to-day operations without applications or jobs that are considered not critical.

Ability to contact the key people or their designated alternates quickly.

Ability of data entry personnel to provide the input to critical systems by using alternate sites and different input media.

Availability of peripheral equipment and processing, such as printers and scanners.

Availability of support equipment, such as air conditioners and dehumidifiers.

Availability of support: supplies, transportation, and communication.

Distribution of output produced at the recovery site.

Availability of important forms and paper stock.

Ability to adapt plan to lessen disasters.


Section 12. Disaster Site Rebuilding

Floor Plan of Data Center

Determine current hardware needs and possible alternatives. (See Section 4.

Inventory Profile)

o Data center square footage, power requirements and security requirements.

o Square Footage:

o Power Requirements:

o Security Requirements: Locked area, preferably with combination lock on

one door.

o Floor-to-ceiling studding

o Detectors for high temperature, water, smoke, fire and motion

o Raised floor

Floor Plan (Include a copy of the proposed floor plan here.)


Section 13. Record of Plan Changes

Keep your plan current. Keep records of changes to your configuration, your applications,

and your backup schedules and procedures.

Vendors – Include Vendor Information Here

Company Name Contact Address Telephone


Appendix D

Self Assessment

DISASTER ACTION CHECKLIST:

1. Plan Initation:

Notify Senior Management

Contact and Setup the Disaster Recovery Team

Determine Degree of Disaster

Implement Proper Application Recovery Plan dependent on extent of

disaster

Monitor Progress

Contact Backup Site and Establish Schedules

Contact all Other Necessary Personnel – both user and data processing

Contact Vendors – both hardware and software

Notify Users of the Disruption of Service

2. Follow-up Checklist:

List Teams and Tasks of Each Person

Obtain Emergency Cash and Setup Transportation To and From the Backup

Site

Setup Living Quarters, if necessary

Setup Eating Establishments, as required

List All Personnel and Their Telephone Numbers

Establish User Participation Plan


Setup the Delivery and the Receipt of Mail

Establish Emergency Office Supplies

Rent or Purchase Equipment, as needed

Determine Applications to be Run and in What Sequence

Identify Number of Workstations Needed

Check Out Any Off-Line Equipment Needs for Each Application

Check on Forms Needed for Each Application

Check All Data Being Taken to the Backup Site Before Leaving and Leave An

Inventory Profile at a Home Location

Setup Primary Vendors for Assistance with Problems Incurred During

Emergency

Plan for Transportation of Any Additional Items Needed at the Backup Site

Take Directions (Map) to Backup Site

Check for Additional Magnetic Tapes, if required

Take Copies of System and Operational Documentation and Procedural

Manuals.

Ensure That All Personnel Involved Know Their Tasks

Notify Insurance Companies


Management

Name Position Address Telephone

Recovery Start-Up Procedures For use After a Disaster

1. Notify Disaster Recovery Services of the need to utilize service and of recovery plan selection. NOTE: Guaranteed delivery time countdown begins at the time is notified of recovery plan selection. Disaster Notification Numbers or . These telephone numbers are in service from a.m. until p.m. Monday through Friday.

2. Disaster Notification Number: This telephone number is in service for disaster notification after business hours, on weekends, and during holidays. Please use this number only for the notification of the actual disaster.

3. Provide with an equipment delivery site address (when applicable), a contact, and an alternate contract for coordinating service and telephone numbers at which contacts can be reached 24 hours a day.

4. Contact power and telephone service suppliers and schedule any necessary service connections.

5. Notify immediately if any related plans should change.


APPENDIX E

Listing of Dams in Study Area

Aroostook County High Hazard and Significant Hazard Dams

MEMA ID

Dam Name Other Name Dam Owner Town River

High Hazard Dams

135 Christina Lake Christina McCain Foods Easton Prestile Stream

144 Community Pond Limestone Community Limestone Limestone Limestone

141 Durepo Brook Limestone Limestone Durepo

134 Josephine Lake Josephine McCain Foods Easton Unnamed

138 Libby Brook Fort Fairfield Fort Fairfield Libby Brook

143 Noyes Mill Limestone Limestone Noyes

414 Squa Pan Plant WPS New England Generation, Inc,.

Masardis Squa Pan Stream

142 Trafton Lake Webster Brook Limestone Limestone Limestone Stream

154 Violette Brook Van Buren Light & Power

Cyr Plantation

Violette Brook

Significant Hazard Dams

150 Arnold Lake Presque Isle Presque Isle Arnold Brook

136 Bryant Pond Fort Fairfield Fort Fairfield Libby Brook

149 Echo Lake BPL/State of Maine Presque Isle Arnold Brook

151 Hanson Brook Presque Isle Presque Isle Hanson Brook

152 Hunnewell Lake IFW/State of Maine Unknown Thibeault Stream

148 Mantle Lake Outlet Presque Isle Presque Isle Mantle Brook

653 Smith Farm H. Smith Family Westfield Smith Brook

155 Washburn Washburn Washburn Salmon Brook

Knox County High Hazard and Significant Hazard Dams

MEMA ID


High Hazard Dams

81A Megunticook, East Knox #1 Town of Camden Camden Megunticook

81B Megunticook, West Knox #2 Town of Camden Camden Megunticook

377 Seabright Town of Camden Camden Megunticook


85 Lermond Pond East Union Richard Morgan Union Lermond Pond

864-A Henderson #1 Henderson Lake Association

Camden Nature/Wildlife Pond

864-B Henderson #2 Henderson Lake Association

Camden Nature/Wildlife Pond


Somerset County High Hazard and Significant Hazard Dams

MEMA ID


High Hazard Dams

1570 Brassua FPLE Maine Hydro LLC

Not Applicable

Moose River

430 Flagstaff Long Falls FPLE Maine Hydro LLC

The Forks Plantation

Dead River

370 Waverly Upper Pittsfield Pittsfield Sebadsticook River

462A Weston-North Channel

FPLE Energy Maine Hydro

Skowhegan Kennebec River

462B Weston-South Channel

FPLE Energy Maine Hydro

Skowhegan Kennebec River

456 Wyman Station FPLE Energy Maine Hydro LLC

Moscow Kennebec River


223 East Madison Madison Madison East Branch

33 Great Moose Lake

Morgan Dam Hartland Hartland Sebastocook River

468A Moosehead East Outlet

FPLE Maine Hydro Solon Kennebec River

468B Moosehead West Outlet

FPLE Maine Hydro Not Applicable

Kennebec River

470 Moxie The Forks Plantation The Forks Plantation

Moxie Stream

691 Mulligan Bog IFW/State of Maine St. Albans Mulligan Stream

504 West Outlet Moosehead Lake West FPLE Maine Hydro Taunton & Raynham Academy Grant

Kennebec River


APPENDIX F

Business Assessment Questionnaire - Survey Results

1. Basic Contact Information for Your Business Responses

Town County

Fort Kent Aroostook 9

Skowhegan Somerset 11

Hartland Somerset 1

Pittsfield Somerset 2

Jackman Somerset 3

Fairfield Somerset 9

Presque Isle Aroostook 10

Manchester Kennebec 1

Madison Somerset 1

Bingham Somerset 1

St. Albans Somerset 1

Caribou Aroostook 15

New Limerick Aroostook 2

Chapman Aroostook 1

Oakfield Aroostook 1

Limerick York 1

Mars Hill Aroostook 1

Madawaska Aroostook 1

Van Buren Aroostook 4

Danforth Washington 2

Patten Penobscot 2

Sherman Aroostook 1

Houlton Aroostook 1

Subtotal 81

Did Not Record City/Address 5

Total 86

2. Please chose the category that best describes y our business activities: a. Health Care or Social Assistance 21.3% b. Retail Trade 20.0% c. Finance/Insurance 12.0% d. Professional or Technical Service 9.3% e. Accommodations or Food Service 8.0% f. Other Service 8.0% g. Manufacturing 6.7% h. Construction 4.0% i. Agriculture or Forestry 2.7% j. Real Estate, Rental or Leasing 2.7% k. Educational Services 2.7% l. Wholesale Trade 1.3% m. Transportation or Warehousing 1.3%


3. Number of Employees

a. 1 to 4 38.1% b. 5 to 9 9.5% c. 10-19 16.7% d. 20-49 17.9% e. 50-99 4.8% f. 100-249 9.5% g. 250-499 0.0% h. 500-999 3.6% i. 1,000+ 0.0

4. Please select range that best describes annual sales

a. Less than $500,000 35.6% b. .5M to 1.0M 15.1% c. 1.M to 2.5M 21.9% d. 2.5M to 5M 12.3% e. 5M – 10M 6.8% f. 10M-20M 2.7% g. 20M-100M 4.1% h. Greater than 100M 1.4%

5. Has your business been impacted by a natural or man-made disaster in the last:

a. 1 to 2 years 11.8% b. 3-5 years 7.1% c. 5-10 years 3.5% d. 11-20 years 12.9% e. 20+ years 3.5% f. Never been impacted 61.2%

6. Does your organization have a risk management plan?

a. Yes 25.3% b. In Design/Review 5.1% c. No 68.4% d. Uncertain 1.3%

7. Does your plan include all operations within your organization?

a. Yes, All Operations 74.1% b. Some Operations 14.8% c. Limited to Selected Departments 11.1%

8. Did your organization hire a consultant to create your risk management plan:

a. Yes 11.8% b. No 88.2%


9. Does your plan include or make reference to any of these areas in the scope of operations covered by the risk management plan?

a. Organization Mission 59.3% b. Risk Management Philosophy 40.7% c. Activities of Volunteers 22.2% d. Actuarial Practices 7.4% e. Crisis Management 63.0% f. Claims Management 51.9% g. Environmental Policies 48.1% h. Litigation Philosophy 11.1% i. Monitoring Effectiveness & Making Changes 40.7% j. Reserving Practices 11.1% k. Risk Communication 74.1% l. Risk Control Techniques 66.7% m. Risk Financing 37.0% n. Risk Identification & Analysis 70.4% o. Specific Department/Division Policies 63.0% p. Specific Local or State Requirements 55.6% q. Use of Vendors/Contractors 48.1% r. Wellness Program 14.8% s. Other 3.7%

10. How often is your risk management plan reviewed or modified?

a. Frequently 16.7% b. Once a year 46.7% c. Every two years 13.3% d. Rarely 23.3%

11. Would you be interested in receiving suggested outlines for a risk management plan?

a. Only if free 38.1% b. Yes 25.0% c. No 16.7% d. Uncertain 20.2%


SAFETY, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

1. Do you have emergency evacuation procedures for your building? a. Yes 68.8% b. No 31.3%

2. Have you familiarized yourself and your staff with the location and operation of the main

switches and valves for gas, electricity, water, etc. a. Yes 82.5% b. No 17.5%

3. Do you have a stormwater management plan that provides for the disposal of stormwater

without damage to streets adjacent and/or downstream properties? a. Yes 33.8% b. No 66.2%

4. What provisions for fire protection are available at your business?

a. Sprinkler System 30.4% b. Smoke Detectors 65.8% c. Fire Extinguishers 98.7% d. Fire Hydrants located nearby 67.1%

5. Is your business equipped with handicapped systems?

a. Ramps 81.0% b. Braille 14.3% c. Lever-type door handles 69.0% d. TYY for the hearing impaired 9.5%

6. Is your business connected to a public or private water system?

a. Private 29.1% b. Public 72.2%

7. Is your business located in an environmentally sensitive area?

a. Yes 11.5% b. No 78.2% c. Floodplains 10.3% d. Wetlands 7.7% e. Steep Slopes 3.8% f. Sand or Gravel Aquifers 2.6%

8. Is your business located near a waterbody that is susceptible to flooding?

a. No 61.3% b. Yes 25.0% c. Stream/Brook 12.5% d. River 26.3% e. Ocean 0.0% f. Lake 2.5%


9. Does your business have historic and/or archaeological value? a. Yes 6.3% b. No 93.7%

10. If you answered yes to Question 9, please describe.

a. Historic Bangor & Aroostook Railroad Train Station and Dube House b. Library c. Dairy Barn is one of last standing and in good condition; also one of last 7 potato barn in

existence. d. Presque Isle business? e. Landmark brick building built in 1920 and located at corner of Main and Market Streets

in Fort Kent

11. Does your business handle or store hazardous materials? a. Yes 31.6% b. No 68.4%

12. If you answered yes to Question 11, please describe the type and volume.

a. Type 1 (formic acid, paint, medical wastes, tree marking paint, gasoline, pesticides, paint thinners, crop protection materials, dental materials, formaldehyde, propane, acid, limited amounts of laboratory chemicals, embalming chemicals, low level nuclear medicine, batteries and battery acid, engine oils, fuel, blood and bodily fluid)

b. Volume 1: varies from a few gallons to 20,000 gallons, 3 med. Red Sharps Container every 2 months, 20,000 lbs. of pesticides

c. Type 2 (propane, muratic acid, preservatives, diesel, medical biohazard, gasoline, automotive paints, diesel, paint, gasoline)

d. Volume 2: 9,000 lbs., 4 gallons, 5 ml or less, 800 gallons, unsure, 10,000 gallons, 300 gallons, 14,000 capacity, less than 50 gallons, 30,000 gallons

e. Type 3 (#6 fuel, oil, propane) f. Volume 3: 85,000 lbs., 50 gallons, 1,000 gallon capacity


Business Self-Assessment

1. Are you concerned that your business operations might be interrupted by a natural or man-made disaster?

a. Yes 50.0% b. No 50.0%

2. Have you determined what parts of your business need to be operational as soon as possible

following a disaster, and planned how to resume those operations? a. Yes 57.1% b. No 42.9%

3. In order to help assure you and your employees’ safety until help arrives, do you have a disaster

response plan in place? a. Yes 36.8% b. No 63.2%

4. Could you communicate with your employees if a disaster happened after work hours?

a. Yes 73.7% b. No 3.9% c. Unsure 22.4%

5. Can your building withstand the impact of a natural disaster, and are your contents and

inventory sufficiently protected, so they will not be damaged? a. Yes 28.6% b. No 23.4% c. Unsure 48.1%

6. Are your vital records protected from the harm that could be caused by a disaster?

a. Yes 59.2% b. No 21.1% c. Unsure 19.7%

7. Are you prepared to stay open for business if your suppliers cannot deliver, your markets are

inaccessible, or basic needs (e.g. water, sewer, electricity, transportation) are unavailable? a. Yes 46.8% b. No 36.4% c. Unsure 16.9%

8. Do you have plans to stay open for business, even if you cannot remain in, or reach your primary

place of business? a. Yes 45.5% b. No 37.7% c. Unsure 16.9%


9. Have you worked with your community (public officials and other businesses) to promote disaster preparedness and plan for community recovery?

a. Yes 22.4% b. No 77.6%

10. Have you consulted with an insurance professional to determine if your insurance coverage is adequate to help you get back to business following a disaster?

a. Yes 74.7% b. No 25.3%

11. How often do you update staff personal information on file?

a. Every Month 6.8% b. Every Six Months 8.2% c. Every Year 54.8% d. When I Remember 12.3% e. Never 17.8%

12. Does your staff know who is in charge during an emergency?

a. Yes 90.8% b. No 1.3% c. Unsure 7.9%


Describe the most recent hazardous event

1. Maine is vulnerable to several types of hazards. Please rate these hazardous events in terms of

possible impact on your business. Select one rating checking the box in the appropriate category.

Critical Very Important

Important Not Very Important

No Need to Address

Wind Damage 7.4% 4 Responses

35.2% 19 Responses

35.2% 19 Responses

18.5% 10 Responses

3.7% 2

Landslide/Debris Flow

3.8% 2

1.9% 1

11.3% 6

28.3% 15

54.7% 29

Flooding 11.1% 6

18.5% 10

16.7% 9

29.6% 16

24.1% 13

Winter Storm/ Snow & Ice

22.2% 12

40.7% 22

25.9% 14

7.4% 4

3.7% 2

Earthquake 8.0% 4

20.0% 10

18.0% 9

36.0% 18

18.0% 9

Loss of Electricity 37.7% 20

30.2% 16

26.4% 14

0.0% 0

5.7% 3

Hazardous Materials Accident

12.5% 6

22.9% 11

22.9% 11

16.7% 8

25.0% 12

Air or Train Accidents

6.1% 3

4.1% 2

22.4% 11

20.4% 10

46.9% 23

Loss of Water Supply

16.0% 8

28.0% 14

30.0% 15

18.0% 9

8.0% 4

Civil Disturbance/ Riot

6.7% 3

6.7% 3

24.4% 11

24.4% 11

37.8% 17

Terrorism/Sabotage 5.9% 3

19.6% 10

17.6% 9

25.5% 13

31.4% 16

Wildfire 15.2% 7

13.0% 6

30.4% 14

19.6% 9

21.7% 10

Pandemic Flu 23.5% 12

23.5% 12

31.4% 16

9.8% 5

11.8% 6

Other 0.0% 0

28.6% 2

`14.3% 1

14.3% 1

42.9% 3

Other: Hail and Lightning Strikes


2. Please consider the interruption of each of the following services in terms of their importance for your business operations. Select one rating for each.

Critical Very Important Important Not Very Important

No Need to Address

Electricity 54.7% 35

26.6% 17

14.1% 9

1.6% 1

3.1% 2

Water 27.0% 17

27.0% 17

23.8% 15

14.3% 9

7.9% 5

Natural Gas 1.6% 1

4.8% 3

3.2% 2

11.3% 7

79.0% 49

Phone/Internet 41.3% 26

30.2% 19

27.0% 17

1.6% 1

0.0% 0

Sewer and Waste Water Treatment

21.0% 13

21.0% 13

33.9% 21

12.9% 8

11.3% 7

Postal 9.5% 6

19.0% 12

33.3% 21

28.6% 18

9.5% 6

Transportation i.e. roads, rail, air

34.4% 22

25.0% 16

28.1% 18

7.8% 5

4.7% 3

Other 0.0% 0

0.0% 0

0.0% 0

0.0% 0

100.0% 6

3. Please rate the items listed below in terms of their impact to your business operations. Select one rating for each.

Critical Very Important

Important Not Very Important

No Need to Address

Damage to Building, computers, equipment

70.3% 45

23.4% 15

6.3% 4

0.0% 0

0.0% 0

Loss of Staff and/or customers

66.7% 42

23.8% 15

7.9% 5

0.0% 0

1.6% 1

Loss of Inventory 31.3% 20

42.2% 27

14.1% 9

1.6% 1

10.9% 7

Loss of Supplier, Vendor, Distributor, Etc.

23.8% 15

33.3% 21

27.0% 17

6.3% 4

9.5% 6

Street Closures or Loss of Public Access

45.3% 29

35.9% 23

15.6% 10

1.6% 1

1.6% 1

Loss of Documents/Records/Data

53.1% 34

28.1% 18

14.1% 9

1.6% 1

3.1% 2

Negative Publicity about business or surrounding neighborhood

52.4% 33

28.6% 18

12.7% 8

1.6% 1

4.8% 3

Other– Loss of License 16.7% 1

0.0% 0

0.0% 0

0.0% 0%

83.3% 5


4. There are many things a business can do to prepare for a disaster. From the following list, please check all things you have already done at your business, plan to do in the near future, are unable to do, will not do, or does not apply. (Please select one answer for each question).

Have Done Plan to

Do Unable to do

Will Not Do

N/A

Attended meetings or received written information on disaster preparedness?

7.8% 5

25.0% 16

39.1% 25

4.7% 3

14.1% 9

9.4% 6

Talked with employees about what to do in an emergency?

12.5% 8

45.3% 29

32.8% 21

0.0% 0

4.7% 3

4.7% 3

Purchased earthquake/flood/disaster insurance?

3.2% 2

24.2% 15

3.2% 2

6.5% 4

41.9% 26

21.0% 13

Purchase business interruption insurance?

20.0% 12

30.0% 18

0.0% 0

8.3% 5

26.7% 16

15.0% 9

Trained employees to evacuate the building safely?

11.1% 7

52.4% 33

28.6% 18

0.0% 0

3.2% 2

4.8% 3

Trained employees in disaster-oriented first aid or light rescue?

4.9% 3

34.4% 21

26.2% 16

13.1% 8

16.4% 10

4.9% 3

Developed a business emergency response plan?

6.8% 4

27.1% 16

35.6% 21

10.2% 6

10.2% 6

10.2% 6

Developed a business disaster recovery plan?

1.7% 1

19.0% 11

43.1% 25

10.3% 6

15.5% 9

10.3% 6

Conducted disaster drills or exercises for your employees?

1.6% 1

23.0% 14

32.8% 20

11.5% 7

23.0% 14

8.2% 5

Performed earthquake strengthening or retrofit of your building?

1.6% 1

0.0% 0

1.6% 1

19.4% 12

46.8% 29

30.6% 19

Made arrangements to relocate the business to another site in case of disaster damage or accessibility issues?

0.0% 0

26.7% 16

18.3% 11

16.7% 10

23.3% 14

15.0% 9

Obtained back-up systems (i.e. generator, machines, etc.)

22.2% 14

36.5% 23

11.1% 7

7.9% 5

11.1% 7

11.1% 7

Stored extra water, batteries or other emergency supplies?

10.0% 6

26.7% 16

28.3% 17

8.3% 5

16.7% 10

10.0% 6

Trained employees to prepare for a disaster at home, so they can return to work more quickly?

3.5% 2

8.8% 5

22.8% 13

12.3% 7

29.8% 17

22.8% 13

Braced shelves, equipment, and areas that contain inventory against damage?

0.0% 0

20.7% 12

13.8% 8

15.5% 9

24.1% 14

25.9% 15

If you are a tenant, talked to building manager or owner about access to the building if a disaster were to occur?

0.0% 0

3.6% 2

5.5% 3

0.0% 0

5.5% 3

85.5% 47


5. How long can you afford for your business to be shut down and still survive after a disaster (earthquake, wind storm, etc.) without suffering major financial losses? Select one.

a. Would immediately suffer major losses 17.5% b. 1-2 days 11.1% c. Up to a week 27.0% d. 1-2 Weeks 14.3% e. Up to 1 Month 19.0% f. More than 1 Month 11.1%

6. As you meet the time period selected in Question 5, what financial means would you use to re-

open your business? (Check all that apply) a. Business Savings 55.2% b. Bank Loan 48.3% c. Credit Card(s) 25.9% d. Personal Savings 32.8% e. U.S. Small Business Administration loan 19.0% f. Insurance 79.3%

What would assist you in minimizing a business interruption

1. Facility and road access

Very Useful Useful Somewhat Useful

Not Useful Already Addressed

Road access issues and debris removal

69.5% 41

23.7% 14

3.4% 2

1.7% 1

1.7% 1

Alternate route availability

52.7% 29

34.5% 19

3.6% 2

7.3% 4

1.8% 1

Protecting data, building, contents and equipment

69.0% 40

24.1% 14

3.4% 2

0.0% 0

3.4% 2

Post-disaster inspections 25.9% 14

44.4% 24

16.7% 9

11.1% 6

1.9% 1

Receiving permits to retrofit or repair your building

44.6% 25

28.6% 16

14.3% 8

10.7% 6

1.8% 1

Talking with your building owner/tenants about business emergency response plans and access to your building post-disaster

18.8% 9

16.7% 8

18.85 9

29.2% 14

16.7% 8


2. Utilities



Making information “one phone call away for businesses

75.9% 44

19.0% 11

3.4% 2

1.7% 1

0.0% 0

Back-up sources of power 80.7% 46

10.5% 6

0.0% 0

0.0% 0

8.8% 5

Alternate communications 70.2% 40

15.8% 9

7.0% 4

0.0% 0

7.0% 4

3. Businesses helping businesses



Resource sharing/mutual aid among businesses in an emergency situation

63.8% 37

22.4% 13

5.2% 3

6.9% 4

1.7% 1

Work with “like” businesses on mitigation projects

42.9% 24

21.4% 12

25.0% 14

10.7% 6

0.0% 0

Mentoring programs between more and less prepared businesses

29.1% 16

29.1% 16

25.5% 14

14.5% 8

1.8% 1

Developing a call center/website for businesses to report damages, disseminate information and assist with recovery.

40.4% 23

29.8% 17

21.1% 12

8.8% 5

0.0% 0


4. Training and Public Outreach



Help employees make plans to protect themselves, families, and their homes

36.2% 21

37.9% 22

19.0% 11

6.9% 4

0.0% 0

Simple steps to develop a business recovery plan

43.1% 25

32.8% 19

13.8% 8

3.4% 2

6.9% 4

How to select appropriate business interruption/ disaster insurance

25.0% 14

33.9% 19

14.3% 8

10.7% 6

16.1% 9

Preparedness training for employees

26.3% 15

38.6% 22

19.3% 11

10.5% 6

5.3% 3

How to secure building contents

29.8% 17

36.8% 21

19.3% 11

8.8% 5

5.3% 3

How to communicate business recovery plans with customers/suppliers

24.6% 14

42.1% 24

15.8% 9

12.3% 7

5.3% 3

How to practice your business recovery strategy

19.6% 11

35.7% 20

26.8% 15

12.5% 7

5.4% 3

How to coordinate business recovery efforts with others affected by the disaster

26.8% 15

35.7% 20

25.0% 14

7.1% 4

5.4% 3

How to access resources such as equipment, counseling, volunteers, financial advice

34.5% 20

43.1% 25

8.6% 5

8.6% 5

5.2% 3

5. Incentives

Very Useful Useful Somewhat useful


Expedited building permit process for disaster-strengthening projects

51.8% 29

26.8% 15

10.7% 6

10.7% 6

0.0% 0

Information that emphasizes asset management as part of disaster preparedness and recovery.

29.1% 16

47.3% 26

12.7% 7

7.3% 4

3.6% 2

Volunteer Assistance 30.4% 17

42.9% 24

10.7% 6

12.5% 7

3.6% 2

Once business has completed preparedness activities receive Disaster “Resistant Business” designation and public recognition.

21.8% 12

38.2% 21

12.7% 7

27.3% 15

0.0% 0


Information Technology (IT) System

1. Is information technology critical to the operation of your business? a. Yes 67.2% b. No 25.9% c. Not Sure 6.9%

2. If you responded that information technology is critical to your business, have you….. (Answer

all that apply). a. Developed a backup plan for IT systems failure: 79.5% b. Secured key IT components from potential damage 71.8% c. Discussed your Internet Provider service’s risk

Management plan and integrated pertinent elements With your plan? 38.5%

d. Determined what elements of your operation Cannot function without IT? 64.1%

e. Identified how your operation can continue or adapt Until service is restored? 66.7%

3. Please rate the importance of these information technology components to the operation of your business.

Critical Extremely Important

Important Not So Important

No Effect on Business Operations

Internet Service/e-Mail 39.7% 23

22.4% 13

25.9% 15

5.2% 3

6.9% 4

Intranet Services 23.6% 13

14.5% 8

25.5% 14

9.1% 5

27.3% 15

Extranet Services 16.3% 8

14.3% 7

18.4% 9

18.4% 9

32.7% 16

Telephone/Fax 50.0% 29

32.8% 19

13.8% 8

0.0% 0

3.4% 2

Short Wave/ FM Communications

3.7% 2

3.7% 2

7.4% 4

25.9% 14

59.3% 32

Citizens Band (CB) Communications

0.0% 0

1.9% 1

3.7% 2

29.6% 16

64.8% 35

Satellite Service/Global Positioning System (GPS)

1.9% 1

1.9% 1

13.0% 7

24.1% 13

59.3% 32

4. Which IT component is most susceptible to disruption in the event of a natural disaster

a. Internet Service/E-mail 37.5% b. Intranet Services 1.8% c. Extranet Services 3.6% d. Telephone/Fax 57.1% e. Short Wave/Citizens Band/GPS 0.0%


Suppliers/Customers

1. Have you identified who your key suppliers are? a. Yes 89.3% b. No 10.7%

2. Have you identified alternative sources for key suppliers:

a. Yes 81.5% b. No 18.5%

3. Do you have up-to-date contact details for all your key suppliers?

a. Yes 90.9% b. No 9.1%

4. Do you have up-to-date contact details for your key customers?

a. Yes 81.8% b. No 18.2%

5. Do you have mechanisms in place for communicating with your key customers and suppliers during

an emergency? a. Yes 36.5% b. No 63.5%


References

Maine State Hazard Mitigation Plan National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Climate Division 2000 U.S. Census U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Maine’s Climate Future: An Initial Assessment, University of Maine, Climate Change Institute Maine Department of Labor, Center for Workforce Research and Information Northern Maine Development Commission Aroostook County Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan Small Business Administration FEMA, Disaster Recovery Centers, Daily Activity Reports for May, 2008