Newsmaker Q&A: DEMA Director Jamie Turner

When major events like this winter’s snowstorms strike the state, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency springs into action.

The office becomes a hub of information, communication and collaboration among dozens of organizations involved in handling the incident.

At the center of that hub is DEMA Director Jamie Turner, who makes sure everyone sticks to their plans when the world decides not to.

Q: What is the agency’s role in the event of a major statewide disaster or emergency?
A: The Delaware Emergency Management Agency is the lead state agency for coordination of comprehensive emergency preparedness, training, response, recovery and mitigation services in order to save lives, protect Delaware’s economic base and reduce the impact of emergencies. Our vision is to ensure that the First State is prepared and protected through our emergency management partners and functions.

Q: This winter has been a doozy for Delaware. What has your agency learned from the major snowstorms the state has seen so far?
A: Emergency management can be compared to a symphony orchestra. If your fellow members are proficient in the use of their instruments and they are all reading off the same sheet of music, everyone receives accolades. If there is not a common understanding and agreement, the finger pointing begins.
Since the last snowstorms of this magnitude (February 1979 and previously, December 1966) we have had many residents move in to our state from other regions that have never experienced an event like these storms. This shift in population emphasizes the need for a plan that must be researched, documented, trained, exercised and revised when necessary, whether it be for your family, home, business or your fellow workers.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you think DEMA could have done differently to manage the aftermath of the snowstorms?
A: Experience is a great teacher that encompasses training, knowledge, abilities and previous incident experiences. We always find ways to improve and in the next event, we will find other things to improve upon.

It is extremely easy to criticize when you are standing on the sidelines. It can be very intense if you are a leader or participant. There are givens that no one can change — the operating environment, personnel allocations and equipment availability. It would be very easy to say, for example, that we would like to have all power interruptions restored within 24 hours. Due to many factors, this may not be accomplished.

You have to establish realistic goals and objectives, with proper resource allocations. In certain instances we, like our citizens, must “ride out” the emergency due to the type of event. We cannot stop the snow from falling; nor can we make the snow melt any faster than Mother Nature allows.

During this series of storms, under these circumstances, and given what I have seen and learned of the performance of participants, I would have not coordinated or supported the personnel and organizations any differently.

Q: How does DEMA work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to secure disaster relief assistance and funding?
A: During the Feb. 5-13 storms, information was forwarded to local, county, and state partners to collect and collate data specifically for expenses for those storms. Following the storms, issues to be evaluated include that of monetary damage thresholds based on a per capita figure using 2000 census population statewide and by county. Also a factor is the determination of whether the event measures up to be a National Weather Service certified “Storm of Record” which is defined as the highest snowfall amount in each county for the entire weather service history or “Near Record” which is 10% or less of the record snowfall.

Based on FEMA policy, preliminary information for the Feb. 5-13 events indicates that all three counties are deemed eligible pending receipt of a certified letter stipulating snow totals for Kent and New Castle.

Based on this information, key state program and financial representatives have reviewed the updated rules and requirements and these local, county, and state representatives are to submit estimated expenses for the period of Feb. 5-14.

Those expenses may include overtime and other employment costs, equipment usage rates per hour, and other allowable expenses.

If the estimates warrant, a federal declaration request will be submitted through the governor to the president. Standard reimbursement is 75% of the total approved expenses by FEMA with the remaining 25% absorbed by the applicant.

About Jamie Turner
Age: 58
Hometown:  Smyrna
Residence: Smyrna
Family: Wife, two daughters and a grandson.
Previous employment description: Executive Secretary, Delaware Volunteer Firefighters Association

Email Doug Denison at doug.denison@doverpost.com.