Muddy River Flood Warning Action Procedures

Muddy River Flood Warning Action Procedures

NU Facilities Costumer Service Center

Overview

In 1996 the Muddy River overflowed its banks and caused over 100 million dollars in damages to residents, institutions and public property infrastructure in the Fenway Cultural District. In June of 1998 floods hit the Muddy River once again, and again lack of preparation and timely notice resulted in millions of dollars in damages. As a result Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (former Metropolitan District Commission, MDC), and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority have adopted Ў§Standard Operating Procedures for Muddy River Flood Control,ЎЁ and Ў§Standard Operating Procedures for Hurricanes and Storms.ЎЁ NU is now a critical link in the chain of these standard operating procedures.

NU has taken on a leadership role in disseminating information to its fellow institutions in the Fenway Cultural District. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will send information to NU along with other state and local agencies. MEMA will contact NU FCSC with an Alert or a Warning. NU will then contact the fellow institutions in the Fenway Cultural District, at what time NU FCSC passes the message on to the other institutions will depend on if MEMA has contacted NU FCSC with an Alert or a Warning.

If MEMA contacts NU FCSC with a Warning, then that means that the National Weather Service has forecasted a severe rain event to hit our region in the next six (6) hours. At this point time is of the essence and calls should go out immediately. If MEMA contacts NU FCSC with an Alert, then the National Weather Service has forecasted a possible severe rain event to hit southern New England in the next two (2) to three (3) days. In this situation it may be best to pass on the Alert at a more reasonable time. If the Alert comes in at non-business hours (8 am to 8 pm), then wait until the next dayЎ¦s business hours (8 am to 8 pm) to pass on the Alert. For example, if NU FCSC receives an Alert call from MEMA at 11:30 pm on a Saturday night, then it would be best to pass on the Alert the next morning, Sunday, after 8 am. Three step procedures for an Alert and a Warning are laid out below. Also included within this document are the procedures the Commonwealth will take on in the event of an Alert and a Warning.

In Case of Stage One ЎV Alert ЎV Follow Procedures Below

1. NU Facilities Customer Service Center (FCSC) receives notification from Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) that potential flooding in the Muddy River has been forecasted by the National Weather Service (NWS).

2. NU FCSC contacts critical NU personnel immediately.

„X Jack Malone, NU Director of Facilities Services.

„X Ron Lavoie, NU Director of Facilities Operations.