The Challenge
This project aims to ensure continuation of EOLWD services throughout climate change related events and during the increased likelihood of severe weather.
Project Scope
The main goal of this project was to determine the risk due to climate change that each EOLWD department is facing and develop a mitigation plan based on those risks. The risk assessment covers two distinct areas of EOLWD operations. The first area is written programs, including organizational structure and staffing. The second area is physical facilities. Both assessments expose possible risks to EOLWD operations due to climate change using existing climate change information (such as the SHMCAP), current plans, procedures, policies, staffing, and work locations. The completed assessments show possible departmental exposure to risk. The next steps consist in determining possible mitigation strategies to lower the risks, prioritize those strategies, and, for mitigation requiring capital expenses, to develop an estimated cost of the mitigation. At the completion of the project, EOLWD will have a comprehensive assessment of its exposure to risk due to climate change, and a road map on how to reduce that risk.
Metrics
The ultimate metric is a 100% continuity of operations throughout climate change- related events. In the short term, a more tangible metric consists in measuring progress in implementing the EOLWD mitigation plan.
Results
EOLWD was able to complete a full assessment of the vulnerability of all facilities, both owned and leased, to climate related events. EOLWD was able to formulate a mitigation plan to reduce the risk to its facilities.
EOLWD also was able to complete an assessment of operational vulnerabilities due to climate related events for all of its departments and support services. Mitigation strategies to reduce the operational risks were incorporated into the overall mitigation plan.
As of July 16, 2024 EOLWD has been able to complete 25% (4 of 12) of the facility improvements, and 14% (1 of 7) of the operational improvements.
Best Practices and Lessons Learned
- Use a subject matter expert
- EOLWD did not have the in-house expertise to assess climate risk or develop mitigation strategies. As a result, EOLWD used a subject matter expert, TRC, for this project.
- Have RMAT and/or MEMA involved. Marybeth Groff assisted EOLWD.
- Insightful input and ability to ask questions EOLWD would not have thought to ask. This was vital right from the beginning in assisting in drafting the RFP.
- Her network of contacts was very helpful for gathering information and reviewing draft documents.
- Communication is vital
- Explanation of the project to all department Directors should have been provided as soon as the grant was awarded. Project team waited until there were action items for the Directors to work on, and that was too late in the process. Took time to bring them up to speed and delayed the work.
- Strong representative from Facilities.
- Unfortunately, EOLWD was without a Facilities Director until the very end of this project. Since the assessment was largely facilities based this made completing basic tasks, like walkthrough visits, very difficult.
Project Alignment with ResilientMass Plan Priority Actions
This project contributes to the mandated actions for state departments to perform risk assessments (chapter 4), determine the state’s capabilities and adaptive capacities (chapter 6), and creating mitigation strategies (chapter 7).
Further Action
EOLWD has begun to work on the implementation of the mitigation plan. Leadership meets quarterly to discuss progress and determine future goals.
Additional Information and Resources
Documents are being maintained internally as they contain sensitive information.